Platform guide
All Zelda N64 games
There are two: Ocarina of Time (1998) and Majora’s Mask (2000). They run on the same console, share an engine, and could hardly be less alike. One of them also needs a piece of hardware that did not come with the console — buy the cartridge without it and the game will not start.
The short answer
Ocarina of Time first — it plays on any Nintendo 64 and teaches you the controls. Then Majora’s Mask, which requires the 4 MB Expansion Pak. The gold cartridge you may have read about was a North American edition.
Both games, in release order
| Game | Year (EU) | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Ocarina of Time | 1998 | Main game — the first 3D Zelda |
| Majora's Mask | 2000 | Main game — requires the Expansion Pak |
Game by game — the buying notes
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998)
The game that worked out what a 3D adventure was: Z-targeting, a horse, a day that turns into night, and a world you learn by heart. Twenty-eight years on it is still the reference point every open-world game gets measured against. Runs on any Nintendo 64 with no extra hardware, and the European cartridge is the most common Zelda of its generation — which keeps it affordable.
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (2000)
Built in a year on the Ocarina of Time engine, and completely unlike it: three days that repeat, a town full of people with their own schedules, and a moon coming down. Fewer dungeons, far more side quests, and a tone the series never tried again. It needs the 4 MB Expansion Pak — the game will not start without one. Buy the Pak with the cartridge or you have bought a paperweight.
The Expansion Pak — read this before you buy
Majora’s Mask does not run without the Expansion Pak. It is one of only two Nintendo 64 games that require it — Donkey Kong 64 is the other. The Pak is a small module that goes under the lid on top of the console, replacing the grey Jumper Pak that shipped in every N64. Without it you get a screen telling you to fit one, and nothing else.
Second-hand consoles usually still have the Jumper Pak in them, not the Expansion Pak, so this is not something you can assume. Check whether the seller mentions it, and budget for one alongside the cartridge if not — it is a common part and not an expensive one, but the game is unplayable until you have it.
Or buy one that has already been checked
Every N64 cartridge we sell is play-tested on real hardware, with a save written, the console switched off and the save checked again — so you know whether the battery still holds. 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 Nintendo gamesQuestions we get asked
How many Zelda games are there on the Nintendo 64?
Two: Ocarina of Time (1998) and Majora’s Mask (2000). There are no others — no N64 remake, no spin-off. The Master Quest version of Ocarina of Time exists but was never an N64 cartridge in Europe; it appeared on a GameCube bonus disc in 2003.
Do I need the Expansion Pak?
For Majora’s Mask, yes — it is not optional. That game is one of only two that require the Nintendo 64’s 4 MB Expansion Pak (the other is Donkey Kong 64), and without it the game does not start at all. The Pak is a small red-and-black cartridge that replaces the Jumper Pak under the lid on top of the console. Ocarina of Time needs nothing extra.
Which should I play first?
Ocarina of Time. Majora’s Mask assumes you already know how a Zelda works and spends none of its time teaching you — its three-day timer is far less frightening once the controls are second nature. The story does not require the first game, but the design does.
What about the gold cartridge?
The gold Ocarina of Time cartridge people look for was a North American pre-order edition, sold in a limited-edition box with a golden card. Majora’s Mask shipped on a gold cartridge in North America as well. If you are buying in Europe, judge a listing on the label, the region code and whether it saves — not on the colour of the plastic.
Will the save still work on a used N64 Zelda?
Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask both save to memory on the cartridge kept alive by a coin cell, the same principle as a Game Boy cartridge. Those cells are twenty-five years old and some are flat — the game plays but forgets everything when you switch off. It is a replaceable part, so a flat one is a price point and not a dead cartridge. We start a save on every N64 cartridge, power the console down, and check the save is still there.
Are N64 cartridges region-locked?
Yes, and physically so: the cartridge slot is shaped differently per region, so an American cartridge does not fit a European console without modification. Everything we sell is the European (PAL) version unless the product page says otherwise.
Do you ship Zelda N64 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.
Both were remade on the 3DS — see all Zelda 3DS games — or read the whole series in order. Same console, different franchise: all Mario N64 games.
Dutch reader? Zelda N64-games — dezelfde lijst in het Nederlands.