Example 1: Built Relying on the Developers

People call me a Fan Boy… but really, I’ve just got my priorities straight.

Zelda is Nintendo’s baby. Mr. Miyamoto conceived the characters, produced the games, and has guided the series brilliantly for many years. The man and his company have full creative control… and what they say goes!

Yes, the main focus of most producers is usually game play; with Nintendo especially, storyline is often a secondary concern. Despite this, the Zelda team has gone to great lengths to tell us all they can about their legend. Why waste time arguing when they’ve given us all the answers!?!?!

The Foursword Trilogy begins the timeline. Miyamoto’s right hand man, Eiji Aonuma, came right out and said Four Swords was “the oldest tale in the Zelda Timeline.” Capcom confirmed the idea when Hidemaro Fujibayashi called The Minish Cap tale a “Legend in Hyrule”. It’s simple fact.

I realize that FSA and AlttP have a lot in common in terms of style, and understand why some people think that should mean a timeline connection, but that really is poor logic. Aonuma told us his team was just being nostalgic; playing off the past to please fans of the classics.

Ocarina of Time comes next of course; Miyamoto and Nintendo of America both said numerous times that it was an early placed game: the very first until FS showed up. More important than its placing is what OOT does to the timeline at large. According to Aonuma;

[Twilight Princess takes place] in the world of Ocarina of Time, a hundred and something years later. The Wind Waker is parallel. In Ocarina of Time, Link flew seven years in time, he beat Ganon and went back to being a kid, remember? Twilight Princess takes place in the world of Ocarina of Time, a hundred and something years after the peace returned to kid Link’s time. In the last scene of Ocarina of Time, kids Link and Zelda have a little talk, and as a consequence of that talk, their relationship with Ganon takes a whole new direction. In the middle of this game [Twilight Princess], there’s a scene showing Ganon’s execution. Link and Zelda left him be and he then did something outrageous, so it was decided that he should be executed.

‘Ocarina’ splits the timeline into two very different futures: one where Ganon claims the Triforce and reigns over Hyrule for seven years and one where he is defeated early on! One future leads to Majora’s Mask and Twilight Princess, while the other leads to Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass.

Miyamoto said straight off that the Legend of Zelda and Adventure of Link follow OOT and that A Link to the Past and Link’s Awakening come sometime after. Now, of course, Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass have been inserted into the middle of things… but they don’t really cause any problems.

Nintendo Of America confirmed Mr. M’s statements a short time later; even going so far as to refute the contradicting statement they had placed on the ALttP box.

You’ll notice I also include Kodai No Sekiban (A Japan only AlttP sequel) and the Zelda Game and Watch (A late 80s handheld game) in my timeline. They’re fun to play, easy to place, have no major impact on the story, and, most importantly, they’re certified Nintendo product!

Finally we have the Oracles; great games… but not truly important to the ‘line. Miyamoto told us they could fit in anywhere; I keep things clean and just tack them on the end. An excellent timeline, courtesy of the big men on top!

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