The series that is perhaps revered above all others celebrates its 25th birthday today...

Today marks 25 years The Legend of Zelda officially hit the market. On February 21st 1986, the inaugural NES entry released in Japan, and the rest, they say, is history.

The original classic paved the way for a whole generation of open-ended, non-linear adventure games and RPGs. While it has only spawned not that much more than a dozen sequels over the many years, the franchise has amassed total sales of 60 million units.

2011 should prove to be a year to remember for Zelda fans, with a 3D, full-remake of the genre-defining Ocarina of Time releasing on 3DS this summer and the epic new entry Skyward Sword set to arrive on Wii at the end of the year.

Here's to another 25 marvellous years!