The best order to play the ‘Legend of Zelda’ games in

Before diving into Tears of the Kingdom, it might benefit both new and old Zelda fans to have a rundown of the complete timeline in both chronological and release order, depending on which matters more to each individual. The Legend of Zelda hit the store shelves in 1986, almost 40 years ago, and singlehandedly birthed a franchise that’s still widely revered today. In fact, several cross-referenced sources all indicate that based on revenue alone, The Legend of Zelda is one of the most commercially successful Nintendo franchises of all time. If we compare the Legend of Zelda franchise to John Carpenter’s Halloween, which branches off into five different timelines across 13 films, things start to get a tad confusing somewhere along the line.

Similarly, The Legend of Zelda branches out in three distinct timelines following Ocarina of Time; the Fallen Hero, Child, and Adult timelines. There are a few direct sequels and prequels, but any chronology across these separate timelines is quickly muddled by elements of time travel and a 10,000-year time skip. Thankfully, Nintendo were kind enough to release The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia, a hardcover containing never-before-seen concept art, the full history of Hyrule, an insanely handy and official chronology of the games, and much more. Whether you’re more interested in sticking to the lore or firmly stand by release dates, we’ve got you covered.

All Zelda games in chronological and ‘best’ order

• Legend of the Gods & the Hero of Time
  • Skyward Sword
  • Minish Cap
  • Four Swords
  • Ocarina of Time

It’s after the events of OoT that the Zelda timeline splits into three additional timelines. It doesn’t really matter which timeline you choose first, so feel free to peruse at your leisure and choose the most appealing, then make your way through each.

• The Hero is Defeated (Fallen Hero)
  • A Link to the Past
  • Oracle of Seasons & Oracle of Ages
  • Link’s Awakening
  • A Link Between Worlds
  • Tri Force Heroes
  • The Legend of Zelda
  • Adventure of Link (Zelda II)

• The Hero is Successful and the Sacred Realm is Protected (Child Timeline)
  • Majora’s Mask
  • Twilight Princess
  • Four Swords Adventure

• The Hero is Successful and Ganondorf is Sealed (Adult Timeline)
  • Wind Waker
  • Phantom Hourglass
  • Spirit Tracks

Each timeline, regardless of order, occurs before the events of Breath of the Wild. Anything after this stage is known as the Great Calamity timeline.

• Great Calamity
  • Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity
  • Breath of the Wild
  • Tears of the Kingdom

If the lore still seems far too complex (and we understand that) or you’d rather stick to release dates to experience the gradual improvement of graphics, story elements and gameplay mechanics, you could always work your way through from 1986 to 2023.

All Zelda games in order of release

• The Legend of Zelda (1986)
• Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (1987)
• A Link to the Past (1991)
• Link’s Awakening (1993)
• Ocarina of Time (1998)
• Majora’s Mask (2000)
• Oracle of Seasons & Oracle of Ages (2001)
• Wind Waker (2002)
• Four Swords Adventures (2004)
• Minish Cap (2004)
• Twilight Princess (2006)
• Phantom Hourglass (2007)
• Spirit Tracks (2009)
• Skyward Sword (2011)
• A Link Between Worlds (2013)
• Trinity Force Heroes (2015)
• Breath of the Wild (2017)
• Tears of the Kingdom (2023)

No matter which order you choose, you’ll be positively delighted by everything The Legend of Zelda has to offer and hopefully, you’ll feel a little more prepared when Tears of the Kingdom releases on May 12, 2023.