The Legend of Zelda
Hacker ApprovedRanked 3 of 3 video game series by recommenders
People recommend it for its sense of wonder, large connected world to explore, and games that have aged well. Critics say the older entries feel dated and the game design is sometimes lacking.
People recommend it for its sense of wonder, large connected world to explore, and games that have aged well. Critics say the older entries feel dated and the game design is sometimes lacking.
23 people gave an opinion
- recommend it
- 18
- criticize it
- 5
- approval share
- 78%
Recommended in 7 of 13 months
- November 2025: recommended
- December 2025: recommended
- January 2026: recommended
- February 2026: not recommended
- March 2026: recommended
- April 2026: not recommended
- May 2026: recommended
- June 2026: not recommended
- July 2026: recommended
- August 2026: not recommended
- September 2026: not recommended
- October 2026: recommended
- November 2026: not recommended (month in progress)
Why it carries the badge
- 18 people recommend itNeeds 10 or more, met.
- 3.6 recommenders for every criticNeeds 2 to 1 or better, met.
- Recommended in 7 of 13 monthsNeeds 4 or more, met.
The same three rules apply to every product, and the badge can’t be bought. How the badge works
What people say about it
The reasons people give, with the number of comments that give each one. Open a reason to read what they said.
Why people recommend it
Each mark is one comment
Freedom to explore a seamless world
“My favorite slight of hand was that all the dungeons and caves were part of a single rectangular map.”
Comment from 12 Jan 2026 in “This game is a single 13 KiB file that runs on Windows, Linux and in the Browser” “It's the first game I ever played with that much freedom to explore.”
Comment from 13 Jan 2026 in “Personal thoughts/notes from working on Zootopia 2” Good games that age well
“the Zelda franchise ages like good wine”
Comment from 18 Oct 2026 in “Show HN: The Zelda timeline to catch up before the Ocarina of Time remake” “they are just that : good games”
Comment from 18 Oct 2026 in “Show HN: The Zelda timeline to catch up before the Ocarina of Time remake” “They exist. They are good.”
Comment from 17 Dec 2025 in “Nano Banana is so good that you can use it to play a RPG at 1 frame a minute” Nintendo's long-running, well-kept series
“Nintendo does have their Zelda and Mario that they have taken care of well for decades”
Comment from 13 Nov 2025 in “Valve is about to win the console generation” “Nintendo came out with originals like Super Mario Brothers and Zelda”
Comment from 9 Jul 2026 in “How Donkey Kong Toppled Atari” Better with PC mods
“I have however enjoyed the last two Zelda titles on my PC where I was able to play them with performance and quality mods.”
Comment from 22 Oct 2026 in “Jailbreaking the Switch 2” “They're fine, I'd rather have zelda with modding.”
Comment from 22 Oct 2026 in “Jailbreaking the Switch 2”
What people warn about
Each mark is one comment
Obtuse, frustrating design
“unreasonably obtuse... Legend of Zelda's final dungeon's location”
Comment from 23 Jun 2026 in “The Low-Tech AI of Elden Ring” “then I get frustrated trying to do it in game”
Comment from 29 Jan 2026 in “In a genre where spoilers are devastating, how do we talk about puzzle games?” Older games feel dated
“That 90's Zelda does nothing for me anymore”
Comment from 16 Jun 2026 in “I Love the Computer” “I haven't enjoyed them since N64”
Comment from 11 Feb 2026 in “U.S. had almost no job growth in 2025”
Other video game series people recommend
The two most recommended other video game series, with the same counts for each, so you can compare like for like. The tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs.
| Product | Recommend | Criticize | Approval | Months | Owned | Badge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Halo | 24 | 18 | 57% | 10 | — | — |
| Pokémon video games | 23 | 12 | 66% | 10 | — | — |
| The Legend of ZeldaThis page | 18 | 5 | 78% | 7 | — | Approved |
What people said
22 of the 26 comments that mention it, newest first. Each links to the original comment.
“They're fine, I'd rather have zelda with modding.”
“I have however enjoyed the last two Zelda titles on my PC where I was able to play them with performance and quality mods.”
“the Zelda franchise ages like good wine”
“they are just that : good games”
“Nintendo came out with originals like Super Mario Brothers and Zelda”
“Gears of War? Zelda? These are not "indie darlings".”
“unreasonably obtuse... Legend of Zelda's final dungeon's location”
“That 90's Zelda does nothing for me anymore”
“rarely see a new Zelda game release in the state you can expect from Bethesda”
“classic Zelda games for that matter”
“I haven't enjoyed them since N64”
“I find the game design to be lacking.”
“although I do recommend you play them, they are fun”
“then I get frustrated trying to do it in game”
“It's the first game I ever played with that much freedom to explore.”
“What I think is really great about The Legend of Zelda”
“My favorite slight of hand was that all the dungeons and caves were part of a single rectangular map.”
“how little text/code/information could produce how much wonder, how far-reaching impact, and how many hours of enchantment for me”
“They exist. They are good.”
“Those games feel immersive because the underlying systems behave predictably”
“With some frameskip Zelda for the GB was somehow playable.”
“Nintendo does have their Zelda and Mario that they have taken care of well for decades”
Counts come from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026. How we count. Report a mistake.