Since the first The Legend of Zelda game launched in 1987 (1986 in Japan), the series has become one of the most influential in the video game sphere. Each game follows the adventure of a hero named Link, and in most titles, he aids Princess Zelda in saving the kingdom of Hyrule from evil.
As the games typically follow a similar formula and feature new iterations of the main characters, many fans wonder if the games connect to one another, or at least take place in the same world. It can get a little confusing when you’re looking at several decades worth of games, so let’s dive in.
Are The Legend Of Zelda Games Connected?
Some Zelda games are connected to each other as direct sequels, such as Majora’s Mask taking place shortly after Ocarina of Time, while others are connected more loosely as part of an overarching timeline. Even then, most Zelda games can be played as standalone titles.
Nintendo revealed an official Zelda timeline in the Hyrule Historia book, which was published in 2011. It was slightly revised in The Legend of Zelda Encyclopedia. Both set Skyward Sword as the first game in the timeline, and have three branching timelines after Ocarina of Time — the Child Timeline, Adult Timeline, and Downfall Timeline.
The Creation of Land and Sky | ||
---|---|---|
Skyward Sword | ||
The Minish Cap | ||
Four Swords | ||
Ocarina of Time | ||
Downfall Timeline (Link is Defeated) | Child Timeline (Link Returns to his Childhood) | Adult Timeline (Hyrule is Left Without a Hero) |
A Link to the Past | Majora's Mask | The Wind Waker |
Link's Awakening | Phantom Hourglass | |
Oracle of Ages and Seasons | Four Swords Adventures | Spirit Tracks |
A Link Between Worlds | ||
The Legend of Zelda | ||
The Adventure of Link |
While this is the official timeline presented by Nintendo, many fans of the series dispute some of the game’s placements due to details in some of the games' events.
Breath of the Wild isn't present in the timeline. In the book Creating a Champion, which details the behind-the-scenes of Breath of the Wild’s development, series producer Eiji Aonuma said they intentionally didn’t place the game into the timeline because he “hope[s] that everyone can find their own answer, in their own way.”
Breath of the Wild's connection to the rest of the series is left up to your interpretation, though many fans speculate it occurs at the end of the timeline.
Which The Legend Of Zelda Games Are Directly Connected?
Whether you subscribe to the official timeline provided by Nintendo or not, there are several games in the series that are directly connected.
- Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link is a sequel to the first The Legend of Zelda.
- Majora’s Mask is a sequel to Ocarina of Time, following the same Link.
- Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages launched together and feature the same Link, though it’s not confirmed which game takes place first.
- Phantom Hourglass is a sequel to The Wind Waker, and follows Link and Tetra searching for a new Hyrule.
- Spirit Tracks is a sequel to Phantom Hourglass, featuring descendants from the previous game.
- A Link Between Worlds is a sequel to A Link to the Past, though it takes place many years later and follows a new Link.
- Tears of the Kingdom is a direct sequel to Breath of the Wild, following the same characters.
The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess take place after the events of Ocarina of Time (and Majora’s Mask in the case of TP), though they aren’t technically ‘sequels’ to those games.