What zelda game should i play first

Home Gaming. Which Zelda game should I play first? Reading Time: 8 mins read. Share on Facebook Share on Twitter. Also, What is the longest Zelda game ever? What is the best Zelda game to play? Tags: zelda games platforms. Share Tweet Pin Previous Post Is Leviathan raid gone? Next Post Is Lucario a legendary? Related Posts. Who would win Naruto or Ichigo? Is ox a bull? Why is my Bluetooth headset not visible?

Next Post. Discussion about this post. Trending Comments Latest. Well, that is where things get a lot more complicated.

As with most long-running franchises, the order to play can become a bit jumbled if you want to play them in story order. But if you want to experience the main entries in the Zelda series like everyone else did, in the order of release, here is how to do it:. It gets complicated thanks to the three, at least, different timelines that the games exist in the games. And because of that, there is no definitive order that you can play them in that everyone will agree on.

So, with that in mind, this is just our preferred way of working through the games if you want the story to flow the best it can. This order starts with Skyward Sword, and it will end by nicely teeing you up for BotW 2. Take a look below for our recommended order:. While things get confusing quite quickly with the Zelda timeline, one of the things that we can all agree on is that Skyward Sword is the entry point for the overall narrative — going way further back than any other core game in the franchise has done.

It would be fun to be proven wrong on that, though! Slotting into the original Zelda timeline between Skyward Sword and Four Swords, The Minish Cap is relatively unique due to the fact that it shrinks Link down to the size of a bug so he can interact with a race of little people called the Minish. You could easily pair up this little multiplayer experience with The Minish Cap, as there are a lot of similarities between the two regarding where they place in the overall Zelda mythos — before most of the famous and modern games, basically!

The long-running feud with Ganondorf kicks off here, too. And as for what causes the timeline to split, well, that would be Princess Zelda sending Link back in time, a move which in turn forever changed Zelda history. It is generally thought that after Link was sent hurtling back through time, he decided to leave Hyrule for a bit.

And it is during that time away that he gets caught up in a time loop that keeps repeating the same three days over and over again. He does return home, at the end of the game, where he joins the Hylian army. This game continues the Child timeline, and is remembered by many for its creepy moon. Sticking with the Child timeline now, this one adds more confusion to its placement in the timeline, because we actually have two versions of Link on our hands — as if things were not confusing enough!

Onto the last game in the Child timeline, now. But it still remains a game that is hotly debated as to where it should be placed. Originally, many thought it was connected to Link to the Past, but the Child timeline reveal changed all that.

Welcome to the Adult timeline! Centuries have passed since Link was sent back in time in Ocarina, and without anyone to protect the world, Ganon was able to do some pretty hefty damage.

If you have an old Wii lying around, consider grabbing Master Quest, which is harder and varies up the puzzles. Majora's Mask was kind of misunderstood when it came out in , but its acclaim has grown considerably since then. We even ranked it above Ocarina of Time in our comprehensive rankings. Majora's Mask takes the series in a weird and dark direction as Link has to repeatedly relive the same three days in an effort to stop an evil moon from crashing into the earth.

It's defined by its eponymous masks, which give Link new and different powers. This is Bob's favorite Zelda, and he's not alone. Should You Play It: This is a weird one, so you might want to wait. But you should definitely keep it in mind for the future. It's also available on the Wii U eShop. In , Capcom took the engine from Link's Awakening and made two separate adventures.

One involves time travel, while the other is based on the manipulation of the seasons. They aren't as well-known as other games in the series, but they are generally well-regarded for their extremely intricate puzzles.

Their stories aren't nearly as good, but they will definitely scratch that Zelda itch. Wind Waker was famously derided as "Celda" by angry fans when it was announced in , but its reputation has been rehabilitated in the wake of a successful HD update on the Wii U.

These days, Wind Waker is regarded as one of the best in the series for the way that it adapts the formula to journeying across the high seas. It also has one of the more nuanced and even tragic portrayals of Ganon in the series.

A classic, even if it falls apart a bit in the second half with its infamous treasure map hunt. It's a gem, and it's cheap! A great deal for a great game. It has a lot of great cooperative puzzles, but the fact that it requires multiple GBAs for multiplayer makes it kind of a non-starter in the modern era. A shame, because more people deserve to enjoy this clever little game.

Don't forget the GBAs! And the GameCube. You won't be able to play it with friends on the Wii. The Minish Cap is one of several "gimmick" games for Nintendo's portable systems. In this one, Link can shrink down to a tiny size to solve puzzles.

It's well-regarded by some, but most see it as kind of a middle-of-the-road entry in the series. It has some interesting lore if you're into that sort of thing. It's not what I would call a top priority, but like I said, it's regarded as a bit of a hidden gem in some circles. You can also find it on Amazon.

Following on from Wind Waker, Nintendo's "mature" take on the series darkened the palette considerably. In it, Link is capable of becoming a wolf, which he must do to solve puzzles and save Hyrule from an invasion of the Twilight Realm. Aside from its art style, its best-known for introducing the world to motion controls on the Wii.

Its big and bold, but it was here that the Zelda formula began to feel just a little bit stale. Should You Play It: I reviewed the HD remaster and found that it didn't hold up as well as I would have liked, mostly owing to its glacial pace.

It struggles a bit to get from under Ocarina of Time's shadow, and doesn't hold up as well as Wind Waker. Still a good game, but not one I would consider essential. If you're looking for a real oddity, consider the Wii version and its motion controls, though be warned that they're kind of limited, and you obviously lose the HD aspect. Nintendo returned to the Wind Waker art style for this portable, stylus-driven Zelda.

It was mostly known for being really pretty back in its day and being, well, Zelda , but it doesn't hold up so well now. Where to Find It: If you must. Like Phantom Hourglass, but with a train. While Spirit Tracks gets a lot of hate for its somewhat linear overworld, I much prefer its dungeons, and its stealth temple isn't nearly as obnoxious as the one in Phanton Hourglass.

Definitely one of the weaker games in the series, but maybe not deserving of the hate it gets. Where to Find It: Huh. Spirit Track is kind of expensive, isn't it? One of the most divisive entries in the series. Skyward Sword was the capper to the motion control era, leaning heavily on mechanics driven by the Wii Remote.

It was also one of the slowest games in the series, revoking much of the freedom from the previous games and leaning heavily on ponderous cutscenes. And those collect-a-thons, guh. If you can't tell, I'm not much of a fan of this one.

Still, it has some great dungeons, it adds more to the lore, and it has Groose. Everyone loves Groose. Should You Play It: Only if you're a completionist. Like I said, I'm really not a fan of Skyward Sword.