The Legend of Zelda probably has one of the most complicated timelines of all video game series. The video games tell the stories of various versions of Link and Zelda throughout the ages. Some are clear, direct sequels to one another, others are seemingly completely independent. Yet, in the end, all games are connected. Our The Legend of Zelda Timeline will explain exactly how.
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It wasn’t until the release of The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia, the series’ own encyclopedia, that we could finally figure out the complete, official timeline of The Legend of Zelda. Hyrule Historia explains the timeline actually breaks down into parallel timelines, although they all reconnect with the release of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The timeline can be divided into the following era’s.
Era of Creation
This first era actually consists of multiple eras, including the Era of Hylia, Sky Era, Era of Chaos, Force Era and the Era of the Hero of Time. Yet for clarity we’ve put all those different eras together under the name Era of Creation. since they cover the origins and early history of Hyrule, the Triforce, and the recurring characters in the series. These eras lay the foundation for the events and lore of the subsequent games in the series.
The following games take place in this era, in chronological order:
- The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (2011, later re-released as The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD in 2021)
- The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap (2005)
- The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords (2002)
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998, also released as The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D in 2011)
After the events of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, the timeline splits into three different braches: The Fallen Hero Timeline, the Child Timeline, and the Adult Timeline.
Fallen Hero Timeline
In this timeline, Link is defeated by Ganon, leading to a decline in Hyrule’s fortunes. The games in this timeline feature various incarnations of Link and Zelda facing the threat of Ganon and other villains.
- The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (1991)
- The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (1993)
- The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages (2001)
- The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (2013)
- The Legend of Zelda: Triforce Heroes (2015)
- The Legend of Zelda (1986)
- Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (1987)
Child Timeline
After Link defeats Ganon in Ocarina of Time, he is sent back to his childhood. In this timeline, Ganondorf’s plans are foiled early on, leading to his eventual execution. The games often revolve around Link and Zelda’s attempts to prevent the return of Ganondorf or deal with other dangers.
- The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask (2000, later re-released as The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D in 2015)
- The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (2006, later re-released as The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD in 2016)
- The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures (2004)
Adult Timeline
In this timeline, Link defeats Ganon and leaves behind the future Hyrule. The kingdom is eventually flooded due to the people’s inability to stop Ganon’s return. The games in this timeline feature Link and Zelda exploring the flooded world and working to restore peace and order.
- The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (2002, later re-released as The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD in 2013)
- The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (2007)
- The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (2009)
Era of the Wilds
The three different branches somehow reconnect once again in the Era of the Wilds. The Era of the Wilds comprises the events of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. This era takes place in a distant future in which Hyrule has fallen into ruins, and the kingdom’s history has been mostly forgotten. The games in this era focus on a new incarnation of Link and Zelda as they face the threat of Calamity Ganon and work to restore the devastated world.
Spin-offs
There are numerous spin-off games featuring Link and Zelda. Although they sometimes have some relations to the main games, or draw inspiration from the main games, they are not considered canon. To give a complete overview of the series, here is a list of the most important and recent spin-off games:
- The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Crossbow Training (2007)
- Hyrule Warriors (2014)
- Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition (2018)
- Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity (2020)
- Cadence of Hyrule (2019)
Tie-in media and manga
Over the years, multiple tie-in media and manga are released based on the The Legend of Zelda videogames. Although they draw inspiration from the games, they are not considered canon and might deviate from the video games. To give a complete overview of the series, here is a list of tie-in media and manga based on The Legend of Zelda:
- The Legend of Zelda Animated Series (1989)
- The Legend of Zelda: Valiant Comics Series (1990)
- The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past – Nintendo Power Comic (1992)
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time – Manga Series (2000)
- The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages & Oracle of Seasons – Manga Series (2001)
- The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords – Manga Series (2004)
- The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap – Manga Series (2005)
- The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass – Manga Series (2009)
- The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess – Manga Series (2016)
This The Legend of Zelda Timeline has been composed with as much care as possible. Nevertheless, an error may have crept into our chronological order. Are you an even bigger The Legend of Zelda fan than we are? Please contact us and tell us what we did wrong!