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.
