In the latest Nintendo Direct, the next installment of the mainlineThe Legend of Zeldaseries was revealed asEchoes of Wisdom, set to release on the Nintendo Switch later in 2024. It will notably be the first canon game in the franchise in which Princess Zelda is the protagonist. However, there have been many spin-off titles and non-canon games where Zelda has been playable.
These eight games from theZeldafranchise may not technically take place in the established timeline, but some are still worth checking out for fans of the series. Others may be best forgotten in the storied history of the iconic Nintendo series. From worst to best, this is every non-canonZeldagame released so far.
In the early ’90s, before Nintendo was as protective of their IP as they are now, the company lent theZeldalicense to Philips for their console, the CD-i. This resulted in three games for the console that are not considered canonical to theZeldauniverse, due to Nintendo’s limited input in their development. That’s likely for the best, because they are considered some of the worst games ever made.
Zelda’s Adventureis the black sheep of the trio, utilizing live-action full motion video for the game’s graphic design. Although there was anattempt to replicate the iconic top-downZeldagameplaystyle,Zelda’s Adventureultimately failed to capture anything that made theZeldafranchise so beloved at that point in time.
The other twoZeldagames for the CD-i had much more in common, titledLink: The Faces of EvilandZelda: The Wand of Gamelon. The game allowedplayers to control Link and Zelda, respectively, each on an adventure to save the other from the claws of Ganon. Notably, these games mimic the side-scrolling playstyle ofZelda IIfor the NES, though the gameplay is much slower.
What stands out about these CD-i games, despite their poor playstyle, are the animated cutscenes, which have lived on in memes since the early days of YouTube. Unfortunately, these games are sloppily designed from the gameplay to the animation. They have been criticized in recent years, though some fans have a soft spot for their cringeworthy aspects due to early Internet nostalgia.
While this game may bear a resemblance tothe Nintendo Wii launch titleThe Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, it was sold separately alongside a peripheral for the console known as the Wii Zapper. This gun-shaped nest for the Wiimote and Nunchuk was designed to reinvent shooter games. ThisZeldaspin-off was supposed to showcase its function with target practice and defense modes.
Sadly,Link’s Crossbow Trainingis abhorrently short, with only nine levels total. It’s also one of the few first-party games that was compatible with the Wii Zapper, which didn’t see much innovation built around it after all. At its core, this gimmick-yZeldagame is a hollow tech demo. It has no real story or contribution to the franchise’s wider timeline, keeping it in the realm of non-canon.
5Tingle’s Balloon Fight
Not The Most Creative Use Of Tingle
When Tingle first debuted inMajora’s Maskon the Nintendo 64, few anticipated the character’s popularity in subsequent years. It wasn’t until the mid-2000s that Nintendo began to capitalize on that popularity by giving Tingle his own spin-off series. This included the Club Nintendo-exclusive DS title,Tingle’s Balloon Fight.
As many Nintendo fans can tell, this game is simply a port of the iconic NES titleBalloon Fight, featuring Tingle as the playable protagonist. It features the same game modes as the originalBalloon Fight, so it’s not much of a new game aside from the newZelda-based aesthetics. It never even saw a release outside of Japan anyway.
4Freshly-Picked Tingle’s Rosy Rupeeland
Tingle Finally Led His Own Adventure
As far as Tingle’s solo series went,Freshly-Picked Tingle’s Rosy Rupeelandis a more fully-realized gaming experience. Released in 2006, this DS title was never released in America, only Japan and Europe. Sadly, it seems like that was a missed opportunity for someZeldafans. The game requires players like Tingle to hunt down rupees in order to build a tower.
A lot of reviews criticized the game for being repetitive. This makes sense, given that most of the gameplay revolves around bartering with NPCs or adventuring in search of items to sell for rupees. However, it was a charming example of what a Tingle-led solo adventure could look like. It’s too bad that the character’s recent appearances have been few and far between.
Music has been an important part of theZeldafranchise for years, from the iconic soundtracks to Link’s proficiency with instruments in many of the games. However, it wasn’t until 2019 that the series made its first leap into rhythm game territory withCadence of Hyrulefor the Nintendo Switch, a crossover withCrypt of the NecroDancer.
The game follows Cadence, the protagonist ofCrypt of the NecroDancer, as she’s sent to Hyrule to partner with Link and Zelda and defeat Ganon. In the roguelike,players can control Link, Zelda, Cadence, or a Deku Scrub named Yves, as they progress through dungeons. Players must move in sync with the iconic music of theZeldafranchise, providing a fun and unique adventure for the series.
Most ofThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildtakes place a century after Link, Zelda, and the Champions initially faced off against Calamity Ganon. In a spiritual successor toHyrule Warriors,Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamityrewinds the clock 100 years, following the recognizable characters in their original quest. However, the events are not confirmed to be canonical.
The game includes a plethora of playable characters fromBreath of the Wild, including Link, Zelda, Impa, Prince Sidon, and even Master Kohga. There’s a lot to love about the game, from its re-interpretation of theBreath of the Wildnarrative to its action-packed gameplay. Some players, though, felt it was less polished than the originalHyrule Warriorsand its many ports.
PredatingAge of Calamityin 2014 wasHyrule Warriors, the first in a series of crossovers between Nintendo and Koei Tecmo’sDynasty Warriorsfranchise. (They would also releaseFire Emblem Warriorsin 2017.) Originally released for the Wii U,Hyrule Warriorsreceived ports for the 3DS and Switch,including new playable characters, new storylines, and new costumes to unlock.
Given its representation of many characters and games inZeldahistory,Hyrule Warriorsis the closest fans will get to a celebration of the franchise. Its gameplay is more frantic and high-paced than otherZeldatitles, but the real fun of the game is getting to explore all the various characters, levels, and boss fights that it has to offer.
