The Legend of Zelda (NES)
As the progenitor of everything that would follow it, the original Legend of Zelda still holds up as a blueprint for the story of Link and Zelda. Compared to all the games it spawned, it’s a minimalistic take on the format, but that minimalism gives it an even greater sense of mystery and adventure compared to the more overt, story-driven games that follow. While the lore has since colored in the spaces between, there’s still magic in how unknowable the first Legend of Zelda feels. Nintendo built a lot on these bones, but the foundation was and remains very strong.
Read more: Lego Zelda All But Confirmed After Copyright Strikes
