For a first run through the mainline Zelda games, play them in the order they originally launched—not in the fictional chronology of Hyrule. This guide uses Nintendo’s European release dates throughout. “Mainline” is a practical label, not an official category: the list includes the core single-player adventures and the co-op games Four Swords, Four Swords Adventures, and Tri Force Heroes, while excluding remakes, enhanced ports, and crossover spin-offs. Nintendo’s anniversary history page uses European dates; its opening reference to Link’s 1986 debut is the Japan origin, not the date of the first European release.
Every mainline Zelda game in original release order
The table follows the first European release, rather than a later remake or a game’s place in the story timeline. Nintendo’s catalogue does not give a legible exact European launch day for the Oracle pair in its accessible text, so those entries are listed by year only.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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The Legend of Zelda Collector's Edition - (GC) GameCube [Pre-Owned] | $131.36 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda | $70.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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The Legend of Zelda Encyclopedia | $19.17 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
![The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51xVZUUZ1hL._SL160_.jpg)
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The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code] | $59.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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The Legend of Zelda - Legendary Edition Box Set | $105.19 | Buy on Amazon |
| # | Game | European release | First platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Legend of Zelda | November 15, 1987 | NES |
| 2 | Zelda II: The Adventure of Link | September 26, 1988 | NES |
| 3 | The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past | September 24, 1992 | Super Nintendo Entertainment System (Super NES) |
| 4 | The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening | November 18, 1993 | Game Boy |
| 5 | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | December 12, 1998 | Nintendo 64 |
| 6 | The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask | November 17, 2000 | Nintendo 64 |
| 7 | The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons | 2001; exact European day not stated in Nintendo’s catalogue text | Game Boy Color |
| 8 | The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages | 2001; exact European day not stated in Nintendo’s catalogue text | Game Boy Color |
| 9 | The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords | March 28, 2003 | Game Boy Advance |
| 10 | The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker | May 2, 2003 | GameCube |
| 11 | The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap | November 12, 2004 | Game Boy Advance |
| 12 | The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures | January 7, 2005 | GameCube |
| 13 | The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess | December 8, 2006 (Wii release listed by Nintendo) | Wii and GameCube |
| 14 | The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass | October 19, 2007 | Nintendo DS |
| 15 | The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks | December 11, 2009 | Nintendo DS |
| 16 | The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword | November 18, 2011 | Wii |
| 17 | The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds | November 22, 2013 | Nintendo 3DS |
| 18 | The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes | October 23, 2015 | Nintendo 3DS |
| 19 | The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild | March 3, 2017 | Nintendo Switch and Wii U |
| 20 | The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom | May 12, 2023 | Nintendo Switch |
| 21 | The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom | September 26, 2024 | Nintendo Switch |
The release dates and original platforms above follow Nintendo’s European-dated series catalogue. It presents Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages as a paired set of adventures; the table places them together without asserting an exact day or a definitive order between them.
How to use this order
Start with the first game—or choose a more approachable entry
Playing from the top shows how the series changed from its early NES adventures through handheld experiments, 3D worlds, and the modern open-air games. It is not required to understand a single continuous plot: release order is a way to experience the games as players encountered them, not a story chronology.
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If you want a contemporary starting point instead, Nintendo describes Tears of the Kingdom as a sequel to Breath of the Wild, so play Breath of the Wild first if you intend to play both. Echoes of Wisdom is a distinct later entry; Nintendo’s summary places Zelda in the role of saving Hyrule. Neither choice changes the release-order list.
Keep the co-op entries in perspective
Four Swords, Four Swords Adventures, and Tri Force Heroes are included because they are Zelda adventures, but their multiplayer focus makes them less straightforward choices for a solo marathon. Keeping them in the sequence preserves release order; skipping them is a reasonable way to focus on the largely single-player run.
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Original platform versus playing on a current system
The original-platform column is historical: it identifies the system each game first launched on, not what you need to own today. Nintendo’s Zelda Portal lists selected current editions and classic-game access on Switch and Switch 2; it does not establish that every game in the chronology is available on those consoles.
| Current option listed by Nintendo | Availability shown | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Breath of the Wild | Switch, March 3, 2017; Switch 2 edition, June 5, 2025 | Two platform editions are listed; check your regional Nintendo store for the version offered. |
| Tears of the Kingdom | Switch, May 12, 2023; Switch 2 edition, June 5, 2025 | Two platform editions are listed; check your regional Nintendo store for the version offered. |
| Echoes of Wisdom | Switch, September 26, 2024 | Listed for Switch. |
| Skyward Sword HD | Switch, July 16, 2021 | An enhanced edition, not the original Wii release. |
| Link’s Awakening | Switch, September 20, 2019 | A remake, not the original Game Boy release. |
These current-edition details come from Nintendo’s Zelda Portal, which describes its list as games available on Switch 2 and Switch. The portal also says classic Zelda games are playable on those systems with a paid Nintendo Switch Online membership. That is access to a changing, selective catalogue rather than a guarantee that every older entry above is included. Availability can vary by country, so check the local Nintendo store and current membership terms.
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For membership and online-play conditions, Nintendo’s US Nintendo Switch Online page says online play requires a membership and Nintendo Account, is not available in all countries, and is subject to terms. This US service information should not be taken as a complete statement of availability or conditions in other regions.
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