Legend Of Zelda Games With The Best Graphics

Highlights

Nintendo’s Zelda games prioritize innovation, resulting in unique art styles and graphical quality.
Majora’s Mask 3D revamped Nintendo 64 graphics to enhance visuals, performance, and playability.
Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom showcased the Switch’s graphical capabilities for open-world gameplay.

As a longtime fan of The Legend of Zelda series and someone who has played every game since its humble beginnings on the NES, I can confidently say that each new release brings something special to the table, graphically speaking. From the groundbreaking visuals of Breath of the Wild to the charming diorama-style art of Link’s Awakening remake, Nintendo has consistently pushed the boundaries of what the Switch is capable of.

One of gaming history’s most cherished franchises is “The Legend of Zelda,” which for over three decades has flown the Nintendo banner proudly. With numerous releases, the majority of which have been warmly embraced by players, this series isn’t shy about taking risks. Although its timeline can be perplexing, gamers from various generations are captivated by the tale of Link and Zelda, as well as the destiny of Hyrule.

Nintendo consistently updates the “Zelda” franchise by making each game distinct from its predecessor in terms of visual appearance. The games boast diverse art styles and vary in graphical quality, with none appearing particularly poor, but some exhibiting superior graphics compared to others. Here are some standout “Legend of Zelda” games, arranged not based on their artistic style, but by the quality of their graphics as measured against contemporary standards.

8 The Legend Of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D

A Decent 3D Update To A Classic

Legend Of Zelda Games With The Best Graphics

The classic “Majora’s Mask” debuted on Nintendo 64 in 2000, sharing a lot of graphical similarities with “The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time,” which came out two years earlier in 1998. Notably, certain character and enemy designs were carried over from the older game. Visually, it was quite impressive for its time, though not a significant leap forward compared to its predecessor.

In the remake of Majora’s Mask for the 3DS, Nintendo significantly upgraded the graphics from the original Nintendo 64 version. This enhancement includes better environmental textures and a frame rate boosted to 30 FPS. Additionally, the game features enhanced stereoscopic 3D graphics, although opinions may vary on whether this adds value. Most agree that the 3DS version is an improvement and one of the best-looking Zelda games on the console, even though it might not quite match up to games specifically designed for the 3DS. Today, playing Majora’s Mask 3D remains one of the best ways to experience one of the challenging Zelda games.

7 The Legend Of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds

Mixing 2D And 3D

It’s well-known that the 3DS didn’t have top-notch power, and it was noticeably weaker than its main rival, the PS Vita. But just because it wasn’t powerful doesn’t mean the games made for it had to be visually unappealing. Instead of focusing on flashy graphics, Nintendo aimed to stir up nostalgia with A Link Between Worlds by adopting a more classic, retro art style that was amplified using stereoscopic 3D effects.

The outcome was somewhat contentious, as some critics claimed the artistic approach was overly minimalistic. However, visually, the game was appealing. The 3D effects lent it an edgy charm and made Link’s ability to merge with walls and transition into a 2D realm seem less like a gimmick. Nevertheless, due to its portable nature, this 3DS game isn’t graphically comparable to those released on Nintendo’s home consoles, which means one of the greatest 3DS games ever is rated lower.

6 The Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD

A Remaster Done Right

Originally, “The Legend of Zelda: The Windwaker” debuted on the GameCube in 2002. Visually, it surpassed the Nintendo 64 versions of “The Legend of Zelda,” and its cel-shaded graphics compensated for the GameCube’s limitations when compared to the powerful PlayStation 2. Later, a remastered version called “The Wind Waker HD” was released for the Wii U, which upgraded the original game’s 480p graphics to high-definition 1080p.

Apart from boasting higher resolution, The Wind Waker HD stands out on the Wii U system and among Zelda games for its advanced lighting engine and enhanced textures. It’s undeniably one of the finest Wii U titles and visually impressive Zelda games. Yet, it’s also evident that it is essentially an upgraded version of a 480p game, hence it may not match the visual quality of more recent releases.

5 The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD

A Slight Improvement

In the context of video games, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess shifted toward a style with more lifelike visuals compared to its original release. While the initial game wasn’t visually unappealing, it sometimes appeared blurry due to a resolution of 480p on both GameCube and Wii, and its graphics were less detailed. The updated version for Wii U aimed to rectify these issues.

The resolution was increased to 1080p, meaning six times the pixels. Faraway objects in the game’s open areas looked much clearer and made aiming weapons easier. Smaller details were also touched up with increased details, like Link’s hair and some background textures. Other textures were replaced completely with new, more detailed ones. Fans could finally watch one of the Zelda franchise’s darkest endings in glorious HD. The only thing holding the game back from a higher ranking here is that most of the character models and geometry kept the same polygon count as the original, making it clear this was a remaster and limiting how good it could look compared to new games.

4 The Legend Of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD

A Big Step Up

The updated version of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD is another polished edition of an earlier Wii game, and unlike other high-definition remasters, it took a considerable amount of time to develop. Initially, Nintendo attempted to create an HD remaster for Skyward Sword during the development of Breath of the Wild for the Wii U, but instead, they released The Wind Waker HD. However, when they finally rolled out Skyward Sword HD, it certainly lived up to expectations.

In a similar fashion to how the Wii U’s versions were upgraded, Skyward Sword’s resolution was boosted to 1080p, and it generally operates at 60 frames per second. Although technically it’s the same resolution, Skyward Sword HD offers a smoother performance and improved visuals compared to the remaster made for the Wii U.

3 The Legend Of Zelda: Link’s Awakening

A Complete Graphical Overhaul

For some time now, remakes of timeless video games have been popular, and “The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening” is a fine demonstration of one done effectively. Originally developed for the Nintendo Switch, this game was thoroughly reimagined, preserving its traditional bird’s-eye view while completely overhauling the original visuals.

For the remake, Nintendo chose to abandon the pixelated graphics of the original version and instead opted for high-definition, 3D graphics and a completely modeled environment. The unique art style was replaced with a more diorama-like appearance, and the game now features fully animated cutscenes. Additionally, it boasts a wider color spectrum compared to its predecessor. While this new look might not appeal to everyone, given that the game is specifically designed for the Nintendo Switch, it’s challenging to deny that its graphics are among the best in the franchise.

2 The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild

Showed What The Switch Could Do

Breath of the Wild is a game that speaks for itself. When it debuted, it ignited global excitement and significantly contributed to the popularity of the Nintendo Switch, making it one of the most successful consoles ever sold. The game stands out for numerous reasons, particularly its stunning graphics.

Many gamers often argue that the Switch, along with its predecessor Wii U, lacks the processing power compared to current or even previous console generations. However, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild demonstrated that this small console is capable of rendering vast and intricately detailed open worlds. It appears that hardware specifications aren’t the only factor in delivering an exceptional gaming experience. Even after several years, Breath of the Wild remains one of the best open-world games on the Switch, and its graphics continue to impress. If it weren’t for its more recent counterpart, it would undoubtedly hold the number one spot on many gamers’ lists.

1 The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom

As Good Looking As It Gets On Switch

Fans wondered how Nintendo could top the incredible experience offered by “Breath of the Wild” with “Tears of the Kingdom”. While it was assumed that there would be graphic improvements given its sequel status, fans weren’t certain to what extent these enhancements would occur.

In summary, while both games are generally well-balanced, Tears of the Kingdom boasts slightly superior resolution and enhanced close-up details, as well as noticeably better water effects. However, its graphics don’t reach a perfect score due to occasional pixelated shadows and issues with draw distance, particularly when playing on a large screen. Despite being the best Legend of Zelda sequel game in terms of visuals, it’s a tight race within the franchise. This balance is likely to persist until Nintendo invests in more powerful hardware for future releases.

2024-08-04 11:34