The Legend of Zelda has had so many quality games over the years that fans can't always agree on the best game in the series. Games like The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Twilight Princess, and Breath of the Wild all utilize unique takes on the standard franchise formula, making all of them strong contenders. However, one thing Zelda fans tend to agree on is that Ocarina of Time's sequel, Majora's Mask, is easily the Zelda game with the darkest setting, themes, and plot.

Taking place in an alternate-reality version of Hyrule known as Termina, Majora's Mask is all about Link attempting to prevent the apocalypse. That alone makes it pretty clear as to why this game is seen as being so dark, though it's not the only factor. Enemy designs, side-quests, sound design, and the game's soundtrack all help build the same sense of dread that the residents of Termina begin to feel as the moon rapidly approaches. However, another entry in the series may be even darker: The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker.

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Regarding Major's Mask, the apocalypse is the major source of the game's darker tones. Looking past Termina's approaching doom, there are actually a lot of lighter elements that contrast the apocalyptic dread. Right up to the third and final day, many of Termina's residents face the end with a sense of comfort and ease. It almost feels like they've come to terms with their fates and are choosing to spend their last moments at peace. While this could certainly be seen as dark by some, it can also be interpreted in a more calming light.

When comparing Majora's Mask to other titles that feature similar kinds of apocalyptic danger, reading deeper brings forward a lot of levity and somber ease that help cut the tension. The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker actually does the reverse of this. By hiding its dread behind a sense of adventure and levity, it is by far the darkest game in the series.

It might seem odd to call the Zelda game with the most cartoony art style dark, but it's important to note that the details are where a lot of Wind Waker's dread lies. When players first start their adventure, they find themselves in a land that's made up of an ocean and several islands. As they progress deeper into the game's story, they'll eventually discover that this land was once the Kingdom of Hyrule that has since faced a world-ending flood.

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Hyrule, in this particular timeline, is completely lost. Unlike with Termina in Majora's Mask, there's no opportunity for Link to save Hyrule. It's already gone. In fact, the official Legend of Zelda timeline puts Wind Waker in one of the game's darkest branches of lore. The timeline branch that includes Wind Waker is also the branch where The Hero of Time from Ocarina of Time fails to defeat Ganon. While Majora's Mask shows a world on the brink of failure, Wind Waker is one where the hero has already failed.

If that idea isn't dark enough, there's also the fact that Ganondorf is somehow returning after being sealed away by the Seven Sages. It's revealed during Wind Waker that Ganondorf escaped his banishment and caused the disaster that flooded Hyrule, otherwise known as the Great Flood. Ganondorf's victory brings as much tragedy as one would expect, including the death of two of the Seven Sages.

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The deaths of the Earth Sage and the Wind Sage result in the Master Sword, the one source of hope that people have for Ganondorf's defeat, being drained of its power. While the sword's power is eventually restored, it's not the only point in Wind Waker where hope is torn away from players. During the game's ending, the former King of Hyrule sacrifices himself and the Kingdom of Hyrule by using the Triforce to wish that he, Hyrule, and Ganondorf are buried beneath the waves forever.

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Defeating Ganondorf costs Link and Zelda any chance of seeing Hyrule restored to its former glory. The ending is completely dire, as those who remain throughout the Great Sea sail off to locate a new land to call home. Even if Ganondorf doesn't stay buried underwater for too long, the King's sacrifice still gives people hope, something that had been torn away from them so many times before.

The denial of hope throughout the proceedings is really what makes Wind Waker such a dark game. Time and time again, something stands in the way of Link's chances of seeing evil defeated. Majora's Mask may feel like a fight against invisibility, but Link has so many tools to help him fight against the end. Players can loop the same three days over and over again, almost ensuring that Link would eventually find a way to stop the apocalypse. Wind Waker has a much more dire story wherein darkness seemingly bests the light at every turn.