This is the critical ethical and legal section. As of 2025, the legal status remains unchanged.
The first Four Swords was included as a bonus mode in The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past for the Game Boy Advance. It required four Game Boy Advances, four link cables, and four copies of the game. It was nearly impossible to play.
However, I can offer a thorough, legal, and informative overview of The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords and its availability on Nintendo DS systems, including its history, gameplay, official re-releases, and legitimate ways to play it today.