In the latest Nintendo Direct, the next installment of the mainline The Legend of Zelda series was revealed as Echoes of Wisdom, set to release on the Nintendo Switch later in 2024. It will notably be the first canon game in the franchise in which Princess Zelda is the protagonist. However, there have been many spin-off titles and non-canon games where Zelda has been playable.

These eight games from the Zelda franchise may not technically take place in the established timeline, but some are still worth checking out for fans of the series. Others may be best forgotten in the storied history of the iconic Nintendo series. From worst to best, this is every non-canon Zelda game released so far.

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8 Zelda's Adventure

The Future Zelda Movie Has A Low Bar To Clear

In the early '90s, before Nintendo was as protective of their IP as they are now, the company lent the Zelda license to Philips for their console, the CD-i. This resulted in three games for the console that are not considered canonical to the Zelda universe, due to Nintendo's limited input in their development. That's likely for the best, because they are considered some of the worst games ever made.

Zelda's Adventure is the black sheep of the trio, utilizing live-action full motion video for the game's graphic design. Although there was an attempt to replicate the iconic top-down Zelda gameplay style, Zelda's Adventure ultimately failed to capture anything that made the Zelda franchise so beloved at that point in time.

7 The Faces Of Evil & The Wand Of Gamelon

At Least They Produced Some Memorable Memes

The other two Zelda games for the CD-i had much more in common, titled Link: The Faces of Evil and Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon. The game allowed players to control Link and Zelda, respectively, each on an adventure to save the other from the claws of Ganon. Notably, these games mimic the side-scrolling playstyle of Zelda II for the NES, though the gameplay is much slower.

What stands out about these CD-i games, despite their poor playstyle, are the animated cutscenes, which have lived on in memes since the early days of YouTube. Unfortunately, these games are sloppily designed from the gameplay to the animation. They have been criticized in recent years, though some fans have a soft spot for their cringeworthy aspects due to early Internet nostalgia.

6 Link's Crossbow Training

A Forgettable Gimmick Game For The Wii

While this game may bear a resemblance to the Nintendo Wii launch title The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, it was sold separately alongside a peripheral for the console known as the Wii Zapper. This gun-shaped nest for the Wiimote and Nunchuk was designed to reinvent shooter games. This Zelda spin-off was supposed to showcase its function with target practice and defense modes.

Sadly, Link's Crossbow Training is abhorrently short, with only nine levels total. It's also one of the few first-party games that was compatible with the Wii Zapper, which didn't see much innovation built around it after all. At its core, this gimmick-y Zelda game is a hollow tech demo. It has no real story or contribution to the franchise's wider timeline, keeping it in the realm of non-canon.

5 Tingle's Balloon Fight

Not The Most Creative Use Of Tingle

• Release Date: April 12, 2007
• Consoles: Nintendo DS
• Genre: Platformer

When Tingle first debuted in Majora's Mask on the Nintendo 64, few anticipated the character's popularity in subsequent years. It wasn't until the mid-2000s that Nintendo began to capitalize on that popularity by giving Tingle his own spin-off series. This included the Club Nintendo-exclusive DS title, Tingle's Balloon Fight.

As many Nintendo fans can tell, this game is simply a port of the iconic NES title Balloon Fight, featuring Tingle as the playable protagonist. It features the same game modes as the original Balloon Fight, so it's not much of a new game aside from the new Zelda-based aesthetics. It never even saw a release outside of Japan anyway.

4 Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland

Tingle Finally Led His Own Adventure

• Release Date: September 2, 2006
• Consoles: Nintendo DS
• Genre: Action-adventure

As far as Tingle's solo series went, Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland is a more fully-realized gaming experience. Released in 2006, this DS title was never released in America, only Japan and Europe. Sadly, it seems like that was a missed opportunity for some Zelda fans. The game requires players like Tingle to hunt down rupees in order to build a tower.

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A lot of reviews criticized the game for being repetitive. This makes sense, given that most of the gameplay revolves around bartering with NPCs or adventuring in search of items to sell for rupees. However, it was a charming example of what a Tingle-led solo adventure could look like. It's too bad that the character's recent appearances have been few and far between.

3 Cadence Of Hyrule

A Zelda Rhythm Game Was Long Overdue

Music has been an important part of the Zelda franchise for years, from the iconic soundtracks to Link's proficiency with instruments in many of the games. However, it wasn't until 2019 that the series made its first leap into rhythm game territory with Cadence of Hyrule for the Nintendo Switch, a crossover with Crypt of the NecroDancer.

The game follows Cadence, the protagonist of Crypt of the NecroDancer, as she's sent to Hyrule to partner with Link and Zelda and defeat Ganon. In the roguelike, players can control Link, Zelda, Cadence, or a Deku Scrub named Yves, as they progress through dungeons. Players must move in sync with the iconic music of the Zelda franchise, providing a fun and unique adventure for the series.

2 Hyrule Warriors: Age Of Calamity

The Breath Of The Wild Prequel That Deserved More Love

Most of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild takes place a century after Link, Zelda, and the Champions initially faced off against Calamity Ganon. In a spiritual successor to Hyrule Warriors, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamityrewinds the clock 100 years, following the recognizable characters in their original quest. However, the events are not confirmed to be canonical.

The game includes a plethora of playable characters from Breath of the Wild, including Link, Zelda, Impa, Prince Sidon, and even Master Kohga. There's a lot to love about the game, from its re-interpretation of the Breath of the Wild narrative to its action-packed gameplay. Some players, though, felt it was less polished than the original Hyrule Warriors and its many ports.

1 Hyrule Warriors

The Series' All-Stars Come Together Across Platforms

Predating Age of Calamity in 2014 was Hyrule Warriors, the first in a series of crossovers between Nintendo and Koei Tecmo's Dynasty Warriors franchise. (They would also release Fire Emblem Warriors in 2017.) Originally released for the Wii U, Hyrule Warriors received ports for the 3DS and Switch, including new playable characters, new storylines, and new costumes to unlock.

Given its representation of many characters and games in Zelda history, Hyrule Warriors is the closest fans will get to a celebration of the franchise. Its gameplay is more frantic and high-paced than other Zelda titles, but the real fun of the game is getting to explore all the various characters, levels, and boss fights that it has to offer.

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