If you’re looking for a Legend of Zelda game to play on the Nintendo Switch 2, you’re spoiled for choice. Although the console was released with a pretty lacking launch library, it does have the benefit of the original Switch’s backwards compatibility. Add that to all the Nintendo classics you can stream with your Nintendo Switch Online subscription, and you have the beginnings of a half-decent game library.
But while there aren’t many new Nintendo originals on the Switch 2, there’s plenty of Zelda. Ranging from the old classics now streamable on NSO, to new-and-improved versions of Switch originals, there’s a Zelda game on the Switch 2 for everyone’s taste. Here’s every mainline Zelda game you can play on the Switch 2 today, ranked from worst to best.
15
Zelda 2 Is The Odd One Out
Unique Creative Decisions Don’t Always Pan Out
Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link is an outlier within the Zelda franchise. First released in 1987 for the NES (which means you can play it on NSO), it takes a more traditional action RPG approach to classic Zelda, with an experience point system, a world map, and more talkative NPCs. Battles are side-scrolling, characterized by verticality and a complicated magic system.
Zelda 2 isn’t a bad game by any means, but it lacks a lot of what we’ve come to expect from the series in later years. It’s also a little too hard for modern players to just pick up and enjoy. Still, it’s worth a look.
14
Echoes Of Wisdom Has Good Ideas That Aren’t Always Executed Well
UI Holds It Back
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is also kind of an outlier, in that it’s the only game on this list where Zelda is the sole playable protagonist. While the change in perspective was nice, as was the Link’s Awakening remake-inspired aesthetic, Echoes of Wisdom just doesn’t live up to the series’ highest points. It has a cool unique mechanic, allowing you to copy and paste items and enemies in order to win fights and solve puzzles. But that’s held back by an annoying interface that requires you to scroll through hundreds of items just to find the one you want.
Echoes of Wisdom does seem to perform better on the Switch 2 than it did on the original Switch.
A slow start and some clunky combat also prevent Echoes of Wisdom from reaching its full potential. That said, it’s a cool side adventure with some classic Zelda charm.
13
Skyward Sword Is A Great Game With A Bad Gimmick
Poetry In Motion
The Switch’s Skyward Sword HD really has the best of both worlds: classic Zelda charm mixed with modern 3D aesthetics. With a delightful story that serves as a prequel to the rest of the franchise, some excellent dungeon design, and an immersive setting with several unique concepts, Skyward Sword is a world that’s easy to get lost in.
The problem, though, is Skyward Sword‘s main gimmick, which uses motion controls for Link’s sword (among other items). While they’ve undergone a lot of improvement since the game’s original release on the Wii, they’re still finicky and frustrating far more often than they’re interesting – and they’re absolutely everywhere in this game.
12
The Original Zelda Has Its Merits
The One That Started It All
You can play 1986’s The Legend of Zelda via NSO’s NES library, and, if you’re at all a fan of the franchise, you probably should. The original Zelda game has a lot of the DNA that’s kept the franchise going over the years: items that improve your abilities, incremental sword upgrades, and lots of dungeon crawling. Although it’s all much simpler and lower-res in the original Zelda, it’s a lot of fun to see where the series started out.
Of course, there are lots of quality of life features and new series staples that wormed their way into the Zelda franchise later. You won’t see any modern innovation in the original game, but there’s still a lot to love.
11
Oracle Of Ages Is A Curious Side Adventure
One Of Capcom’s First Zelda Games
The first of several Zelda games developed by Capcom for Nintendo’s handheld consoles, Oracle of Ages was actually released in tandem with Oracle of Seasons. The two games are meant to be played together – you can use a code you get at the end of one to carry over some of your items into the next. This is classic 2D Zelda – the main difference between the games is Ages‘ greater focus on puzzles over combat, which makes it a little dull at times, especially given its fairly tedious time travel gimmick.
Overall, though, Oracle of Ages is a great Zelda game, and an important part of the Ages/Seasons duology. If you play one, you’ll want to play the other.
10
Oracle Of Seasons Is The Slightly Better Of The Two
Brawn Over Brains
Where Oracle of Ages‘ puzzle focus can make it a little dull and slow-moving, Seasons‘ combat focus makes it fast-paced and exciting. At the same time, though, it’s the easier of the two games, which makes it one of the most accessible titles to fans new to 2D Zelda.
Oracle of Seasons‘ season-changing mechanic is also pretty cool, and unique among the rest of the series. For these reasons, it’s definitely worth checking out, most likely before Ages if you plan on playing both.
An Underrated Entry
Capcom’s run of Zelda games really came into its own, though, with The Minish Cap on Game Boy Advance. With the best dungeon design of the bunch, and a unique mechanic that lets Link change his size to access normally inaccessible areas, it’s really unlike any other game in the franchise.
The Minish Cap is underrated among the rest of the series for its relatively short length and its proximity to other, more popular titles, but maybe it shouldn’t be. Since it’s playable on the Switch 2, it might be time for a Minish Cap renaissance.
8
Tears Of The Kingdom Is A Half-Decent Follow-Up
New Switch 2 Enhancements
Tears of the Kingdom was a solid Zelda game, but it could never live up to the awe inspired by Breath of the Wild (which you’ll find much further down this list) when it first came out. TotK attempted to expand on its predecessor with an in-depth building mechanic and some new map areas, but ultimately, it doesn’t quite live up to the BotW hype.
Notably, TotK has undergone several improvements on the Switch 2. It now comes along with some new story content, as well as better performance, even in higher resolutions.
7
A Link To The Past/Four Swords Is 2D Zelda At Its Most Iconic
Classic 2D Style
A Link to the Past nails absolutely everything that’s great about 2D Zelda. With its unmatched GBA aesthetic, brilliant dungeon crawling, and strong, central story, it’s not one to be missed, especially now that it’s part of the NSO library.
LTTP does time travel far better than Oracle of Ages, and its wide variety of items keeps things fresh throughout the entirety of the game. For me, it’s the absolute platonic ideal of 2D Zelda, but I like 3D Zelda just a little better.
6
Link’s Awakening Is A Fever Dream Worthy Of Experiencing
Now In 2D & 3D
Okay, I know I just said Link to the Past was the perfect 2D Zelda game, and I stand by that – but hear me out. Link’s Awakening takes a totally different approach to the 2D Zelda formula, but it’s those differences that make it stand out. With a dreamlike story set on a tropical island far from Hyrule, it’s definitely one of the strangest Zelda games out there. If Link to the Past is the golden child of 2D Zelda, Link’s Awakening is its weird cousin that’s actually way cooler when you get to know it.
At the same time, though, Link’s Awakening is classic Zelda to a T, with excellent dungeons, evocative music, and a wide variety of fun items used to solve all manner of puzzles. It’s available in two versions on Switch 2 – the Game Boy original, and the 3D remake – both of which are worth experiencing. The update isn’t necessarily dramatic enough to warrant a seperate entry like the Ocarina of Time remake, but the switch to a 3D top-down style provides a very different atmosphere (possibly negative) and more fluid movement (definitely positive).
