What is the most feasible option to play (almost) all Zelda games?

Question

Given the timeline list of games on The Legend of Zelda - Wikipedia, what would be the most feasible option to preferably legally play all (or a vast majority of) the games in the series?

These are the options I can think of:

• buying all original consoles + games (difficult & expensive)
• buying all cartridges/disks + a way to read or back them up, and use emulation to play them (this might not be legal in some jurisdictions or at a point in time)
• buying consoles which offer the older games for download (either original or remastered/updated/special editions, if the latter doesn't dramatically change the storyline).
• Downloading everything (this might not be legal in some jurisdictions or at a point in time)

What would the most feasible option be?

Answer 1

As of 2023-01-23

TL;DR

The cheapest way to play all (main) Zelda games is to buy a Wii U and a New 3DS or New 2DS, which gives you access to almost all (main) Zelda games ever released, with a few caveats:

• Four Swords and Four Swords Adventure require a GBA and NGC respectively (or the backward compatible NDS and Wii).
• Four Swords Anniversary Edition is an updated remaster of the GBA original released for free as DSiWare, and is no longer available.
• The remakes are almost identical to their original in terms of content.
  • Skyward Sword HD has minor graphical improvements and the ability to play without motion controls.
  • Twilight Princess HD has minor graphical improvements. It also offers an additional optional dungeon if you own the right Amiibo.
  • The Wind Waker HD has significant improvements to graphics and music. It has a few new features, such as the ability to take selfies and send messages to other players online. The Triforce Shard quest has been shortened, and the Pictobox no longer needs to be upgraded to take color pictures. The Tingle Tuner has also been removed.
  • Link's Awakening (2019) is a remake of Link's Awakening DX, which is now rendered in 3D instead of using sprites. It features numerous improvements, such as warp points, a dungeon creator, improved controls, and more.
  • Link's Awakening DX adds color to the game, as well as a new dungeon that requires color to be completed. The color dungeon is not accessible on the original GB. A new photo sidequest has been added, and the photos can be printed on the Game Boy Printer (only on GB and GBC). Has a few minor content changes, such as different chest contents and some areas having a different landscape.

Keep the following compatibility list in mind (consoles on the right can play games from consoles on the left). This list only applies to physical games:

• GB -> SNES (via Super Game Boy)
• GB -> GBC -> GBA -> NGC (via Game Boy Player)
• GBA -> NDS
• NDS -> DSi -> 3DS/2DS -> New 3DS/2DS
• NGC -> Wii
• Wii -> Wii U
• Switch

In addition, some GBC games, like Link's Awakening DX, can be played on GB and SNES (via Super Game Boy). Some others, like Oracle of Ages/Seasons, can not.

Switch

• Physical/Digital
  • Breath of the Wild
  • Skyward Sword HD (Remaster)
  • Link's Awakening (2019 Remake)
• NES — Nintendo Switch Online
  • Zelda II - The Adventure of Link
  • The Legend of Zelda
• SNES — Nintendo Switch Online
  • A Link to the Past
• N64 — Nintendo Switch Online
  • Majora's Mask
  • Ocarina of Time

Wii U

• Physical/Digital
  • Breath of the Wild
  • Twilight Princess HD (Remaster)
  • The Wind Waker HD (Remake)
• Wii Digital
  • Skyward Sword
• Virtual Console (Digital only)
  • Ocarina of Time (N64)
  • Majora's Mask (N64)
  • Phantom Hourglass (NDS)
  • Spirit Tracks (NDS)
  • The Minish Cap (GBA)
  • A Link to the Past (SNES)
  • Zelda II - The Adventure of Link (NES)
  • The Legend of Zelda (NES)

(New) 3DS/2DS

• Physical/Digital
  • Tri Force Heroes
  • A Link Between Worlds
  • Majora's Mask 3D (Remake)
  • Ocarina of Time 3D (Remake)
• Virtual Console (Digital only)
  • Oracle of Ages (GBC)
  • Oracla of Seasons (GBC)
  • Link's Awakening DX (GBC)
  • A Link to the Past (SNES; only on New 3DS)
  • Zelda II - The Adventure of Link (NES)
  • The Legend of Zelda (NES)

Wii

• Physical
  • Skyward Sword
  • Twilight Princess
• Digital (Since the servers have been shut down, there is no way to buy digital games on Wii anymore)

NDS/DSi

• Physical
  • Spirit Tracks
  • Phantom Hourglass
• Digital (Since the servers have been shut down, there is no way to buy digital games on DSi anymore)

NGC

• Twilight Princess
• Four Swords Adventure
• The Wind Waker
• Majora's Mask (Emulated; part of bundle or promotion)
• Ocarina of Time Master Quest (Port of N64 original + new challenges; part of bundle or promotion)
• Zelda II - The Adventure of Link (Part of bundle)
• The Legend of Zelda (Part of bundle)

GBA

• The Minish Cap
• A Link to the Past & Four Swords (Port of SNES original + multiplayer)

N64

• Majora's Mask
• Ocarina of Time

GBC

• Oracle of Ages
• Oracle of Seasons
• Link's Awakening DX (Color remake of GB original)

SNES

• A Link to the Past

GB

• Link's Awakening

NES

• Zelda II - The Adventure of Link
• The Legend of Zelda

No longer available

• Four Swords Anniversary Edition (DSi; remaster)

Not included in this list

• The various spinoffs, such as Hyrule Warriors, Link's Crossbow Training, etc.