While the world waits for the highly-anticipated sequel to Breath of the Wild, one might be inclined to check out past entries in The Legend of Zelda series. Many of these games are revered as some of the greatest of all time and are definitely worth revisiting in 2021. Unfortunately, that's easier said than done.
While Nintendo has taken steps to get more legacy The Legend of Zelda titles on its latest console, with a remake of Link's Awakening and an HD remaster of Skyward Sword, the grand majority of the games still primarily reside on older, outdated hardware. Playing through the whole series becomes an arduous, expensive task. One can only hope that at least a few of the older titles will eventually make their way to Nintendo's hybrid console. For the sake of both appeasing fans, and affording newcomers to the franchise an easy opportunity to dive into the series' past, there are several Zelda games that should come to Switch eventually.
Link's Awakening (Original)
The first handheld Zelda title saw Link take part in a new adventure on a mysterious, dreamlike island far off from the series' familiar setting of Hyrule. The Game Boy Color re-release, Link's Awakening DX, eventually made its way to the 3DS Virtual Console, but as it stands, neither version is available on Nintendo's current hardware. However, an HD remake of Link's Awakening was released for the Switch in 2019, so the original version of this title not being available on Nintendo's latest system isn't too big of a loss.
Ocarina of Time
Zelda's first foray into a 3D world is among the series' most iconic entries, and since its launch on the Nintendo 64, Ocarina of Time has graced the GameCube, Wii, Wii U, and 3DS with its presence. Its absence on the latest Nintendo console is a little shocking, especially considering how influential the game was to not just the future of Zelda, but 3D adventure games at large.
Majora's Mask
Like its predecessor, Majora's Mask has also hit nearly every Nintendo console to date, and its critical reception is comparable. Set shortly after the events of Ocarina of Time, the game follows Link attempting to avert the end of the world while using various masks that grant him different abilities.
Oracle of Seasons/Ages
This Game Boy Color Zelda duology sees Link transported to either Holodrum or Labrynna depending on the version played, and one can even unlock extra story content and new gameplay options by linking both versions together. Suffice to say, there's plenty of replay value across these two titles. However, those looking to play these games will either have to bust out an old Game Boy Color/Advance and secure a hard copy of each game, or purchase them digitally from the 3DS eShop before it inevitably shuts down worldwide.
Four Swords/Four Swords Adventure
Four Swords was initially included as a multiplayer component to the Game Boy Advance re-release of A Link to the Past. For the first time in the series' history, players could team up with their friends to take on Vaati — who would go on to be the main villain of The Minish Cap. A follow-up, Four Swords Adventure, was later released for the GameCube, but neither version is easily playable nowadays without the original hardware.
The Wind Waker
The Wind Waker was met with controversy upon its unveiling; the cel-shaded art style wasn't exactly what fans had in mind for a Zelda game on the then-next-gen GameCube. Funnily enough, the game would later go on to be one of the most well-known, celebrated entries in the series. An HD remaster of the game previously hit the Wii U in 2013, and at the time of writing, it's one of only a handful of first-party Wii U exclusives not to arrive on the Switch, much to the bafflement of the Zelda community.
The Minish Cap
Capcom's take on Zelda, appropriately enough, was largely built around a magical talking cap that could shrink Link down to the size of a bug. Wii U owners can purchase the game via the Wii U's Virtual Console, but only Nintendo 3DS Ambassadors (those who owned a 3DS prior to its $80 price drop months after its launch) can check it out on Nintendo's dual-screened system.
Twilight Princess
Twilight Princess is notable for its darker take on the series, and also for being the first Zelda game to appear on the Wii. The game later debuted on the Wii U with an HD remaster boasting Amiibo support and an entirely new dungeon, and like The Wind Waker's HD re-release, this version is one of the few Wii U titles that have yet to come to the Switch.
Phantom Hourglass
The follow-up to The Wind Waker retained the cel-shaded style of its predecessor while bringing over elements from isometric Zelda titles. It's also only the third mainline game to have multiplayer, featuring a competitive mode that's fairly similar to capture the flag. To date, the game has only ever come to one other platform: the Wii U via the Virtual Console.
Spirit Tracks
The final entry in the Wind Waker trilogy forgoes its predecessors' seafaring ways in favor of hitting the road — the railroad to be precise. Link travels by train here, which is a fairly large departure from other prevalent modes of transportation seen in the series; Spirit Tracks is also one of the few Zelda games to have multiple endings. Like Phantom Hourglass, the only re-release it saw was on the Wii U's Virtual Console.
A Link Between Worlds
The last original, mainline, traditional, isometric Zelda game debuted on the 3DS in 2013, and A Link Between Worlds is perhaps the closest any game will ever come to being a sequel to A Link to the Past. The game's Japanese title even goes as far as to deem it so. Not only is it one of the best 3DS games to ever be released, it's also one of the more influential Zelda titles, evident by how well it is represented in games like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Hyrule Warriors.
Tri Force Heroes
Tri Force Heroes is a very strange game. For starters, its art style is near-identical to that of The Wind Waker, but it doesn't follow the Links from that game or its sequels. Rather, it follows the Link from A Link Between Worlds. This multiplayer take on Zelda is similar to the Four Swords duology, but was received significantly less favorably by critics and fans alike.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 is set to release in 2022 for Nintendo Switch.