The Legend of Zelda is such a prestigious and beloved franchise that every announcement of a brand-new installment is an extremely important occasion, not only for hardcore Nintendo fans but for pretty much the entire gaming industry. And Nintendo is 100% aware of this fact.

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As a result, most of the reveals for the new Legend of Zelda games have been handled with the utmost care. And, considering that this is a long-running franchise, they have been presented at a large variety of events, from E3 conferences to random Nintendo Direct broadcasts. But all these game reveals share one thing in common: they are very effective at hyping up Legend of Zelda fans.

8 The Wind Waker HD

E3 2013

When The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker was first revealed at Space World 2001, it got quite a mixed reception. This was mostly due to its new cel-shaded art style, whereas most fans wanted a new game in the style of the old Link vs. Ganondorf demo from Space World 2000. But, with time, fans began appreciating this game more and eventually saw it as the fantastic experience it truly is.

So, when its HD remaster, TheWind Waker HD, was revealed with an amazing trailer during the special Nintendo Direct of E3 2013, fan reception was way more positive. At a time when the Wii U was struggling to sell units because it didn’t have many great exclusives (not even a new Legend of Zelda game), the beautiful graphics of The Wind Waker HD convinced many fans to finally buy this console.

7 A Link Between Worlds

E3 2013

E3 2013 was definitely a very good time for Legend of Zelda fans: Not only was Wind Waker HD announced, but also a brand-new title for the Nintendo 3DS was revealed: The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds. By 2013, the only game in this franchise for the handheld was Ocarina of Time 3D, so the announcement of a new exclusive was met with a lot of excitement.

To make things even better, this was going to be a spiritual successor to the legendary A Link to the Past, which was made apparent in its incredible reveal trailer that showed off many iconic locations, characters, and enemies of that game that were remade with the impressive 3D graphics of the Nintendo 3DS.

6 Ocarina Of Time

Nintendo Shoshinkai Show 1995

Nintendo used to host their own trade show, which was initially known as Shoshinkai but was later renamed to Space World before being discontinued in 2001. The 1995 edition of this show was of crucial importance for the company, as this was the first time they would publicly unveil a few games for their then-upcoming 3D console: the Nintendo 64.

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This was the first time audiences were made aware of the fact that the first ever 3D Legend of Zelda game was in production, which was known back then as Zelda 64. This may not seem like much nowadays, but the brief clip of Link fighting an enemy knight in 3D was impressive enough to convince consumers that the Nintendo 64 was going to be a legitimate console, especially since The Legend of Zelda was already one of Nintendo’s most popular franchises at that time. Eventually, Zelda 64 turned into Ocarina of Time and became one of the most successful and critically acclaimed games on the console.

5 Majora’s Mask 3D

Nintendo Direct 11.5.2014

After the release of Ocarina of Time 3D, fans were asking for the other Nintendo 64 title, The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, to be either remastered or remade for the Nintendo 3DS or the Nintendo Wii U. This led to the creation of Operation Moonfall, a campaign to bring attention to the fact that the Legend of Zelda fan base wanted a new version of Majora’s Mask.

So, when the 3DS remaster of this beloved game, Majora’s Mask 3D, was revealed during the Nintendo Direct of November 2014, fans were extremely hyped. Not only had Nintendo been listening to them all along, but the reveal trailer itself was beautiful, as most people believed it perfectly encapsulates the dark & somber tone of this tragic adventure.

4 Tears Of The Kingdom

E3 2019

Both The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and the Nintendo Switch were huge successes, so fans were sure that Nintendo was going to make a sequel for the console that reused the same open-world formula. And, after a few years of waiting, this sequel was eventually unveiled at the very end of Nintendo’s E3 2019 broadcast.

But Tears Of The Kingdom didn’t have a name or a release date back then, and it was just announced as "The sequel to Breath of the Wild". The reveal trailer showed Link and Princess Zelda going underground and discovering Ganondorf’s corpse, who was suddenly revived by their presence. As good as Breath of the Wild was, most fans were disappointed by the absence of Ganondorf in that game, so the reveal of his comeback, alongside the promise of a darker and more complex story, was enough to convince them to buy this sequel, before even a second of gameplay was ever shown.

3 Breath Of The Wild

E3 2014

As previously mentioned, the Wii U was not as successful as Nintendo had hoped. This was due to a variety of reasons, but the lack of appealing exclusives was one of them. Because of this, a lot of people were expecting them to reveal a brand-new Legend of Zelda sooner than later, and this announcement was finally made during their E3 2014 presentation.

This was a subtle yet fantastic trailer that showed the beautiful and colorful art style of the game, alongside its huge open world. It even included a fast-paced chase against a mysterious new enemy (which would later be known as the Guardian) and it revealed an improved design for Link. This was everything that fans were asking for in a new game, and it was their introduction to what would eventually become The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Luckily, this trailer alone was enough to keep them hyped until the game was released 3 years later.

2 Skyward Sword

E3 2010

While The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword may be quite a divisive game nowadays, there’s no denying that its initial reveal was one of the most exciting events for fans of this franchise. During their E3 2010 presentation, Nintendo unveiled an amazing trailer that showcased many iconic moments from previous Legend of Zelda games set to a beautiful medley of the franchise’s many musical themes.

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This retrospective led to the reveal of a brand-new Link design, with an appealing new art style that combined the best aspects of both Wind Waker and Twilight Princess. Many people thought that 2010 was way too late to release a new Legend of Zelda game for the Wii, but this trailer proved them wrong. Especially considering that The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Swordwas going to make solid use of the recently released WiiMotionPlus add-on.

1 Twilight Princess

E3 2004

Before its tragic demise, E3 used to be the home of plenty of incredible game announcements that changed the gaming landscape forever. One of the best and most memorable ones was the reveal of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess during Nintendo’s E3 2004 conference. The joyful reaction of the audience is enough to prove that this was an exciting occasion.

The reveal trailer of Twilight Princess is simple and effective, as it promises a heroic new adventure set in a dark fantasy world (which was what most fans were asking for, after the release of the much more cartoony Wind Waker) and the use of epic music made this trailer even more incredible. If the E3 audience wasn’t already ecstatic enough, series creator Shigeru Miyamoto came out onto the stage wielding replicas of Link's Master Sword and Hylian Shield in a charismatic fashion. This cemented this reveal as one of the most legendary moments in the franchise’s history.

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