🎮every mainline zelda game, in release order

wikipedia's own list, not mine. the two oracle games and four swords count as mainline whether you like it or not

01
The Legend of Zelda (1986)
started it all, still holds up if you accept no map markers exist
02
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (1987)
03
A Link to the Past (1991)
04
Link's Awakening (1993)
small game, weirdest ending in the series
05
Ocarina of Time (1998)
skip the tutorial? no. water temple will still get you
06
Majora's Mask (2000)
3 day loop, not for everyone, worth the hours anyway
07
Oracle of Seasons (2001)
08
Oracle of Ages (2001)
link them for the real ending, playing just one misses half the point
09
Four Swords (2002)
10
The Wind Waker (2002)
11
Four Swords Adventures (2004)
12
The Minish Cap (2004)
good art direction, gets skipped a lot
13
Twilight Princess (2006)
14
Phantom Hourglass (2007)
the stylus sailing sections wore thin by hour 3
15
Spirit Tracks (2009)
16
Skyward Sword (2011)
motion controls aged worse than the story did
17
A Link Between Worlds (2013)
18
Tri Force Heroes (2015)
needs 2 other people who also own it, good luck
19
Breath of the Wild (2017)
the one that got my roommate into the series
20
Tears of the Kingdom (2023)
longest of the bunch, budget 80+ hours
21
Echoes of Wisdom (2024)
zelda plays zelda, finally. shortest entry but doesn't feel small

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