There are few video game franchises with such an incredible level of longevity as the Legend of Zelda series. While there are a number of other franchises that have managed to stand the test of time and keep releasing entries almost as long as these games, none have constantly adapted and changed and managed to stay at the very forefront of the gaming industry for as long as The Legend of Zelda.

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Gamers have always eagerly awaited another entry in the Legend of Zelda franchise, and record numbers have been achieved upon release by games in five different decades. While Tears of the Kingdom continues the franchise’s legacy of being on top of the world of gaming, there are some games in the franchise that have managed to puzzle gamers even more over the years.

7 A Link Between Worlds

An obvious choice for a Legend of Zelda game with fascinating puzzles is A Link Between Worlds. This entry in the franchise, one beloved by fans, is known for being the entry in which Link was able to move in and out of walls, making himself two-dimensional at times.

While being something different and quite unique for the franchise, this ability also added a lot of interesting solutions for puzzles. Players were able to solve puzzles in fascinating spatial ways, making for something completely different, and more challenging, than many of the other games in the franchise, both before and after.

6 Spirit Tracks

A game that many Legend of Zelda fans refer to as underrated, Spirit Tracks was the follow-up to Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass, set in the same version of Hyrule but many years later. Released for the Nintendo DS, there were a variety of great puzzles provided for players which were surprisingly challenging for the franchise.

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Often throughout Spirit Tracks, players would have to make notes of different kinds on the second screen of their DS device in order to be able to solve puzzles later. This was an added challenge, a great use of the Nintendo DS capabilities, and made for a much more challenging puzzle system which felt unique in comparison to any other entry. Spirit Tracks doesn’t get enough credit for being an extremely fun Zelda game, with some particularly head-scratching puzzle work in one of the best handheld Zelda games.

5 Majora’s Mask

Whether players and fans of the Legend of Zelda franchise are looking for unique puzzles or insanely difficult and irritating ones, they can all be found in Majora’s Mask. Generally thought of as less of a jumping-on point, and more of a game for the hard-core fans in many respects, this somewhat darker entry in the franchise was filled with tricky puzzles.

Majora’s Mask chronicled Link’s battle to stop the moon from crashing into the world of Termina, which is parallel to Hyrule. The brutality of some puzzles was a turn-off for many Zelda fans, but many others continue to revisit Majora’s Mask today for the extra difficulty this provided over many other entries in the franchise.

4 Skyward Sword

Another entry in the franchise which may remain controversial in many aspects today, and never quite managed to receive universal acclaim from fans and critics like some more recent editions of the Legend of Zelda franchise, Skyward Sword nevertheless contains some great 3D puzzles that fans shouldn’t skip out on.

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Including challenging but interesting moments like the Isle of Songs, players were able to get through many of the most challenging puzzles in Skyward Sword while still feeling like they actually posed a challenge. This unfortunately wasn’t the case with some of the other best puzzles in the franchise, which players continue to this day to struggle with.

3 Oracle Of Ages

Another game that includes some of the most genuinely difficult puzzles in the entire Legend of Zelda franchise, Oracle of Ages was another hand-held release in the franchise paired with Oracle of Seasons which managed to do something wonderfully unique with the concept of puzzles.

Instead of merely adding puzzles into dungeons to make them more difficult for Link to traverse, Oracle of Ages weaved puzzles together that lasted the whole way through each one, essentially making entire dungeons into individual, brutal puzzles. This strategy has never been repeated, or at least not to anything like the same intriguing degree, as it was in Oracle of Ages.

2 Twilight Princess

Fans of the Legend of Zelda franchise remember a variety of things from each entry they play. Whether an entry has especially memorable graphics, a great combat system, or an incredible narrative in its story, there is always something that sticks in the mind. One of the major things that players remember from Twilight Princess is the fun and challenging puzzles that keep popping up.

From the memorable ice block puzzle to the two stone guardians before gaining the Master Sword, there are a variety of memorable, head-scratching moments in Twilight Princess. While this entry in the franchise remains somewhat divisive among fans, those who play the games with a hankering for some challenge in the puzzle system will want to check this one out.

1 Breath of the Wild

One of the most recent entries in the franchise, Breath of the Wild is generally considered by fans of the franchise to be a more accessible form of Zelda game than much of what came before. This meant that the difficulty in both combat and puzzle terms was much lower than it had been in previous games, making the whole thing feel more friendly and playable by anyone.

However, the ease of access and lack of challenge in some puzzles didn’t extend all the way through them, and aside from difficulty, Breath of the Wild wins points simply for having some of the most innovative puzzles across the various shrines in the game. These puzzles put together a lot of elements from different Zelda games and had fans falling in love with new styles never seen before in the franchise as well.

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