Link" href="https://www.mistergeeks.com/en/concept/the-legend-of-zelda-ocarina-of-time/">The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is set to return in a remake for Nintendo’s Switch 2. While players wait for the console, the game’s physical release or more details about the project, the franchise offers several other adventures worth exploring.

This selection spans the series’ 2D origins, its move into 3D and its more recent open-world direction. The original Ocarina of Time and its direct sequel, Majora’s Mask, are left out to avoid revisiting memories or spoilers ahead of the remake.

10. The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap

Released for the Game Boy Advance in 2004, The Minish Cap brings together many of the ideas developed across Zelda’s 2D games. Its main feature allows Link to shrink and return to his normal size, creating puzzles based on changes in scale. The adventure lasts roughly 15 hours and is available through Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack.

9. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening

Originally released for the Game Boy in 1993, Link’s Awakening received a Switch remake in 2019. Its story moves away from Hyrule, traditional dungeons and the series’ usual heroic structure, offering a more contained adventure filled with references to other Nintendo games. The Switch version is also backward compatible with Switch 2.

8. The Legend of Zelda

The 1986 NES original established several elements that became central to the franchise, including the Triforce, Ganon’s threat to Hyrule and Princess Zelda’s role. It also helped define the series’ approach to exploration and open-ended world design. The game is available through the NES library included with the basic Nintendo Switch Online plan.

7. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Twilight Princess, released in 2006, is regarded as one of the darkest entries in the series. Link travels between two worlds to prevent them from consuming one another, becoming a wolf in one of them and gaining a distinct set of abilities. The game also introduced Midna, one of the franchise’s most popular companions. It is currently unavailable through Nintendo’s official platforms.

6. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds

The 2013 Nintendo 3DS release works as a follow-up to A Link to the Past and adds a distinctive mechanic: Link can enter walls and move across them as a painted image. Players can also access the game’s weapons early, renting or purchasing them depending on the available money. Since the 3DS storefront closed, the title is not available on a Nintendo console.

5. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity

Age of Calamity takes the series into musou territory rather than following the traditional Zelda formula. Set 100 years before Breath of the Wild, it depicts the war against Ganon through large-scale battles involving several of that game’s heroes. The Switch spin-off lets players fight through armies of enemies and control the Divine Beasts in certain sections.

4. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

The Wind Waker, released in 2003, explores a world in which much of the surface has been submerged after the defeat of a hero. Link must sail between islands while facing threats at sea. Its cel-shaded visual style gives the game a more cartoon-like appearance, but its exploration and adventure remain firmly rooted in the Zelda formula. The title is available through Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack.

3. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

Released for the Super Nintendo in 1991, A Link to the Past expanded the top-down structure with a broad adventure involving the rescue of Princess Zelda, the descendants of seven sages and Hyrule itself. It introduced the idea of parallel dimensions and brought the Master Sword into the series, where it became one of Zelda’s most recognizable symbols. The game is included with the standard Nintendo Switch Online service.

2. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Skyward Sword presents the origins of the legend and examines the connection between its central characters and the recurring cycle surrounding Ganon. First released for the Wii in 2011, it later received a Switch edition that adapted its controls, reducing the reliance on motion controls and making the game more accessible, including for Switch Lite users.

1. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Breath of the Wild combines an open world with a wide range of activities while maintaining the series’ focus on discovery and adventure. The 2017 game brought a new generation of players to Zelda and influenced the way open-world games approached exploration. It is available on Switch and Switch 2, and players who complete it can continue with its 2023 follow-up, Tears of the Kingdom.

Sources: Canaltech.