Highlights
- A Link Between Worlds : The whimsical and colorful story, along with the memorable cast of characters, would make for a great movie adaptation. The ability to switch between perspectives could be a charming feature.
- Skyward Sword : The mystery of the surface and the intriguing plot would add a lot of intrigue to a movie. Balancing the surface and Skyloft would be crucial for a successful adaptation.
- Link's Awakening : The unique and unexpected tone of the plot, including the twist ending, could really shine in a movie format. Detailed and exciting dungeons could enhance the storytelling.
With there being constant murmurs of Nintendo giving the go-ahead for a live-action Legend of Zelda movie, fans have been speculating which of the games would be the best to base the story on. While there are always a few key characters who are carried over into each entry, all the Zelda games still have their own style and tone, which is why every longtime fan of the series will give a completely different answer if they're asked which they like the most.
The truth is, though, while all the games are amazing to play in their own right, not all of them would translate very well onto the big screen. Whether this is because of poor pacing, lack of characters, or just because the general plot isn't exciting enough, it's clear that some Zelda titles are better staying as games, however, this isn't the case for all of them. Here are the Zelda titles which have the perfect stories for being adapted into a full-length movie.
6 A Link Between Worlds
The Whimsical And Colorful Story Of Link Between Worlds Makes It A Great Pick For A Movie Adaptation
A Link Between Worlds might not have the most unique story, primarily focusing on Link's journey to defeat the evil sorcerer Yuga and restore the Kingdom of Hyrule to its former glory, but there's no doubt that there's a lot of fun that could be had with the characters. A Link Between Worlds features a pretty formidable cast of colorful characters who would all be a joy to see in live-action, with some standouts including Ravio, Bee Guy, and all the Sages, who each have very distinct personalities and appearances.
Of course, the biggest draw to this game was being able to switch between a top-down perspective and 2D sections where Link merges with a wall to get to the next area. Whilst the movie is set to be live-action, a little bit of CG work could make this charming feature a big part of the film, and it would be a wonderful callback to fans of this classic 3DS title.
5 Skyward Sword
The Mystery Of The Surface Would Add A Lot Of Intrigue To A Skyward Sword Movie
Skyward Sword's plot does admittedly start to get a little messy as it progresses, especially with Zelda being revealed as a reincarnation of Hylia, but the basic premise is still very interesting, and it would be truly ambitious for a movie to try and replicate it. In this game, humans live in the sky after a mysterious evil spreads across the land, causing the people to forget about the "Surface" entirely.
After Zelda is sent plummeting down to the land below, though, Link must venture down to find her but will find more than a few mysteries and peculiar individuals along his journey. Movies can sometimes end up becoming a little stale if they stay in one place for too long, so there would need to be a good balance between the Surface and the Skyloft, but if it managed to nail this, then Skyward Sword would be a great premise for the film.
This isn't even mentioning Ghirahim, who is one of the most iconic villains in the entire series, and seeing his flamboyant and exaggerated personality performed by an actor would add a lot to the viewing experience.
4 Link's Awakening
Link's Awakening Has A Fairly Unique And Unexpected Tone That Could Really Shine In A Movie Format
The plot of Link's Awakening is pretty fascinating, as it's hard to understand just how unique and unnerving it really is without playing until the very end. After washing up on the shore of a mysterious island, Link soon discovers from the locals that if he wants to return to Hyrule, he will need to wake up the Wind Fish by retrieving eight instruments of the Sirens. In a movie adaptation, the dungeons he explores could be made to be a lot more detailed and exciting in how they work to ensure they never become stale, but it would also benefit the story to drop a few subtle hints as to what's going on between these areas, just like the game does.
The truth is, throughout Link's entire journey to awaken the Wind Fish, it is revealed that the whole thing was actually a dream, and by the very end of the game, he awakes to learn that none of the people he met were even real. This could either be a great way to end the movie on a charming note if it tries to appeal to the younger audiences, or Nintendo could also lean into the darker side of Zelda and make it a little more unnerving but either way, there's many different ways they could take this surprising reveal.
3 The Wind Waker
Venturing Across The Wide Open Seas With Link Would Be A Real Joy To Watch On The Big Screen
As has been shown with the live-action One Piece series on Netflix, stories that feature a protagonist sailing out across the deep blue sea are pretty popular since there's no telling what mysterious characters or islands could show up throughout the course of the story. This is why Wind Waker would be such a great pick since it leaves the directors with a lot of room to add in their own unique areas to expand the world while also following the main story beats of the game, which already has a very good plot.
The game also features some of the most iconic characters from the series, such as the King of Red Lions, a talking boat who really feeds into the more magical elements of the series. Because of the drastically different art style of Wind Waker, it does mean that a movie adaptation would need to go above and beyond to be as colorful as possible since a rough and grounded visual style just wouldn't work, but if it can pull that off, then audiences will be in for an extremely exciting high-seas adventure.
2 Ocarina Of Time
Ocarina Of Time's Story Perfectly Captures That Sense Of Adventure Like Nothing Else
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo 64 , GameCube
- Released
- November 21, 1998
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo
- Genre(s)
- Action , Adventure
The reason Ocarina of Time is still held in such high regard by fans this long after its release is due to how well it manages to capture that feeling of embarking on a grand adventure. Link doesn't just move from A to B throughout the course of the game; he also explores multiple different locales, completes side missions to receive new items, and meets a large cast of memorable characters like the Seven Sages, who are major players in the plot.
Because of how much content could be pulled out of Ocarina to create a movie adaptation, it ensures that the pacing of the story will never slow down since there's always some brand-new area to learn about or a character who can keep the plot moving.
There are also plenty of very intense moments within the main story itself, which would be a real spectacle to see on the big screen, such as Ganon emerging from the rubble of the castle near the end or the horse race at Lon Lon Ranch. The game also has some of the best music in the entire series, so it would be a real love letter to fans for these to be included, especially the twelve melodies that Link can learn.
Added to all this, there's even an opportunity for a time-skip, which could even get some other actors involved to play around with Link's age. This would definitely be the best Zelda story to use as the basis for the movie, if not for one other game in the series.
1 Majora's Mask
Majora's Mask Has A Very Deep And Thematic Story That Could Appeal To Multiple Different Audiences
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo 64 , GameCube
- Released
- October 26, 2000
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo EAD
- Genre(s)
- Action , Adventure
Majora's Mask is often considered the "darkest" game in the entire series due to how high the stakes are from beginning to end, but there are still a lot of jovial and lighthearted moments that are sprinkled throughout the plot to ensure it never becomes too gloomy.
In truth, though, it's the looming threat of the moon crashing into the world that makes the game so unique, as it adds a lot of tension to the game, which hasn't really been replicated this well in a Zelda title since. The game is also full of quirky characters who would really shine in a live-action adaptation, with the most obvious example being the weird and unpredictable Skull Kid.
What would make this story so captivating as a movie, though, is that it wouldn't just appeal to a single type of demographic. While the vibrant and magical cast of characters and intense sword fights would definitely be entertaining for kids, the deeper thematic elements and surreal imagery would also make it appealing to adults.
This also leaves open the opportunity for this film to be truly memorable by touching on certain topics and ideas that can be hard to focus on in kid-centered films, but Majora's Mask already provides a compelling story that does this incredibly well.
