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The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda is a 1986 action-adventure developed by Nintendo, originally released for the Family Computer Disk System and later the NES. Players guide the young hero Link across the sprawling land of Hyrule, exploring an open overworld, battling monsters and delving into dungeons to recover the eight fragments of the Triforce of Wisdom and rescue Princess Zelda from the villain Ganon.
The game was groundbreaking for combining exploration, combat, puzzle-solving and item collection with a battery-backed save feature that let players preserve progress across long play sessions. Its non-linear design encouraged experimentation and discovery, rewarding players who burned bushes or bombed walls to reveal hidden caves. It established series conventions such as heart containers, the recurring boomerang and bow, and a growing arsenal of tools used to solve dungeon puzzles, all of which the franchise refined for decades.
As the foundation of one of gaming's most celebrated series, it remains hugely influential. Today it can be experienced through Nintendo's official retro subscription services and various compilation re-releases on modern hardware.
Play it today
Modern alternatives to The Legend of Zelda, with the devices they run on and their price. Ordered editorially by how well each one stands in for the original, with community votes weighted in as they accumulate.
Prices, platform availability and Steam Deck compatibility can change at any time. Always check the store page before buying.
Tunic Indie
€ 29,99An indie action-adventure evoking classic top-down Zelda with secrets galore.
Tunic runs on PC, Mac, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch. Not available on Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet. It is Steam Deck Verified.
Death's Door Indie
€ 19,50A tight top-down action-adventure with compact dungeons and clever tools, clearly raised on classic Zelda.
Death's Door runs on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch. Not available on Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet. It is Steam Deck Verified.
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
€ 59,99A gorgeous remake of the Game Boy classic, still built on the original top-down dungeon formula.
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening runs on Switch. Not available on PC, Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Steam Deck.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
€ 69,99The vast, acclaimed modern open-world Zelda for Switch.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom runs on Switch. Not available on PC, Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Steam Deck.
Nintendo Switch Online (NES library)
€ 19,99 + in-app purchasesA subscription including the original Legend of Zelda and NES classics.
Nintendo Switch Online (NES library) runs on Switch. Not available on PC, Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Steam Deck.
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