You have a Wii, David?
Yes, the 2-D Zeldas are worth playing, though they are very different. The worlds are full and real and unyielding in their delights and viciousness.
I would start out with A Link to the Past, if I were you. You can grab the original NES game, if you want - but if you want to really have fun with that one, get a piece of paper and be ready to draw your own map of the overworld. That's where the fun is.