The Legend of Zelda, in a few months, will have a total of 30 mainline games. This storied franchise began all the way back in 1986 and will, in September, officially have extended into 2024. It is one of the longest-running franchises with all sorts of different entry points.
Players can play the series in a lot of different ways as well. There’s chronological, timeline order, or any random way they choose. For the most part, The Legend of Zelda is a collection of tales that one could jump right into at almost any point and be just fine. But if you’re wondering where a good starting point is, there are a few options to consider.
Where To Begin With The Legend of Zelda
There are very few games that directly follow any sort of chronology in this franchise. Most of them are new, disconnected video games that only loosely fit into a timeline because Nintendo set out over a decade ago to say they did.
With that said, there are some that are more or less direct sequels to a game. Therefore, the following do not make a good starting point:
- Zelda II
- Majora’s Mask
- Phantom Hourglass
- The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Aside from those three, you won’t miss much of what’s going on if it’s your first foray into the world of Hyrule. Any other game, from Twilight Princess to A Link to the Past, is pretty much fine. This all depends on the consoles you have, as many of these games are locked behind uncommon platforms in this day and age.
Good Entry Points for the Franchise
With all that said, readers may be looking for a recommendation to start with one of gaming’s most iconic series. There are a few that make more sense than others. These three titles, for their own reasons, are where novices or those new to the series should look:
- The Legend of Zelda (1986)
- Skyward Sword
- Breath of the Wild
These three mark different jumping-off points for Zelda, Link, Ganondorf, and the rest of the crew. The Legend of Zelda (1986) is of course the franchise’s humble beginning. It was the first game Nintendo ever put out in the series, so it’s a great place to begin since it’s where Link himself began. It’s also a wonderful way to see just how far things have come. Tears of the Kingdom is a remarkable game, but it is wholly unlike its 1986 predecessor.
Skyward Sword is also a great place to begin. The Zelda timeline does officially begin with this game. In 2011, it was Nintendo’s attempt at ordering everything. Much of what comes later doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, but this game sets everything up. It’s where Hyrule began and it’s the first version of Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf (or Demise), so it’s where you can begin.
Finally, Breath of the Wild is a fantastic way to get into the franchise. It was the author’s first full Zelda game, and it sparked an interest in the series that hasn’t waned since. It was the same for tons of avid Zelda gamers. It brings all loose timeline threads together and provides a brand-new experience with modern gameplay. Breath of the Wild is arguably the quintessential The Legend of Zelda game, and that’s saying something.
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