On February 21st, 1986, Nintendo revolutionized the gaming industry yet again, with the arrival of the Legend of Zelda for the Famicom, the Japanese console that would be rebranded the more familiar Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) for American markets. Hard to believe, but today marks the 25th birthday of Princess Zelda and her plucky little green-hatted perennial savoir, Link.
In honor of a quarter century of one of gaming’s most beloved franchises, we’re highlighting the titles that have continued to push the gaming envelope for the past two and a half decades.
1986: The Legend of Zelda, NES
1987: Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, NES
1991: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Super Nintendo
1998: The Legend of Zelda Link’s Awakenings, Gameboy
1998: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Nintendo 64
2003: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Game Cube
2005: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Wii