If you want to play The Legend of Zelda in the order players originally received it, follow the 20-game core list below, beginning with the 1986 Japanese release of The Legend of Zelda and ending with Echoes of Wisdom in 2024. This is release order, not the series’ in-universe chronology. Nintendo’s 40th-anniversary catalogue is the canonical spine for the list and uses European release dates; the first two entries also include their original Japanese dates.
What date order does this list use?
The main list uses original releases, with Nintendo UK’s 40th-anniversary catalogue as the date standard. Nintendo states that every date on that catalogue is a European release date. For the first two games, Nintendo Japan’s history page supplies the Japanese launch dates as well, which is useful because both titles appeared in Japan before their European launches.
- Original release means the first appearance of that game, not a later remake, remaster, port or hardware upgrade.
- European dates are shown for consistency across the catalogue. A date without a separate regional label in the table is the European date listed by Nintendo.
- Paired releases such as Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons share one position because Nintendo’s catalogue treats them as a single Game Boy Color release entry.
Use Nintendo’s 40th-anniversary Game History catalogue for the European catalogue and Nintendo Japan’s Zelda history for the early Japanese dates.
What is the Zelda release order?
These are the 20 entries in Nintendo’s core catalogue, ordered by original release. The list preserves the platform and date context of each first release, so a later remake never overwrites the original game’s place.
| # | Game | Original platform | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Legend of Zelda | NES/Famicom Disk System | Japan: February 21, 1986; Europe: November 15, 1987 |
| 2 | Zelda II: The Adventure of Link | Famicom Disk System/NES | Japan: January 14, 1987; Europe: September 26, 1988 |
| 3 | The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past | Super NES | Europe: September 24, 1992 |
| 4 | The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening | Game Boy | Europe: November 18, 1993 |
| 5 | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo 64 | Europe: December 12, 1998 |
| 6 | The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask | Nintendo 64 | Europe: November 17, 2000 |
| 7 | The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages / Oracle of Seasons | Game Boy Color | Europe: October 5, 2001 |
| 8 | The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords | Game Boy Advance | Europe: March 28, 2003 |
| 9 | The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker | Nintendo GameCube | Europe: May 2, 2003 |
| 10 | The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap | Game Boy Advance | Europe: November 12, 2004 |
| 11 | The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures | Nintendo GameCube | Europe: January 7, 2005 |
| 12 | The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess | Wii and Nintendo GameCube | Europe: December 8, 2006 (Nintendo labels this the Wii release date) |
| 13 | The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass | Nintendo DS | Europe: October 19, 2007 |
| 14 | The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks | Nintendo DS | Europe: December 11, 2009 |
| 15 | The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword | Wii | Europe: November 18, 2011 |
| 16 | The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds | Nintendo 3DS | Europe: November 22, 2013 |
| 17 | The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes | Nintendo 3DS | Europe: October 23, 2015 |
| 18 | The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild | Nintendo Switch and Wii U | March 3, 2017 |
| 19 | The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom | Nintendo Switch | May 12, 2023 |
| 20 | The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom | Nintendo Switch | September 26, 2024 |
The dates and platforms above follow Nintendo’s catalogue; see the linked European game-history page for the original entries.
How is release order different from Zelda timeline order?
Release order follows the history of the series as players experienced it. Timeline order follows the fictional history of Hyrule, and Nintendo’s official chronology places games into eras before splitting into separate branches after Ocarina of Time.
The split means there is no single, universally linear “story order” that matches the table above. Nintendo’s official Zelda timeline is the right reference if your priority is lore chronology rather than design history.
- Choose release order to see the series’ progression from 2D exploration to 3D worlds, handheld experiments, multiplayer entries and open-air design.
- Choose timeline order if you already know the games and want to follow Nintendo’s era-and-branch presentation.
- Use a hybrid if you want modern controls first: begin with a recent 3D entry, then return to earlier games in release order.
Which Zelda games are remakes, remasters or current editions?
A remake or remaster is a separate release, not a replacement date for the original. Keep the original in the 20-game sequence, then record the newer version in an edition list.
| Release | Type | Platform or status | How to place it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Link’s Awakening (2019) | Remake | Nintendo Switch | List after the 1993 Game Boy original. |
| Skyward Sword HD (2021) | Remaster | Nintendo Switch | List after the 2011 Wii original. |
| Breath of the Wild — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition | Current enhanced edition | Nintendo Switch 2 | Nintendo lists it alongside the 2017 release; no separate original-release date is supplied. |
| Tears of the Kingdom — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition | Current enhanced edition | Nintendo Switch 2 | Nintendo lists it alongside the 2023 release; no separate original-release date is supplied. |
| Ocarina of Time — Nintendo Switch 2 | Announced re-release | Nintendo Switch 2; pre-order listing | Keep it out of the released-games list until its announced launch date. |
Nintendo’s Zelda games store index lists the current Switch 2 editions and the Switch 2 Ocarina of Time product. Store listings can vary by country, format and stock, so verify those details on the local Nintendo storefront before buying.
What is the newest released Zelda game?
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, released for Nintendo Switch on September 26, 2024, is the newest released entry in Nintendo’s core catalogue. The Switch 2 editions of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom are newer editions of existing games, not new numbered adventures.
Nintendo has announced The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for Nintendo Switch 2 for November 5, 2026. As of October 26, 2026, that release was announced but not yet available, so it belongs in a future-release section rather than after Echoes of Wisdom.
Which Zelda releases are spin-offs or collaborations?
Nintendo’s 20-entry catalogue is the cleanest definition of the core series. A broad franchise list can add collaborations and adjacent games, but they should be labeled separately because they do not occupy the same release-order spine.
| Spin-off or adjacent line | Format | Why it is separate |
|---|---|---|
| Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity | Musou/action collaboration | Uses large-scale battle systems and a collaboration format rather than the core adventure structure. |
| Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment | Musou/action collaboration | Highlighted by Nintendo’s current store as an adjacent Warriors title. |
| Cadence of Hyrule | Rhythm-based adventure collaboration | A crossover project, not one of Nintendo’s 20 core catalogue entries. |
| Zelda Nintendo Classics offerings | Re-releases and collections | They make older games available again without changing their original release dates. |
Nintendo’s current store groups these and other products under its broader Zelda selection. Consult the games index for the latest regional catalogue; the list of spin-offs is intentionally separate from the mainline chronology.
What should a first-time player do?
There is no requirement to complete every entry before starting a later one. Pick the route that matches the kind of game you want, then use the release table as a map rather than a checklist.
If you want the modern open-world style
Start with Breath of the Wild, then continue to Tears of the Kingdom. Their consecutive modern releases make them the clearest two-game starting route for players who prefer large, freely explored environments.
If you want the series’ 3D evolution
Follow the 3D milestones in release order: Ocarina of Time, Majora’s Mask, The Wind Waker, Twilight Princess, Skyward Sword, then the two Switch-era games. This route shows how camera, traversal and world structure changed across generations.
If you prefer compact 2D adventures
Begin with A Link to the Past, then try Link’s Awakening, the Oracle pair, The Minish Cap and A Link Between Worlds. The handheld entries are distinct releases, so a remake such as the Switch version of Link’s Awakening can be substituted when the original hardware is unavailable.
If you want multiplayer-focused experiments
Four Swords, Four Swords Adventures and Tri Force Heroes are the core catalogue’s explicitly multiplayer-oriented experiments. Treat them as optional branches after sampling a single-player entry, since their design goals differ from the main solo adventures.
What has Nintendo announced for after the released list?
The announced Nintendo Switch 2 version of Ocarina of Time is scheduled for November 5, 2026. Nintendo describes overhauled visuals, voiced cutscenes, expanded dialogue, orchestral music, updated controls and a physical first-print run. Those are edition features, so the 1998 Nintendo 64 game remains the original release in the historical table.
Nintendo’s 40th-anniversary announcement also mentions a LEGO Ocarina of Time – Link & Epona set planned for spring 2027 and new Young Link and Young Zelda amiibo for 2027. They are merchandise announcements, not game releases, and should not be inserted into a games chronology. Read the announcement at Nintendo’s 40th-anniversary Direct page.
How should you read regional dates and editions?
Regional launch schedules can differ, especially for older hardware. Keep the region attached to every date when making your own checklist, and do not treat a later port or digital re-release as the game’s first appearance.
- Use the European date column when comparing entries from Nintendo’s anniversary catalogue.
- Use the Japanese date for the first two games when you need the franchise’s earliest historical launch.
- Label remakes, remasters, ports and Switch 2 editions in a second column or appendix.
- For products announced but not launched, show the announced date and status instead of presenting them as available games.
Frequently asked questions
Do the two Oracle games need to be played in a particular order?
They were released together as a paired Game Boy Color entry, so either one can be your starting point. Playing both gives the pair’s linked-release context, but neither changes the release position of the other.
Are Zelda collaborations part of Nintendo’s official timeline?
Nintendo’s official timeline is designed to show the story eras of the core Zelda adventures. Collaboration titles such as the Warriors games and Cadence of Hyrule are best treated as adjacent projects unless Nintendo explicitly places a specific title on that chronology.
Does a Switch 2 edition make an older game a new mainline release?
No. An enhanced edition can add visual, audio or control improvements while retaining the original game’s identity and historical date. Keep it beside the original entry so readers can see both the first release and the current way to play it.
Why can two websites show different Zelda dates?
They may be using Japanese, European or North American launches, or they may be counting a port instead of the first release. Choose one regional convention, state it at the top of your list and label every exception rather than mixing date systems.
Where can I verify whether a Zelda product is currently sold?
Check Nintendo’s regional store pages for the game or merchandise listing, then confirm platform, physical-versus-digital format and stock. Nintendo’s catalogue can change by country and edition, so a historical release date does not guarantee current availability.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do the two Oracle games need to be played in a particular order?
They were released together as a paired Game Boy Color entry, so either one can be your starting point. Playing both gives the pair’s linked-release context, but neither changes the release position of the other.
Are Zelda collaborations part of Nintendo’s official timeline?
Nintendo’s official timeline is designed to show the story eras of the core Zelda adventures. Collaboration titles such as the Warriors games and Cadence of Hyrule are best treated as adjacent projects unless Nintendo explicitly places a specific title on that chronology.
Does a Switch 2 edition make an older game a new mainline release?
No. An enhanced edition can add visual, audio or control improvements while retaining the original game’s identity and historical date. Keep it beside the original entry so readers can see both the first release and the current way to play it.
Why can two websites show different Zelda dates?
They may be using Japanese, European or North American launches, or they may be counting a port instead of the first release. Choose one regional convention, state it at the top of your list and label every exception rather than mixing date systems.
Where can I verify whether a Zelda product is currently sold?
Check Nintendo’s regional store pages for the game or merchandise listing, then confirm platform, physical-versus-digital format and stock. Nintendo’s catalogue can change by country and edition, so a historical release date does not guarantee current availability.