It’s difficult to jump into any long-running franchise, and The Legend of Zelda is no exception. There are presently 17 mainline Zelda games, if Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages are counted as one game and if remasters and remakes are excluded. What’s more, these 17 games span from 1989 (The Legend of Zelda) to 2017 (Breath of the Wild), so the franchise encompasses nearly the entire history of at-home console gaming. For the curious-yet-uninitiated, it can be intimidating to decide where to start. But, considering The Legend of Zelda is one of the most highly-regarded gaming franchises around, the series is absolutely worth exploring.
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Which Zelda game someone should start with and which ones are practical to start with are, unfortunately, different. With a Nintendo Switch Online subscription, there will be six mainline Zelda games on the Switch as of July 2021. These do not include remasters of two of the series’ most famous games (Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask) and a wonderful reimagining of a classic (A Link Between Worlds), which are all on the 3DS. Sadly, the 3DS was discontinued in 2020. Two other beloved games – Wind Waker and Twilight Princess – haven’t been seen since the Wii U.
However, in the wide world of The Legend of Zelda, scarcity is an ally. There are few bad games in the series, so the ones which are readily available are easy to find for good reason. Nintendo dutifully remasters old Zelda games every few years, so there’s wealth of excellent gaming to be had.
Is Breath of the Wild a Good First Zelda Game?
Breath of the Wild has earned a reputation among many players as one of the best games ever released, and for excellent reason. It’s a gorgeous, enthralling game where the player can be enraptured by a seemingly endless thirst for adventure, as any nook or cranny of the game’s huge map may contain a surprise. There is comedy, tragedy, sacrifice, and complex, memorable characters like Lady Urbosa and Mipha. Breath of the Wild guides the player beautifully without holding their hand too tightly, which many other Zelda entries are guilty of. But for a completely new player, who may be overwhelmed by the game’s vast open world or simply does not want to sink 100 hours into their first Zelda game, there are other options.
For someone not just new to Zelda, but to gaming as a whole, Link’s Awakening may be a better choice. The game takes an average of 20 or 30 hours to beat, so is much more approachable for the newcomer or casually curious. The 2019 Switch remaster of Link’s Awakening is visually stunning and a pure joy to play. Link’s Awakening has long-been considered one of the series’ best games, and its narrative masterfully mixes playfulness with a mysterious, dark undertone. Plus, the gameplay offers a more “standard” Zelda experience than Breath of the Wild, for those wanting a snapshot of the series at large.
If someone still has their 3DS, the remastered version of Ocarina of Time is an optimal entry point for those primarily curious about Zelda lore and history. When it was released for the N64, Ocarina of Time was revolutionary for gaming as a whole, and it codified many series staples, such as Z-targeting. It’s also responsible for splitting the Zelda timeline into three branches, arguably making it the most important game in the franchise from a lore perspective. However, Ocarina of Time isn’t a good choice for anyone who wants the feel of a flashier, newer game.
Unfortunately, The Wind Waker has not been available since the Wii U. Wind Waker was the gateway for a generation of Zelda players, and its Great Sea is a small-scale predecessor to BOTW‘s open world. Wind Waker’s cel-shaded style was controversial at first, but has grown to be beloved. A Wind Waker remaster for the Switch has been rumored, but Nintendo has said nothing.
For those with a Switch wanting to explore The Legend of Zelda for the first time, either Breath of the Wild or Link’s Awakening would be an excellent choice, depending on the length of desired gameplay. Zelda has remained a deeply influential series, and as the release of Breath of the Wild 2 approaches, now is as good a time as any to jump on the paraglider.
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