Which Zelda game should you play first?
You do not need the timeline to start. Pick the shape of game you want, then use the Switch page for a legal copy.
Last checked:
Three honest doors
If you want a wide world and no required dungeon order, start with Breath of the Wild on Switch. Its score in this archive is 97, and the Switch sales line is 34.28 million as of 30 September 2026. Tears of the Kingdom assumes you might enjoy that same land again. It is a sequel, so I do not put it first.
If you want a shorter, contained adventure, the 2019 Link’s Awakening on Switch is the friendliest 2D door still sold as its own game. A Link to the Past, on the base SNES app, is the tighter classic if you already like older controls. Ocarina of Time is the one to choose when you specifically want the 1998 story, either through the Expansion Pack or the 2026 Switch 2 release.
For a child, read the rating on the box you buy. The 2026 Ocarina of Time listing is E10+. I am not going to invent an age ladder beyond the ratings the store pages print.
FAQ
Is there a wrong first Zelda?
Majora’s Mask and Tears of the Kingdom are the two I would not hand someone first, because each expects an earlier game. The others stand up.
Should kids start with the CD-i games?
No. Those are Philips discs, not the series this recommendation is about, and they have no current official release.
Related
Sources
| Claim | Status | Cross-check |
|---|---|---|
| Historical dates, platforms and background | 1 source: Wikipedia | Read the linked game or series entry; multiple Wikipedia pages count as one publisher. |
| Mainline release sequence and original consoles | 2 sources | Nintendo game history compared with Wikipedia. Remakes and spin-offs use the linked individual entries. |
| Critic scores | 1 source: Metacritic | Read each linked game’s score and edition. GBA reissue scores are labelled; the 2019 Link’s Awakening score is excluded from the 1993 row. |
- Nintendo, official Zelda game history — checked 2026-11-10
- Nintendo store, Breath of the Wild — checked 2026-11-10
- Nintendo Switch Online — checked 2026-11-10
- Metacritic — checked 2026-11-10
Page updated 2026-11-10. Site check date 2026-11-10.