Everyone knows Ocarina of Time, Breath of the Wild, and Tears of the Kingdom. But not every Zelda game gets the same spotlight. Some entries in this legendary franchise have been quietly forgotten, misunderstood, or dismissed — even when they brought great ideas to the table. So I asked the Zelda community a simple question: “What’s the most underrated Zelda game?”… and their answers were eye-opening. Today we’re going to explore the most underrated Zelda games in the franchise, with the help of you, the Zelda community.

What Does “Underrated” Mean?

Before we dive in, let’s define “underrated.” It’s not the same as bad. And it’s not just overlooked. Underrated means a game that’s better than its reputation. It’s the gem that critics didn’t appreciate, or fans ignored — but deserves a second chance. So with that in mind, let’s dive into the top picks — straight from the fans.

Oracle of Ages / Seasons

“I would say the Oracle Games are often underrated. In many rankings I‘ve seen they were ranked very low, although I think they are really good.” – @Romulus879

The Oracle games came out for Game Boy Color, right at the end of its life. Despite deep puzzles, time and season mechanics, and cross-game connectivity, they’ve never had the same love as Link’s Awakening. Multiple fans named these as the most underrated.

“I’d give it to the Oracle games. I think 2D Zelda in general is becoming Underrated compared to 3D. If even the least popular 3D games is winning more community polls than the most popular 2D game, that speaks volumes. But it is the Oracle games that despite clever puzzles and unique charm, still lacks cult followings unlike Majora’s Mask, Wind Waker, or Minish Cap.” — @darkdragonmedeus705

Minish Cap

Made by Capcom, Minish Cap is whimsical, beautifully designed, and introduces the shrinking mechanic — letting Link explore a world from a whole new scale. It’s charming, tight, and creative — but rarely talked about. Thanks to @Brendanowl for picking this one and @darkdragonmedeus705 mentioning it.

Four Swords Adventures

“Four Swords or Four Swords Adventures. The necessity to play them with other people to get the most out of the experience really hurt their reputation, and means a lot of fans just write them off entirely.” — @GamingReinvented

A unique multiplayer Zelda game… that almost no one played properly. Four Swords Adventures required multiple Game Boy Advance systems and link cables — making it one of the most inaccessible Zelda experiences.

A Link Between Worlds

“Truly I think it’s a link between worlds. All of the 3D titles have such a following from a majority of the fanbase but I feel that the newer 2d titles are passed over because of it” — @tyedupinsmokestacey2935

A sequel to A Link to the Past, this 3DS entry let you tackle dungeons in any order — years before Breath of the Wild. The wall-merging mechanic added a whole new layer to puzzles and traversal. Still, many fans overlook it. Notable this one isn’t easy to play if you don’t have the right hardware, it’s one of the very few Zelda games NOT available on Nintendo Switch. Hopefully that will change either with Nintendo bringing it to Nintendo Switch Online, or straight up for the Switch, similar to Skyward Sword.

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link

One of the most divisive games in the series. Side-scrolling combat. RPG leveling. Brutal difficulty. But if you give it time? There’s a bold and rewarding game underneath. Personally, I think Zelda 2 is much better than we give it credit for. It’s pretty much the meme game from the Legend of Zelda series, although not to me… This was my first Zelda game, and I won’t hear a bad word said about it.

Yes, the side-scrolling action can be a pain, but there are some memorable boss fights in here, plus some of the moments in the towns and villages, like finding the mirror under the table, or when you fall down the strange hole near the grave… some truely memorable moments, mixed in with magic and RPG elements… I think the majority of people have it wrong with Zelda 2 and it’s definitely on eof the most underrated games in the franchise. Thanks to @Cosmosis-86 for mentioning this one.

Majora’s Mask

While not obscure, Majora’s Mask was misunderstood for years. Its 3-day cycle, dark tone, and emotional themes were divisive — especially coming off the success of Ocarina of Time. Now, many fans see it as a masterpiece. Thanks to @treykrause9716 for mentioning this one.

Echoes of Wisdom

This is the most recent Zelda game, released in 2024, and it kind of just came and went. This was our first game with Zelda as our protagonist, sometimes battling Link, then finally teaming up with him towards the end of the game. I don’t know why the conversation wasn’t more robust when it came to Echoes of Wisdom, but it didn’t appear on many or any game of the year lists towards the end of last year. The Echo abilities did make the game a little passive, rather than getting in there with your sword it was a much more laid back affair.

However, Echoes of Wisdom definitely deserves another look, and I would say flew under the radar of many non-Zelda fans. If you haven’t played it, definitely give it a second look as you’ll find a wonderful game, and the latter dungeons are a return to some classic Legend of Zelda dungeon design, plus you can see the influence from the recent 3D Zelda games like BOTW and TOTK, in an interesting role-reversal. We’ve seen the 2D games influence the 3D games for years, but this time its reversed. Very interesting, and I hope this isn’t the last we see from 2D Zelda on Nintendo Switch.

Thanks to @tyedupinsmokestacey2935 who mentioned this one.

Is 2D Zelda underrated as a whole?

One theme kept coming up: 2D Zelda is underrated — not just specific games, but the entire sub-series.

As @darkdragonmedeus705 put it:

“Even the most popular 2D Zelda is less popular than the most popular 3D Zelda was the conclusion.”

And yet… 2D Zelda gave us the tightest puzzles, the most inventive dungeons, and some of the most personal storytelling.

Look at the top 10 Zelda games in terms of sales, 70% are 3D Zelda games with only Link’s Awakening, the original Legend of Zelda and Link to the Past make the 10 most successful Zelda games list. Add up the sales of ALL 2D Zelda games in the top 10, and Breath of the Wild outsells them all with a single game.

Final Thoughts

So what’s the most underrated Zelda game? Maybe it’s the one you never played. Maybe it’s one you played… and didn’t understand until years later. Or maybe it’s the one you loved, even when nobody else did. For me? It’s Zelda II The Adventure of Link. Whatever your answer — go back. Revisit it. These games are easier to access now than ever before, and they deserve a second look.

And I want to hear from you. Let me know what you think in the comments. What’s your pick for the most underrated Zelda game — and why? Let’s give these forgotten legends the love they deserve.