The Legend of Zelda has been one of Nintendo’s flagship franchises for a long time. In most instances, entries in this long-running series have been developed by Nintendo themselves. However, a handful of Zelda games have been helmed by external developers. Some of these are spin-off titles, like Koei Tecmo’s Hyrule Warriors games or the delightfully dreadful CD-i trio. Others, like the Oracles or The Minish Cap, are fully integrated into the main series. Despite Nintendo’s absence, most of these have been high quality releases. Which is your favorite original (sorry, Grezzo) Zelda game not developed by Nintendo?

My favorite non-Nintendo Zelda game is Oracle of Ages, developed by Capcom. For me, the most important aspect of any Zelda adventure is the dungeon design. Oracle of Ages has a healthy set of solid dungeons, including some top-tier labyrinths like Moonlit Grotto, Mermaid’s Cave, and Jabu-Jabu’s Belly. Labrynna is my favorite 2D overworld and the narrative notes involving Ralph, Queen Ambi, and the villainous Veran are surprisingly effective. Top it off with the best implementation of time-travel the series has ever seen and you have a gem that glistens alongside Nintendo’s greatest classics.

What about you? What is your favorite Zelda game not developed by Nintendo? How does it compare to your favorite Zelda games? Let us know in the comments below!

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