Ever since the release of Ocarina of Time in 1998, the Zelda series has had a collection of both two-dimensional and three-dimensional titles. To date, this collection has grown to ten of the former and eight of the latter, with four falling somewhere in the middle. It goes without saying that there are true gems on either side.

Two-dimensional games offer a top-down view, where the player explores the overworld and dungeons screen by screen and the limitations aren’t glaring in the slightest; A Link to the Past and The Minish Cap offering puzzling obstacles and the expected Zelda charm that comes with music, story and atmosphere. Three-dimensional games are similar except the sense of exploration is set on a wider scale and the combat becomes more complex. I believe the realism of being placed in a believable, three-dimensional world supports the story and the feel of playing through the perspective of protagonist Link a bit better.

Thus, I think I tend to prefer three-dimensional Zelda games because it is what I grew up with. My first Zelda game was Ocarina of Time and I went through several other three-dimensional games before picking up A Link to the Past when I was older. I love both types, but three-dimensional Zelda games are just what I lean towards.

What do you think? What is your preferred dimension for Zelda games? And what is your favorite game from each category? Let us know in the comments below!

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