All Legend of Zelda games in release order

The Legend of Zelda is one of the most prolific game series not only in Nintendo history, but is also a recognizable representation of video games as a whole, worldwide.

While some Zelda fans have been there since the beginning, with the sounds of Link’s battle cries stuck in their heads since childhood, others have just dipped their toes into the recent installments in the series. There are so many games in the main series alone that it can be difficult to remember them all, even if you want to remember them all Zelda veterans.

Here’s the definitive list of all the main series games in the Legend of Zelda series, in order of their release.

How many Zelda games are there?

There are more than a dozen original titles from the main series in The Legend of Zelda series, with releases dating back to 1986 and as new as 2024.

In addition to the original titles, Nintendo has also released releases several remakesincluding quality of life changes, optimization and graphics updates. One title also has a Master Quest version and one bundle of two titles was also promoted as a separate release.

Many of the original titles were made available on previous versions of Nintendo consoles in their non-remade form. Thanks to the different virtual console modes on the Wii, WiiU, 3DS and Switch, you can enjoy certain classics Zelda titles without the need for a retro console.

From the original Legend of Zelda to the award-winning Tears of the Kingdomhere is a complete list of all the main series Zelda titles.

Zelda titles from 1986-1993: The Legend of Zelda, Zelda II, A Link to the Past and Link’s Awakening

The original The Legend of Zelda is where it all started for the franchise. Published in 1986 in Japan for the Famicom Disk System and a year later for the Nintendo Entertainment System worldwide, the original game focuses on Link, our eternal hero, as he ventures to complete the pieces of the Triforce. The game is known for its enormous difficulty and was even packaged with a map for its North American release.

The Legend of Zelda has been re-released on the Wii, WiiU and 3DS virtual consoles and the Nintendo Switch Online platform, so if you want to challenge yourself by trying out the original game, you can do so on Nintendo’s latest consoles.

Zelda II: Link’s adventure is the next game in the series, and compared to almost every other title, this one takes a bit of a strange turn. While the game still focuses on a general RPG adventure and is a direct sequel to the first game, it uses side-scrolling platforming mechanics as Link enters certain instances and fights enemies.

The Legend of Zelda: a link to the past was first released in 1991 for the SNES and features updated, colorful graphics compared to the first two installments. This is the first game to refer to two parallel worlds in the Zelda timeline, a key feature that resonates throughout the series’ timeline.

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening was then released in 1993 and was the first to mark a clear transition for the series Zelda title for a portable console.

Zelda titles from 1998-2004: Ocarina of Time, Majora’s Mask, the Oracle games, and Wind Waker

The release of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time in 1998 marked a major turning point in the series. Ocarina of time, for the Nintendo 64, was the first ever 3D adventure for our green-clad hero. It was the best-selling Zelda game to date and has won several major awards for both game of the year and best game of all time.

A particularly difficult version of Ocarina of time was released, called the Master Quest version, which greatly increases the challenges Link faces as he traverses Hyrule.

Unlike Ocarina of Time bright story that follows a young Link as he travels through time to defeat Ganon, The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask was a complete shift. Majora’s mask is considered one of the darkest Zelda games to date and introduces an alternate timeline where Link’s previous adventure did not go as planned. The game was built using largely the same engine as Ocarina of time, so the mechanics, UI and console are the same despite being released two years later in 2000.

Both Ocarina of time And Majora’s mask made their way to the 3DS with remakes in 2011 and 2015 respectively. The remakes included quality of life changes such as reducing the pain of From Ocarina famous Water Temple and graphic updates.

The Oracle games—The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons And The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of the Ages– are a few games that add to the series’ portable library. Released in 2001 for the Game Boy Color, the games elevated the tone slightly from a terrifying adventure into Majora’s mask.

Following the Oracle games were The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, released for the GameCube in 2002. This game has a distinct graphical style that is more animated and almost comic book-like in feel, which has earned it a place among some of the most beloved games. Zelda titles.

Zelda titles from 2006-2015: Twilight Princess, Nintendo DS games and Skyward Sword

After Windwaker two lesser-known games joined the franchise: The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures And The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap. Four sword adventures was the first multiplayer game in the series, introducing a mechanic that split Link into four versions of himself. In this 2004 GameCube release, up to four players could go on an adventure together. The Minish cap is a light-hearted portable adventure for the Game Boy Advance that has shrunk Link down to a minuscule size.

The Wiis The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess was released in 2006 for the GameCube and Wii, marking another marked change in tone. Twilight Princess was the first game to receive a Teen rating and was released as an HD version for the WiiU in 2016.

The next two games in the series are usually remembered as a pair. The two original Nintendo DS titles in the Zelda were franchises The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass And The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks. Both games use visual elements similar to The wind waker, and like many games released at the time, it used the DS’s touchscreen.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is an important entry into the franchise because, in terms of the Zelda timeline of the universe, this game marks the very beginning. We learn the origin story of Link, commonly referred to as the Hero of Time, and the events that occur before his original adventure. The game was updated for the Switch in 2021 as an HD version, ten years after the original Wii release.

2013 The Legend of Zelda: a link between worlds builds on the parallel world concept that was introduced in A link to the past featuring an adventure with a unique art style for the 3DS. In 2015, like the Zelda series last release for the 3DS, Nintendo released The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroesanother multiplayer game that builds on the mechanics used Four sword adventures.

Zelda titles from 2017 to present: Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom, Echoes of Wisdom

The two most recent Zelda games are perhaps among the most prolific of the series. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was released in 2017 as a launch title for the Nintendo Switch and quickly became considered one of the best games on the market. It was the first Zelda open-world game that plays on a common theme throughout the series: adventure.

After Breath of the wild success, the sequel, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomwas previously released in 2023. It builds on the operation of Breath of the wild while also bringing back dungeons, a core aspect of the series that was missed in the 2017 release, and also featuring Princess Zelda.

The last game on our list is Zelda: Echoes of Wisdomwhich was released in 2024. It was the first game in the main series that had you playing as Zelda over Link, forcing you to think strategically about puzzle words without your trusty sword and shield at your disposal.

In addition to all the main series titles and their remakes, several spin-off games have also been released. These include the infamous Link’s crossbow training and the Hyrule Warriors games.