The Legend of Zelda is one of Nintendo's most popular franchises, and for good reason. The series' multitude of groundbreaking titles have consistently challenged what players expect from a Zelda game, resulting in a huge variety of fresh and innovative experiences. With such a huge fanbase, anyone interested in exploring the Zelda series won't have any difficulty finding a copy of the franchise's most recent titles to try out.

However, as popular as the series may be, not every Zelda game is as easy to find as the most recent releases. While many of these titles have been made more readily available through services such as Nintendo Switch Online, there are certain versions of these beloved Zelda games that are becoming harder to find. In fact, many games in the Zelda franchise, for one reason or another, have become rarities that only the most dedicated collectors will be able to get a hold of.

10 Four Swords Adventures

One Of The Least Successful Mainline Zelda Entries

It's no surprise that Four Swords Adventures is one of the worst-selling games in the Zelda franchise. While the title itself offers a fun, unique multiplayer experience, it was severely limited in its accessibility, requiring all four players to connect their own Game Boy Advance devices to the GameCube to use as a controller. The barriers to entry would have been a turn-off for many players, resulting in Four Swords Adventures's lackluster sales.

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With few copies of Four Swords Adventures being sold during its release, the title has become one of the harder Zelda games to get a hold of. This is certainly reflected in the game's pricing, with one recent Complete In-Box (CIB) listing on eBay selling for $60 plus shipping and several going for over 70. It's a steep price for a decades-old mainline Zelda game, proving how hard it has become to find a copy of Four Swords Adventures.

9 The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD

This Remaster Has Some Additional Offerings For Players

Twilight Princess HD is arguably the definitive way to experience this beloved Zelda game. Not only does the Wii U version offer a stunning graphical upgrade and some necessary improvements to controls, but it also includes brand-new features for players, including the more aggressive Hero Mode and a brand-new dungeon. While certainly an upgrade, Twilight Princess HD's release on the Wii U prevented the remaster from receiving the attention it deserved, becoming the weakest-selling version of the game.

The new dungeon added to Twilight Princess HD is only accessible through amiibo functionality. Specifically, players will need the Wolf Link amiibo in order to acces the dungeon, adding to the overall price if players want to enjoy the full experience.

With no sign of Twilight Princess receiving another rerelease anytime soon, the Wii U remaster remains the only way for players to access the quintessential version of this classic. However, because of its struggling sales on Wii U, Twilight Princess HD is quickly becoming a sought-after title in the Zelda series. A pre-owned version of the game on eBay recently sold for $100, a fairly standard going rate, will cost players $118.62, and copies that come in the outer box with a sealed Wolf Link amiibo included can easily go for $135 or more.

The First Time Zelda 2 Could Be Played On The Go

The Classic NES Series served as a fantastic addition to the GBA library. The inclusion of NES games on GBA allowed many of these titles to be played on the go for the very first time, including Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link. Even if the GBA port of Zelda 2 was just a simple re-release, it still marks an important moment in the series' history that fans will surely want to have as part of their collection.

While the original The Legend of Zelda was also ported to GBA as part of the Classic NES Series, Zelda II's lower sales have made it the more difficult and expensive title to obtain. Out of box, it can be found for $20, but a CIB version on most recently for Nintendo Switch Online, this version of the NES classic is probably only for the most hardcore collectors.

7 Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland

This Zelda Spinoff Was Only Released In Japan & Europe

Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland for the DS is one of the more unusual games in the Zelda franchise. The more traditional elements of the Zelda series, like dungeon exploration and puzzle-solving, are mixed with a bigger emphasis on collecting rupees, which is directly linked to the player's health and overall progression. The game is certainly a diversion from what many Zelda fans would come to expect, which possibly hindered its overall appeal.

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Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland was only ever released in Japan and Europe, which contributed significantly to the game's low sales. As such, it has become one of the hardest Zelda titles to obtain, with recent sales on eBay starting from around $115 and going up to $160 or more. Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland is certainly a title that Zelda fans shouldn't buy lightly, but there's some consolation in the fact that region locks don't exist on the DS, so a North American system will still be compatible.

6 The Legend Of Zelda: Collector's Edition

This Collection Included 4 Classic Titles Alongside Other Features

Many players looking to purchase a GameCube back in 2003 were granted a huge opportunity by Nintendo to immediately expand their library. Released as part of a GameCube bundle, The Legend of Zelda: Collector's Edition included 4 classic Zelda titles, from the original NES classic to Ocarina of Time, alongside other bonus content. It remains as one of the few game compilations to have been released for the Zelda series, marking a special moment in the franchise's history.

As the Collector's Edition was never released individually, copies of the title are few and far between, making the compilation a difficult find. Any Zelda fan that tries to get their hands on the collection must overcome staggering prices, with one recent eBay listing for the compilation in its case starting at $70, a fairly standard price. It's a heavy price to pay for a selection of games that have been made accessible on multiple Nintendo consoles since, reducing the need for the compilation as a part of most Zelda fans' collections.

5 The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time: Master Quest

A More Difficult Rendition Of The N64 Classic

The Collector's Edition wasn't the only time that Ocarina of Time was ported to the GameCube. Players in North America who pre-ordered Wind Waker were given a port of Ocarina of Time as a pre-order bonus, which included the all-new Master Quest. This version of Ocarina of Time gave seasoned players a fresh experience, introducing tougher enemies earlier on, while altering the dungeons to create a more challenging experience.

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Similar to the Collector's Edition, the lack of an individual release makes this version of the N64 classic a rare find, although this port is arguably more highly sought after because of the Master Quest version. Like the Collector's Edition, 70$ is a fairly common price, but some recent eBay listings have come in a bit lower at around $60. At a relatively high price, many Zelda fans desperate to try out the Master Quest will likely look towards the more accessible Ocarina of Time remaster for 3DS, which offers the same challenging experience.

The Game Is Just One Of Many Infamous CD-i Titles

Nintendo's connection to the Philips CD-i remains one of the biggest low points of the company's history, and the system's many Zelda titles are proof of this. While Link: The Faces of Evil's poorly animated cutscenes are the most common point of criticism, the gameplay is considered to be equally horrific, with sloppy controls and horrendous visuals. Link: The Faces Of Evil is one of many titles that failed to legitimize the CD-i as a true gaming console, resulting in its poor sales.

None of the Philips CD-i games that include Nintendo IP were developed or published by the company itself. Nintendo simply gave Philips the license to use its characters. Both Link: The Faces of Evil and Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon were developed by Animation Magic, while both games were published by Philips Interactive Media.

Since few players ever owned the CD-i, and even fewer owned Link: The Faces of Evil, the title has easily become one of the most difficult Zelda games to find. For any Zelda fan that wants to add this infamous title to their collection, it will require them to pay incredibly high prices, with one recent eBay sale of an untested copy going for $234 and copies that include the outer slipcover sometimes selling for double that. Of course, that doesn't even for the CD-i console needed to see what The Faces Of Evil has to offer.

3 Zelda: The Wand Of Gamelon

Princess Zelda's First Game In The Starring Role

While Echoes of Wisdom marked Princess Zelda's first lead role in a mainline entry, Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon was the first game to make the character fully playable. Unfortunately, The Wand of Gamelon plays identically to The Faces of Evil, right down to its awkward controls and terrible cutscenes, failing to make Zelda's first big adventure stand out. Add that to its release on the CD-i, and it becomes no surprise how the game met a similar fate to The Faces of Evil.

Like The Faces of Evil, The Wand of Gamelon isn't easy to obtain. One copy recently sold for $177 on eBay, but the two tend to command similar prices in the long run, so checking listings on the average day or springing for a new copy could easily reach prices that soar above $300 or $400.

2 Zelda (Game & Watch)

One of the earliest titles in the Zelda series came in the form of a Game & Watch system. Bearing a striking resemblance to the gameplay of The Adventure of Link, Zelda for the Game & Watch saw players traverse through chambers while fighting a multitude of enemies in order to obtain a high score. While nowhere near the scale of more beloved entries, Zelda for the Game & Watch serves as a valuable insight into the early days of the franchise as it was gaining popularity among players.

The Zelda series received another Game & Watch as part of the franchise's 35th anniversary. This version of the system served as one of the few game compilations for the series, including playable versions of The Legend of Zelda, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, and The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, as well as an altered version of the game Vermin that includes Link.

Nowadays, many Game & Watch devices are becoming harder to find, and Zelda is no exception. One recent in-box system sold for $337 on eBay, and some have sold for north of $600. While getting a loose system for around $150 is more achievable, its high cost shows not only the rarity of Zelda for the Game & Watch, but also its significance as a reminder of how the series has evolved across several decades.

1 Zelda's Adventure

Zelda's Most Infamous Game Is Its Most Expensive

Rounding out the Philips CD-i trilogy of games, Zelda's Adventure arguably represents the lowest point of the entire franchise. While adopting a more traditional approach, Zelda's Adventure has been widely criticized for its terrible gameplay and abhorrent graphics, which attempt a realistic art style on the less-than-capable CD-i. Because of this, Zelda's Adventure is often considered among the worst titles in the Zelda franchise and the entire CD-i catalog.

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The infamous reputation of Zelda's Adventure, coupled with its release on the less-than-successful CD-i, has resulted in the game becoming an extremely difficult find. When the game does appear, it is often attached with an unbelievable price tag. For example, one recent eBay listing of Zelda's Adventure with a water-damaged manual sold for $855, and it's not uncommon to see prices over $1,000, making this game the hardest and most expensive title to find in the entire Zelda franchise.

Source: eBay (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)

Created by
Shigeru Miyamoto, Takashi Tezuka
First TV Show
The Legend of Zelda
First Episode Air Date
September 8, 1989
Cast
Jonathan Potts, Cyndy Preston