Platform guide
All Zelda 3DS games
Five Zelda games came out on a Nintendo 3DS cartridge: two remakes of N64 classics, one original that is a direct sequel to the SNES game, a co-operative spin-off and a Koei Tecmo crossover. Since the eShop closed in March 2023 a cartridge is the only way left to buy any of them — and every 3DS also plays the two Zelda DS cards, which makes one console enough for seven handheld Zeldas.
The short answer
Ocarina of Time 3D (2011) → A Link Between Worlds (2013) → Majora’s Mask 3D and Tri Force Heroes (2015) → Hyrule Warriors Legends (2016). Start with A Link Between Worlds for the best original, or Ocarina of Time 3D for the classic. All five run on any 3DS, 3DS XL, 2DS, New 3DS or New 2DS XL.
Every Zelda 3DS cartridge, in release order
| Game | Year (EU) | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Ocarina of Time 3D | 2011 | Remake of the 1998 N64 game |
| A Link Between Worlds | 2013 | Sequel to A Link to the Past |
| Majora's Mask 3D | 2015 | Remake of the 2000 N64 game |
| Tri Force Heroes | 2015 | Co-operative spin-off |
| Hyrule Warriors Legends | 2016 | Spin-off — Koei Tecmo crossover |
Game by game — the buying notes
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D (2011)
A rebuilt Ocarina of Time, not an emulation: new models, a touch-screen item menu that removes most of the pausing, and the Master Quest included with the dungeons mirrored. The definitive way to play the game that most people mean when they say Zelda, and the reason plenty of 3DS consoles were bought.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (2013)
A direct sequel to the SNES game, on the same Hyrule map, with the wall-merging trick that turns a top-down world into a puzzle. You rent or buy items in any order instead of finding them dungeon by dungeon, which makes it the most open Zelda before Breath of the Wild. The best original Zelda on the system.
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D (2015)
The three-day loop, remade with a clearer save system and reworked boss fights. Darker and stranger than Ocarina of Time and shorter on dungeons, but the side quests are the point. Printed in smaller numbers than Ocarina of Time 3D and priced accordingly.
The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes (2015)
Three Links stacked in a totem, built for three players — locally, or online while that lasted. Solo you swap between two dolls and yourself, which works but is not what it was made for. The odd one out in the line-up, and the cheapest.
Hyrule Warriors Legends (2016)
Not a Zelda made by Nintendo but a Dynasty Warriors game wearing Zelda: hundreds of enemies at a time, a large roster and the Wind Waker characters added over the Wii U original. Buy it for the fan service, not for the puzzles.
The ones that went with the eShop
Four more Zeldas were playable on a 3DS as downloads and are not on the list above, because there is no longer a way to buy them: the Game Boy Color pair Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons, Link’s Awakening DX, and the Game Boy Advance game The Minish Cap, all on Virtual Console — plus the free Four Swords Anniversary Edition. The March 2023 shutdown ended all of it. The originals still exist on cartridge, which is why the Game Boy Advance Zeldas have held their value.
Or buy one that has already been checked
Every 3DS cartridge we sell is checked for authenticity and play-tested on real hardware, with the save verified. We have been doing this since 2019, with 1400+ verified reviews at 5.0★, and we ship tracked to all 27 EU countries.
Browse tested 3DS gamesQuestions we get asked
How many Zelda games are there on the Nintendo 3DS?
Five on a cartridge: Ocarina of Time 3D (2011), A Link Between Worlds (2013), Majora’s Mask 3D and Tri Force Heroes (both 2015) and the spin-off Hyrule Warriors Legends (2016). There were more on the eShop — the Oracle games, The Minish Cap, Link’s Awakening DX and the free Four Swords Anniversary Edition — but the eShop closed in March 2023, so none of those can be bought any more. On top of the five, every 3DS also plays both Zelda DS cards.
Which Zelda 3DS game should I buy first?
A Link Between Worlds if you want the best original game on the system, Ocarina of Time 3D if you want the classic in its best version. Majora’s Mask 3D is the one to buy third, and only after those two — it assumes you already like the series.
Can I still download Zelda games on a 3DS?
No. Nintendo closed the 3DS eShop in March 2023 and every digital purchase route closed with it. A physical cartridge is now the only way to buy any 3DS game, which is why boxed copies have firmed up in price since.
Are 3DS games region-locked?
Yes. Unlike the DS, the whole 3DS family is region-locked: a European cartridge works in any European 3DS, 3DS XL, 2DS, New 3DS or New 2DS XL, but an American or Japanese one will not. Everything we sell is the European version unless the product page says otherwise.
Do the Zelda DS games work on a 3DS?
Yes — every 3DS and 2DS plays DS cards, so Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks run on the same console. That makes one 3DS or 2DS enough for seven handheld Zelda games. The reverse does not work: a 3DS cartridge will not fit a DS.
What is a “Nintendo Selects” copy?
A cheaper reprint of a title that sold well, with a red case instead of a white one. The game on the cartridge is identical to the first print; only the packaging differs. Collectors usually pay more for the first print, and we say on the product page which one a copy is.
Do you ship Zelda 3DS games across the EU?
Yes — tracked shipping from the Netherlands to all 27 EU countries, no customs charges inside the EU, and 30 days to return an order. Your country’s exact rate appears at checkout before you pay.
One console down: both Zelda DS games, or the Game Boy Advance ones — or the whole series in order. Same platform, different franchise: all Pokémon 3DS games and all Mario 3DS games.
Dutch reader? Zelda 3DS-games — dezelfde lijst in het Nederlands.
