The Legend of Zeldais one of the longest-running series in the industry and has featured a slew of exciting mainline titles,compelling spin offs, and so much more. Each new entry includes new mechanics, characters, and locations that make every adventure in Hyrule one to remember.
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It doesn’t happen often, but other games sometimes get lucky enough to feature iconic elements from The Legend of Zelda with a crossover event. Whether it’s simply an outfit or a cameo from a popular character, it’s alwaysnice to see references to The Legend of Zelda in other titles. If you want to bring a piece of Hyrule with you on another adventure, these games feature the best crossovers with the influential series.
9The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
When theNintendo Switchwas revealed in 2016, one of the stand-out moments from its first trailer was when someone began playingSkyrimin handheld mode on an airplane. It was initially shocking to discover that Skyrim would be coming to a Nintendo platform, but to see itrunning on a handheld devicehelped demonstrate the potential of Nintendo’s hybrid unit.
To celebrate Skyrim’s launch on the Nintendo Switch, this version includes a few hidden treasure chests that unlock a Hylian Shield, the Master Sword, and Champion’s Tunic for your character. You can find these chests at The Throat of the World or use Legend of Zelda Amiibo to summon them from any location.
8Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate
TheMonster Hunterseries has featured plenty of crossovers withStreet Fighter,Resident Evil, andSonic the Hedgehog, so it shouldn’t be surprising to discover that it’s featured costumes and weapons from The Legend of Zelda across a few titles. This content is always exclusive to Nintendo consoles, but it’s still a fun collaboration that enhances the Monster Hunter experience for Zelda fans.
The first crossover between the two series occurred in the3DSexclusive Monster Hunter 4, where you could dress as Link and wield iconic weapons like the Master Sword and Sacred Bow. Most Monster Hunter games on the 3DS or Nintendo Switch continued to feature items from The Legend of Zelda, including Monster Hunter Stories, Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate, and more.
7Diablo 3: Eternal Collection
Most games with a Legend of Zelda crossover usually let you play as or dress up like Link or Zelda, but the Nintendo Switch version ofDiablo 3: Eternal Collectionwent in an entirely different direction. To fit Diablo’s darker tone, the Switch version includes a Ganondorf Transmogrification set that allows you to play through the entire game while looking like the Great King of Evil.
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You can find the recipe for Ganondorf’s armor in a book called The Legend of Ganondorf in your stash, but crafting the individual pieces will cost a decent amount of gold. The Nintendo Switch version of Diablo 3 also includes a Cucco pet, Echoes of the Mask wings, and a Triforce portrait frame.
6My Nintendo Picross: The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Picross began on theGame Boyin 1995, and while it might not be as popular asSuper MarioorPokemon, it’s continued to be one of Nintendo’s most consistent and reliable series. Except for a short gap during the early 2000s, there has been a new entry every year since 2013 — including a crossover title featuring puzzles inspired byThe Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.
The Legend of Zelda-themed Picross was available for the 3DS, but you couldn’t buy it with money. Instead, you had to be a member of My Nintendo, a loyalty program that rewards you with digital games and wallpapers. It cost 1,000 points, but if you didn’t pick it up before the eShop closed in early 2023, you might never have the chance to play through this relaxing title.
5Bayonetta
When Nintendo decided to publishBayonetta 2as aWii Uexclusive, it allowed Platinum Games to port the original game to the console with extra costumes that let the heroine cosplay as numerous characters like Samus, Princess Peach, and Link. Each outfit provided new weapons to use and made replaying the original Bayonetta an absolute blast.
The Hero of Hyrule costume includes Link’s iconic outfit and the Master Sword as a weapon. Wearing it also changes the game in other ways, like replacing Halos with Rupees and replacing common sound effects like unlocking a door with classic Zelda themes. The Hero of Hyrule costume also appears in Bayonetta 2, but it’s not as fun to wear as theStar Foxuniform.
4Soulcalibur 2
TheSoulcaliburseries was prominently successful in arcades and on platforms like thePlayStationand theDreamcast. By the time the third entry finished development — the first game is titled Soul Edge — it became clear to Namco that they should bring it to as many consoles as possible, which led them to strike deals with Nintendo,Sony, andXboxthat resulted in each console getting an exclusive fighter.
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ThePlayStation 2version of Soulcalibur 2 featured Heihachi Mishima fromTekken, Xbox had Spawn as a playable character, and theGameCubeport somehow included Link as a fighter. The amount of effort Namco put into Link’s storyline and weapon variety is impressive, and they tried to make his appearance as cannon as possible. It was strange to see Link take on foes like Ivy and Nightmare, but it worked out way better than it should have.
3Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
For the longest time, theMario Kartseries only featured characters from the world of the Mushroom Kingdom and its extended universe. Things finally started changing whenMario Kart 8for the Wii U introduced DLC that included tracks and characters from other Nintendo properties likeF-Zeroand The Legend of Zelda. It also provided a new vehicle, the Master Cycle, that was introduced inBreath of the Wild’s DLC.
Link is the only playable character from The Legend of Zelda in Mario Kart 8, but his enthusiasm shines every time he hits a target with an item or receives a speed boost. The Hyrule Circuit track is an amazing homage to the series that features a remixed version of Zelda’s theme song, a slew of recognizable creatures like Deku Babas, and Rupees instead of coins.
2Animal Crossing
Animal Crossinghas always featured crossover items with popular Nintendo series, including furniture, wallpaper, and outfits for your villager to wear. While early versions of Animal Crossing included a few Zelda-themed items and cosmetics, the 3DS entry —Animal Crossing: New Leaf— featured the most by a landslide and even allowed you to invite certain characters from different Legend of Zelda entries to move to your town.
There was already a plethora of Zelda-inspired content in New Leaf, but a new update in 2016 introduced a bunch more, including new wigs and outfits to make yourself look like iconic characters. With all these items, accessories, and villagers, you could easily create a Zelda-themed town in New Leaf, which makes the lack of crossover content inAnimal Crossing: New Horizonseven more disappointing.
1Super Smash Bros.
Every time there is a newSuper Smash Bros., it feels like the biggest crossover event of the generation. The Legend of Zelda is one of the few series lucky enough to be featured in every entry since the beginning, which has helped introduce anyone unfamiliar with it to the world of Hyrule via a cavalcade of playable characters, memorable stages, and iconic items.
In the original Super Smash Bros. for the N64, there was one character, one stage, and a few items from The Legend of Zelda series. In the latest iteration —Super Smash Bros. Ultimate— there are officially six playable characters, nine stages, and over 45 songs from the Zelda series, and that’s not including the Zelda-themed items and spirits.
Throughout every Super Smash Bros. entry, there have been so many subtle references to The Legend of Zelda that embrace everything that’s made it feel special and lets everyone enjoy it, whether you’re a longtime fan or not.
