Looking for ways to play as Princess Zelda in Hyrule? While the mostly male hero, Link, saves Hyrule time and time again, fans have longed to take on the role of the quiet royal and see her take on the role of the hero. Playing as Zelda is, of course, a no-brainer. Think about it: if she’s not strong enough to defend Hyrule and its citizens, then how did she become the ruler? But it’s not as simple as that, and the mainline Legend of Zelda games have mostly kept Zelda in a supporting role.
That doesn’t mean she hasn’t played the starring role in other games, though. Through spin-offs, rhythm games, or even fighting games, Princess Zelda has finally gotten her time to shine, usually as the sole playable character. While most of these games aren’t masterpieces, some feature just good enough gameplay to be worth your time, especially if you’re looking for games to play on Nintendo Switch. So, read on for our recommendation on how you can play as Princess Zelda herself.
Here are 7 ways to play Zelda in Hyrule:
All of the above options are trash, plain and simple. There are so many better Zelda games that have some form of playable Zelda, like the excellent Minish Cap, Spirit Tracks, and Hyrule Warriors, but you’re better off playing them than playing any of these.
Playing as Zelda in Zelda’s Adventure
As one of the few Zelda games that isn’t 2D, Zelda’s Adventure was created for the early CD-i format in the 1990s. Suffice to say, it’s not a pretty game. Beyond the terrible cutscenes, controls, and level design, this Zelda game has become something of a meme in the gaming community. But if you’re dying to watch a princess with such incredible power fail epically again and again, you can watch the whole thing play out here.
Playing as Zelda in Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon
The other CD-i game in this list takes a slightly more positive turn, and is at least more fun to play. Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon features Zelda as a playable character in an adventure together with Link and Gamelon’s usual cast. While it’s still awfully animated, the cutscenes and unintentional humor make Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon worth playing. Just be sure to put the disc in your CD-i player, not your SNES.
Playing as Zelda in The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
In The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks, Zelda’s soul is separated from her body, so she accompanies Link as a spirit. Together, they possess Phantom guards to help solve puzzles populated by these spectral entities.
Playing as Zelda in Hyrule Warriors
The Hyrule Warriors games are the musou-inspired spin-offs in this list. Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition, the first game in the series released on the Nintendo Switch, and its sequel, Age of Calamity, allow you to control Zelda in battle alongside other characters from the Zelda series, so you can take down iconic foes from the Zelda series and other Nintendo games.
Playing as Zelda in Cadence of Hyrule
Cadence of Hyrule is a rhythm game published by Nintendo, combining the gameplay of Crypt of the Necrodancer with the world and music of The Legend of Zelda. In Cadence of Hyrule, you also get to choose to play as either Link or Zelda, as you simultaneously work to defeat enemies with moves and rock out to songs like the tempestuous Midna’s Quest.
Playing as Zelda in Super Smash Bros.
Since Super Smash Bros. Melee, the Zelda series’ protagonist has been a playable character, allowing you to finally knock those pesky Little Macs out of the arena, as well as iconic foes from the Zelda series and all sorts of other Nintendo games. Each time, Zelda’s design changes, and she sometimes gets new moves. While it’s not her time to play a starring role, finally, at least she gets to be a part of the action.
Of course, this isn’t everything, in fact, it’s just a drop in the ocean. Playing as Zelda, in some way, shape, or form, is such a trend that the Super Smash Bros. series even has a section dedicated to
