Are all the ‘Zelda’ games connected?

As you might have already gathered from our comprehensive timeline, the Legend of Zelda games are in fact connected in more ways than one. Not only are there three branching narratives across almost 40 years of titles, but there are also several direct sequels and prequels tossed into the mix that might go unnoticed in all the commotion of time travel and alternate timelines. Each game revolves around Link, a hero who aids Princess Zelda in saving the Kingdom of Hyrule from the forces of evil.

Since each game follows an identical formula and the timelines do overlap on occasion, it can be difficult to determine which titles are related and which are not — if any at all. Authors Shigeru Miyamoto, Eiji Aonuma, and Akira Himekawa were kind enough to band together and create The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia, a hardcover collector’s edition book that reveals the official timeline of the fictional events within the Zelda universe, following years of mere speculation from fans.

From that timeline, we can decipher that some games take place immediately after one another, such as Majora’s Mask following Ocarina of Time, whereas others are more loosely connected via the branching timelines we mentioned earlier. We can confirm with full confidence that the following statements are true of the Zelda games and their association with one another:

• Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link is a direct sequel to 1986’s The Legend of Zelda.
• As mentioned, Majora’s Mask is a sequel to Ocarina of Time in that it follows the same Link throughout.
• Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages launched simultaneously and also feature the same Link, albeit Nintendo has neglected to confirm which game “officially” comes first.
• Phantom Hourglass is a direct sequel to The Wind Waker, also following the same Link along with companion Tetra.
• Spirit Tracks is a direct sequel to Phantom Hourglass, featuring the same characters.
• A Link Between Worlds — if the titles weren’t a dead giveaway — is a direct sequel to A Link to the Past, although it takes place years in the future and does not follow the same Link.
• The newest release, Tears of the Kingdom, is a direct sequel to 2017’s Breath of the Wild, following the same characters.

Now that we’ve imparted to you our knowledge of the Zelda world, go forth and binge the whole series before Tears of the Kingdom releases on May 12, 2023.