The Legend of Zelda Games in Order: Play the Series Chronologically and by Release Date

The Legend of Zelda games hold a soft spot for many gamers across age brackets, as the long-running series has become a cornerstone in the world of video games. Iconic art styles, soundtracks, and storylines transcend the ages and solidify the game series’ stature as one of the greatest gaming experiences. With the release of the upcoming Echoes of Wisdom game on the horizon, there is no better time to brush off your consoles and play all the Legend of Zelda games in order.

All the Zelda games share similar motifs and recurring characters, but each mainline game offers a unique take on the classic story of a heroic warrior rescuing the princess. With each iteration of the game, the puzzles and tasks get harder, the characters you meet along the way develop much more personality, and in some cases, the story you play through gets a lot darker.

Our mute protagonist will often tug on our heartstrings with his headstrong behavior and dedication to the princess, both in the earlier rendition of Zelda games and the most recent title. Before you put your boots on and head into Hyrule, take a peek at all the Legend of Zelda games in order, sorted by release date and chronological order.

Table of Contents Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. Zelda games in Order of Release
3. The Legend of Zelda Games in Chronological Order
4. The Bottom Line
5. FAQs

Show Full Guide

Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. Zelda games in Order of Release
3. The Legend of Zelda Games in Chronological Order
Show Full Guide
4. The Bottom Line
5. FAQs

Zelda games in Order of Release

The Legend of Zelda Games in Chronological Order

The Zelda games often play with different art styles and timelines, so if you’ve picked up some of the newer titles, you may jump into the series mid-way – or at the start! There’s nothing wrong with playing the Legend of Zelda games in release date order, but playing them chronologically will help you grasp the timeless story easier and treat you to the different visuals and gameplay as you jump between the last 10 years to the last 20.

We’ve listed all the Zelda games in detail below, so you will be armed with all the need-to-know information whether you’re booting up an NES or turning on a Nintendo Switch.

The Legend of Zelda (1986)

The first game in the franchise, this is a must-play for anyone looking to get into the series. Our hero starts his adventure with just a small shield but is given a sword and the entrance to a cave by an old man who utters one of the most iconic video game quotes in history: “It’s dangerous to go alone! Take this.” Link ventures to uncover new items that enhance his fighting prowess, new monsters, magical rings, and stronger swords. He must brave through various hidden caves to defeat enemies and build his strength before taking on the evil Ganon and rescuing the princess.

Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link (1987)

This game serves as a sequel to the original game and was a massive success that introduced Dark Link to the franchise, a character that would then become common in future games. Years after the first game, a now 16-year-old Link spots an odd scar on the back of his hand, roughly resembling the crest of Hyrule. He seeks out Impa, who takes him to the North Castle and presses his hand to the door, revealing a cursed Zelda, struck by an eternal sleeping spell. Impa reveals to Link that he must be the chosen hero to free Zelda from his curse and sets him off on a quest to waken the princess and topple Ganon’s efforts to stop him.

A Link To The Past (1991)

This game marks the beginning of what is widely considered to be the ‘Fallen Hero timeline’ and takes a more classic approach to its storyline. Our hero is in bed when he hears a familiar voice call out to him, pleading with Link to help her escape Hyrule Castle before the evil wizard Agahnim can get his hands on her and seal her away forever.

Link’s uncle hears her plea as well, and the two go to save her, though Link’s uncle unfortunately dies and bestows his sword and shield to Link before his final breath. Link manages to break Zelda out of her cell and is told by a wise old man Sahasrahla that he must find different pendants to find the Master Sword. His quest takes him to all corners of Hyrule as he ventures onwards to keep his princess safe.

Link’s Awakening (1993)

Link’s Awakening is an interesting game, as it’s one of the few games that not only take place outside of Hyrule but also basically omits most locations and characters from previous games except Link and Zelda. You’ll be given advice and tasks from NPC’s, and the game is full of cameos from characters in other Nintendo games, including Yoshi and Kirby, with Super Mario Bros enemies like Goombas and Piranha Plants also making an appearance.

This is a pretty fun title to play for Nintendo heads. Link ends up washing ashore on Koholint Island on his travels, and is found by Tarin and his daughter, Marin. As Link gets his bearings, he is approached by a strange owl who tells him he must wake the Koholint’s guardian, the Wind Fish, in order to return to his home. Link embarks on a journey of exploration and deception, battling nightmare creatures.

Ocarina of Time (1998)

Ganondorf, an evil wizard and Gerudo King, poses a threat to the peace of Hyrule and it is up to Link to take on the epic quest through time to defeat Ganondorf. Princess Zelda reveals to Link that she has seen dark clouds drowning the land of Hyrule in a dream and sends our young hero on a quest to retrieve the Master Sword. She gifts him the Ocarina of Time, with which our hero must awaken six Sages, defeat Ganondorf, and seal him away in the Sacred Realm. The Ocarina of Time is one of the most beloved Zelda games for its clever use of time and touching musical numbers that are instantly recognizable amongst even the most contemporary gamers.

Major’s Mask (2000)

Majora’s Mask is another iconic game, not just in the series but also within the world of gaming itself. One of the more chilling titles in the series, we follow Link as he stumbles upon the enchanted land of Termina, where he learns a falling moon will flatten the town in just three days.

Link is turned into a Deku Scrub and then turned back into a human thanks to the eccentric Happy Mask Salesman, and he tracks down the Skull Kid that turned him into a Deku Scrub in the first place. The Skull Kid reveals his plan to crash the Moon onto the Land of Termina, leaving our hero to stop him from destroying the land.

Oracle of Seasons (2001)

Oracle of Seasons is the first and only game to take place in Holodrum, a once-peaceful land that is thrown into chaos when General Onox captures the Oracle of Seasons and buries the Temple of Seasons, sending the seasons into an erratic frenzy. Link is sent by the Triforce to help, and embarks on a long and colorful quest to restore order to the land and defeat General Onox.

This game was released towards the end of the Game Boy Color’s lifespan, and so Nintendo seemed to have gone all out with the vivid landscapes and color schemes, which makes this a pretty title to play.

Oracle of Ages (2001)

The Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages are two games that, when completed, can form a single linear plot. Through Game-linking, you’ll be able to unlock extra content and new items, but you can enjoy both games separately if you wish. They’re named after the central character in their respective stories, Din, the Oracle of Seasons.

Link is sent to Labrynna from Hyrule by the Triforce and finds Impa, who has fallen prey to the evil Sorceress of Shadows Veran. Link, unaware of this, is tricked into helping the possessed Impa to pass on the sorcerer Veran to the Oracle of Ages, Nayru. With the power to control time falling into the wrong hands, it is up to our hero to set things right.

The Wind Waker (2002)

The Wind Waker was quite a departure from the regular Legend of Zelda games at the time of its release, utilizing a more cartoonish art style and a multi-island world you can explore that includes the Overworld and the Great Sea, the latter requiring Link to get on his iconic boat to do so. You guide Link, who has just celebrated his coming of age, as he tries to save his sister Aryll from Ganondorf and, in doing so, gets entangled in an epic struggle for the Triforce, a wish-granting relic that could topple the delicate balance of Link’s world.

Four Swords Adventures (2004)

The Four Swords Adventures game takes us to the end of Link’s ‘Child Timeline’ and is the final title in this timeline. The story picks up centuries after Twilight Princess and Majora’s Mask and takes place in an unsettled Hyrule ravaged by strange occurrences across the land.

Fearing a fault in the seal that keeps Vaati, a recurring villain in The Legend of Zelda series, Zelda asks Link to join her in the castle for protection. With the help of Zelda’s Shrine maidens, the two open a portal that transports them to the Four Sword Sanctuary and are confronted by Shadow Link, who steals the maidens of the Shrines away and seals them

The Minish Cap (2004)

This game serves as a prequel to Four Sword Adventures and introduces players to Vaati, a villain who makes a few appearances throughout the series. Long ago, Hyrule was swarmed by evil forces until a race of tiny creatures called the Picori bestowed a young hero with the Picori Blade and Light Force. Using both, the world’s evils and plights were trapped in a chest, and the people of Hyrule would hold an annual Picori Festival to celebrate.

In the present day, Link and Zelda are enjoying the festival when a sword-fighting champion destroys the Picoli blade and opens the chest, ravaging Hyrule once again with evil monsters. Unable to get his hands on the Light Force, Vaati turns Zelda to stone and leaves. Link must now repair the sword, stop Vaati, and save Zelda, venturing into the Minish woods to begin his quest.

The Twilight Princess (2006)

The Twilight Princess is one of the darker Zelda games in the series and holds a mysterious, creepy aura that lends itself to being a more playful game to get through. Set a few decades after Ocarina of Time; Link is living in Ordon village living as a ranch hand. His village is suddenly attacked by a group of monsters, and Link gets knocked out during an altercation with the beasts.

He awakens, continues his pursuit, and is suddenly pulled into the Twilight Realm, a dark parallel dimension of Hyrule full of shadows and perpetual twilight. Link is turned into a wolf and thrown into a castle. He must work with an impish creature named Midna to escape his cell and save Hyrule from being consumed by the ravenous twilight.

Phantom Hourglass (2007)

The Phantom Hourglass is a direct sequel to The Wind Waker and utilizes the same cutesy cartoon art style. It’s another critically acclaimed title in the series, praised for its world design and control scheme, though criticism was directed towards the rather bare-bones online features. The game is split into two gameplay styles: sailing between islands and exploring those islands and dungeons on foot.

Following the events of The Wind Waker, Link and Tetra travel to find new land when they stumble upon a Ghost ship where Tetra can hear screaming. Link tries to save her but gets knocked into the ocean and washes up on Mercay Island, where our hero starts his journey. He must find the Phantom Hourglass, which will lead him to the Phantom Sword and save Tetra from Bellum, the Demon Monster, and Oshus, the Ocean King.

Spirit Tracks (2009)

The last game in the ‘Adult Timeline’, Spirit Tracks is a sequel to Phantom Hourglass and takes place a century after Wind Waker. A more lighthearted game in the series, Demon King Malladus has been sealed away in the Tower of Spirits by Lokomos spirits. A century later, Link graduates as a train engineer and is approached by Zelda to escort her on her investigation of the missing Spirit Tracks. The evil Malladus and his lackeys hope to use Zelda’s body to host the Demon King and wreak havoc upon New Hyrule – unless Link can stop them.

Skyward Sword (2011)

On an island floating through the skies, a young man named Link must grapple with his fate and venture to the world below the clouds to save his childhood friend, Zelda, from a great and ghastly evil bubbling on the surface world. A student of Skyloft’s Knight Academy, Link and his unusual sidekick work together to seal away the evil forces that upset the balance of his delicate world.

Tri Force Heroes (2015)

Set after the events of A Link Between Worlds, this Nintendo 3DS entry joins Four Swords and Four Sword Adventures in offering a multiplayer campaign, this time with three players rather than four, with an emphasis on cooperation. Our hero is summoned (alongside two other Links) to the stylish kingdom of Hytopia, a fashion-crazy land that needs Link’s help to lift a terrible curse placed on Princess Styla by a cruel Drablands Witch. The story is simple, but the sprinkling of humor throughout makes this quite an enjoyable play.

Breath of the Wild (2017)

Another hugely popular title in the series is Breath of the Wild, learning about an ancient Sheikah race that pushed Hyrule into an advanced civilization that is protected by four enormous machines called the Divine Beasts and autonomous weapons called Guardians.

The ancient and evil Calamity Ganon appears and threatens to destroy Hyrule, forcing the Champions of the four Divine Beasts to come together and weaken him while the princess and her knight defeat and seal him away. We then come to the present, ten millennia later, where we find Hyrule regressed back to a medieval state and the people living in fear of Ganons impending return.

Link awakens in the haggard Hyrule a century after being placed in the Shrine of Ressurection to heal from his last attempt on Ganon, and must regain his memories and topple the evil forces again if he is to save Hyrule and free the princess.

Tears of the Kingdom (2023)

A sequel to Breath of the Wild and equally, if not more beloved, Tears of the Kingdom takes place a few years after the events of its predecessor. Link and Zelda are exploring a cavern behind Hyrule Castle, investigating a strange, poisonous gloom that is seeping out and infecting the people of Hyrule. The two stumble upon murals that show the Imprisoning War, an intense battle against a being referred to as a ‘Demon King’.

As they dive deeper, they stumble upon a mummy, who awakens and attacks them both. Link gravely wounds his right arm, and the Master Sword is shattered; Hyrule castle begins to float into the air, and Zelda falls but vanishes midair as Link tries to catch her. Link awakens on the Great Sky Island and must navigate the Depths and the skies to save Zelda from her predetermined fate. Our hero must use his knowledge from Breath of the Wild alongside the new skills he picks up throughout the game to save Hyrule and restore balance.

The Bottom Line

And there was this writer thinking I’d played them all. If you have done, consider yourself a pro. If not, get cracking! While each story, in general, is self-contained, it’s fascinating to play all the games and follow Link and Zelda’s journey. Eighteen main games over four decades — here’s to another four decades.

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