Zelda story in order? What order? (Zelda spoilers inside)

[KentaRawr!]

There is a big probability that huge Zelda Spoilers are ahead. If you do not want one or more of the Zelda Games to be spoiled for you, leave now!

As many of you know, the Zelda games go in some sort of order, and Nintendo has a big ol' document that links them all together. Sadly though, Nintendo doesn't explain much what order they go in. So, what order do YOU think they go in? Firstly, here are parts of the order that Nintendo confirmed and a chart explaining what each abbreviation means. Please use these abbreviations when you are posting what order you think the Zelda Games go in.

Legend of Zelda = LoZ
Zelda 2: Adventure of Link = AoL
Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past = Alttp
Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening = LA
Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages = OoA
Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons = OoS
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time = OoT
Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask = MM
Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker = WW
Legend of Zelda: Minish Cap = MC
Legend of Zelda: Four Swords = FS
Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures = FSA
Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess = TP
Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass = PH

The following chart (Which is a chart showing the confirmed pieces of the order by Nintendo) goes from left to right. When there are two games in one section, that means they happened at the same time. If there are two games in one section and a question mark in between them, that means that we don't know if they happened at the same time or not.

Alttp > LA ? LoZ > AoL
Notes: In the manual of Link's Awakening, it states that Link's Awakening comes after A Link to the Past in some way or another. Nintendo said a while ago though that A Link to the Past comes before the Legend of Zelda 1. Whether or not LA and LoZ at the same time or not is yet to be confirmed (as far as I know). Also, Adventure of Link takes place right after the Legend of Zelda 1. Link apparently defeated Ganon, and Zelda falls under a spell. Once Zelda falls under the sleeping spell, you go out looking for the cure. But Ganon's minions want Ganon to be revived, so they go out lookin' for ya. Thanks for the Action Game/RPG excuse, Nintendo! >=/

OoT > MM ? TP > WW > PH
Notes: As we all probably know, Majora's Mask is a direct sequel to Ocarina of Time. Link goes out to find Navi, blah blah. The Wind Waker also makes very clear references to Ocarina of Time. However, both games speak of OoT in a different way. Majora's Mask speaks as though Link and Zelda actually made sure that Ganon never obtained the Triforce of Power. The Wind Waker speaks as though Ganon did obtain the Triforce of Power, and that he managed to rule the land for 7 years until Link stopped him. Right after Link stopped him, he was sent back in time by Zelda, in an attempt to make sure that Ganon never obtained the Triforce of Power. Confusing, is it not? This is why I, and many others believe that a second time-line was made afterwards. Now onto a different subject in the Zelda matter, Nintendo has stated that Twilight Princess comes in-between Ocarina of Time and the Wind Waker, so this is going to be before the flood. While we don't know if it happens at the same time as Majora's Mask or not, it's a safe bet that it comes after, as Nintendo has said it (TP) could be decades after OoT, while in Majora's Mask, the Link of OoT is still just a kid. On a side-note, Nintendo has said that Phantom Hourglass comes after the Wind Waker.

Sadly, I do not know the confirmed order for any more of the games. If someone could post a link confirming more as far as the timeline in Zelda goes, it would be greatly appreciated.

Keep in mind that these lists can enter the other lists in any order depending on how Nintendo pleases. That's why it's so hard to find out which games come after which games. >_< Anyway, what order do you think they go in? I haven't come up with a full theory yet, but I think that FSA comes up some time after Majora's Mask. I say this because in Ocarina of Time (Adult Version), Ganondorf gets his power from the Triforce of Power. In the Child Version of OoT, however, he does not. Majora's Mask takes place in the child time-line. In Four Swords Adventures, Ganondorf never obtains the Triforce of Power. All he gets is a cool Trident. The... >_> TRIDENT OF POWER!!!

Edit: Ah, this link here confirms that two time-lines exist. n.n Just thought I'd note that part.

http://www.zeldalegends.net/index.php?p=233&style=tww
Q: Where does The Wind Waker fit into the overall Zelda series timeline?
Aonuma: You can think of this game as taking place over a hundred years after Ocarina of Time. You can tell this from the opening story, and there are references to things from Ocarina located throughout the game as well.
Miyamoto: Well, wait, which point does the hundred years start from?
Aonuma: From the end.
Miyamoto: No, I mean, as a child or as a...
Aonuma: Oh, right, let me elaborate on that. Ocarina of Time basically has two endings of sorts; one has Link as a child and the other has him as an adult. This game, The Wind Waker, takes place a hundred years* after the adult Link defeats Ganon at the end of Ocarina.
Miyamoto: This is pretty confusing for us, too. (laughs) So be careful.


Start thinking... NOW!!!

[vampirepiggyhunter7]

OoS and OoA are the same time, but different possibilities.
I think the entire series is based on different variations of a popular (yet unknown to the real world) myth, since not all of the games have the EXACT same land features in EXACTLY the same place.
As for the direct sequels, they are a continuation of the myth.
I think the MC, and FS are in the same series if any, but the OoT series is not roped in with the WW series.
So, some variations could be:
OoT>MM>TP
WW>PH
MC>FSA>FS (I don't remember original FS that well...)

Originally there was going to be an "Oracle of Secrets" game for Farore, so I think the Oracle games are their own.

ALttP>LA>LoZ>AoL is probably right.
But what about the horrors of...
http://img.2dehands.nl/f/normal/11799809-gezocht-cd-i-zelda-adventurs-link-face-of-evil.jpg
Maybe that's the preschool version of the myth.

[KentaRawr!]

OoS and OoA are the same time, but different possibilities.
I think the entire series is based on different variations of a popular (yet unknown to the real world) myth, and. Not all of the games have the EXACT same land features in EXACTLY the same place.
As for the direct sequels, they are a continuation of the myth.
I think the MC, and FS are in the same series if any, but the OoT series is not roped in with the WW series.
So, some variations could be:
OoT>MM>TP
WW>PH
MC>FSA>FS (I don't remember original FS that well...)

Originally there was going to be an "Oracle of Secrets" game for Farore, so I think the Oracle games are their own.

ALttP>LA>LoZ>AoL is probably right.

:O But wait a second. About the WW part, in the Wind Waker, the very villain of the game is the same one from OoT, Ganondorf. In the intro, it states that Adult Link sealed Ganon away in the dark realm, and then somehow, Ganon managed to escape from his prison. Then the world was flooded, but the Hyrulians (I use Hyrulian to say the people of Hyrule, which includes Gorons, Hylians, Kokiri, etc.) were spared, while Ganondorf stayed under the sea (down where it's wetter). There was also some sort of seal on his powers, and later on in the game, when you take the master-sword out of the pedestal, the seal of his power is broken. :O

[vampirepiggyhunter7]

OoS and OoA are the same time, but different possibilities.
I think the entire series is based on different variations of a popular (yet unknown to the real world) myth, and. Not all of the games have the EXACT same land features in EXACTLY the same place.
As for the direct sequels, they are a continuation of the myth.
I think the MC, and FS are in the same series if any, but the OoT series is not roped in with the WW series.
So, some variations could be:
OoT>MM>TP
WW>PH
MC>FSA>FS (I don't remember original FS that well...)

Originally there was going to be an "Oracle of Secrets" game for Farore, so I think the Oracle games are their own.

ALttP>LA>LoZ>AoL is probably right.

:O But wait a second. About the WW part, in the Wind Waker, the very villain of the game is the same one from OoT, Ganondorf. In the intro, it states that Adult Link sealed Ganon away in the dark realm, and then somehow, Ganon managed to escape from his prison. Then the world was flooded, but the Hyrulians (I use Hyrulian to say the people of Hyrule, which includes Gorons, Hylians, Kokiri, etc.) were spared, while Ganondorf stayed under the sea (down where it's wetter). There was also some sort of seal on his powers, and later on in the game, when you take the master-sword out of the pedestal, the seal of his power is broken. :O
Another thing I've been thinking about is that: Perhaps there is some sort of reincarnation involved. Like it's a supposedly real story that takes place decades, centuries, etc. betwixt (I love that word) games.
I dunno. You're obviously a bigger Zelda fan than me, so *shrug*:mog:
Maybe it'll all fall into place when the LoZ games after PH and TP come out are released.

[KentaRawr!]

Another thing I've been thinking about is that: Perhaps there is some sort of reincarnation involved. Like it's a supposedly real story that takes place decades, centuries, etc. betwixt (I love that word) games.
I dunno. You're obviously a bigger Zelda fan than me, so *shrug*:mog:
Maybe it'll all fall into place when the LoZ games after PH and TP come out are released.

Well, Link in the Wind Waker is supposed to be a descendant of Link in OoT. I guess you could call THAT reincarnation. o_O

[vampirepiggyhunter7]

Who knows?
We'll probably only know when the creator dies and leaves the answers in his will...

[Levian]

The only games that are linked, in my opinion, is Ocarina of Time and Majoras Mask. In every other Zelda game Link meets Zelda for the first time in each of the games. In Majoras Mask he already knows Zelda from Ocarina of Time.

[KentaRawr!]

The only games that are linked, in my opinion, is Ocarina of Time and Majoras Mask. In every other Zelda game Link meets Zelda for the first time in each of the games. In Majoras Mask he already knows Zelda from Ocarina of Time.

There are multiple Links, silly. :p If you have played the Wind Waker, you would be able to tell. In the Wind Waker, it makes perfectly clear reference to Ocarina of Time. However, it's also clear that this isn't the same Link. Also, if you had read the "Confirmed Order" section, you would see that more than OoT and MM are linked. :mad2: Big meany.

[FF_Chick]

I've read it went like this.

OoT (When Ganondorf was sealed) Lttp (When Aganihm summoned Ganondorf in Ganon Form) Minish cap (Vaati is created from parts of Ganon's actual hatred) WW (Ganondorf is revived)

There are zeldas in between them though. Like from OoT to Majora's mask, to Twilight princess, to Lttp, to LA, To Oracles, to Minish cap, to TP, ect.

[Zeromus_X]

If certain games are linked, it'll be obvious. (Like OoT and Majora.) Otherwise, I've always considered it like FF, where each of the games is related, but not chronologically. (If that makes sense.)

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

Ocarina of Time
Majora's Mask
The Wind Waker
A Link to the Past
Link's Awakening
The Hyrule Fantasy (the first game)
The Adventure of Link
This much is prettymuch set in stone.

Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages were intended to precede Link's Awakening, but due to various plot contradictions overlooked by Flagship, the developers of those games, they really don't fit into the main timeline. The most you could say is that they have their own little timeline going on.
Oracle of Seasons
Oracle of Ages
Link's Awakening
The Four Swords games similarly have their own little mythology going on with Vaati and the Four Sword and so forth. They, too, can only be made sense of if they're put into their own separate continuity.
The Minish Cap
Four Swords
Four Swords Adventures
Twilight Princess is still unknown, although, being one of the main games in the series, it can definitely be expected to fit into the main timeline. Phantom Hourglass is anyone's guess.

[KentaRawr!]

Kishi, most of that would make sense, except for the Four Swords Adventures part. It can be in it's own little mythology as Ganon decides to make an appearance at the last minute (Sorta). You see, in Four Swords Adventures, there's an evil Mirror, which for one reason or another, makes a bunch of evil versions of Link appear. The only sword powerful enough to defeat them is the Four Sword. So, Link is forced to take the sword out of the pedestal. Vaati was sealed within it, however. However, one must activate the Mirror before it can sprout evil. Also, it was basically Shadow Link's intent to set Vaati free. Also, the Trident of Power which was sealed away with the Mirror was missing. DUN DUN DOOM!!! ... >_> As it turned out, a man by the name of Ganondorf Dragmire (According to one of the 8 Maidens) is a Desert Nomad of the Gerudo Tribe. Later, you find that the Trident of Power transformed Ganondorf Dragmire into a big ol' piggy. However, everyone knows that Ganondorf got turned into a pig because of the Triforce of Power. But since OoT Link and Zelda managed to make sure he didn't get the Triforce of Power (In one of the timelines), he couldn't have gotten that. So what does this all mean? ...

That everything I said really doesn't effect anything except Four Swords now has a connection to the other Zelda games, since Ganon was in it. However, if I remember correctly, Eiji Aonuma (SP?) stated that Four Swords is the first game in the series. Since then the Minish Cap came out, so now it's basically obvious that the Minish Cap comes first in the series. However, all games besides FSA don't seem to have much of a connection, besides the fact that there's a triforce sign above the Four Sword pedestal, which isn't really much. >_<

As for the Oracle Games, I have no idea where they come in. They're just... there. Nintendo can put them anywhere and say "Well yeah it goes there." They can't say that they come after Majora's Mask, because Link never got the Triforce of Courage while he was Young Link if I remember correctly. >.<

But one super wrong thing in your post (... I just said Kishi is wrong.) is that Phantom Hourglass and Twilight Princess aren't confirmed as far as Story goes. Twilight Princess, according to Nintendo, goes inbetween Adult OoT and the Wind Waker. Phantom Hourglass comes after the Wind Waker, also according to Nintendo. I'll be back with the links very soon.

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

Four Swords stuffFour Swords Adventures shows us Ganondorf becoming Ganon. Ocarina of Time did the same thing, except the circumstances were wildly different. The intuitive conclusion (based not only on this, but everything) is that the Four Swords continuity is doing its own thing outside of the main timeline.

You could try to reconcile the discrepancies with split timelines or whatever, but that's a level of convolution clearly not intended by the developers. Ocarina's use of time-travel was clearly a light-hearted fairy tale kind of application. It wasn't meant to be analyzed at length.
As for the Oracle Games, I have no idea where they come in. They're just... there. Nintendo can put them anywhere and say "Well yeah it goes there." They can't say that they come after Majora's Mask, because Link never got the Triforce of Courage while he was Young Link if I remember correctly. >.<Like I said, they were meant to precede Link's Awakening. Their ending leads right into LA's opening.
But one super wrong thing in your post (... I just said Kishi is wrong.) is that Phantom Hourglass and Twilight Princess aren't confirmed as far as Story goes. Twilight Princess, according to Nintendo, goes inbetween Adult OoT and the Wind Waker. Phantom Hourglass comes after the Wind Waker, also according to Nintendo. I'll be back with the links very soon.Nintendo also said that Twilight Princess came after The Wind Waker at one point, so what they say is unreliable. We won't know for sure until we've actually played the game.

[KentaRawr!]

You could try to reconcile the discrepancies with split timelines or whatever, but that's a level of convolution clearly not intended by the developers.


Q: Where does The Wind Waker fit into the overall Zelda series timeline?
Aonuma: You can think of this game as taking place over a hundred years after Ocarina of Time. You can tell this from the opening story, and there are references to things from Ocarina located throughout the game as well.
Miyamoto: Well, wait, which point does the hundred years start from?
Aonuma: From the end.
Miyamoto: No, I mean, as a child or as a...
Aonuma: Oh, right, let me elaborate on that. Ocarina of Time basically has two endings of sorts; one has Link as a child and the other has him as an adult. This game, The Wind Waker, takes place a hundred years* after the adult Link defeats Ganon at the end of Ocarina.
Miyamoto: This is pretty confusing for us, too. (laughs) So be careful.

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

Aonuma's comment isn't proof of a split timeline. It just means that Link's traveling back in time at the end of Ocarina didn't erase all the events of seven years later and that the timeline still continues from his defeat of Ganon as depicted in the game.

Anyway, I've laid it all out for you, but if you still want to project a bunch of complicated theories that take three pages to explain onto what's actually a pretty simple set-up, that community does exist. Just be advised that Zelda storyline speculation is one of the saddest activities in which one can engage on the Internet.

[KentaRawr!]

I'll simply use Majora's Mask and Wind Waker.

Ganondorf only got the Triforce of Power because Link opened the door. After Zelda sent Link back in time, Link was to make sure not to open the door. Then Majora's Mask starts.

In the Wind Waker, however, it talks as though Link DID open the door, and that Ganon ruled for seven years until Link decided to wake up and seal Ganon away.

That makes absolutely no sense, as both games come after OoT.

[NeoCracker]

I just remember Link defeating and sealing away Gannon seven years in the future along with the Triforce of power he possessed. I don't remember Link going back and not opening the door, it was already opened. Though I havn't played for a while, so I could be wrong.

[KentaRawr!]

I just remember Link defeating and sealing away Gannon seven years in the future along with the Triforce of power he possessed. I don't remember Link going back and not opening the door, it was already opened. Though I havn't played for a while, so I could be wrong.

Actually, now that I think of it... Did he?

I seem to remember Zelda saying she had to resolve what she did, which was having Link open the door of time. So then she sent Link back in time so that he wouldn't open the door.

But now that I think of it, maybe she just sent him back because he belonged in his own time... ...

Maybe my memory is foggy. :O

[NeoCracker]

I think it was probably so he could live out those seven years of his life, since he missed them. I think the resolving was sealing Gannon and Hyrule away.

[KentaRawr!]

Yeah, true, but alot was lost during those Seven Years. Like Hyrule Town. ... Oh blechmeister! I have a vulnerability! The very thing I base my theory off of isn't definite!

*Vader Voice* NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Oh well. I still think all the games are linked. o.o Alot of it still makes sense to me. And Eiji Aonuma did say that the FS games are somehow "important" to the Zelda story in an interview about FSA.

[Roto13]

Twilight Princess takes place "decades" after OOT, according to Nintendo Power.

Phantom Hourglass is a direct sequel to Wind Waker (same Link) according to... damn, I forgot the source. Shoot.

The Link in Wind Waker isn't a decendant of OOT Link. I'm not sure where you got that. It never said anything like that in Wind Waker.

Also, I'm sure the general belief is that not all of the Zeldas are connected.

[Giga Guess]

..................


My head hurts.

Yeah, in WW, Link there has no connection to OoT Link....save reincarnation, possibly. But yeah, I only know the obvious ones, so I have little if anything useful to add.

[KentaRawr!]

Hmm... now that I think of it, he wasn't a descendant of OoT Link. :O In fact, that would make no sense if the two-timeline thing was true. If OoT Link was sent back in time into another dimension, then how could someone from the first dimension be his descendant?

Yes, my head hurts too. Most of this really is useless info. :p

[bipper]

The problem lies in design. I see it as being retarded to try and fit together what the developers cannot even explain with out back tracking, or getting confused. The game (Legend of Zelda) was probally made to be a simple idea (princes, monster, unlikely weak starting hero, and a ladder) and they simply tried to pull a story out of it, initially at least. Besides the fact that such a stongly tied video game was something not even atempted by most at the time can really suggest that the slopped out games, and are now desperatly trying to piece them together. Or mabey you are - I don't care enough to look... or care really :)

Bipper

[oddler]

I'm going to have to agree with Bipper on this. I'm a huge fan of The Legend of Zelda series but when it comes down to it, I'm downright certain that a timeline of any sort was never actually planned. It is my belief (call it stupid if you like, you won't hurt my feelings) that every single story from the series is exactly what the title implies: a legend.

Think of this every time you play a Zelda game...
You're controlling a boy that is the main character of a story being told by some random person in Hyrule some time long after the actual events occured. To me, each game is a story about one boy that protected a princess and, over time, the story turned to legend and evolved into the many different variations of what might have happened during the one adventure long ago. Sure, some of them show clear signs that they are sequels/prequels to others but they could only be mere extensions of the storyteller's imagination trying to extend "what really happened".

[KentaRawr!]

Yeah, they really are kinda loosely connected, except for certain games. But of course, there are those like me who heard that all the Zelda games are connected, and we decided we'd figure out how. Most of it makes sense, except for with certain Zelda games. None of this is required to make the games more fun, but Zelda fans such as myself consider it fun to talk about.

[KuRt]

If the Zelda games are connected (else than OoT and Majora's mask) I think A link to the past comes after OoT. Because when you get to the golden realm in A link to the past, Sahasrahla contacts you and says that it was turned in to a horrible place by Ganondorf with the power of Triforce

If anyone was intrested about my opinion.

[KentaRawr!]

If the Zelda games are connected (else than OoT and Majora's mask) I think A link to the past comes after OoT. Because when you get to the golden realm in A link to the past, Sahasrahla contacts you and says that it was turned in to a horrible place by Ganondorf with the power of Triforce

If anyone was intrested about my opinion.

I used to believe this too. I thought it was true for the following reasons:

Ganon was sealed into the Light Realm by Zelda and the other Sages. Ganon however had changed it into the dark world when he got the Triforce of Power. So then, in Alttp, Ganon is sealed in the world of darkness, and he's trying to get out. However, the following suggests that it's not true.

1. In Alttp, Ganon had the Triforce. Not just the Triforce of Power. Even in the GBA version which came out after OoT, he had the whole darned thing. You'd think that Nintendo would edit the story a bit when they released it for the GBA if they wanted Alttp to come after OoT. :O

2. Assuming that what Nintendo is currently saying about Twilight Princess when it comes to place in Story is true, it leaves Alttp not much room to squeeze inbetween OoT and WW. (Twilight Princess, according to Nintendo, takes place inbetween OoT and WW.)

On the other hand, let's say Nintendo just decides to put Alttp in between OoT and WW. They could just say "Well we want him to only get the Triforce of Power so BLARGH!" and then have Alttp linked to TP in some way. >_> Nintendo can change whatever they like whenever. It would be pretty interesting though, because of the how there's a Twilight Realm in TP and a Dark World in Alttp. But we will have to wait and see about that.