After two years of suspense, Nintendo divulged that the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild will release in 2022. The wait feels somewhat agonizing, but there are alternatives to getting a Zelda fix besides logging the 400th hour into Breath of the Wild or playing as Link in Smash. Because of the NES and SNES library available to Nintendo Switch Online subscribers, as well as the new Zelda games through NSO's Expansion Pack, there are even more Zelda titles on the system than what may be readily apparent at first glance. And with more Zelda games on the way to Switch next year, what better way to celebrate the Legend of Zelda series' 35th anniversary than by discovering a new Zelda game?
There are still many classic Zelda entries missing from Nintendo's latest console, although the Switch's Zelda game library continues to grow. The N64's Ocarina of Time recently arrived on Switch thanks to the new Expansion Pack service, and Majora's Mask is coming to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack in the near future. However, for now, The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess are still sadly missing. In order to play remasters of these games, one needs a Wii U.
Zelda also makes cameos throughout other Switch games. There are several Zelda characters in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: Link, Toon Link, Young Link, Zelda, Ganondorf, and Sheik. Among several other easter eggs, Smash Bros. Ultimate also has a smattering of stages inspired by the franchise, like Ocarina of Time's Gerudo Valley and the Great Bay from Majora's Mask. More bizarrely, Link is playable in Mario Kart 8, which even has BOTW's Master Cycle Zero as an available motorcycle.
All Of The Nintendo Switch's Legend of Zelda Games
There are many mainline Zelda games available on the Switch to play while waiting on Breath of the Wild 2, plus the two Hyrule Warriors games and one indie spin-off. Crypt of the Necrodancer: Cadence of Hyrule is a rare Nintendo-sanctioned collaboration with an outside indie studio - a rhythm adventure game that features a playable Zelda. While the original Hyrule Warriors is a fun, yet canonically detached, musou beat-em-up, Age of Calamity could tie into Breath of the Wild 2. At this point, it's too early to tell if Breath of the Wild 2 will follow Age of Calamity's timeline or the original Breath of the Wild's. However, for anyone looking for more Zelda: Breath of the Wild lore or something flavored like it to help tide over appetites until the Breath of the Wild 2 releases, Age of Calamity should not be overlooked. Adventure of Link, on the other hand, could be a lower priority.
Here is every Legend of Zelda game currently on the Nintendo Switch:
- The Legend of Zelda (NES)
- The Legend of Zelda: Adventure of Link (NES)
- The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES)
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time (N64)
- The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening Remaske
- The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Remaster
- Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- Crypt of the Necrodancer: Cadence of Hyrule
- Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity
Additionally, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask will eventually be included as an N64 title available through the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack service. And when Breath of the Wild 2 releases in 2022, it will likely provide hundreds of hours of engaging play on the Switch as well. In the meantime, the number of older Legend of Zelda games on the Switch is astounding. Classics like A Link to the Past are especially worth playing, and the gorgeously remastered Link's Awakening breaks the Zelda mold in a way Breath of the Wild players may find intriguing. The Zelda games on the Switch span from releases in 1986 to 2021, and the breadth within that 35-year span shows the brilliance of what the entire Legend of Zelda series has to offer.