Handheld games are arguably the most popular form of gaming. Whether it be hugely popular systems like the Game Boy, the Nintendo Switch becoming a home for indie titles, or even mobile phones, a lot of people have dabbled in handheld gaming. Of course, these devices rarely compare with the quality expected of PC or console titles, but playing them on the go is what makes them special.
As with any long-running series, The Legend of Zelda has its fair share of handheld titles. Although many think the first was Link's Awakening, a Game and Watch Zelda predated the Game Boy classic by four years. There are also a number ways these titles struggle or even surpass their console counterparts.
12 Zelda Game & Watch
The Zelda Game & Watch unit was released in 1989 to capitalize on the success of the two NES Zelda titles. At the time, this game pushed the limits of what was possible with the Game and Watch platform, offering a compact version of the traditional gameplay experience. It even managed to have RPG elements in the game, with the player collecting power-ups in an endless dungeon of sorts.
This game is absolutely a novelty and impressive for what it is, but when compared to the other handheld titles, it still struggles to compete. As a time-waster, though, this game is a blast.
11 Tingle's Balloon Fight DS
Aside from traditional Zelda experiences, handhelds became home to the Tingle games, starring everyone's favorite(?) 35-year-old fairy. Although these titles use some Zelda imagery, in reality they are their own weird experiences that range from excellent to Balloon Fight.
This game was a reward for Club Nintendo members in Japan, so it can be considered a bonus title of sorts. However, it's pretty much Balloon Fight with Tingle flair. And really, is Balloon Fight worth the cost to get it off of eBay?
10 Tri Force Heroes
Multiplayer Zelda titles are challenging to make work. Cooperative puzzle-solving done well is something that's hard to nail, even for a company like Nintendo. Over time, they've gotten better at making it work.
The Nintendo 3DS title Tri Force Heroes just feels lacking. The dungeons and puzzles are fine, but get stale after long play sessions. While it does have online play, matchmaking isn't great. And the three-player requirement meant that two-person duos were left in the dust. But it does deliver some fresh outfits for Link, which gives the game purpose.
9 Four Swords
This game was originally a bonus title for the GBA rerelease of A Link to the Past, and as a bonus title to an already great game, Four Swords is more than anyone would've expected. A multiplayer Zelda experience at the time was hard to imagine, but Four Swords made it possible. And it was a great experience.
However, it was a bit unwieldy getting multiplayer to work. Link Cables are fun and all, but it could become a mess to get working at times. That said, his is still a solidly satisfying title, especially in its DSi anniversary edition.
8 Spirit Tracks
The two traditional Zelda titles on the Nintendo DS offered a different experience from previous top-down games. They utilized everything the DS had in its arsenal to create a full experience. In terms of quality, the two are incredibly close.
Spirit Tracks is below Phantom Hourglass due to the fact that the game feels wildly inconsistent at times. It comes down to whether or not the train mechanic is something the player will find fun. While an overall great game and at times better than Phantom Hourglass, Spirit Tracks also dips into much lower lows.
7 Phantom Hourglass
The first of the two DS Zelda titles, Phantom Hourglass showed what the developers were capable of doing with the DS stylus in terms of top-down puzzle solving. It cemented the fact that the DS was going to be home to console-quality experiences, even if there were better DS games afterwards.
In hindsight, Phantom Hourglass' biggest problem is being too easy. While this was probably done to help the audience to adjust to a different control scheme, it's just a tad disappointing coming off of other Zelda titles.
6 Link's Awakening (GB)
Link's Awakening recently got a full remake on the Nintendo Switch, complete with stock sound effects and framerate issues. It's a great way to play the game, but Link's Awakening isn't the deepest of titles when compared to modern experiences. It's a short game by modern standards of Zelda.
Despite that, it still holds up incredibly well. Link's Awakening was groundbreaking as a Game Boy title, and the fact it's core experience still wins awards must mean something to its quality. It might not be worth $60, but it's still a fantastic game.
5 Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland
The first of the Tingle trilogy, none ever reaching the West, was Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland. This game features dungeons, monsters, and the occasional puzzle to solve. However, the real puzzles can be solved through one way: money.
The goal of the game is to make as much money as possible through selling goods obtained through dungeon runs. The world is delightfully weird and, at the same time, fitting for the Tingle character. It's bizarre, but also incredibly fun.
4 Oracle Of Seasons/Ages
While the two Oracle games offer enough of a different experience that most people consider them separate titles, they're ostensibly two halves of the same adventure. The Game Boy Color exclusive Oracle games had Link contending with overworld and dungeon puzzles using the ability to cross time & alter the weather.
The best way to play these two games is side-by-side. Complete both games using the codes that can be shared between the two titles once they are linked. It's a really smart of way of creating a grand experience, and worth checking out.
3 Ripened Tingle's Balloon Trip Of Love
Just from the title alone, this game is obviously a masterpiece. Tingle's Balloon Trip of Love is worlds away from the traditional Zelda formula, being one part point-and-click adventure game and one part dating simulator. Yes, this game is a Tingle dating sim.
It can get a little weird and the humor doesn't always land, but its core cast of Wizard of Oz knock-offs are all lovable goofs and play off of each other well. Balloon Trip of Love can hardly be considered a Zelda game, but for those that get access to an English translation, it's absolutely worth checking out.
2 A Link Between Worlds
The Nintendo 3DS sequel to A Link to the Past, A Link Between Worlds builds on the world established while keeping the gameplay close to the original. The big gimmick is Link's ability to become a painting and cross walls, but in all honestly that isn't even what makes the game so unique.
In A Link Between Worlds, dungeons can be done in any order and items can be purchased to help in solving those dungeons. It's a very open-ended experience, which allows for clever routing, speedrunning, and replayability. There are so many collectibles to uncover and so much to explore. It's one of the finest Zelda titles in the whole series.
1 The Minish Cap
Capcom hit their stride with the Zelda series here, taking everything they learned from the Oracle games to create something striking and memorable. The Minish Cap's style is unique, its gameplay is precise, and its dungeons are some of the best.
There are plenty of Zelda games on handheld that rival their console counterparts, and Minish Cap is one of them. The mechanic of changing size does feel really gimmicky, but it works well for the world of the game. Minish Cap looks great, sounds great, and is a showcase of just how great GBA games could be.