The Legend of Zelda is a video game series created by Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka, and mainly developed and published by Nintendo. The series debuted with The Legend of Zelda [a] in 1986. The Legend of Zelda video games have been developed exclusively for Nintendo video game consoles and handhelds, dating from the Family Computer Disk System to the Nintendo Switch 2. Spin-off titles, however, have been released on non-Nintendo systems. As of June 2025 [update] the franchise's main series consists of 33 video games, including 21 original titles, 11 remakes and enhanced ports, [b] and the collection The Legend of Zelda: Collector's Edition . As of 2007 [update] over 52 million copies have been sold since the release of the first game.[ needs update ] [1] The franchise also includes an American cartoon adaptation, multiple comic book adaptations, as well as soundtracks.
Gameplay consists of a mixture of action, adventure, puzzle-solving, and role-playing video games. The series centers on Link, the protagonist and player character in all but one of the main series. Link is often given the task of saving the world from Ganon, the series' primary antagonist and is aided by Princess Zelda, a mortal reincarnation of the Goddess Hylia. Games in The Legend of Zelda series with 2D graphics feature side-scrolling or overhead view gameplay, while games with 3D graphics give the player a third-person or fixed overhead perspective. [2] The franchise holds several Guinness World Records , including the first game with a battery-powered save feature and the longest-running action-adventure series. [3]
Title | Release | Release by system | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
The Legend of Zelda | [4] [5] | 1986 – Famicom Disk System [4] 1987 – Nintendo Entertainment System [5] 2003 – GameCube [6] 2004 – Game Boy Advance [7] 2006 – Wii Virtual Console [8] 2012 – 3DS Virtual Console 2013 – Wii U Virtual Console 2018 – Nintendo Classics [9] |
|
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link | [13] [14] [15] | 1987 – Famicom Disk System [16] 1988 – Nintendo Entertainment System [14] 2003 – GameCube [6] 2004 – Game Boy Advance [17] 2007 – Wii Virtual Console [18] 2012 – 3DS Virtual Console 2013 – Wii U Virtual Console 2019 – Nintendo Classics |
|
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past | [20] | 1991 – Super Nintendo Entertainment System [20] 1997 – Satellaview [21] 2002 – Game Boy Advance [22] 2006 – Wii Virtual Console [23] 2013 – Wii U Virtual Console 2016 – 3DS Virtual Console [24] 2019 – Nintendo Classics |
|
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening | [26] | 1993 – Game Boy [26] 1998 – Game Boy Color [27] 2011 – 3DS Virtual Console 2019 – Switch 2023 – Nintendo Classics |
|
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | [29] | 1998 – Nintendo 64 [29] 2003 – GameCube [30] 2003 – iQue Player [31] 2007 – Wii Virtual Console [32] 2011 – 3DS [33] 2015 – Wii U Virtual Console 2021 – Nintendo Classics |
|
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask | [36] | 2000 – Nintendo 64 [36] 2003 – GameCube [6] 2009 – Wii Virtual Console [37] 2015 – 3DS 2016 – Wii U Virtual Console 2022 – Nintendo Classics |
|
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons | [40] | 2001 – Game Boy Color [40] 2013 – 3DS Virtual Console [41] 2023 – Nintendo Classics | |
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages | [40] | 2001 – Game Boy Color [40] 2013 – 3DS Virtual Console [41] 2023 – Nintendo Classics | |
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Four Swords | [44] | 2002 – Game Boy Advance [44] 2011 – DSiWare 2024 – Nintendo Classics |
|
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker | [46] | 2002 – GameCube [46] 2013 – Wii U [47] 2025 – Nintendo Classics |
|
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures | [51] | 2004 – GameCube [51] |
|
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap | [54] | 2004 – Game Boy Advance [54] 2011 – 3DS Virtual Console 2014 – Wii U Virtual Console 2023 – Nintendo Classics | |
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess | [56] | 2006 – GameCube 2006 – Wii [56] [57] 2016 – Wii U |
|
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass | [60] | 2007 – DS [60] 2016 – Wii U Virtual Console |
|
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks | [63] [64] [65] [66] | 2009 – DS [63] 2016 – Wii U Virtual Console |
|
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword | [69] | 2011 – Wii [69] 2016 – Wii U Virtual Console 2021 – Switch |
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The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds | [71] | 2013 – 3DS [71] |
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The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes | 2015 – 3DS |
| |
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild |
| 2017 – Wii U 2017 – Switch |
|
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom |
| 2023 – Switch |
|
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom |
| 2024 – Switch |
|
Title | Release | Release by system | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX | [73] [74] | 1998 – Game Boy Color 2023 – Nintendo Classics [73] [74] |
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The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Master Quest | [76] | 2002 – GameCube [76] |
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The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D | 2011 – 3DS |
| |
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Anniversary Edition |
| 2011 – DSiWare [83] |
|
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD | [47] | 2013 – Wii U |
|
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D | 2015 – 3DS |
| |
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD | 2016 – Wii U |
| |
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening |
| 2019 – Switch |
|
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD |
| 2021 – Switch |
|
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition |
| 2025 – Switch 2 |
|
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition |
|
Title | Release | System | Ports |
---|---|---|---|
The Legend of Zelda: Collector's Edition | [6] [84] | GameCube [6] [84] |
|
Title | Release | Release by system | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Zelda |
| 1989 – Game & Watch [85] 1998 – Mini Classic [87] |
|
The Legend of Zelda | [89] [90] | 1989 – Nelsonic game watch [89] |
|
Zelda no Densetsu: Kamigami no Triforce |
| 1992 – Barcode Battler II [91] | |
Link: The Faces of Evil | [94] [95] | 1993 – Philips CD-i [94] |
|
Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon | [96] [97] | 1993 – Philips CD-i [96] | |
Zelda's Adventure | [98] [99] | 1994 – Philips CD-i [98] | |
BS Zelda no Densetsu | [100] | 1995 – Satellaview [100] | |
BS Zelda no Densetsu Inishie no Sekiban |
| 1997 – Satellaview [104] |
|
Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland | [105] | 2006 – DS [105] | |
Tingle's Balloon Fight DS |
| 2007 – DS [107] |
|
Link's Crossbow Training | [109] | 2007 – Wii [109] |
|
Dekisugi Tingle Pack |
| 2009 – DSiWare [111] |
|
Irozuki Tingle no Koi no Balloon Trip |
| 2009 – DS [112] |
|
Hyrule Warriors | [113] | 2014 – Wii U [113] 2016 – 3DS 2018 – Switch |
|
My Nintendo Picross: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess | [114] | 2016 – 3DS [114] |
|
Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer featuring The Legend of Zelda | June 13, 2019 [115] | 2019 – Switch |
|
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity | [116] | 2020 – Switch |
|
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment | 2025 | 2025 – Switch 2 |
|
Title | Release | Medium | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
The Legend of Zelda Game | 1988 | Board game |
|
The Legend of Zelda | 1989 [117] [118] | 2005: DVD |
|
The Legend of Zelda | 1990, 1999 [119] | Comic books, manga |
|
The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia | Hardcover book |
| |
Monopoly: The Legend of Zelda |
| Board game | |
The Legend of Zelda: Art & Artifacts | Hardcover book |
| |
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Creating a Champion | Hardcover book |
| |
The Legend of Zelda Encyclopedia | Hardcover book |
|
Title | Release | Medium | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Zelda no Densetsu Sound & Drama | JP: June 22, 1994 [123] [124] | CD |
|
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Original Soundtrack | December 18, 1998 [125] | CD | 82-track album released by Pony Canyon. [125] |
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Hyrule Symphony | January 27, 1999 [126] | CD |
|
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask Original Soundtrack | June 23, 2000 [127] | CD | 112-track double album released by Pioneer LDC. [127] |
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask Orchestrations | October 21, 2000 [128] | CD | 11-track remix album released by Enterbrain. [128] |
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker Original Soundtrack | March 19, 2003 [129] | CD | 133-track double album released by Scitron Digital Contents [129] |
Mario & Zelda Big Band Live | December 10, 2003 [130] | CD |
|
Nintendo Sound History Series: Zelda the Music | December 22, 2004 [131] | CD |
|
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Official Soundtrack | November 19, 2006 | CD | 7-track promotional album released by Nintendo Power to promote Twilight Princess. [132] |
Irozuki Tingle no Koi no Balloon Trip Special Sound Track | August 6, 2009 [133] | CD |
|
The Legend of Zelda Series for Guitar - Super Best | July 20, 2010 [134] | CD |
|
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D Original Soundtrack | 2011 [135] | CD |
|
The Legend of Zelda: 25th Anniversary Special Orchestration | November 18, 2011 [136] | CD |
|
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Piano Arrange CD | November 24, 2011 [137] | CD |
|
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD Sound Selection | 2013 [138] | CD |
|
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask Official Soundtrack | 2013 [139] | CD |
|
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds Sound Selection | 2014 [140] | CD |
|
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D Original Soundtrack | October 7, 2015 [141] | CD |
|
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD Original Soundtrack | July 27, 2016 [142] | CD |
|
The 30th Anniversary The Legend of Zelda Game Music Collection | September 28, 2016 [143] | CD |
|
The Legend of Zelda: 30th Anniversary Concert | February 15, 2017 [144] | CD |
|
Hero of Time | March 27, 2017 [145] | CD, vinyl and digital distribution |
|
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Original Soundtrack | April 25, 2018 [146] [147] | CD |
|
The Legend of Zelda: Concert 2018 | March 6, 2019 [149] | CD |
|
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening Original Soundtrack | March 18, 2020 [150] | CD |
|
Cadence of Hyrule | 2020 | Vinyl |
|
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Original Soundtrack | November 23, 2021 [152] | CD |
|
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Original Soundtrack | July 31, 2024 [154] | CD |
|
Nintendo Music | October 31, 2024 [155] [o] | Music streaming service, subscription-based |
|
Let's start with the basics: Ocarina of Time is the first 3D Zelda game ever. We've had a lot of 2D Zelda games since Ocarina of Time and even more 3D Zelda games that used a fixed top-down camera to limit the field of vision of the player. Even so, every main title of the franchise — the ones Nintendo focused on for a [home] console release [as of 2021] — features a 3D camera that can be moved around freely by the player.