Since the first Legend of Zelda launched in 1987, you've been able to control Link countless times as he saves Hyrule and its diverse population from peril. While each iteration of Link has something new to offer, it would be nice to have the chance to play as someone else instead.
For the longest time, fans of the series have wanted to see Princess Zelda as a playable protagonist in a mainline entry. It would be great to see a reversal of the damsel-in-distress trope by placing Link in the captive position and the Princess of Hyrule as the hero. Luckily, there are plenty of spin-offs and side adventures that allow Zelda to be a playable character.
Updated on June 20, 2023, by Kyle Chamaillard: The Legend of Zelda series will celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2026, and there still hasn't been a mainline game with the Princess as a playable protagonist. Thankfully, there have been a handful of titles that let you play as Zelda, and we've decided to update this list to highlight each one of them.
7 Zelda's Adventure
In the early 1990s, Philips created three Zelda games as part of a deal with Nintendo for their CD-i format. These games went on to become some of the most ridiculed games in the industry, mainly because of their terrible cutscenes and awful controls. The storylines, enemy combat, and other elements were also panned by fans and critics alike. However, their terrible quality made them instant memes and their legacy persists today.
One of those three games was called Zelda's Adventure, and it delivered the premise that fans are looking for today where you get to play as Zelda as she attempts to save Link from trouble. It's an interesting relic if you want to see awful FMV cutscenes and experience some of the worst level design in any game ever made.
6 Zelda: The Wand Of Gamelon
It's hard to believe that two of the three CD-i games featured playable versions of Zelda, while the majority of canon Legend of Zelda titles put her in a supporting role. Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon is not much better than Zelda's Adventure, but it's at least got some charm to it, and its unintentional humor makes it worth checking out at least once.
Like Zelda's Adventure, Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon follows the titular Princess as she attempts to save Link and her father from Ganon. The animated cutscenes and acting are vastly superior to the FMV used in the other game, and as long as you don't take it too seriously, you can have an adequate time playing through this short adventure.
5 Spirit Tracks
In The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks, Zelda's soul is separated from her physical body, and she spends most of the game as Link's travel companion in spirit form. As such, she's capable of possessing the large Phantom guards you encounter and uses them to help solve puzzles and move Link along.
Because of this, Zelda is technically a playable character in the game. It's in a small role, of course, but it's the closest to being a playable character in the main series that Zelda has ever been. As well, this ability has been highlighted and is used as one of Zelda's attacks in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
4 Hyrule Warriors: Age Of Calamity
Shortly after Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition launched on the Nintendo Switch, Omega Force began development on another Legend of Zelda-inspired spin-off focused on the characters and events of Breath of the Wild. While it featured fewer modes to play through, its lengthy campaign allowed you to re-visit Hyrule as some of your favorite characters, including Princess Zelda herself.
There are technically two versions of Zelda in Age of Calamity - Scholar Zelda and Awakened Zelda - that play very differently from each other. The former wields the Sheikah Slate to use moves like Magnesis and Stasis, while the latter can use more traditional weapons like the Bow. It's great playing as Zelda throughout Age of Calamity, but the other version of the character in Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition is better encapsulation of the character's history.
3 Hyrule Warriors
In 2014, Nintendo made a move that nobody saw coming by partnering with Koei Tecmo to create a crossover game between The Legend of Zelda and Dynasty Warriors. Hyrule Warriors uses locations, characters, items, and enemies from the Zelda series and pairs them with the hack-and-slash gameplay of Dynasty Warriors. It initially launched on the Wii U, with an updated version ported to the 3DS in 2016, and the Definitive Edition on the Switch in 2018.
Many fan-favorite characters from the Zelda series are playable in Hyrule Warriors, from obvious choices like Midna or Ganondorf to surprise appearances from characters like Agitha and Ravio. But one of the most well-done and appreciated fighters is Zelda herself, featuring a new design for the game. For weapon choices, she can wield either a Rapier, the Wind Waker, or the Dominion Rod. You can also play as Zelda in the form of three other characters - Sheik, Tetra, or Toon Zelda - each with their own unique playstyle.
2 Cadence of Hyrule
After the success of Hyrule Warriors, Nintendo decided to once again partner with another studio to create a fantastic and underrated Zelda spin-off. In 2019, Nintendo and Brace Yourself Games came together to publish Cadence of Hyrule, a rhythm game featuring the gameplay of Crypt of the Necrodancer and the characters, locations, enemies, and music of The Legend of Zelda series.
Crypt of the Necrodancer was already an amazing game with a very unique playstyle, requiring you to move, attack, and navigate the world on the beat of the music, and Cadence of Hyrule builds on this by adding Zelda's iconic musical scores and characters. Its top-down style and art direction are very reminiscent of early Zelda titles, and it will reignite your love for the series' music with low-fi, electronic renditions of familiar songs. Even better, though, is the fact that you can choose to play as either Link or Zelda, and are able to switch between the two.
1 Smash Bros.
Of course, the most straightforward way to play as the Princess of Hyrule is to pick up a copy of Super Smash Bros. Zelda was made a playable fighter in Super Smash Bros. Melee, and she and her alter ego, Sheik, have been in every new entry since. In Smash 4, Zelda and Sheik were split into two separate characters, with Zelda gaining her Phantom Armor ability from Spirit Tracks as a replacement move.
Zelda's design has had some significant changes throughout the Smash Bros. series. In her original debut in Melee, she takes on her adult appearance from Ocarina of Time. Then, in Brawl, she would change to her Twilight Princess model. She would make her latest update in Ultimate, with her design based on her Link Between Worlds attire.
While a fighting game comprised of numerous Nintendo series may not be most people's ideal way to play as Zelda, it has been a constant that has only gotten better with each iteration. And it's pretty satisfying to take out not only Ganondorf while playing as Zelda, but also some of video game's most infamous foes along the way.