While the world waits for the highly-anticipatedsequel toBreath of the Wild,one might be inclined to check out past entries inThe Legend ofZeldaseries. Many of these games are revered as some of the greatest of all time and are definitely worth revisiting in 2021. Unfortunately, that’s easier said than done.
While Nintendo has taken steps to get more legacyThe Legend of Zeldatitles on its latest console, with a remake ofLink’s Awakeningand an HD remaster ofSkyward Sword,the grand majority of the games still primarily reside on older, outdated hardware. Playing through thewholeseries becomes an arduous, expensive task. One can only hope that at least a few of the older titles will eventually make their way to Nintendo’s hybrid console. For the sake of both appeasing fans, and affording newcomers to the franchise an easy opportunity to dive into the series' past, there are severalZeldagames that should come to Switch eventually.
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Link’s Awakening (Original)
The first handheldZeldatitle saw Link take part in a new adventure on a mysterious, dreamlike island far off from the series' familiar setting of Hyrule. The Game Boy Color re-release,Link’s Awakening DX,eventually made its way to the 3DS Virtual Console, but as it stands, neither version is available on Nintendo’s current hardware. However, anHD remake ofLink’s Awakeningwas released for the Switch in 2019, so the original version of this title not being available on Nintendo’s latest system isn’t too big of a loss.
Ocarina of Time
Zelda’sfirst foray into a 3D world is among the series' most iconic entries, and since its launch on the Nintendo 64,Ocarina of Timehas graced the GameCube, Wii, Wii U, and 3DS with its presence. Its absence on the latest Nintendo console is a little shocking, especially considering how influential the game was to not just the future ofZelda,but 3D adventure games at large.
Majora’s Mask
Like its predecessor,Majora’s Maskhas also hit nearly every Nintendo console to date, and its critical reception is comparable. Set shortly after the events ofOcarina of Time, the game follows Link attempting to avert the end of the world while using various masks that grant him different abilities.
Oracle of Seasons/Ages
This Game Boy ColorZeldaduology sees Link transported to either Holodrum or Labrynna depending on the version played, and one can even unlock extra story content and new gameplay options by linking both versions together. Suffice to say, there’s plenty of replay value across these two titles. However, those looking to play these games will either have to bust out an old Game Boy Color/Advance and secure a hard copy of each game, or purchase them digitally from the3DS eShop before it inevitably shuts downworldwide.
Four Swords/Four Swords Adventure
Four Swordswas initially included as a multiplayer component to the Game Boy Advance re-release ofA Link to the Past.For the first time in the series' history, players could team up with their friends to take on Vaati — who would go on to be the main villain ofThe Minish Cap.A follow-up,Four Swords Adventure,was later released for the GameCube, but neither version is easily playable nowadays without the original hardware.
The Wind Waker
The Wind Wakerwas met with controversy upon its unveiling; the cel-shaded art style wasn’t exactly what fans had in mind for aZeldagame on the then-next-gen GameCube. Funnily enough, the game would later go on to be one of the most well-known, celebrated entries in the series. An HD remaster of the game previously hit the Wii U in 2013, and at the time of writing, it’s one of only a handful of first-partyWii U exclusivesnot to arrive on the Switch, much to the bafflement of theZeldacommunity.
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The Minish Cap
Capcom’s take onZelda,appropriately enough, was largely built around a magical talking cap that could shrink Link down to the size of a bug. Wii U owners can purchase the game via the Wii U’s Virtual Console, but onlyNintendo 3DS Ambassadors(those who owned a 3DS prior to its $80 price drop months after its launch) can check it out on Nintendo’s dual-screened system.
Twilight Princess
Twilight Princessis notable for its darker take on the series, and also for being the firstZeldagame to appear on the Wii. The game later debuted on the Wii U with an HD remaster boasting Amiibo support and an entirely new dungeon, and likeThe Wind Waker’sHD re-release, this versionis one of the few Wii U titles that have yet to come to the Switch.
Phantom Hourglass
The follow-up toThe Wind Wakerretained the cel-shaded style of its predecessor while bringing over elements from isometricZeldatitles. It’s also only the third mainline game to have multiplayer, featuring a competitive mode that’s fairly similar to capture the flag. To date, the game has only ever come to one other platform: the Wii U via theVirtual Console.
Spirit Tracks
The final entry in theWind Wakertrilogy forgoes its predecessors' seafaring ways in favor of hitting the road — the railroad to be precise. Link travels by train here, which is a fairly large departure from other prevalent modes of transportation seen in the series;Spirit Tracksis also one of the fewZeldagames to have multiple endings. LikePhantom Hourglass,the only re-release it saw was on the Wii U’s Virtual Console.
A Link Between Worlds
The last original, mainline, traditional, isometricZeldagame debuted on the 3DS in 2013, andA Link Between Worldsis perhaps the closest any game will ever come to being a sequel toA Link to the Past.The game’s Japanese title even goes as far as to deem it so. Not only is it one of the best 3DS games to ever be released, it’s also one of the more influentialZeldatitles, evident by how well it is represented in games likeSuper Smash Bros. UltimateandHyrule Warriors.
Tri Force Heroes
Tri Force Heroesis a very strange game. For starters, its art style is near-identical to that ofThe Wind Waker, but it doesn’t follow the Links from that game or its sequels. Rather, it follows the Link fromA Link Between Worlds.Thismultiplayer take onZeldais similar to theFour Swordsduology, but was received significantly less favorably by critics and fans alike.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2is set to release in 2022 for Nintendo Switch.
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