Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFor most Nintendo series, play the mainline games in their original release order. That preserves the way mechanics, characters and storytelling developed. Use timeline order only when Nintendo has published a chronology that supports it—most notably The Legend of Zelda, whose history branches after Ocarina of Time.
This guide separates mainline games from remakes, ports, spin-offs and crossovers, explains how to build a practical list for each franchise, and shows how current hardware and regional release dates affect what you can play today.
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What “release order” and “timeline order” mean
Release order means the date on which each game first launched commercially, normally using the first Japanese release and noting North American or European dates when they differ. It is the safest default because you experience a series’ controls, systems and narrative conventions as players originally did. A later game may assume that you already understand an older mechanic, recognize a returning character or appreciate a technical improvement that was not present in the previous entry.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchTimeline order means arranging games by the fictional chronology of their stories. That only works when the publisher has established a sufficiently clear canon. Nintendo has done this most explicitly for The Legend of Zelda. Nintendo describes each game as part of Hyrule’s history and explains that Ocarina of Time creates a split between Child and Adult timelines. Its published materials also show a Downfall branch. Those branches cannot be represented honestly as one uninterrupted list.
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Other Nintendo series may contain recurring characters, parallel worlds or implied connections without a single publisher-issued order. In those cases, call a proposed sequence a fan interpretation, or stay with release order rather than presenting speculation as canon.
Set your scope before making a list
Nintendo’s catalogue spans decades and includes platform games, role-playing games, remakes, ports, sports titles, party games, licensed releases and crossovers. A useful guide starts by deciding what counts as the core series.
Mainline games
Include the numbered or clearly identified continuation of the principal series. For Super Mario, that usually means the main 2D and 3D platformers. For Pokémon, it means the core role-playing-game generations. For Metroid, keep the 2D line and the Prime line visible as related but distinct subseries.
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Remakes and remasters
Keep a remake beside the original entry instead of silently substituting it. The original shows the design context of its era; the remake may be the more accessible way to play the same adventure. Label both, for example: “Original release” and “Optional modern version.” A remaster can alter graphics, controls, sound, difficulty or quality-of-life features, so it is not always interchangeable with the first edition.
Spin-offs and crossovers
Place racing, party, sports, puzzle and crossover games in a separate branch. They may be excellent games, but inserting them between core entries obscures the development of the main series. Licensed releases should be separated as well, because their story and ownership context may not match Nintendo’s internal canon.
Ports and regional editions
A port normally does not receive a new position in the story. Record it as an access option under the original game. Regional dates still matter: Nintendo’s launch information warns that release dates can differ by region and can change, so identify whether your list uses Japan, North America or Europe as its reference.
How to build a release-order list
- Choose one franchise. Do not begin with every Nintendo title ever released. A series-by-series list remains readable and shows how its own mechanics evolved.
- Define “mainline.” Write the rule at the top of your notes, such as “core platformers only” or “core role-playing games, with remakes in a separate column.”
- Record the first commercial date. Keep Japan, North America and Europe in separate date fields where the launches differ.
- Insert remakes as notes. Put a remake or remaster beside its source game, not in place of it.
- Mark branches. Use labels such as “Prime subseries,” “remake,” “spin-off,” “crossover” or “licensed” so readers know why an item is outside the core sequence.
- Choose a stopping point. You can stop at a completed era, the latest game available in your region or the point where you want to switch to another franchise.
For a multi-franchise challenge, either finish one series before starting another or use a year-by-year calendar as a historical exercise. A single mega-list that mixes a platformer, a role-playing game, a racing game and a handheld remake in one column hides the design history you are trying to understand.
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Super Mario
Start with Super Mario Bros., then continue through the numbered and major 3D platformers in release order. This route makes the evolution from fixed-screen and side-scrolling movement to free 3D exploration easy to see. Keep Mario Kart, Mario Party, sports games and Mario role-playing branches in their own lists. They share characters and themes, but their mechanics develop independently. A remake or compilation can be your practical way to access an older platformer; retain the original release year in your notes.
The Legend of Zelda
For a first playthrough, begin with the original game’s 1986 Japanese release (its North American NES release followed in 1987), then proceed by original release date. Release order avoids asking a newcomer to understand a complicated chronology before learning the series’ recurring ideas: exploration, dungeon structure, item-based progression and the relationship between Link, Zelda and Hyrule.
After an initial release-order pass, try the official chronology as a second route. The important point is not to flatten it into one line. Ocarina of Time, released in 1998, is the branching point described by Nintendo. The chronology then separates into Child, Adult and Downfall branches. Treat each branch as its own mini-series and identify entries whose placement depends on Nintendo’s current published materials. Nintendo can revise explanatory pages, so check the current version before committing to a definitive order for later-era games such as Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.
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Metroid
Separate the 2D entries from the Prime subseries. Release order is the simplest first route because the publication sequence is not the same as the internal placement of every Prime game. Playing the 2D games in launch order shows how exploration, ability gates and map design changed; playing the Prime games together gives the first-person adventure branch a coherent control and interface progression. Add remakes as optional modern versions beside the originals.
Pokémon
Use generation order for the core role-playing games. Keep remakes and Legends titles as branch entries rather than merging every release into one sequence. A generation-first list makes the introduction of new regions, battle systems and connectivity features clear. Spin-offs such as puzzle, mystery-dungeon, fighting and photography games should remain separate. Pokémon’s Japanese debut was in 1996; later regional launches may be separated by months, so label the territory used in your calendar.
Kirby, Animal Crossing, Pikmin and Splatoon
Release order is the practical choice for these series. Their appeal depends heavily on systems that are refined from one entry to the next: Kirby’s copy abilities and level design, Animal Crossing’s schedules and social systems, Pikmin’s time and resource management, and Splatoon’s movement, weapons and online structure. Remakes, enhanced editions and mobile or crossover experiments should be listed separately so the core progression remains visible.
Fire Emblem
Treat each numbered or named entry as a release-led chapter. Some games share settings or characters, while others are independent worlds. Start with the title that is available in your region, then follow directly connected games in release order. Place remakes beside their source games and keep crossover appearances outside the principal sequence.
Xenoblade Chronicles
Play the numbered entries in release order unless you have a specific reason to follow a documented story connection. The games can be enjoyed as distinct chapters even when they share terminology or thematic links. Put definitive editions and other remasters in an optional column and do not assume that a later release must be played first simply because its fictional setting is earlier.
How to use Zelda’s official timeline without getting lost
1. Play or understand Ocarina of Time before choosing a branch
Ocarina of Time functions as the key transition in Nintendo’s published history. Its ending produces separate outcomes, so a chronology-first reader should regard it as the point where one list becomes several.
2. Follow the Child branch as its own route
The Child branch follows the outcome in which the younger Link returns to an earlier point in his life. Games commonly associated with this branch include Majora’s Mask, Twilight Princess and Four Swords Adventures. Present them as a branch, not as a continuation that also contains the Adult entries.
3. Follow the Adult branch separately
The Adult branch follows the future in which the older Link’s era continues without him. It includes The Wind Waker, released in 2003, and its related follow-ups Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks. Their shared visual and historical references make the branch easier to follow when played together.
4. Treat the Downfall branch as a third column
Nintendo’s materials also identify a Downfall outcome. Games associated with that branch include A Link to the Past, the Oracle games and Link’s Awakening, among others. Because the branch is not a sequel line in the same sense as the Child and Adult routes, explain the branch label on your list instead of hiding it in a footnote.
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5. Verify the placement of later-era games
Use Nintendo’s current timeline materials for the placement of later entries. Do not claim that every game has an uncontested location: official explanatory pages can change, and Nintendo has not always presented one universally accepted position for every era. If a placement is described as “at the end” or left deliberately broad, preserve that qualification.
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When no official timeline exists
Do not manufacture a canon chronology from recurring names, similar worlds or fan theories. A series may have an internal history without Nintendo publishing a complete order. In that situation, use release order as the authoritative editorial sequence and add a clearly labeled “possible story connections” note only when it helps readers. Words such as “fan interpretation,” “commonly proposed” and “not officially confirmed” prevent a helpful theory from becoming a false fact.
This approach is especially useful for series with anthology structures. A game can share a character, item or motif with another title without requiring you to play one first. If Nintendo has not issued a chronology, let the player choose based on availability, genre preference and tolerance for older controls.
Release order versus timeline order
| Decision factor | Release order | Timeline order |
|---|---|---|
| Canon confidence | High: the launch sequence is a documented fact. | High only where Nintendo publishes a chronology; otherwise it may be interpretive. |
| Gameplay continuity | Shows mechanics and interfaces evolving naturally. | Can jump between eras, systems and control schemes. |
| Availability | Usually easy to plan around modern remakes and collections. | May require older hardware or several different editions to follow one branch. |
| Remake burden | Original and modern version can be paired clearly. | A remake may represent an earlier story era but arrive much later. |
| Spoiler risk | Later games reveal references in the order audiences received them. | A prequel can reveal a setting or character twist before the intended reveal. |
| Branch tolerance | Mostly linear within a defined subseries. | Requires separate columns or branch headings when the canon splits. |
Choose release order if you are new to a franchise, care about design history or want the least complicated shopping and hardware plan. Choose timeline order after a first pass when the story chronology is the main attraction and an official source supports the route.
Current hardware and access considerations
Nintendo identifies Nintendo Switch 2 as its current gaming system and promotes Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack for online play and access to classic games. The Switch 2 catalogue includes current entries from Mario, Zelda, Metroid, Pokémon, Fire Emblem, Kirby, Splatoon and Animal Crossing, among other series. Availability is title-specific: a remake, a subscription catalogue entry and a backward-compatible edition are different access cases.
Nintendo’s investor schedule lists forthcoming or current titles including Pokémon Legends: Z-A, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, Super Mario Galaxy releases and Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave. The schedule warns that dates can differ by region and change. Before starting a route, check your regional Nintendo store for the exact edition, language options, remake status, subscription requirement and release date.
A practical access checklist
- Confirm which Nintendo system runs the specific version you want.
- Check whether the game is sold separately, included in a subscription catalogue or available only as a remake or remaster.
- Verify regional release dates and language support.
- Check whether online features or downloadable content are required for the experience you want.
- Record the edition in your list so a later port does not look like a separate story entry.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
Putting every Mario-branded game in one line
Problem: platformers, racing, party and sports games become impossible to compare. Fix: keep the main platformers in release order and create separate branch lists for each genre.
Replacing an original with a remake without saying so
Problem: readers lose the historical context and may assume the remake was the first release. Fix: show the original year and identify the remake as an optional modern version.
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Calling a fan theory official
Problem: a plausible connection is presented as settled canon. Fix: reserve “official timeline” for a chronology Nintendo has published; label everything else as interpretation.
Ignoring regional dates
Problem: a reader’s date does not match the list, especially for older games and staggered launches. Fix: state the territory used and add the other regional dates when they materially differ.
Following a branch without a hardware plan
Problem: a chronology looks complete on paper but requires unavailable editions. Fix: check current hardware, remakes and Nintendo Switch Online catalogues first, then choose the nearest practical version while preserving the original entry’s position.
Three workable play plans
The newcomer plan
- Pick one franchise with a current entry or remake that you can access.
- Play the mainline games in release order.
- Skip spin-offs until you know whether the core mechanics appeal to you.
- Use a remake when it is the only practical access route, but note which original it represents.
The historian plan
- Build a release calendar with Japan, North America and Europe dates.
- Play one franchise at a time so control and design changes remain apparent.
- Compare the original release with its remake after finishing the underlying game.
- Keep a separate list for hardware generations and subscription access.
The lore plan
- Start with the release order of the series so you recognize its recurring ideas.
- For Zelda, replay or review Ocarina of Time before selecting Child, Adult or Downfall.
- Follow each official branch separately.
- Mark uncertain or fan-proposed placements instead of forcing them into a single line.
Bottom line
Use release order as your default for Nintendo franchises: define the mainline, preserve original launch dates, and move remakes, ports, spin-offs and crossovers into clearly labeled side lists. Use timeline order as a specialist route where Nintendo has supplied a chronology, with The Legend of Zelda as the clearest example. Its branches after Ocarina of Time should be shown separately, while franchises without an official sequence should remain release-led rather than being assigned an invented canon.
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