The Top 10 Zelda Soundtracks of All time
At game.audio we love the Legend of Zelda series more than just about any video game. We go through our favorite soundtracks from the series, in order.
10. Majora’s Mask
We could spend days discussing the technological limitations of the N64 audio chip. It had surprisingly weak audio capabilities for the hardware of its time. With that said, luminary composer Koji Kondo shined beyond the limitations. The melodies and arrangements are truly beautiful and shine even brighter when we hear them played by real orchestras.
9. A Link Between Worlds
This 3DS powerhouse was the spiritual successor to 1991’s A Link to the Past. While A Link Between Worlds is a beloved game with a beloved soundtrack, it is hard not to feel that this does not stack up with such stiff competition around it. Composer Ryo Nagamatsu brought the limitations of the 3DS to their knees with this triumphant representation of old and new Zelda musical ideas.
8. Twilight Princess
2006’s Twighlight Princess is a deeply playable, although sometimes overlooked Zelda title. Many of our favorite melodies and themes are present, especially the melodies from Zelda’s early 3D era. Although much stronger than the SNES and N64 era, the technological audio limitations show through the soundtrack, which relies on simple sample techniques available at the time. Composers Toru Minegishi and Asuka Ohta lovingly arranged the melodies for a powerhouse soundtrack.
7. Skyward Sword
Nintendo recently gave us an HD remake of Skyward Sword on Switch. Similar to Twilight Princess, Skyward Sword was one of the more overlooked titles in The Legend of Zelda franchise. Luckily for us, most of the technical limitations present in Twilight Princess seem to be absent. We have a wonderfully orchestrated, almost impressionistic version of many of our Legend of Zelda favorites. This soundtrack represents the end of an era for the Zelda franchise, which began with 1998’s Ocarina of Time.
6. Links Awakening
Link’s Awakening is another fan favorite entry into the series, which was recently remade for Switch. The remake had a much more modern soundtrack while still retaining aspects of the original “chiptunes” GameBoy quality. But it’s the original version that we want to talk about here. Some people consider this to be one of the truest masterpiece soundtracks of the “chiptunes” era. The GameBoy had the ultimate chiptunes audio chip, and nowhere is it more vivid and wonderous than in the original Link’s Awakening.
5. Wind Waker
Wind Waker had one of the most original visions for 3D Zelda games. The soundtrack perfectly echoed its unique, cartoonish qualities. It was the best sounding Zelda soundtrack when it came out, full of old and new themes. We are particularly partial to the Wind Waker game, and the soundtrack is no exception.
4. A Link to the Past
While many of the themes had already been developed in earlier games, A Link to the Past was the first time we heard a Zelda game in full, lush orchestration. Yes, the SNES chip was limited sonically, but composer Koji Kondo fully understood how to maximize the hardware limitations and deliver a marvelous experience. This game was really when the world of Zelda came into its own, and the soundtrack is quite the same.
3. Breath of the Wild
Breath of the Wild was, in many ways, a radical departure from 3D Zelda concepts. The music, as well, departed quite drastically from many fans’ expectations. We barely hear any of the themes that we have grown to love over the decades. But, somehow, with a soundtrack like this, it is hard to miss them. If Breath of the Wild represents the future of Zelda music, then we are in great hands.
2. Ocarina of Time
Taking a Zelda game from 2D to 3D meant completely rethinking and reinventing the elements that fans knew and love. The audio departure from the SNES to N64 wasn’t as radical as the graphical and gameplay differences, but Koji Kondo still managed to blow us away with this soundtrack. We have talked about the limitations of the N64 audio chip before, but for our money, this represents the pinnacle of the system.
- The Legend of Zelda
This is where it all started, and what a start it was. Composer Koji Kondo created a tough challenge for himself when he delivered this soundtrack. How did he manage to turn such technical limitations into an ageless and wonderful audio experience? The music transcends its limitations, and the melodies shine above all. It is also surprisingly complex from a musical perspective. The Legend of Zelda series would not be where it was today without this music.