Summary
Although video games are firmly in the 3D era today,The Legend of Zeldaseries included, there is, and always will be, an undeniable charm about the 2D, top-downZeldaformat. Although the power of portable consoles has allowed Nintendo to render all their games in 3D, they still continue to produceZeldagames where the camera is (for the most part) pointed down from above.
For all the physics simulation ofOcarina of Time, the explorable open-world traversal ofTears of the Kingdom, or the immersion ofMajora’s Mask, the 2D games have mind-bending gameplay, tight level design, and a cozy aesthetic all of their own, and these games are worth celebrating.
Echoes of Wisdomfeels like an attempt to bring the sandbox success ofTears of the Kingdomdown into a more confined world. Elements of this script-flipping gameplay mechanic have been seen earlier in the series, such as the Cane of Somaria fromOracle of Ages, and top-down building games aren’t exactly unheard of either (Animal Crossing), but theZeldalook, feel, and polish bring the concept together so well.
There is a novelty of being able to play as Princess Zelda, even if it isn’t the first timeZelda has been playablein the series, but the object-echo-based gameplay lends itself so well to her character that a palette swap of Link would have felt like a missed opportunity. Thankfully, Zelda’s role as a creative thinker over a warrior is instead emphasized through the use of the Tri Rod, which allows her to conjure echoes of objects and creatures to solve puzzles and overcome obstacles.
Although Toon Link stans never got their breezy sequel toWind Waker,The Phantom Hourglassgraciously stepped in on the DS to continue his story and deliver more free-sailing action. Although there are segments of the game that take place in the 3D realm, specificallythe boat ridingand battling sections, each level and explorable space is distinctly designed with a top-down perspective.
The stylus feature is well-integrated into its gameplay, such as map charting and deep-sea treasure craning. The writing and story are top-notch, and although the game is often considered on the easy side, it was (and still is) a great example of why Link and Zelda deserve more outings with a top-down look.
Old games, particularly those on the NES or of that generation, are infamously obtuse, difficult, and unfair. While the originalThe Legend of Zeldais certainly challenging, especially without the instruction manual (the reading of which was considered mandatory back then), it is also one of the most playable games from that era and still stands up with a straight back today. WIthoutTLoZ, gaming today would be very different, and probably not for the better.
Even though it is top down,The Legend of Zeldamight be considered a proto open world in that it allows the player to tackle any level they like without restrictions or loading times (although they obviously can’t see mountains or landmarks in the distance due to the graphical limitations). It is a great example as to whyopen-world games shouldn’t hold players' hands, as the joy of discovery and pioneering are some of gaming’s most precious experiences.
These two games take the same spot because it’s hard to decide which should come out on top. The two were designed concurrently and even have a trading feature that allows Link to access special weapons and items for completing certain special quests between the games. Besidesthe awesome save game “link” feature,Oracle of SeasonsandOracle of Agescontain some of the most creativeZeldaideas in the series to date.
Each game contains multiple versions of the overworld. InAges,that means the present and the past, and forSeasons, that’s each time of the year. SomeZeldagames may let players change form or alter the world in some way, but none have given such power to players since. Both games use their gameplay hooks to the fullest extent, and although they were made with an extremely short development time, these highly replayable games contain some of the series' most memorable puzzles, quests, and dungeons.
With the processing power made possible by the 3DS, Nintendo could have assumed that the days of 2D were dead. Thankfully, they decided upon experimenting witha 2.5D perspectiveinA Link Between Worlds, which used a forced perspective on a 3D world for that top-down feel, but then smacks the player with the concept of the third dimension when Link is flattened against a wall as living graffiti.
A Link Between Worldsis more than its gameplay hook or a nostalgic follow up, as its story, dungeons, gameplay, and characterizations are some of the most refined in the series, 2D or 3D, thanks to spectacular boss encounter designs, creative use and level-design foresight for the wall merging mechanic, and the rent-an-item based, non-linear approach to dungeon delving.
This gameis somewhat underrated and forgotten today, thanks, in part, to the strange “between time” that the Game Boy Advance occupied between the GBA and the DS. However, between itslucious pixel art visualsand compelling gameplay hook (shrinking down and visiting a tiny world),The Minish Capreally deserves more recognition.
In line with its theme of finding a whole cosmos in the micro,The Minish Cap’s contribution to the lore of the series is understated, subtle, and discrete. Despite being the first game set in Hyrule (canonically), it doesn’t explosively retcon or recontextualize previous games, but it adds magical details, like the origin of finding rupees in the grass, and a backstory for Link’s hat (at least until it was retconned again).
While the originalThe Legend of Zeldaput Hyrule on the gaming map, its sequel, while having some interesting ideas, missed the mark.A Link to the Pastfeels like a true realization of the original intent of the firstLoZ, but with the gloss that experience and experimentation bring.
A Link to the Pastbegan punching with literary devices, such as the hero’s journey (entering the Dark World), and took real risks with its gameplay (like depowering Link during his rabbit transformation). Besides this, its dungeons were on point, score memorable, puzzles satisfying, and visuals iconic.
The originalLink’s Awakeninggets everything right about a top-downLegend of Zeldaadventure: S-tier dungeons, magical storytelling, homely and wholesome towns and characters, and a superb score, even for a Game Boy game. The cherry (or Wind Fish’s egg) on top that brings this one to first place is its remake on the Switch, which captured the toy-like essence of the original while adding its own juicy style and lush flourishes.
Link’s Awakeningis not only a peak 2D top-downZelda, but it even threw in 2D side-scrolling sections that worked whereThe Adventure of Linkhad failed. The whimsical magical realism is perfectly offset by a forboding nightmare simmering just below the surface, waiting to be uncovered, resulting in a game that is bright and charming where it needs to be but just unsettling and eerie enough to stay with its player for the rest of their lives.
