While the core Zelda titles often steal the spotlight, here’s a look at the hidden corners of the franchise—games that are rare, rarely remembered, or unique in how they connect (or don’t connect) to the main timeline.
Released Games
Four Swords Adventures
Released in Japan in March 2004 and then in North America, Europe, and Australia through early 2005, Four Swords Adventures is Nintendo’s multiplayer twist on the classic Zelda formula. Up to four players cooperate and compete by swapping between the TV screen and Game Boy Advance, navigating puzzles and collecting rupees. It’s a niche gem beloved by fans of cooperative puzzles and fast‑paced dungeon runs.
BS The Legend of Zelda
Only available in Japan via the Super Famicom’s Satellaview system, BS The Legend of Zelda and Triforce of the Gods offered a 16-bit remake of the original Zelda and a broadcast version of A Link to the Past respectively. Players downloaded the games via satellite during limited weekly broadcast windows—some of the rarest Zelda titles ever. These used avatar-based heroes selectable by gender and name, and notably, the traditional hero Link doesn’t even appear in these versions.
The Legend of Zelda: Collector’s Edition
Created as a promotional GameCube disc in Q4 2003 to boost console sales, this compilation bundled The Legend of Zelda (NES), Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, Ocarina of Time, and Majora’s Mask, plus a demo of The Wind Waker and a video retrospective feature. Not part of the main continuity, it’s especially prized by collectors and casual fans nostalgic for classic gameplay.
Zelda on Game & Watch
Long before the Game Boy era, Nintendo released Zelda-themed handheld devices under the Game & Watch brand. These electronic mini-games are collectible curiosities today—offering simple, stylized Zelda action with no story or lore connections.
CD‑i Zelda Games
Philips licensed Nintendo characters for three poorly received titles: Link: The Faces of Evil, Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon, and Zelda’s Adventure. Known more for awkward cutscenes and clumsy gameplay than faithful Zelda experiences, they are widely considered unofficial spin-offs—and often mocked as embarrassing side‑notes in Zelda history >
Soul Calibur II
Though not a Zelda game per se, Link appears as a playable guest in the GameCube version of Soul Calibur II—wielding a sword and shield in a fighting game crossover. He’s stylized as the Hero of Time from Ocarina of Time, but notoriously ranked as one of the least competitive characters in the game’s community. His inclusion is a memorable cameo rather than a proper adventure.