14. The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks

Why are The Wind Waker’s Nintendo DS brethren dead last? The Wind Waker’s cel-shaded art style works because of its intense shadows, vibrant colors, and the fact that it isn’t trapped on a 256×192 resolution screen. But even when imagining a modern remake of Spirit Tracks with amazing skyboxes, 4K textures, and insane draw distance, it would still be just a slow train ride across a flat world.

Perhaps a better case could be made for Phantom Hourglass, The Wind Waker’s true sequel, but it still lacks all of the nuance, breathtaking locals, and scope of Link’s seafaring GameCube venture. Character models still look fun and whimsical in this aesthetic, but everything around them feels bland. Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks set out to make a fun gameplay experience on one of Nintendo’s most unique consoles, but when stacked up to its artistic inspiration, it’s death by comparison.