The Legend of Zelda is one of the most iconic video game series of all time. Started on the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1986, The Legend of Zelda follows various incarnations of Princess Zelda and Link as they fight to save Hyrule from the evil that is Ganon. While the series has always been popular, the Nintendo Switch has catapulted Zelda into one of Nintendo’s best-selling properties with landmark titles in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.
With the Nintendo Switch nearing the end of its life cycle, it’s a great time to look back on all Zelda games available on the system. Below, we’ve compiled each of the Zelda titles available on Switch, in addition to any upcoming releases for the series.
How Many Zelda Games Are There on Nintendo Switch?
In total, there have been seven Zelda games released for the Nintendo Switch. This includes both mainline entries and spinoff games that were released from 2017 to 2024. We’ve compiled every Zelda title you can play on Switch below. We’ve only included new titles in this list, so you won’t find titles available on the system through a Nintendo Switch Online subscription.
All Zelda Switch Games in Order of Release Date
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – 2017
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was the first Zelda title released for Nintendo Switch. Launching alongside the system, this title marked a turning point in the Zelda series, bringing a style of open world gameplay that we’d never seen before. You can traverse to anywhere you can see in the world. Link awakes after a 100 year slumber, where he is tasked by the spirit of Hyrule’s former King to save Princess Zelda from Calamity Ganon – a primal evil trapped inside Hyrule Castle.
Read our review of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition – 2018
Hyrule Warriors is an action hack and slash title developed by Omega Force and originally released for the Wii U. Characters from all kinds of Zelda games make an appearance, whether as playable characters or villains. The game was brought over to Nintendo Switch in 2018 in the form of Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition, and includes all characters, stages, and modes from the original game in addition to Breath of the Wild inspired costumes for Link and Zelda.
Read our review of Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition.
Cadence of Hyrule – 2019
Cadence of Hyrule is an extremely unqiue collaboration between Brace Yourself Games and Nintendo. The game combines the roguelike rhythm gameplay of Crypt of the NecroDancer with the world of The Legend of Zelda and its characters. This spinoff offers an incredible soundtrack and beautiful pixelated graphics. Up against Octavo, a musical villain, Zelda and Link team up with Cadence to thwart his plans and save the Hyrule.
Read our review of Cadence of Hyrule.
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening – 2019
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening is a remake of 1993 Game Boy title developed by Grezzo. This charming platformer sees Link castaway at Koholint Island, where he must solve the mystery of the Wind Fish, a legendary being said to be on the island. Unlike some of the more modern Zelda titles, Link’s Awakening takes you across many different dungeons and areas to collect the Instruments of the Sirens. If you never got the chance to play the original Link’s Awakening, this is the definitive way to experience one of the Zelda series’ most unique titles.
Read our review of The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity – 2020
The second Switch entry in the Hyrule Warriors series, Age of Calamity is set 100 years before the events of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Here, you can experience firsthand the events that occured in the fight against Calamity Ganon. All of your favorite Breath of the Wild cahracters are here and playable, including Link, Zelda, the Champions, and so many more. Omega Force created a fun and expansive title, with two waves of DLC you can check out after completing the main story.
Read our review of Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD – 2021
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD is the long-awaited remaster of the classic Wii game. Set at the beginning of the Zelda timeline, Skyward Sword takes Link to the skies as he traverses across the world to save his childhood friend Zelda. You’ll uncover the Master Sword was created as part of this journey, among other things. The remaster includes the iconic motion controls you can operate with the Joy-Con and a new button-only gameplay style for those looking to play without motion.
Read our review of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – 2023
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom hit the market in 2023, selling over 10 million copies in just three days as well as quite a few special edition Switch consoles. Set a few years after the events of Breath of the Wild, Link is tasked once again with finding Princess Zelda after Ganondorf is resurrected. Tears of the Kingdom takes to both the skies of Hyrule and the depths below the land. This creates one of the largest maps you’ll find in any game, leaving for hundreds of hours of exploration to be had. All in all, it’s the best Zelda game of all time and a hard one to follow.
Read our review of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
Available Zelda Games With Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack
If you’re interested in checking out some of the older Zelda titles, the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack service has loads of Zelda titles from Nintendo’s older consoles. Here is every Zelda game available on the service:
- The Legend of Zelda
- Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
- The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
- The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past – Four Swords
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
- The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening DX
- The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
- The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
- The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages
- The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons
Upcoming Zelda Titles on Nintendo Switch
With the arrival of the June Nintendo Direct in 2024, we got our first look at The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. The new game will feature Zelda as the lead character and is set to arrive on September 26, 2024. After this title, it’s highly likely that we won’t see a proper new Zelda title until Nintendo’s next console, the Nintendo Switch 2.
In addition to the games themsellves, Nintendo has also announced that a live-action Legend of Zelda movie is also in the works, bringing Hyrule to the big screen.
See the full list of upcoming Switch games for the everything coming in 2024 and beyond.
Noah Hunter is a freelance writer and reviewer with a passion for games and technology. He co-founded Final Weapon, an outlet focused on nonsense-free Japanese gaming (in 2019) and has contributed to various publishers writing about the medium.
All content and images belong to their respected owners. This article is aggregated for informational purposes only with full credit to the source.
