The end of March has brought the PS5 even more success than ever before. Circana named it the best-selling console of February 2023, driving 29% of gaming hardware sales. Some of the credit for the PS5’s sales growth goes to Hogwarts Legacy, which became the #1 best-selling game to date, selling over 12 million copies two weeks after it launched.

Meanwhile, Tchia became an instant indie open-world darling upon its release on PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium. Developed by Montreal-based Awaceb, players assume the role of a titular 12-year-old girl and embark on a Breath of the Wild-style journey through an island inspired by the South Pacific nation of New Caledonia — and learn some Drehu and French along the way. Here are the 25 best PS5 games that take place far beyond the peaceful island.

Some games make excellent use of the DualSense controller’s innovative haptic feedback, others will make your gaming TV shine with 4K gameplay, and some are just plain great games. Without further ado, here are our updated picks for the 25 best PS5 games.

Most recent game updates were made on January 27, 2023.

More on the best of PlayStation:

• Where to buy a PS5
• Best PS4 Games
• Best PS3 Games

25. Genshin Impact

The Traveler, the Genshin Impact protagonist, has been stranded in the magical land of Teyvat, searching for their estranged sibling, ever since the open-world game was first released in 2020. Their tale is still in the midst of unfolding, as new updates continually add new map pieces to the puzzle – magical jungles, vast deserts, treacherous mountain peaks – and introduce us to extraordinary new characters who become part of their story. It’s a joy to explore and discover each new chapter that arrives – apologies to our protagonist’s lost sibling, but we’re glad to savor the journey rather than race to its resolution.

“Windblume’s Breath,” the 3.5 update for Genshin Impact, is now available. Two characters have been added to Genshin Impact since the update: Dehya and Mika.

24. Apex Legends

From its inception, Apex Legends shook up the Battle Royale genre, featuring a handful of unique characters, fast-paced action, and some of the best movement in an FPS still to this day. While Apex Legends has had its ups and downs over the years, especially with issues surrounding its matchmaking, bugs, and expensive cosmetics, its dedication to consistency for content and pro-play still makes it one of the best FPS on the PS5. Apex has remained consistent with releases of new maps, characters, weapons, game modes, cosmetics, and balance updates.

The PS5 update for apex Legends improved on it with 4K output, Full 60hz gameplay, HDR, higher resolution shadow maps, and greater LOD distances to bring it closer to the true current-gen experience. And future updates are still planned to take advantage of the adaptive triggers, haptics, add 120hz gameplay, and other visual improvements, meaning, in theory, it should only get better with time. If you have a few friends and want to play a stellar FPS together without spending money, Apex Legends is the game for you.

The Sun Squad Collection Event, which brings a new battle royale mode called Heatwave, is running in Apex Legends until April 11.

23. Dead Space

The 2023 remake of Dead Space takes players back to dismembering necromorphs in the terrifying hallways of the USG Ishimura with not only an extremely gnarly new lick of paint, but a new focus on improving Issac Clarke’s story at every opportunity. While rebuilding from the ground up, EA Motive masterfully manages to remain extremely faithful and respectful to the original, while also adding all the exciting extra bells, whistles, and violence we’ve come to expect in a modern survival horror game. Simply put, 2023’s Dead Space is the ultimate way to experience this horror classic.

In a recent Reddit AMA on the Dead Space subreddit, senior game writer Jo Barry expressed EA Motive’s interest in continuing to remake the Dead Space series. He said in part, “We’ve said both internally and externally that we’d be interested in continuing our work on the Dead Space franchise. Our Core group is passionate about the brand and we need to discuss what’s the right next step for us.”

22. Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection

Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves takes the two PS4 Uncharted games, polishes them up for the PS5 with 4K visuals, optional performance modes, haptic feedback and adaptive triggers with the DualSense, and more. While it clearly wasn’t as heavy a lift as The Last of Us Part 1’s translation to PS5, these two action-adventure classics simply hold up incredibly well, even with just a few improvements.

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End still delivers gut punches, massive set pieces, and grins in spades, giving Nathan Drake, Elena Fisher, and Victor Sullivan the send off they so rightfully deserve. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, a generally underrated PS4 gem, also stands tall, telling a thrilling side story in India with fan favorites Chloe Frazer and Nadine Ross. If anyone with a PS5 missed these two heavy hitters the first time around, this collection is a no-brainer.

21. Sackboy: A Big Adventure

Sackboy: A Big Adventure is something simultaneous fresh and familiar. It puts a huge spin on the Little Big Planet universe, swapping its typical freeform customization with a linear platforming structure worthy of comparison to the Mario games that clearly influenced it. It’s a platformer full of charm and delight, from its creative levels to its absolutely fantastic music, and one that’s even better when played in co-op with a few friends. There aren’t a whole lot of games like Sackboy: A Big Adventure on PlayStation 5, and it’s fun enough that it would likely standout from the pack even if there were, making it a must-play for any platformer fan.

Ultimate Sackboy is now available on Android and iOS. Sackboy: A Big Adventure is heading to PlayStation Plus in April 2023.

20. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but does offer one of the series’ biggest worlds to date. What better way to break in your new PlayStation 5 than spending hundreds of hours in a Viking epic that will take you across three Kingdoms and even into the halls of Valhalla? The PlayStation 5 version massively improves the frame-rate, resolution, and loading times making the journey across the frozen north smoother and faster, making it the ideal platform to jump into Ubisoft’s latest assassin adventure.

Check out our list of the best Assassin’s Creed games and how to play Assassin’s Creed in order for more of this series.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarok won the inaugural Grammy Award for Best Video Game Score, specifically for the Dawn of Ragnarok.

19. Devil May Cry 5

Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition is the rare next-gen upgrade that is only available on consoles, not PC. The new Vergil Mode, hyper-difficulty mode, Turbo Mode, and high-frame-rate mode are all console exclusive, meaning if you want to play Capcom’s blistering action game at its best, you’ll have to play it on a PlayStation 5. The long-awaited sequel in the Devil May Cry series is a return to basics, ditching the convoluted mythology for pure, unadulterated action.

18. Hitman: World of Assassination

Hitman: World of Assassination is the complete package of IO Interactive’s stunning stealth trilogy. Across 20 globetrotting locations, Agent 47 embarks on the biggest and most intricate missions of his career, from the catwalks of Paris, through the race tracks of Miami, to the pulsing rave halls of Berlin. That journey showcases the finest examples of IO’s formula: your targets can be dispatched with cold-blooded efficiency, or fall prey to Rube Goldberg-style series of events that results in a much more comical death (or if something backfires, a Wile E. Coyote-grade failure.) Each mission is so packed with opportunities and creative methods of murder that not even five replays will reveal every secret. This truly is a treasure trove of trouble.

World of Assassination, initially released as a three-game trilogy, was great on PS4, but it’s even better on PS5. The missions from the original two games have been upgraded and polished to a modern shine, ensuring this feels a coherent package. It also now includes Freelancer, a roguelike mode that pushes your stealth skills to their very limits. Regardless Of the mode, though, you can kill a guy by making him slip on a banana peel, which is funny anywhere, but on PS5 it’s also very pretty thanks to increased resolution, a steady 60fps, and an overall smoother experience over the last-gen version.

Hitman 3’s freelancer mode is available now.

17. Death Stranding: Director’s Cut

Death Stranding was a divisive game upon launch for sure, even for fans of Hideo Kojima’s madcap video game concepts. But if the idea of an Odyssian journey to reconnect a broken United States by delivering packages appeals to you (there are dozens of us) then you were rewarded with one of the most visually stunning, uniquely playing games of the generation. The Director’s Cut adds several quality of life improvements that should make the game easier for players who just want to experience the story, and adds a bit more combat and stealth for fans who miss the Metal Gear universe.

Kojima Productions is producing Death Stranding 2, which may not be released until 2024.

16. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition

Everyone has heard of The Witcher 3 by now. One of the best RPGs of the last generation and the game that firmly cemented CD Projekt Red as one of the world’s premier game developers. While critics have heralded the game’s visuals, storytelling, and gameplay, the same can hardly be said about The Witcher 3’s technical performance. The new Complete Edition with a bevvy of next-gen updates fixes most, if not all, the technical shortcomings. With smooth frame-rate, 4K textures, and loads of other fixes, The Witcher 3 on PS5 is the definitive version of one of the best RPGs of all time.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt recently got the 4.02 patch, improving Performance Mode and adding refraction to ray-traced water reflections, among other quality-of-life changes.

15. Gran Turismo 7

Gran Turismo games have always been as much tech showcases for the latest PlayStation console as they are excellent driving sims. As such the series has only improved with each generation, and with racing more popular than ever, now’s the best time to dive into PlayStation’s marquis driving sim. It’s difficult to say whether or not Gran Turismo 7 is the most accessible game in the series, but there’s a robust training mode that will take you through every aspect of the game’s realistic driving elements. While you can find yourself spending hours on just learning how to turn a corner, if you put in the work, you’ll be rewarded with access to the most beautiful racing sim released on this generation of consoles.

Gran Turismo 7’s 1.31 update is now available, bringing five new cars, a new Scapes location, and the Nurburgring Endurance and Nurburgring Sprint layouts.

14. Deathloop

Arkane Studios’ Deathloop is undoubtedly one of the more unique experiences to grace the PS5 so far. Arkane builds on the immersive sim bones from its past to create an incredibly dense and playful world. Figuring out the right paths to take, weapons and powers to use, and even times of day to visit certain locations makes exploration its own puzzle, and Arkane’s beautiful, Saul Bass-inspired world is filled with peculiar oddities to pick up on and exploit to complete your objectives. In a time where timeloops are the feature du jour in gaming, Deathloop’s is one of the most unique and satisfying to navigate, making knowledge its own reward, on top of a suite of incredible powers. And don’t even get us started on its stunning soundtrack.

Developer Arkane’s next game is the co-op vampire shooter Redfall, due out May 2, 2023. Unfortunately, it won’t have a PS5 version.

13. Control Ultimate Edition

Control is a wonderfully weird game. On one hand, it’s very Remedy – the game’s tone, gameplay, and mixed-media previously used in games such as Alan Wake and Quantum Break feels familiar. On the other hand, it’s something wholly original. Control showcases more style in its full-screen title treatments than many games do in their entire aesthetics, and its suite of psychic abilities to inflict pain upon your foes is utterly bonkers.

Sometimes funny, sometimes scary, and always interesting, Control is a one-of-a-kind game that shouldn’t be missed. And the Ultimate Edition is worth playing for the new bells and whistles added on the PS5, especially if you’re interested in Remedy’s extended universe and if you would like to make use of PS5’s Activity Cards in a way few games had so far. Just be warned: you will never look at a refrigerator the same way again.

Remedy is officially working on Control 2 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. The studio is also developing a Control multiplayer game, the long-awaited Alan Wake 2, a free-to-play co-op shooter codenamed Vanguard, and remakes of Max Payne 1 and 2.

12. Final Fantasy 7 Remake/Intergrade

Final Fantasy VII Remake/Intergrade was the pipe dream that many fans hoped would happen but didn’t believe would see the light of day. Seeing the first chapter of FFVII remake in crisp HD and fully voice-acted not only made the day for those who tout it as the best in the franchise but also for those who may have missed out in the PS1 era. It’s a shining example of how far gaming has come in the five generations of Playstation.

The game updated more than its visuals opting for faster real-time action that rewards skill and preparation while still allowing anyone who wants the traditional turn-based combat a way to choose that option as well. Because you never get to leave Midgar, Square-Enix improved and added to the side stories with the other members of Avalanche, your time in Wall Market, and added a few more areas to expand upon the original. The materia system is back and optimized with new materia for the updated gameplay style and introduces new ones to compliment it.

The Intermission expansion puts Yuffie front and center and gives her a chance to shine before the next release. It includes arguably the best and most engaging combat via her elemental ninjutsu, synergy attacks, and other ninja skills. Both the core game and the Intermission DLC add to the context of the world and give a sneak peek at what we can expect for the next installment of the FFVII Remake and is worth a try for the first time and longtime fans of Final Fantasy.

FF7R Part 2, officially titled Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, is due out “next winter.” Before that, Square Enix will release Final Fantasy 16 on June 22 as a PS5 exclusive.

11. Ghost of Tsushima Directors Cut

When Ghost of Tsushima was released on the PlayStation 4, it already felt like a next-gen game thanks to its stunning visuals and impressive open world; it was clear Sucker Punch had learned a lot about creating an engaging open world since its (admittedly admirable for the time) efforts on the Infamous franchise. But the Director’s Cut is the definitive take on Ghost of Tsushima, and it’s all the better on the PS5.

This robust package, even as a refined PS4 game, makes great use of the DualSense in both exploration and combat. Add in new lip sync for Japanese voice over, and, somehow, visual and performance improvements, and you’ve got what is the must-play version of a must-play PlayStation game.

Sucker Punch’s next project is another open-world game with stealth and action elements — perhaps Ghost of Tsushima 2? What has been confirmed is a Ghost of Tsushima movie. Directed by Chad Stahleski (John Wick), the movie will be a retelling of the game’s story.

10. Resident Evil Village

Resident Evil has never shied away from the mystical and supernatural, and Village leans into those themes more than any entry in the series to date. From severed hands that can just be simply reattached, to floating killer dolls, to nine foot tall lady vampires, Resident Evil Village feels like wandering through a demented circus. In one fell swoop, it gave us what will go on to become one of the most recognizable Resi villains ever: Lady Dimitrescu, while still respecting the main antagonist’s story that began in Resident Evil 7.

It brings the series back to its Metroidvania roots, requiring you to revisit areas seen several times throughout your playthrough, but with new tools at your disposal to explore them. It’s by far the most fantastical the series has ever gotten, and it remains to be seen whether or not Resident Evil will ever return to its more straightforward zombie roots, or at this point, if we’d even want it to.

Capcom has since released story DLC for Village called Shadows of Rose and Resident Evil 4 Remake is available now.

9. Astro’s Playroom

The DualSense Controller is one of the most defining characteristics of the PS5, as the nuanced haptic feedback and strategically used adaptive triggers create a level of immersion that feels genuinely special. Nowhere is that tech better showcased than in Astro’s Playroom which is – quite literally – designed to show off the capabilities of the Dualsense controller.

But this would-be tech demo is also a fantastic game in its own right, with a delightful set of worlds to explore that all celebrate a different facet of the PS5 and the different eras of PlayStation software and hardware. Astro’s Playroom reminds players why they’ve loved PlayStation while giving them a reason to fall in love all over again. Its solid platforming, fun environmental puzzles, and enticing set of collectibles will have you gunning for the platinum and getting it in no time.

Developer Team Asobi is now working on its “biggest” game to date. Studio director Nicolas Doucet said it will be a full commercial title that’s “not limited by any money or time.”

8. Returnal

Returnal is a trailblazer of sorts. Roguelikes have long been one of the most popular genres on the indie scene, with games like Spelunky 2, Dead Cells, Enter the Gungeon, and The Binding of Isaac leading the charge, but in the AAA space, we’ve never really seen anything quite like Returnal. Returnal combines Housemarque’s expertise in intense, bullet hell, arcadey shoot-em-ups, with deep roguelike mechanics and a dense, chilling atmosphere, resulting in unforgettable experiences. Returnal’s one issue on release was the inability to suspend its lengthy runs and save your progress, but since that’s been patched, it’s hard to find flaws in this incredibly bold and ambitious take on the AAA roguelike.

The PC port for Returnal is available now.

7. Horizon Forbidden West

Horizon Forbidden West builds on the already impressive foundations of Horizon Zero Dawn to tell a deeper, more thrilling story that amps up the series’ explosive fights against complex robotic foes and blockbuster action sequences, while also adding lively settlements and thoughtful, intriguing sidequests to the world. The Forbidden West itself is absolutely gorgeous on PS5 – ranging from the incredibly detailed faces of the people you meet and costumes they wear to sweeping and frequently stunning landscapes. There’s a genuine sense of exploration, and loads of completely involving worldbuildingto uncover as well for those wanting to learn more. A triumphant combination of enthralling combat, top-tier creature and character design, and a captivating open world, Horizon Forbidden West is an absolute blast and fantastic showcase for the power of the PS5.

Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores, the game’s first DLC, was revealed during The Game Awards. Coming exclusively to the PS5 version of Forbidden West, Burning Shores takes Aloy to the LA region in pursuit of a “sinister threat.”

6. Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart

As Insomniac’s first truly exclusive PS5 game, Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart is a stunning showcase for what Sony’s next-gen console can do, thanks to a series practically built to take advantage of all the new bells and whistles. Whether you’re a newcomer to the duo’s adventures or a longtime fan since the PS2 days, there’s charm a-plenty to be found in returning characters, and brand new ones like the incredible Rivet and Kit.

The delightful, and surprisingly emotional story, is at the core of a theme park ride-like adventure through a host of varied alien worlds, which are stunningly realized in both depth and clarity of detail while running so smoothly on the PS5. And Rift Apart includes one of the franchise’s best suite of weapons, from the wacky Topiary Sprinkler to the powerful Executor, all of which make great use of both the DualSense’s haptics and adaptive triggers. Ratchet and Clank may be one of the longest-running Sony franchises still seeing new entries, but if Rift Apart is any indication, there’s still so much life, humor, and dazzling action to left to experience.

5. Demon’s Souls

Bluepoint Games had some high expectations to meet with the PS5 remake of Demon’s Souls. Not only was it an anticipated remake of a beloved and landmark game, but also as the first major showcase of what a dedicated PS5 game of this scope could look like.

Fortunately, Bluepoint delivered, and Demon’s Souls is not only jaw-droppingly gorgeous, but it’s also incredibly faithful to the source material.It’s handily one of the deepest, richest, and most challenging experiences currently found on the console.

Developer Bluepoint Games was officially acquired by PlayStation in 2021. The studio’s next project will be an original game, rather than another remake.

4. Spider-Man: Miles Morales

Though not a full-blown sequel, this standalone expansion sends Peter Parker on vacation and leaves his young spider-apprentice Miles Morales to look after New York. Building on the rock-solid foundations of Insomniac’s first game, New York has been gorgeously blanketed with snow, holiday cheer, and next-gen polish.

The improvements aren’t just cosmetic, however – the eponymous hero has a few more spider-powers at his disposal than Peter Parker, and these are cleverly adapted into new gameplay mechanics that, while they don’t reinvent the wheel, they put enough of a spin on it to make it feel fresh – sometimes literally, thanks to the DualSense controller. It doesn’t feature as robust of a campaign or as many colorful villains as 2018’s Spider-Man, but Miles Morales’ story has just as much charm and heart as its predecessor, possibly more. Its tagline of “Be Greater” set a high bar, but Miles Morales somersaults over it with ease.

And if you’re loving Miles Morales but somehow missed out on or want to replay its predecessor, there’s no reason not to get the ultimate edition and pick up Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered as well. We previously had MSMR as a standalone game on this list because it was such a great port, but considering the breadth of games we want to now highlight on the PS5, and its availability only as a part of Miles’ special edition, we decided to couple it with our recommendation here.

Insomniac is now working on two Marvel projects: Spider-Man 2 and a Wolverine game.

3. The Last of Us Part 1

The Last of Us Part I is arguably the best way to experience the story Naughty Dog was initially told back in 2013. While there is a point of contention on whether this remake was necessary overall, the improvements and changes introduced are enough to warrant this as a great first way to experience this decade-old franchise. The improved character models and facial animation are the biggest praises for this remake, making the phenomenal acting done by the cast more meaningful and realistic. The Last of Us has an incredible and emotional story, and the updated technology allows even the most touching scenes to hit the closest to home. The utilization of the PS5’s DualSense controller also greatly improves the core gameplay and is some of the best showcases of what the controller is capable of to date. The haptic feedback you can feel in every weapon used, from melee to firearms, and the fact that environmental effects such as the sensation of falling rain helo immerse you into this ravaged and desolated world. Not only that, but the DualSense features also have been a great tool in accessibility, using the controller’s haptic feedback to allow players to feel everything they encounter, whether through physical interaction or hearing it, such as in dialogue exchanges.

While the remake does not include the multiplayer mode found in 2013 original, and the remastered version was ported just a year later, we know that Naughty Dog is working on a standalone multiplayer game set in The Last of Us universe.

2. God of War Ragnorok

God of War Ragnarok is hands down one of the easiest games to recommend to anyone asking what game they should play first on their PS5. The gameplay is an immensely satisfying combination of combat, puzzle solving, and exploration that is bound together with a heartwarming story of family, adolescence, and letting go. The combat rewards players for experimentation and precision but also is versatile enough that even using a fraction of the moves at your disposal feels effective and rewarding. Each moment is bolstered by its fantastic soundtrack that elevates everything from the smallest interaction to the most impactful moments in the story. The world’s jaw-dropping landscapes feel organic and filled with life (except for Helheim, of course), but it’s hard not to stop and admire it every step.

Its story, gameplay, soundtrack, and nearly every other part of the game culminate masterfully to live up to expectations for a flagship PlayStation game. Some may take issue with the pacing in certain parts of the game, but the next chapter in Kratos and Atreus’s saga is filled with heart, charm, and humor. With the combination of the improvements from God of War (2018) and the path it’s carved out for itself among other action-adventure games, God of War: Ragnarok is one of the new benchmarks for what Playstation exclusives can do on the PS5.

1. Elden Ring

It’s hard to encapsulate everything that makes Elden Ring such a monumental game in a short blurb, but let’s try: at the core of it all is Elden Ring’s incredible sense of freedom and discovery. There are open world games that are bigger than Elden Ring, prettier than Elden Ring, and quite frankly run better than Elden Ring, but few, if any, are as robust or as rewarding.

The Lands Between is positively littered with branching paths that lead to catacombs, dungeons, caves, forts, castles, towers, even entire underground cities, and within each of them is some sort of unique challenge, from a trap filled crypt with insta-kill chariots racing down every slope, to one of Elden Ring’s many fantastic boss fights. The best part of it all is that every challenge comes with its own bountiful reward that may bend the difficulty curve in your favor, whether that’s a new spell, summon, weapon, or material that lets you upgrade your gear. Elden Ring can be an extraordinarily difficult game, sure, but the freedom it gives you to maneuver through or around that difficulty is absolutely liberating, and makes it the most universally recommendable From Software game yet.

Elden Ring is one of the best-reviewed games in modern history. It was crowned Game of the Year by IGN and The Game Awards.

Best PS5 Games FAQ

What PS5 Games Are Coming Out?

The first half of April 2023 will bring Meet Your Maker to PS Plus and Creed: Rise to Glory: Champion Edition to PSVR 2 on April 4. Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened, which combines Lovecraftian horror and Victorian-era crime-solving, comes out April 11.

What Is the Best Game on PS5?

It can really depend on what types of games you like to play, but if you are looking for recommendations on the for what to play on the PS5, we recommend picking up a copy of Elden Ring. If you’re looking specifically for a PlayStation Exclusive game, Horizon Forbidden West is also a very good option you can’t play anywhere else.

What are the Best Games on PS Plus?

If you happen to have PlayStation Plus Extra or PlayStation Premium than you have access to some of the best games on the console. A few of the best PS Plus games include Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Bloodborne, Ghost of Tsushima, God of War, Horizon Zero Dawn, Marvel’s Spider-Man, and Red Dead Redemption 2.

Updates: On January 27, 2023 our best PS5 games list was updated to include 10 more titles. Rankings were also updated to reflect the opinions of IGN staff.

With contributions from Cristina Alexander

The Legend of Zelda is one of the most beloved franchises in video game history, right next to Super Mario Bros., Pokemon, and Sonic the Hedgehog. For nearly 40 years, fans have enjoyed playing through the vast world and lore of Hyrule with various incarnations of Link, the mute green-clad knight sworn to protect the kingdom and Princess Zelda from the evil of Ganon.

Now that The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is approaching its release date in May, you may be looking play all the games in the series in release order or chronological order. If you’re going down the latter route and don’t know which Zelda game to start with, you’ve come to the right place. Read on for the full timeline.

How To Play The Legend of Zelda Games In Chronological Order

If you’ve been a hardcore Legend of Zelda fan since 1986, you may have noticed that Link appears as a young adult in one game, a child in another, and vice versa. The inconsistency in Link’s age is because Nintendo made the timeline open to interpretation. However, Nintendo released the master timeline in Hyrule Historia in 2011, which starts with Skyward Sword and branches into three different timelines after Ocarina of Time: the Child Timeline, the Adult Timeline, and the Fallen Hero Timeline. The Calamity Timeline, which aptly starts with Age of Calamity, is separate from those timelines because it rendered them a myth.

That being said, here is the list of The Legend of Zelda games in chronological order according to the fictional continuity. Hyrule Warriors is its own separate thing because it was developed by Koei Tecmo, Omega Force, and Team Ninja — the creators of Dynasty Warriors — so we’re excluding the game from the list for that reason.

Jump to:

• Early History Timeline
• Child Timeline
• Adult Timeline
• Fallen Hero Timeline
• The Calamity Timeline
• Release Order

Early History

1. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Skyward Sword takes place thousands of years after the Ancient Battle in the Era of the Goddess Hylia, set on the floating island of Skyloft where knowledge of the surface world below is nonexistent. This game stars the first Link, who forges the Master Sword from the Goddess Sword with the help of Fi as he rescues Zelda from the demon lord Ghirahim in order to revive his master, Demise.

Nearly 10 years after its release as a Wii game, Skyward Sword received an HD remaster for the Nintendo Switch. The remaster has two control schematics: one where the Joy-Cons replicate the motion control maps of the Wiimote and the Nunchuck, and another where the sword can be used with the right analog stick in handheld mode.

Read our review of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD

2. The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap

The Minish Cap is the only canon Zelda title developed by a company other than Nintendo, which is Capcom. Link accompanies Zelda to the Picori Festival to celebrate tiny people who call themselves Minish. It’s here that sorcerer Vaati, the first reincarnation of Demise, seeks the Light Force as he believes it hides the Picori Blade. After Vaati unleashes a horde of monsters from breaking the sword’s seal and turns Zelda to stone in the process, Link sets off to reforge the Picori Blade with the help of Ezlo, the eponymous Minish Cap who has the power to shrink the wearer down to the size of the Minish..

The Minish Cap is a prequel to Four Swords because once the Picori Blade is reforged, it turns into the Four Sword, which seals Vaati inside it. You can currently play the game on Nintendo Switch thanks to the GBA game update.

Read our review of The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap.

3. The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords

Vaati breaks from the seal of the Four Sword and kidnaps Zelda with the intent of making her his bride. After drawing the Four Sword, Link splits into four copies himself — green, red, blue, and purple — and they all have to work together to defeat various foes to get to Vaati, reseal him in the Four Sword, and rescue Zelda.

Fours Swords is the first multiplayer game in the series that was bundled with the 2002 Game Boy Advance version of A Link to the Past. It was later released as a standalone game for DSiWare.

Read our review of The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords.

4. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

After having premonitions of Ganondorf seizing the Triforce, a young Link is gifted the fairy Navi by the Great Deku Tree, who is cursed and dying, and sets them on a quest to stop him. He meets Princess Zelda, who had the same prophetic dreams as Link and they plot together to open the Door of Time to get to the Triforce before Ganondorf does. Unfortunately, when Link attempts to draw the Master Sword from the Pedestal of Time, he gets sealed away for seven years and wakes up to a Hyrule ravaged by Ganondorf. Finally old enough to wield the Master Sword, he accepts his destiny as the Hero of Time, and travels throughout the broken kingdom — and time — to re-assemble the Triforce and defeat Ganondorf.

Here’s where the time split comes in. After Ganondorf is sealed away in the Evil Realm, Zelda uses the Ocarina of Time to send Link back to his own time, but it splits into three branches — the Fallen Hero Timeline, where Ganon defeats Link; the Child Timeline, which follows Link back to his own time; and the Adult Timeline, where Link disappears from Hyrule. The Master Sword exists in the last two timelines; however Link places the sword back in the Pedestal of Time in the former, while Zelda does so in the latter.

Read our review of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time or check out more top N64 games.

Child Timeline

1. The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask

During his months-long search for Navi in this direct sequel to Ocarina of Time, Link runs into the Skull Kid, who wears the titular mask and steals Link’s horse, prompting the hero to chase him into the parallel world of Termina. The mask itself is inhabited by a demon named Majora, and corrupts the Skull Kid to the point where he plots to destroy Termina by bringing down the moon. With only three days to stop the apocalypse, Link uses transformative masks to free the Four Giants from four different regions to help keep the moon from colliding with the earth and defeat Majora.

After saving Termina from getting pummelled by the moon, Link resumes his search for Navi, never to be seen again. He turns into the Hero’s Spirit after his death.

Read our review of The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask.

2. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

In Twilight Princess, Link is a ranch hand and a descendant of the Hero’s Spirit. His peaceful life in Ordon Village is shattered by the shadow monsters called Bulbins, who he pursues after they kidnap the children and plunge most of Hyrule into Twilight. When Link enters the Twilight, he transforms into a wolf and teams up with an imp named Midna to go up against Zant, King of the Twilight, who seeks to rule over the realms of light and shadow.

After Link kills Zant with the Fused Shadow, he rescues Princess Zelda from a resurrected Ganondorf at Hyrule Castle and kills him with the Master Sword, which broke Link’s wolf curse after he drew it from the Sacred Grove, where the Temple of Time once stood.

Twilight Princess was the launch title for the Wii and the last first-party release for the Nintendo GameCube in 2006. It was remastered for the Wii U a decade later.

Read our review of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.

3. The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures

Centuries after Ganondorf’s death, Princess Zelda summons Link to the castle to protect her and her shrine maidens after figuring out that the strange occurrences plaguing Hyrule were caused by the weakening of Vaati’s seal. As Zelda works with the maidens to restrengthen the seal, Shadow Link appears and kidnaps them. This forces Link to pull the Four Sword and work his multi-colored clones once more to defeat his evil doppelganger, who turns out to be the minion of Ganon, who wants to plunge most of Hyrule into darkness.

Read our review of The Legend of Zelda: Four Sword Adventures.

Adult Timeline

1. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

In the first GameCube game of the series, Link is a resident of Outset Island who is not related to the Hero of Time whatsoever. He sets out to rescue his younger sister Aryll, who gets kidnapped by the Helmaroc King per Ganondorf’s command to kidnap young girls with pointed ears in the hopes of capturing Zelda. He gets help from the pirate captain Tetra — an incarnation of Zelda. With the help of her pirate crew and a talking boat called the King of Red Lions to sail the ocean, they explore the islands to gather the powers necessary to defeat Ganondorf.

Nintendo remastered The Wind Waker in HD for the Wii U in 2013 to hold fans over while they wait for a new entry to be developed the same console — which turned out to be Breath of the Wild for the Nintendo Switch — and to give developers room to test what they can do with the new hardware.

Read our review of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker.

2. The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass

After the events of The Wind Waker, Link sails with Tetra and her crew when they happen upon the Ghost Ship, one of the ships rumored to disappear in the World of the Ocean King. When Tetra boards the ship in sight, she disappears with it, prompting Link to rescue her only to get thrown overboard and wash up on Mercay Island. There he meets a fairy named Ciela and her grandfather Oshus, who gives Link the Phantom Hourglass to fend off the curse placed on the Temple of the Ocean King by Bellum.

Read our review of The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass.

3. The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks

A century after the events of Phantom Hourglass, Link is a Royal Engineer who goes to the Tower of Spirits with Princess Zelda to investigate the disappearance of the Spirit Tracks. Their train gets derailed by Chancellor Cole, an advisor to Zelda who reveals himself to be a demon on a mission to revive Malladus, the Demon King sealed underground long ago by the Lokomo people. Cole casts a spell that separates Zelda’s soul from her body in order to use her body as a vessel for Malladus, fragmenting the Tower of Spirits, while her soul stays with Link as they work to put it back in its rightful place.

Read our review of The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks.

Fallen Hero Timeline

1. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

Link heeds a telepathic call from Princess Zelda to come to Hyrule Castle to save her from her imprisonment by the dark wizard Agahnim that used his powers to brainwash Hyrule’s soldiers, depose the king, and banished six maidens to the Dark World in order to break the seal on Ganon and rule both the Light and Dark Worlds. Link’s uncle also heeds the call, but dies in the dungeon — but not before telling Link he’s the heir to the Knights of Hyrule. Link learns that in order to defeat Agahnim, he’ll have to collect the three Pendants of Virtue from dungeons across Hyrule and then get the Master Sword from the Lost Woods.

During Link’s travels to the Dark World via the Magic Mirror to rescue the maidens he discovers Agahnim to be Ganon’s alter ego and fights Ganon in the Pyramid of Power.

Read our review of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.

2. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening

On his way back to Hyrule following his training to prep for new disasters that would threaten the kingdom, Link gets caught in a storm in the middle of the ocean and ends up shipwrecked on the island of Koholint, where a giant egg sits on the peak of Mt. Tamaranch. He is rescued by Marin, a young woman who strongly resembles Princess Zelda despite the game not featuring her in any capacity, and learns that in order to leave the island, he’ll have to collect eight Instruments of the Sirens and wake the Wind Fish who sleeps in the egg.

Link’s Awakening received a 3D remake for the Nintendo Switch in 2019, which saw Link upgraded to a chibi design.

Read our review of The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening.

3. The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons

The Triforce calls Link to Holodrum, where he witnesses a dancer named Din, the titular Oracle of Seasons, get kidnapped by Onox, the General of Darkness. This event throws the seasons of the land into disarray. To restore the balance of the seasons, Link has to collect the eight Essences of Nature and use the Rod of Seasons to manipulate the seasons everywhere he goes. After rescuing Din, he gets transported to Labrynna, where Oracle of Ages takes place.

Read our review of The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons.

4. The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages

As in Oracle of Seasons, the Triforce beckons Link to Labrynna, where the singer Nayru is possessed by Veran the Sorceress of Shadows, disrupting the flow of time. Link uses the Harp of Ages to travel between past and present to collect the eight Essences of Time and fight Veran atop the Black Tower.

Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons have an ending that is linked with a password, so if one game is played as a sequel to the other, Twinrova captures Princess Zelda and lights the Flame of Despair. Link defeats Twinrova and a poorly revived Ganon and frees Zelda, leaving Labrynna by boat.

Read our review of The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages.

5. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds

In this game, Link, an apprentice to a blacksmith, encounters Yuga, who has been turning people throughout Hyrule into paintings, including the Seven Sages and Princess Zelda. Using a magic bracelet given to him by a mysterious peddler, Link travels to Lorule to stop Yuga’s ambitions to consume Hyrule and Lorule with Ganon at his side.

A Link Between Worlds is famous for its dual gameplay, as Link becomes a two-dimensional painting himself while traveling through the walls of Lorule and turns back into his three-dimensional self when he returns to Hyrule.

Read our review of The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds.

6. The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes

Tri Force Heroes is set in the kingdom of Hytopia, where Princess Styla is known for her beauty and impeccable taste in fashion. Unfortunately, the witch Lady Maud cursed Styla with a brown jumpsuit that she cannot take off at all, so Link joins two doppelgangers to gather the pieces of the Lady’s Ensemble and cure Styla of her fashion disaster.

Tri Force Heroes is the first game in the series to support online multiplayer. The controls are the same as Four Swords, even though there’s one less Link in the group.

Read our review of The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes.

7. The Legend of Zelda

Ganon is revived to lead his army to attack Hyrule, steal the Triforce of Power, and kidnap Princess Zelda. But before she was taken and subsequently imprisoned, Zelda splits the Triforce of Wisdom into eight pieces and scatters them throughout the kingdom to keep it from falling into Ganon’s hands, leading her nursemaid Impa to find Link. After learning of Ganon’s invasion, the hero finds the eight pieces of the Triforce of Wisdom, defeats him, and rescues Zelda.

Read our review of The Legend of Zelda.

8. Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link

Six years later after Ganon’s death, while helping to restore Hyrule, Link receives a glowing Triforce mark on his left hand on his 16th birthday. The mark opens the door to the altar where Princess Zelda I is under a sleeping curse, and Link learns the she’ll only be awakened with the Triforce of Courage, which is kept in the Great Palace. So Link sets out to deposit six crystals in the palaces around Hyrule, defeat six guardians, and beat any of Ganon’s minions trying to get his blood to revive him.

Read our review of Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link.

The Calamity Timeline

1. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity

Set 100 years before the events of Breath of the Wild, Link and Princess Zelda round up their allies to defend Hyrule against Calamity Ganon, who is attempting to revive himself and destroy the kingdom with his Malice. When a mysterious Guardian comes from the future bearing evidence of their failure, they expedite their efforts to team up with four champions of Hyrule’s other races to strengthen their forces and find the Master Sword in the Korok Forest to change the outcome of their battle.

Unable to defeat Calamity Ganon, even after the Divine Beasts have weakened him, Zelda seals herself and him away in Hyrule Castle, and sends Link to sleep at the Shrine of Resurrection for 100 years to heal his fatal wounds.

Read our review of Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity.

2. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

A century has passed, and Link awakens from his restorative slumber without his memories. Meanwhile, Zelda’s awakening powers have weakened, Calamity Ganon has grown stronger, and Hyrule has been completely destroyed by the Great Calamity. Link travels all over Hyrule to regain his memories, free the Divine Beasts of the Blight Ganons, and confront Ganon once more.

Breath of the Wild is still widely praised as one of the best open-world games, with a style that has inspired games outside the series like Immortals Fenyx Rising, Genshin Impact, and Sonic Frontiers.

Read our review of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

How To Play The Legend of Zelda Games By Release Date

If you want to play The Legend of Zelda games in the order in which they were released instead of switching between the modern games and the classic ones, here are all the mainline games by U.S. release date.

1. The Legend of Zelda – August 22, 1987 – NES
2. Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link – December 1, 1988 – NES
3. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past – April 13, 1992 – SNES
4. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening – August 6, 1993 – Game Boy
5. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time – November 21, 1998 – N64
6. The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask – October 26, 2000 – N64
7. The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages – May 13, 2001 – Game Boy Color
8. The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords – December 2, 2002 – Game Boy Advance
9. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker – March 24, 2003 – GameCube
10. The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures – June 7, 2004 – GameCube
11. The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap – January 10, 2005 – Game Boy Advance
12. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess – November 19, 2006 (Wii) / December 11, 2006 (GameCube)
13. The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass – October 1, 2007 – Nintendo DS
14. The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks – December 7, 2009 – Nintendo DS
15. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D – June 19, 2011 – Nintendo 3DS
16. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword – November 20, 2011 – Wii
17. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD – September 20, 2013 – Wii U
18. The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D – February 13, 2015 – Nintendo 3DS
19. The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes – October 23, 2015 – Nintendo 3DS
20. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD – March 4, 2016 – Wii U
21. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – March 3, 2017 – Nintendo Switch
22. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (2019) – September 20, 2019 – Nintendo Switch
23. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD – July 16, 2021 – Nintendo Switch
24. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – May 12, 2023 – Nintendo Switch