Link has been adventuring around Hyrule and saving Princess Zelda in The Legend of Zelda games on Nintendo consoles since the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1986. Whether in two dimensions or three, the core formula remains largely unchanged: defeat enemies with your sword and bow, explore dungeons brimming with puzzles and secrets, and vanquish the evil spreading across the land. There's also a surprisingly deep and complex story spanning the entire series, and a dedicated group of fans committed to uncovering all its secrets. While more recent entries such as Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom have placed a heavier emphasis on player freedom and exploring a lush open world, it's the sense of adventure and stepping out on a hero's journey that defines the series and has kept it so popular and persistent throughout the decades.
The full list of games is as follows:
- The Legend of Zelda (1986) on NES
- The Adventure of Link (1987) on NES
- A Link to the Past (1991) on Super NES and Gameboy Advance, then ported to Wii, Wii U and Switch (as part of Nintendo Online).
- Link's Awakening (1993) on Gameboy then updated for Switch
- Ocarina of Time (1998) on Nintendo 64 then updated for 3D on Nintendo 3DS
- Link’s Awakening DX (1998) on Gameboy Colour
- Majora's Mask (2000) on Nintendo 64 then updated to 3D on Nintendo 3DS
- Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages (2001) on Gameboy Colour
- Four Swords (2002) on Gamecube
- The Wind Waker (2002) on Gamecube then updated in HD on Wii U
- Four Swords Adventures (2004) on Gamecube
- The Minish Cap (2004) on Gameboy Advance
- Twilight Princess (2006) on Wii then in HD on Wii U
- Phantom Hourglass (2007) on Nintendo DS
- Spirit Tracks (2009) on Nintendo DS
- Skyward Sword (2011) on Wii
- A Link Between Worlds (2013) on Nintendo 3DS
- Hyrule Warriors (2014) on Wii U
- Tri Force Heroes (2015) on Nintendo 3DS
- Hyrule Warriors Legends (2016) on Nintendo 3DS
- Breath of the Wild (2017) on Switch
- Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition (2018) on Switch
- Cadence of Hyrule (2019) on Switch
- Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity (2020) on Switch
- Tears of the Kingdom (2023) on Switch
There have been 12 games in The Legend of Zelda franchise.
The first game was released in 1986 on Game Boy Advance and Nintendo Entertainment System and the most recent release was The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom in 2023 on Nintendo Switch.
The most popular game in the franchise is The Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wild with 342 likes. The franchise as a whole has 629 likes on the database. Unfortunately, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is not available on Android, Mac, PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox X|S or iOS. However, there are other games similar to The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom on these platforms that offer an equivalent experience.