The Zelda series celebrates a pretty massive moment this weekend – as of 21 February 2026, it's 40 years since the first game came out in Japan. That makes it one of the most historically significant series going, not least because it's one of the few with such impressive age that still releases big-hitters fairly often.
Time doesn't stand still for anyone or any series, though, so if you've been struck by the sheer scale of the Zelda series' latest birthday and want to sample a range of the best games in its timeline, you might wonder how to best go about that.
If you have a Switch 2 or first-generation Switch, then you're set up pretty nicely. While a few years ago you might have been forced to find adapters for old consoles and buy expensive used games, you can now access a bunch of the most formative games in the series much more simply.
Love it or hate it, the way you get access to classic games on a Nintendo Switch right now involves a Nintendo Switch Online membership, with the Expansion Pack if you want the widest access.
What retro Zelda games are on Nintendo Switch Online?
If you have indeed opted to pick up a membership to NSO, which is pretty likely given you need it for online play in almost any game, you'll get a range of classic Zelda titles – and if you pay extra for the Expansion Pack, you'll get even more. The full list of retro Zelda games you can play on Switch or Switch 2 is:
- 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
There's one more wrinkle here. Nintendo recently added The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker to the programme, too, but this one is exclusive to Switch 2 (no, I'm not sure why).
What modern Zelda games can I play on Switch 2?
If you're looking for a shinier game to play on your Switch 2, and want a Zelda title that isn't from a few decades ago, you're in luck – there are loads. From mainline entries to spin-offs, you have a bunch to pick from:
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
- The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
- The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
- The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD
- Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition
- Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity
- Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment
- Cadence of Hyrule
As you can see, that means there are fully five mainline Zelda games that you can play on the Switch 2 – including some remakes and some brand-new stuff.
Nestled in there, you'll find my favourite game in the franchise, too: Tears of the Kingdom, perhaps the greatest open-world game ever created.
Which game you want to play first, of course, will probably come down to your tastes and budget. Many of these are still pretty close to full-price even years after release, so those looking to keep their costs down might want to dip into the retro titles available through NSO.
