Living legend

The 6 best Zelda games on Switch, ranked

The classic series is well represented on Nintendo Switch.

by Robin Bea
Updated: 
Originally Published: 
Nintendo

Nintendo

It’s hard to believe, but the Nintendo Switch and Breath of the Wild are now five years old.

We’re celebrating with a walk through The Legend of Zelda history on Nintendo’s newest console.

Nintendo

Here are the 6 best Legend of Zelda games you can play on Nintendo Switch.

6. The Legend of Zelda

The legend begins.

Nintendo

Nintendo

The original Legend of Zelda isn’t just an important part of video game history — it’s still a lot of fun to play today. Making your way through Link’s first adventure (preferably with a hand-drawn map) will show you where many of the series’ staples began and just how much things have changed.

5. Link’s Awakening

Link’s island vacation.

Nintendo

Nintendo

Link’s Awakening is a strange standout in a varied series. It trades Hyrule for the mysterious Koholint Island, packed with cameos from other Nintendo games. The Switch remake adds a gorgeous new art style to this out-there classic.

4. Majora’s Mask

Ocarina of Time’s evil twin.

Nintendo

Nintendo

Zelda fans might not have been prepared for a game as dark as Majora’s Mask when it debuted in 2000. Its end-of-the-world plot and overall creepiness make it an outlier in the franchise and a classic that can still shock players today.

3. Ocarina of Time

The former champion.

Nintendo

Nintendo

Ocarina of Time brought Zelda into 3D and for a time it was as influential as Breath of the Wild is today. It’s still considered one of the best games of all time, though its Switch port’s graphics and controls are a little lacking.

2. A Link to the Past

Where The Legend of Zelda went from good to great.

Nintendo

Nintendo

A Link to the Past perfected the top-down action RPG formula of the original Zelda game and introduced tropes that remain part of the series to this day. Its art and music are unforgettable, cementing it as perhaps the best SNES game ever.

1. Breath of the Wild

Yes, it’s obvious, but it’s also true.

Nintendo

Nintendo

Breath of the Wild isn’t just the best Zelda game; it’s one of the best games of all time, and its open-world design influenced games as different as Genshin Impact and Elden Ring. If anything can unseat it as the best Switch game, it might just be the much-anticipated sequel.