Nintendo's landmark adventure series — explore vast dungeons, solve clever puzzles, and save the kingdom of Hyrule across 40 years of games that invented what an action-adventure can be.
The perfect first Zelda: a massive open world that gives you total freedom from the first minute, needs zero prior knowledge, and showcases everything the series does best.
The 2017 open-world revolution: a vast, gorgeous Hyrule where you can climb any surface, cook ingredients, and solve every puzzle in a dozen different ways — no hand-holding required.
5 releases & editions
The 2023 sequel to Breath of the Wild: sky islands appear above Hyrule, Link gains new physics-bending Ultrahand and Fuse powers, and a long-buried mystery threatens everything.
A monumental follow-up to Breath of the Wild — play BotW first, then come straight to this for an even bigger adventure.
2 releases & editions
The 2011 3DS remake of Ocarina of Time: the landmark adventure that shaped a generation of games, rebuilt from scratch with new visuals and a built-in hint system.
The best way to play the most influential action-adventure ever made — rebuilt with beautiful visuals and quality-of-life improvements that are ideal for newcomers.
2 releases & editions
The SNES classic that perfected the Zelda formula: a hero's journey across a light Hyrule and its dark mirror world, packed with inventive dungeons and iconic moments.
The 1991 SNES masterpiece that defined what Zelda would become — polished, deep, and still a great entry point via Nintendo Switch Online.
6 releases & editions
The 2019 Switch remake of the beloved 1993 adventure, rendered in a stunning toy-diorama art style: Link washes up on a mysterious island and must wake a dreaming whale to escape.
A gorgeous Switch remake of a short, dreamlike adventure — the ideal 2D Zelda entry for someone who wants something compact and beautiful.
2 releases & editions
The 1986 game that started it all — historically vital, but its sparse, archaic design makes it a poor first Zelda today.
A fascinating but wildly unconventional side-scrolling RPG outlier — nothing else in Zelda plays like it, making it a confusing and frustrating first entry.
A clever GBC game that pairs with Oracle of Ages for a linked story — great for fans but best saved for after you've played the bigger entries.
The puzzle-focused GBC counterpart to Oracle of Seasons — wonderful for fans, but best discovered once you're already into the series.
A clever co-op concept requiring Game Boy Advance systems linked to a GameCube — fascinating on paper but nearly impossible to set up today.
A delightful GBA gem with a shrinking mechanic, but best enjoyed once you've played a few other entries in the series.
A charming DS sequel to The Wind Waker with inventive touchscreen controls — worth it for fans, but DS-only with no modern re-release.
A clever DS adventure where Princess Zelda joins Link as a spirit — fun for fans, but DS-only with no modern re-release.
The definitive version of one of the most visually joyful Zeldas — highly recommended for fans who want a shorter, charming adventure.
One of the best 3DS games ever made, best appreciated after A Link to the Past since it revisits that world with a brilliant wall-merging mechanic.
The definitive version of Zelda's most unusual entry — essential for fans, but its complex time mechanics and dark tone make it a tough starting point.
The best way to play the dark, epic wolf-Link adventure — great for fans who want a more story-driven, dungeon-heavy Zelda after Breath of the Wild.
The most story-rich Zelda and the one that explains the whole mythology — deeply rewarding for fans, but its linear structure is a tough introduction.
The first mainline game starring Zelda herself — fresh and inventive, but best appreciated once you know the series.