The Legends of Zelda has been a hyped video game for nearly four decades. The vast kingdom of Hyrule, with multiple incarnations of Zelda and Princess Zelda, makes it nail-biting and thrilling. However, you would’ve noticed that the series was launched inconsistently. Zelda appears as an adult in one game and a kid in the second, and so on.
It disturbs the experience of any hardcore Zelda games. Typically, players go through this game chronologically or by the release order. If you prefer the latter, here is a Legends of Zelda timeline. So, enjoy the adventure with the right plot.
Part 1. Zelda Timeline in a Chronological Order
Early History Timeline
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
- IGN Ratings: 8/10
Released in 2011, the Skyward Sword is the entry point of Legend of Zelda. It takes place thousands of years after the Goddess Hylia era on the Skyloft floating island. The game revolves around the first Link getting the Master Sword. He then proceeds to rescue Zelda from the Lord Ghirahim.
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
- IGN Ratings: 9/10
The Minish Cap was released in 2004 as the only Zelda game developed by Capcom. It starts with Zelda and Link enjoying the Picori Festival to celebrate the tiny Minish people. Next, the sorcerer Vaati’s first reincarnation, Demise, seeks the Light Forctoto to get the Picori Blade. It then turns Zelda into a stone, compelling Link and Ezlo to get the Picori Blade.
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords
- IGN Ratings:7/10
The Four Swords, released in 2002, offers a multi-player experience. It picks up the plot from Minish Cap, with Vaati breaking from the seal and kidnapping Zelda. Later, Link splits himself into four copies, rescuing Zelda and resealing Vaati into the four swords.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
- IGN Ratings: 10/10
The Ocarina of Time is the first Zelda game marking the time split. It is set in both the child and adult timelines. Released in 1998, it flashes back to the young Link meeting Princess Zelda and deciding to open the Door of Time to get the Triforce.
The Split starts when Zelda uses the Ocarina of Time to send Link to his own time, but it breaks into three pieces: the child timeline, the adult timeline, and the fallen hero timeline.
Child Timeline
The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
- IGN Ratings:9/10
The first game in the Legend of Zelda, Majora’s Mask, came out in 2000. It starts with Link searching for Navi and encountering the Skull Kid. The latter steals Link’s Horse and gets exploited by Navi, who plans to destroy the parallel world of Termina. Lastly, Link uses the mask to free the giants and keep the moon from colliding with the Earth.
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
- IGN Ratings:6/10
The Twilight Princess was launched for the Nintendo Gamecube in 2006. It starts with Link as a Hero Spirit’s descendant, followed by an adventure in Termina. His life is disrupted by the Bublins, who kidnap children. Link enters Twilight as a wolf and kills Zant, rescuing the children and Princess Zelda at Hyrule Castle.
Adult Timeline
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
- IGN Ratings:6/10
Came out in 2013, the Wind Waker is the first GameCube in the adult timeline series. Link is an Outset Island resident on his way to rescue his younger sister, Aryll. Helmaroc King has ordered the kidnapping of young girls to find Zelda’s incarnation.
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
- IGN Ratings: 9/10
The next game in the adult series is Phantom Hourglass, which was launched in 2007. After Link rescues his sister, he sails into the Ocean King with Tetra and her crew. Tetra gets lost in the ocean, and Link goes to Mercay Island to find her. On the way, he met Ciela, a fairy whose grandfather Oshus gifted the hourglass to Link to fend off the Ocean King curse.
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
- IGN Ratings:3/10
The Spirit Track came out in 2009 with Link as a royal engineer who visits the Tower of Spirit to interrogate the disappearance of spirits. During the journey, they get captured by a demon called Chancellor Cole. He put a spell to separate Zelda’s soul from her body and use it for Malladus. Finally, Zelda’s soul and Link work to get her body back from Cole.
Fallen Hero Timeline
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
- IGN Ratings:5/10
A Link to the Past marks the entry point of the Fallen Hero timeline in 2013. Link travels to the Hyrule Castle to save Princess Zelda from Agahnim. He collects the three pendants of virtue from the dungeons to defeat Agahnim. After his uncle’s death, Link became the new Knight of Hyrule.
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening
- IGN Ratings:4/10
The Link’s Awakening was launched in 2019 for the Nintendo Switch. It follows Link on his way back to Hyrule, where he gets caught in a storm and ends up on Koholink Island. Here, he met Marin, a woman who resembles Zelda. She told him he needed to collect the eight siren instruments to escape the island.
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons
- IGN Ratings: 10/10
Following his interaction with Marin, Link gets called by Holodrum to witness Din, a dancer, in the Oracle of Seasons, released in 2001. This event made Link realize that the seasons of the land are disturbed. He then collects the eight essences of nature and the rod of seasons to restore peace and rescue Din.
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages
- IGN Ratings: 10/10
The Oracle of Ages was launched in 2001 with the Oracle of Seasons. In this game, Link eventually travels between the past and present and collects the eight essences of time. He then fights Veran, the sorceress of Shadows.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
- IGN Ratings:4/10
After two years of the Oracle series, A Link Between Worlds came out in 2013. It begins with Link encountering Yuga, who is turning the people of Hyrule, including Princess Zelda, into paintings. To stop this, Link travels to Lorule and gets a magic bracelet.
The Legend of Zelda: Trinity Force Heroes
- IGN Ratings:5/10
Coming out in 2015, Tri Forces Heroes does not necessarily add to the plot of the Legends of Zelda. This game involves the fashionable Princess Styla and her witch doppelganger, Lady Maud. The witch doppelganger put a spell on Styla, causing Link to join the Lady Ensemble’s pieces and cure her.
The Legend of Zelda
- IGN Ratings: 9/10
The Legend of Zelda was launched in 1986. The plot picks up from Ganon, who has trained an entire army to steal the Trinity's power and kidnap Zelda. Consequently, Zelda splits the Triforce and split it into pieces, leading her way to Link. The game ends with Link defeating Ganon.
Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link
- IGN Ratings:5/10
It has been six years since Link has defeated Ganon. On his 16th birthday, Link received a Triforce mark on his left hand, opening the door to the altar. Moreover, Zelda is under a sleeping curse, and Link sets out to find the six crystals around the Hyrule palace to help Zelda.
The Calamity Timeline
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity
- IGN Ratings: 9/10
The Age of Calamity, released in 2020, marks the beginning of the Calamity timeline. It is set 100 years before the Breath of the Wild, where Link and Zelda combine their forces to defend Hyrule. A mysterious guardian comes from the future to inform them about their failure. The game ends with Link joining forces with four of Hyrule’s champions.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- IGN Ratings: 10/10
The Breath of the Wild, launched in 2017, starts with Hyrule being destroyed. Later, Link returns to Hyrule, regains his memories, and confronts Ganon.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
- IGN Ratings: 10/10
The Tears of the Kingdom came out in 2023 as a direct sequel to Breath of the Wild. After the fall of Ganon, Link, Zelda, and their alliance return to Hyrule and fight the enemies.
Part 2. How to Make Such a Timeline?
EdrawMax is an advanced diagramming tool with a Timeline function. Its professionally-designed vector symbols and user-generated templates allow you to make timelines in minutes. Here is a breakdown of how to make a similar Legend of Zelda timeline from scratch or using a readymade template.
- Before you begin, download the EdrawMax desktop version and log into your Wondershare ID. You can also access software with a social media ID (Google, Facebook, etc).
Method 1: Starting from Scratch
Here is how you can make a timeline from scratch if you do not like the templates.
1. Type Timeline in the search box, and it will display several layouts on the screen. Click a preferred option, and it will open the editing panel.
2. Once on the canvas, drag a timeline on the screen.
3. The next step is adding the events. For this, double-click in any box to add text.
4. The timeline is good to go. But it is better if you add photos for each event. So, go to the Insert tab from the top and click Pictures. You can select to add local images or the Edraw AI drawing function.
5. Once done, remove the gridlines by right-clicking anywhere on the canvas. Also, set the background and change the colors of the timeline from the Design tab on the tab.
Method 2: Starting with a Template
If you want to make a Legend of Zelda timeline without spending effort and time, EdrawMax allows you to edit a readymade template. Here is how.
1. First, download this eddx file or find one from the template community. For this, click Template > Timeline.
2. It will display several timeline templates. Skim a little to find the right match. Once decided, click Use Immediately.
3. Next, change the text and images from the timeline. Double-click any description box and start typing. You can also change the image by double-clicking it and selecting Replace.
Download and Share
Finally, you can save the timeline on your device.
- Click the Export icon on the quick-access toolbar and select a preferred option. EdrawMax has over ten file formats, including Visio, PNG, JPG, etc.
- To save the eddx file, go to the File menu and click Save As > Preferred Option.
- Show this timeline to your social media friends by clicking Share > Edit Permission from the top right corner of the canvas.
Conclusion
Alongside Super Mario Bros and Pokemon, The Legend of Zelda is the most loved game on Nintendo Switch. This mystery adventure revolves around fictional worlds, captivating characters, and daunting villains. However, enjoying this game is better when done chronologically. Here, the Legend of Zelda timeline comes in handy.
If you want to make a similar Zelda Games timeline, try EdrawMax. Its intuitive interface and ready-made timelines may help you sketch similar timelines.
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