7. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
As fascinating as Zeldas fictional history is, storytelling has never been the series strong suit. Most of the games focus more on great gameplay and puzzles, while the plotlines are almost always an afterthought. But The Wind Waker, also known as Celda or that kiddie Zelda game, features a surprisingly tight plot that serves as a satisfying conclusion to the main Zelda storyline, chronologically speaking. As Link sails the Great Sea for the first half of the game, players are left wondering what happened to Hyrule, the famous setting of most Zelda games. The answer was so brilliantly simple, its amazing we didnt figure it out sooner. Hyrule is resting at the bottom of the ocean, protected by a magical barrier. After completing some great dungeons and a not-so-great fetch quest, Link returns to the sunken kingdom for one final battle with Ganondorf, the King of Evil, to save the world and Princess Zelda, the obligatory damsel in distress. Before the fight begins, Daphnes, the King of Hyrule, touches the all-powerful Triforce and makes a wish that he, Hyrule, and Ganondorf all be consumed by the sea so that Link and Zelda can inherit a new world. As seawater floods the kingdom, Ganondorf desperately tries to prevent our heroes from escaping. With Zeldas help, Link defeats their foe by leaping in the air and plunging the Master Sword into Ganons face, proving once and for all that this aint no kiddie game. In a post-battle villain analysis, Daphnes declares that he and Ganon were not so different, as they both longed for Hyrule and clung to the past. However, the good king realizes the error of his ways, and learns to let go, giving Link and Zelda a chance at a brighter future. Our heroes ascend to the surface as Hyrule and its king are finally taken by the sea. The death of Hyrule is grandiose and bittersweet, and its hard to imagine a better ending for such an iconic locale.