Link's Master Sword from The Legend of Zelda is easily gaming's most iconic sword. The Blade of Evil's Bane was formed by the goddess Hylia and would later be reforged into the Master Sword that would pass down to heroes across generations. With each new reincarnation of Link, the Master Sword would also change its design to fit with the era and the version of Link using it.
To date, there have been ten different versions of the iconic blade. All ten Swords share some similar design elements, though the minor differences between these swords help them stand out in a way that best represents each Zelda game. With obtaining the Master Sword often being the penultimate event of every game it appears in, obtaining this powerful weapon is one of the most memorable moments of each title.
While The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and Ages are certainly two well-loved Zelda titles, it's hard to judge the version of the Master Sword that appears in those games. There doesn't appear to be official artwork that depicts what this version of the Master Sword looked like. The only thing to go off of is the incredibly simplistic in-game sprite.
Every other version of the Master Sword is far better due to the games they're from either having higher-quality graphics or official art to showcase the design. The Oracle games simply have a blue pixel sword. Granted, the rapier-like design that the overworld sprite takes on is a neat feature that would be great to see in a remake.
The original Legend of Zelda's Master Sword may take last place, but it's not because of the game's age or graphical limitations. Official art of the weapon exists, and it actually showcases the Master Sword's simplest design, looking like a fairly standard fantasy blade. There are still some elements that would clearly inspire the weapon's future iterations, such as the winged hilt and longsword-like blade.
There's something to be said about a simple Master Sword design as well, as some of the later versions would get a bit too crazy with trying to vary things up. LoZ's first take on the legendary blade is still a stunning one. It only shows how good the Zelda series can be if each sequel improved on the original's designs. Plus, this Master Sword is as iconic as later designs to many nostalgic gamers.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past has the first incarnation of what would eventually become the Toon Link Master Sword design. The differences between the Master Sword and the Toon Link version are mostly visual, with the Toon Link version sporting a shorter blade and a more pronounced yellow gem at the top of the hilt. However, A Link to the Past's Master Sword has a few unique traits compared to its later incarnations.
The crystal-blue blade is probably the sword's coolest feature that would remain unique to it for some time. The hilt is, by comparison, incredibly generic as it still has yet to feature the spread-winged hilt that would become iconic. A Link to the Past's Master Sword is probably what Oracle of Seasons and Ages was meant to resemble, as there are some notable similarities between the two.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword's Master Sword is about as divisive as the original game. While the sword would otherwise have a generic-looking design, the fact that this is the first version of the Master Sword, according to the Zelda timeline, makes up for that. This Master Sword looks mundane, as it is a prequel to the designs that would come later. However, there's still a hint of the iconic Master Sword fans know, nodding to the blade's heroic future.
While there's a ton of lore to unpack simply by just looking at this design, there's no getting around that it doesn't look as cool as other versions. Being historically important within the Zelda timeline is certainly nothing to ignore, but it could probably manage that without having such dull colors. That being said, once the blade fully awakens, it does look much closer to its later incarnations.
Skyward Sword and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild share fairly similar-looking Master Swords, at least when looking at Skyward's final form. Both have a green handle, the iconic purple wings and a yellow gem stuck in the middle of the hilt. However, Breath of the Wild's Master Sword feels just a little closer to what people picture when imagining the sword's iconic design.
For one, the colors are ever so slightly more vibrant. Not only does this match the stunning visuals of BotW, but it also serves to make the sword itself feel like a proper reward for players who are able to track it down in the expansive open world, or at least for those who have a campfire handy. The blade of this version also takes on a slightly more crystalline-blue color, similar to the Toon Link design, that looks stunning whenever it glows in the presence of Malice.
The Four Sword is a bit of a unique entry since it could be argued that it's not technically a version of the Master Sword. However, the Four Sword takes the place of the Master Sword in most games that it appears in, has the same evil-banishing abilities as the Master Sword and even shares an incredibly similar design to the Toon Link design. It's practically a Master Sword in everything but name.
What makes the Four Sword design notable is its appearance in The Legend of Zelda: Minish Cap, as it may be one of the most unique-looking Toon Link variants yet. Not only is it more slender than previous of the Toon Link design, but it also has a darker blade and a gold hilt rather than a purple one. The straps that hang off the Minish Cap version of the sword are a nice touch to help the Four Swords version stand out.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds tried to tweak the Toon Link-style of the Master Sword, but it ended up coming out a little too cartoony in some areas. For one, the purple handguards are a bit too flashy this time around, and the color design for the sword sticks out a little too much. This is one of the more recent Toon Link-styled Master Sword designs, and it almost comes across like Nintendo was messing with perfection.
That being said, there is a lot to love in how vibrant this sword's design is. It certainly matches the more stylistic A Link Between Worlds and harkens back to some of the older Master Sword looks. Plus, this Master Sword has one of the most prominent Triforces out of any design. A Link Between World's Master Sword was a risky design tweak that tried something new, and there's no real fault in that.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time marks the first time the Master Sword would be seen in 3D. While Nintendo could have chosen to go with a fully-realized version of its original appearance or focus on creating a totally new style for their 3D era, they instead decided to take The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds's design and tweak it for OoT's art style. The result is, by far, the most iconic design for the Master Sword.
This is where the blade appeared in full glory, tweaked to take on a slightly more realistic appearance for the first time in the series. While OoT marks the first appearance of the Master Sword's longsword design, there are still a few small differences compared to later 3D outings. The main difference is that the OoT Master Sword is one of the more powerful-looking designs, given how wide the blade is.
The Master Sword from The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker is an amazing version of the Toon Link-like design for the Master Sword. The first thing it does right is that it manages to balance the prestige of the Master Sword with Wind Waker's lighter art style. This is where A Link Between World's Master Sword falls short, as that game's Master Sword doesn't fit alongside some of the franchise's other designs.
Much like A Link Between World's Master Sword, Wind Waker's has the Triforce prominently displayed on the weapon's almost ocean-like blade. This Master Sword shimmers with vibrant colors that really fit in with the more tropical environments in Wind Waker. Not only does Wind Waker's Master Sword strike a balance between being both iconic and recognizable, but it also perfectly represents the game it's from.
The darkest Zelda game may have given fans one of the coolest Master Sword designs of all time. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess takes Ocarina of Time's design and modernizes it, giving its version of the Master Sword a metallic sheen and deeper, darker colors. The darker color palette helps the yellow center gem stand out, clearly meant to remind players of the Triforce, and the deep purple on the handguard meshes well with the other colors.
While it's easy to call this sword realistically designed, that isn't why Twilight Princess's Master Sword tops this list. It manages to look undeniably the Master Sword and stand out as a unique variant, all while matching the tone of Twilight Princess. The Hero of Twilight's Master Sword has quickly become one of the most recognizable designs for the sword and is by far one of the best.
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