To play the Zelda games in order of release, start with The Legend of Zelda (1986) and end with Echoes of Wisdom (2024), the newest all-new entry, plus the Ocarina of Time remake for Switch 2 released on November 5, 2026. In story order, Skyward Sword comes first, and the timeline splits into three branches after Ocarina of Time. For most new players, the best place to start is Breath of the Wild or the new Ocarina of Time.
Below are both orders, how the official timeline works, which games you can play on Switch and Switch 2 and the mistakes that trip up newcomers. Release dates and availability were checked against Nintendo's official pages in November 2026.
Zelda games in order of release
These are the 20 main-series games by original release, with the first platform in brackets. Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages launched together, which is why some lists count 21.
- The Legend of Zelda (1986, NES)
- Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (1987, NES)
- A Link to the Past (1991, Super NES)
- Link's Awakening (1993, Game Boy)
- Ocarina of Time (1998, Nintendo 64)
- Majora's Mask (2000, Nintendo 64)
- Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages (2001, Game Boy Color)
- Four Swords (2002, Game Boy Advance)
- The Wind Waker (2002, GameCube)
- Four Swords Adventures (2004, GameCube)
- The Minish Cap (2004, Game Boy Advance)
- Twilight Princess (2006, Wii and GameCube)
- Phantom Hourglass (2007, Nintendo DS)
- Spirit Tracks (2009, Nintendo DS)
- Skyward Sword (2011, Wii)
- A Link Between Worlds (2013, Nintendo 3DS)
- Tri Force Heroes (2015, Nintendo 3DS)
- Breath of the Wild (2017, Wii U and Switch)
- Tears of the Kingdom (2023, Switch)
- Echoes of Wisdom (2024, Switch)
Remakes and remasters include Link's Awakening on Switch (2019), Skyward Sword HD (2021), Nintendo Switch 2 Editions of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom (2025) and the full Ocarina of Time remake for Switch 2 (2026). Spin-offs such as Hyrule Warriors and Cadence of Hyrule sit outside the main list.
The official Zelda timeline, explained
Nintendo's official chronology, first published in the Hyrule Historia book, puts four games before the big split: Skyward Sword, The Minish Cap, Four Swords and Ocarina of Time. The ending of Ocarina of Time then creates three branches:
- Child timeline (Link wins and is sent back to his childhood): Majora's Mask, Twilight Princess and Four Swords Adventures.
- Adult timeline (Link wins and Hyrule is later flooded): The Wind Waker, Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks.
- Fallen hero timeline (Link is defeated by Ganon): A Link to the Past, Oracle of Seasons and Ages, Link's Awakening, A Link Between Worlds, Tri Force Heroes, The Legend of Zelda and The Adventure of Link. Echoes of Wisdom also belongs to this branch.
Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom are set at the very end of the history, but Nintendo has not tied them to a single branch. Tears of the Kingdom is a direct sequel to Breath of the Wild.
How to play Zelda games on Switch and Switch 2
You can play most of the series on current Nintendo hardware, though not all of it. As of November 2026:
- Buy on Switch or Switch 2: Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom, Echoes of Wisdom, Skyward Sword HD, Link's Awakening and, on Switch 2 only, the Ocarina of Time remake.
- Nintendo Switch Online: The Legend of Zelda and Zelda II (NES), A Link to the Past (Super NES), and Link's Awakening DX plus both Oracle games (Game Boy and Game Boy Color).
- Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack: the original Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask (Nintendo 64) and The Minish Cap (Game Boy Advance). On Switch 2, The Wind Waker is available in the GameCube classics library.
- Not on Switch or Switch 2: Phantom Hourglass, Spirit Tracks, A Link Between Worlds, Tri Force Heroes and Twilight Princess.
Which Zelda game should you play first?
You do not need to play them in order. Each game tells a mostly self-contained story, and most feature a different Link and Zelda. Pick by the kind of game you want:
- Open-world fans: Breath of the Wild, then Tears of the Kingdom.
- Classic dungeon adventure: the Ocarina of Time remake on Switch 2. Read our Ocarina of Time Switch 2 guide to see what changed from the original.
- A shorter, cheaper start: Link's Awakening or Echoes of Wisdom, both top-down adventures that suit newcomers and younger players.
- Story completionists: Skyward Sword HD first, then follow the timeline branches above.
Common mistakes when starting the series
- Assuming you must start in 1986: the NES original is short and unforgiving, so it works better as a history lesson than a first game.
- Skipping Majora's Mask: it is a direct sequel to Ocarina of Time and one of the most distinctive games in the series.
- Buying the remake and the old version by mistake: the 2026 Ocarina of Time is a new Switch 2 game, while the 1998 version is part of the Expansion Pack.
If you enjoy guides like this, see our Pikmin games in order for another Nintendo series.
Zelda games FAQ
How many Zelda games are there?
There are 20 main-series games, or 21 if you count Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages separately, plus remakes and spin-offs.
What is the first Zelda game in the timeline?
Skyward Sword. It shows the origin of the Master Sword and the cycle between Link, Zelda and the series' villain.
Is the Ocarina of Time Switch 2 game a remake?
Yes. It is a full remake of the 1998 game, released on November 5, 2026, exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2.
