The Legend of Zelda owned and produced by Nintendo.
One of the most expansive and successful gaming franchises of all time, The Legend of Zelda is also one of the more difficult stories to map chronologically, thanks to time-travelling shenanigans. That said, you can bet on a few common elements in virtually every game: The hero, Link, wants to save the heroine, Zelda, from the villain, Ganon / Ganondorf. One or more triangular relics of incredible power may or may not be involved.
The chronology of The Legend of Zelda is complicated by the fact that the timeline splits thanks to the events of The Ocarina of Time. Consequently, there are three different time lines, detailed separately below. The complete nature of the split in the timeline is detailed in The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia. (Though it is a few games out-of-date by now.) The latest games, Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, so far ignore the three timelines and sit in a continuity of their own.
There are a few non-canonical entries in the Zelda franchise. They are included under Release Order only. Also included are the animated iteration and a few manga, as none of them contribute to the storyline of the games.
In-Universe Chronological Order
Original Timeline
There are a few non-canonical entries in the Zelda franchise. They are included under Release Order only. Also included are the animated iteration and a few manga, as none of them contribute to the storyline of the games.
In-Universe Chronological Order
Original Timeline
- The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (2011)
- The Legend of Zelda: Minish Cap (2004)
- The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords (2002)
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998)
- The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (1991)
- The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons (2001) / The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages (2001)
- Link's Awakening iterations:
- The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (1993)
- The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (2019, video game - remake)
- The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (2013)
- The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes (2015)
- The Legend of Zelda (1986)
- The Legend of Zelda: The Adventure of Link (1987)
- The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (2000)
- The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (2006)
- The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures (2004)
- The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (2002)
- The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (2007)
- The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (2009)
Breath of the Wild Timeline
Release Order (video games)
- The Legend of Zelda (1986)
- The Legend of Zelda: The Adventure of Link (1987)
- The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (1991)
- The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (1993)
- Link: The Faces of Evil (1993)
- Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon (1993)
- Zelda's Adventure (1994)
- BS Zelda no Densetsu (1995)
- BS Zelda no Densetsu: Inishie no Sekiban (1997)
- Zelda no Densetsu: Kamigami no Triforce (1997)
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998)
- The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (2000)
- The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons (2001)
- The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages (2001)
- The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (2002)
- The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past - Four Swords (2002)
- The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures (2004)
- The Legend of Zelda: Minish Cap (2004)
- Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland (2006)
- The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (2006)
- The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (2007)
- Link's Crossbow Training (2007)
- Irozuki Tincle no Koi no Balloon Trip (2009)
- The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (2009)
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D (2011)
- The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (2011)
- The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD (2013)
- The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (2013)
- Hyrule Warriors (2014)
- The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D (2015)
- The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes (2015)
- The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD (2016)
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017, video game)
- Cadence of Hyrule (2019, video game)
- The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (2019, video game - remake)
- Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity (2020, video game)
- The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD (2021, video game)
- The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (2023, video game)
Release Order (manga)
- (coming soon)
Release Order (television)