The 40 Greatest Moments in The Legend of Zelda – Part 2

40 years. More than 20 different games. One incredible legacy.

As The Legend of Zelda celebrates its 40th anniversary, the Zelda Universe staff has come together to determine the forty very best moments from across the series. These are story cutscenes that left us stunned, awe-inspiring locations that took our breath away, gameplay sequences that tested our mettle, boss battles that thrilled us from start to finish, and more. They come from the earliest days all the way back on the NES, to some of the most recent adventures that released on the Nintendo Switch.

In a series that that has delivered countless unforgettable memories, these are the moments that best define what The Legend of Zelda means, and why it has remained so beloved by fans around the world for four decades.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

30. Link and Zelda discover Ganondorf beneath Hyrule Castle

Tears of the Kingdom features an amazing introduction, with Link and Zelda exploring caverns beneath Hyrule Castle that have remained untouched for more than 100 years. At some point they come across what seems to be an old mural that depicts different events of the past, with a couple of them blocked by rocks that cannot be cleared. They eventually come to a large, rounded chamber with a ghostly hand on top of a mummified body, trails of eerie light streaming overhead. As they get closer, the hand falls off, and the mummified body suddenly comes to life. It immediately attacks with a swirling, red colored mass that envelops Link’s hand and the Master Sword, draining Link’s lifeforce and managing to shatter the legendary blade. The reanimated corpse reveals that he somehow knows Link and Zelda, before then causing a cave-in with his power. Zelda falls into the abyss below, disappearing within a ball of light before Link can save her. At the same moment, the ghostly hand grabs Link and disappears with him. As you find out later, that corpse was none other than the Demon King Ganondorf, and he’s back to take over Hyrule once again.

– Jason Coleman

29. “It’s a secret to everybody.”

You are playing the Legend of Zelda (NES) for the first time. By now you have figured out that by placing a bomb in certain areas of a cliff wall, you may or may not find a secret entrance. Sometimes that entrance leads to an old man willing to play a game with you and other times it may be a secret store. But every now and then it leads to a Moblin who for whatever reason does not attack you. Instead, he utters the classic line “It’s a secret to everybody” and offers you a free amount of Rupees. This remark has become one of the most famous quotes in video game culture and has been referenced not only in numerous other Legend of Zelda games such as Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess, but also beyond the series such as in World of Warcraft. It makes you wonder how much those Moblins disliked Ganon, huh?

– Jason Coleman

28. Encountering a Lynel for the first time

Some of Zelda’s most fearsome monsters are its bosses and minibosses. When one is encountered, they’re given the red-carpet treatment with theme music, a health bar, and their name on display. Most of the time, the game makes sure you’ll be well-prepared to fight them. Breath of the Wild does things a little differently by placing some miniboss-esque enemies out in the open, like Taluses, Hinoxes, and Moldugas. But there was one more type of enemy lurking in the wilds, devoid of fanfare yet even more terrible and formidable: the Lynel. Innocent players may naively assume that a Lynel is just another regular monster to be tackled, leading them to recklessly enter its territory. Each person’s story of exactly when and how they encountered a Lynel for the first time is going to be a little different, but I am certain that many of them involved curiosity, surprise, shock, and then death. Likely many, many deaths.

– Shona Johnson

27. Discovering the Dark World

You make your way up Death Mountain, confident that your goal is within reach. With the Tower of Hera just above you, you’re met with an impassable cliff and no means to scale it. The only thing nearby that stands out is what looks like a rippling blue tile. You step onto it…and everything changes. The music and colors transform completely, leaving only a dark reflection behind. While your body is transformed along with it, turning the courageous hero into a timid rabbit, powerless to do anything. While The Legend of Zelda has played with the concept of parallel worlds on several different occasions, none give the same shock as A Link to the Past’s Dark World. The sudden transformation and minimal explanation ratchets up the stress and confusion. First time players are panicked by the sudden twist, making it very easy to forget that you were just recently given a way out.

– Connor Schultz

26. King Daphnes makes a wish with the Triforce

The Wind Waker’s grand finale is a mind-blowing Shakespearian moment and easily one of the best Ganondorf scenes ever written. The Hero of Winds reaches the top of Ganon’s Tower in dramatic rule-of-thirds cinematic shots, as Ganondorf looks on towards the mountains and breaks forth into melodramatic prose that rivals Edgar Allen Poe about wind, death, and his homeland in the Gerudo Desert. He then lunges at and batters Link, but confusingly declares that he does not wish to kill him. Instead, he is only after the Triforce piece that Link carries. Does he mean it? Is he delusional? Is he just moody or poetic? We might never know. That doesn’t give anyone comfort, however, because now the Triforce comes together and world domination is only mere feet away from his hand. Ganondorf gloats, relishing in his inevitable victory. He reaches out to touch it — only for King Daphnes to beat him to it. The Triforce splits. “Ganondorf! May you drown with Hyrule!!!” he says. The ocean comes crashing down, and everything Ganondorf has worked for crashes with it. He snaps. If Ganondorf can’t have Hyrule, then no one can. That’s when you find out you have to fight this crazed warlord, leading into one of the greatest boss fights in Zelda history.

– Chelsea Reed

25. Zelda is freed and sets out on her own adventure

Echoes of Wisdom’s opening minutes make for a busy introduction. Players initially take control of Link as he hurries through the Suthorn Ruins, battling monsters along the way before finally encountering a familiar foe — the pig-faced Ganon. Although Link defeats Ganon easily enough, an all-consuming Rift suddenly appears from Ganon’s trident. In his last act before being swallowed up by the void, Link manages to free Zelda from her crystal prison, setting into motion her first [canon] solo adventure in The Legend of Zelda. Now acting as our playable hero, Zelda follows after a mysterious light (that we later learn is our trusty companion for the game, Tri) while the Rift spreads like wildfire. The light eventually guides Zelda to safety beyond the Suthorn Ruins, but the threat of the Rifts and their origin is far from over. As Zelda looks out over Hyrule, it is only the beginning of her quest to save the kingdom and those who call it home.

– Jeffrey Pawlak

24. Zelda seals herself away in the past

Zelda often gets a bad reputation as a stereotypical “damsel in distress.” While it’s true that she needs to be saved, the circumstances surrounding her rescue are often not one of a passive victim. Her steps are deliberate and her wisdom is sound in many of the crises she has faced. More importantly, she knows the consequences of her actions. Nowhere is that more apparent than Skyward Sword, where we hear from her directly what she plans to do, why it matters, and above all, how much it pains her to do it. By entering a deep sleep for thousands of years, she will be able to maintain the seal that binds Demise, holding back his dark power until a time when Link can strike him down once and for all. Perhaps it’s the relationship Link shares with Zelda in this game, or perhaps it is the bond we have built with her over decades of adventures, but Zelda’s sacrifice here tugs at your heartstrings in a way unlike any other. The line “I’m still your Zelda” will echo on in the annals of Zelda lore forever.

– Connor Schultz

23. Hilda’s betrayal and atonement

The Triforce legend is a cautionary tale of greed bringing out the worst in people, but in the finale of A Link Between Worlds, we get to see it personally, and for once it’s not Ganondorf’s fault. A dramatic conflict of Loruleans dog fighting over the Hyruleans’ Triforce erupts out of desperation and survival. Princess Hilda, Yuga, and Ravio are all guilty of deceiving Link, Zelda, and each other as their own world falls apart. Hilda and Yuga are the worst offenders, conning each other multiple times in their schemes to get the whole Triforce while Link has to stop them both. Finally, the cowardly Ravio steps in and gets Hilda to come to her senses after Link slays Yuga. “Please, Princess Hilda, let’s do the right thing,” Ravio begs, “Lorule may be doomed, but at least our kingdom won’t be condemned for stealing their Triforce.” Ravio apologizes to Hilda for betraying her. Hilda concedes and confesses her sins, admitting that her desperation for saving her crumbling kingdom clouded her vision. Little did they know, their acts of honor paved the way to a miraculous resolution and an unforgettable ending that rivals the greatest scenes of console Zeldas.

– Chelsea Reed

22. Climbing to the Stormwind Ark

Tears of the Kingdom‘s massive in-game world extends from deep beneath Hyrule to as high in the skies as you can go. One of the most memorable journeys comes while trying to reach the Stormwind Ark that sits high above the Hebra Mountains. Everyone’s path to this might differ, but one of the most fun ways to reach it is by utilizing the Rising Island Chain and the various flying ships that are floating around. Link can jump almost trampoline style from one to the other until he is high above the Stormwind Ark and able to dive into the center of the thunderhead that is keeping everyone out and causing the freezing snow storms down below. The whole climb is amazing, from the ominous buildup in the music as you get closer, to deciding which way to go higher and all the foes you fend off on the way upward, it cements itself as one of the most memorable moments in the entire game. Just watch your stamina meter!

– Jason Coleman

21. The battle with Stallord

The Legend of Zelda has pitted players against many great bosses over the years, but Stallord is one of the few bosses that has made me wish that I had saved my game into a different save slot in Twilight Princess just so I could fight him again without having to play through several hours of content. While Stallord was never terribly threatening, riding the Spinner and ricocheting like a pinball was crazy fun. The fight was part puzzle, part reflexes, and part luck combined into one immensely satisfying experience. The second phase of the boss fight was also an unexpected surprise. Looking back, it was obvious all along, but that drawn-out delay before Stallord’s head rises up for a rematch was brilliantly executed to lure you into a false sense of security. The lightning-fast encounter is unlike anything else in The Legend of Zelda, as Link speeds along the chamber walls on the Spinner, dodging both the enormous fireballs that Stallord shoots and the bladed wheels that threaten to knock him off the Spinner tracks.

– David Johnson