Gaming > Game Play > How to Play the ‘Zelda’ Games in Order ‘Ocarina of Time’ splits the series into three continuities By Chris Compendio Chris Compendio Writer Carnegie Mellon University Chris Compendio has been writing about tech since 2016. While Chris specializes in gaming, their bylines include Paste Magazine, MSN, and more. lifewire's editorial guidelines Published on September 18, 2024 In This Article View All In This Article Release Order Timeline Order Where to Play Close What to Know The Legend of Zelda saga spans from the original 1986 NES game to 2024's Echoes of Wisdom on Nintendo Switch.The events of 1998's Ocarina of Time on Nintendo 64 resulted in three split timelines.Many classic Zelda games are available on the Nintendo Switch Online subscription service. This article explains how to play The Legend of Zelda games in order. Players can experience the game as they were released chronologically or wrap their heads around the franchise's timeline, which split three ways thanks to Ocarina of Time in 1998. How to Play the ‘Zelda’ Games in Order of Release The Legend of Zelda is one of the hallmark properties of Nintendo with nearly 40 years of history. The series' entries are largely standalone, chronicling different versions of the hero Link and the princess Zelda in the fantastical world of Hyrule. Like most game franchises, the best way to play the series is in the order in which the games were released, as it will show the gradual advances the series made in technology and design. Below is a list of all mainline Zelda games, discounting spin-offs and re-releases. Game Release Date Console The Legend of Zelda February 1986 NES Zelda II: The Adventure of Link January 1987 NES The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past November 1991 SNES The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening June 1993 Game Boy The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time November 1998 Nintendo 64 The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask April 2000 Nintendo 64 The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons February 2001 Game Boy Color The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords December 2002 Game Boy Advance The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker December 2002 GameCube The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures March 2004 GameCube The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap November 2004 Game Boy Advance The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess November 2006 GameCube, Wii The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass June 2007 Nintendo DS The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks December 2009 Nintendo DS The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword November 2011 Wii The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds November 2013 Nintendo 3DS The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes October 2015 Nintendo 3DS The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild March 2017 Wii U, Nintendo Switch The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom May 2023 Nintendo Switch The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom September 2024 Nintendo Switch How to Play the ‘Zelda’ Games in Timeline Order Fans of the series speculated and debated over the decades on whether or not there was a proper timeline order for the Zelda games. Is there consistent lore and continuity, or was each Zelda game truly a standalone retelling of the legend of a hero in a green tunic saving a princess? In December 2011, Nintendo released a book titled Hyrule Historia, which detailed that after the time-traveling hijinx of 1998's Ocarina of Time, the franchise's entries split into three different timelines. Below is the full Zelda timeline before and after the split, except for the September 2024 title Echoes of Wisdom, which has not been placed in any timeline yet. The Beginning of the 'Zelda' Timeline These games depict the origins and early years of the Kingdom of Hyrule. At the end of Ocarina of Time, Link's actions cause the timeline to split into three. Nintendo Game Console The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Wii The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap Game Boy Advance The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Game Boy Advance The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Nintendo 64 Fallen Hero Timeline The "Fallen Hero" timeline follows a future where Link dies in the final battle against the villainous Ganon at the end of Ocarina of Time, failing his mission. This incites an event called the "Imprisoning War," which the prologue of A Link to the Past describes. Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons are two separate titles that released simultaneously. While they depict different stories, the two games are related and can interact with each other, and Nintendo places them as the same entry on the official timeline. Game Console The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past SNES The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening Game Boy The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons Game Boy Color The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds Nintendo 3DS The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes Nintendo 3DS The Legend of Zelda NES Zelda II: The Adventure of Link NES Child Timeline The "Child" timeline results from Link succeeding at the end of Ocarina of Time, after which he travels back to his childhood and warns a young Zelda of Ganondorf's sinister plot, preventing the game's events from occurring. Majora's Mask immediately follows the same child Link after Ocarina of Time. Game Console The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask Nintendo 64 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess GameCube, Wii The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures GameCube Adult Timeline The "Adult" timeline takes place after an adult Link succeeds at the end of Ocarina of Time and returns to the time of his childhood, leaving behind adult Zelda to rebuild the kingdom of Hyrule. All three titles in this timeline are directly related to each other, with Phantom Hourglass being a direct sequel to The Wind Waker, and Spirit Tracks depicting events a century after Phantom Hourglass. Game Console The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker GameCube The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass Nintendo DS The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks Nintendo DS The End of the 'Zelda' Timeline Nintendo has not explicitly stated if Breath of the Wild and its direct sequel Tears of the Kingdom are in any of the three timelines, only saying that they take place after all previous Zelda games. Nintendo Some fans theorize that this era of Zelda converges the three split timelines together, as the two games directly reference all previous games. Other fans theorize that these games are in a new continuity, as Tears of the Kingdom contradicts or retells previous events such as the Imprisoning War. Koei Tecmo released Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity in November 2020, depicting events that take place 100 years before Breath of the Wild. However, it shows an alternate timeline and has a completely different gameplay style resembling Koei Tecmo's Dynasty Warriors series. It isn't really an official part of the Zelda timeline. Game Console The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Wii U, Nintendo Switch The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Nintendo Switch How to Play the ‘Zelda’ Games Several Zelda games have been re-released, remastered, or remade over the years. Those who don't have legacy consoles such as the NES or Game Boy still have the opportunity to play classic Zelda titles on modern platforms. Nintendo Switch owners with the Nintendo Switch Online subscription can play the following games: The Legend of ZeldaZelda II: The Adventure of LinkThe Legend of Zelda: A Link to the PastThe Legend of Zelda: Link's AwakeningThe Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons The following titles require Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack to play on the Nintendo Switch: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of TimeThe Legend of Zelda: Majora's MaskThe Legend of Zelda: The Minish CapThe Legend of Zelda: Four Swords The following games are remakes or remasters: Game Release Date Console Remake or Remaster? The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D June 2011 Nintendo 3DS Remake The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD September 2013 Wii U Remaster The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D February 2015 Nintendo 3DS Remake The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD March 2016 Wii U Remaster The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening September 2019 Nintendo Switch Remake The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD July 2021 Nintendo Switch Remaster Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up We Care About Your PrivacyWe and our 100 partners store and/or access information on a device, such as unique IDs in cookies to process personal data. You may accept or manage your choices by clicking below, including your right to object where legitimate interest is used, or at any time in the privacy policy page. 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