In generale, la serie ha avuto un profondo impatto e una grande influenza sulla cultura videoludica e di massa[18][19][20][21][22][23][24]. Questo successo ha portato all'uscita di diversi manga e una serie animata ad essa ispirata, ma raramente queste opere hanno varcato i confini del Giappone. Il gameplay si può definire un mix di azione, avventura e rompicapo.
^The Legend of Zelda series: ##59 million series sales as of December 2009: "Nintendo Delivers a Hand-Held Epic with The Legend Of Zelda: Spirit Tracks." (Press release). Nintendo of America. 2009-12-07.
62 million series sales as of April 2011: "'The Legend of Zelda' launches today; check out our review". USA Today. November 20, 2011. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
Sales from June 2011 to March 2012:[1]
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword - 3.52 million
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D - 2.61 million
^Spike Press Release (November 16, 2011). "Spike Announces VGA Nominees & Honors "Legend Of Zelda" With First Ever Video Game Hall Of Fame Award". Spike. Retrieved November 19, 2011.
^Mike Jackson (March 2007). "Dark Sector Interview: Sinister, gory and influenced by Zelda". Computer and Video Games. Archived from the original on March 9, 2007.