I'd just like to add one more reason people should play them in the order they came out. Because a lot of people who play games like Ocarina of Time and Wind Waker first end up looking at the NES and GB titles and say "I don't want to play those 'old' games". When they're some of the best Zelda games to this day. That's the major reason you should play them based on when they were released.

Clearly, I am the one who would take a bullet for Nnintendo.

Doesn't matter, as there is no chronological overall timeline, with the exception of games like OOT-MM, and WW-PH.

However, be sure to play and complete Link's Awakening after each and every other Zelda game.

RSEagle said: dsister44 said: Wow.. What could have driven them to make the timeline so convoluted?

Dude, this is the best timeline, for me its the most accurate, and it explains why their choices

check it out ( if u know spanish)

RSEagle said: dsister44 said: Wow.. What could have driven them to make the timeline so convoluted?

While sometimes reps have said things to the contrary, it seems pretty clear imo that EAD themselves don't have a set series timeline (or just one timeline).

They like to release games in "sets".  So Zelda 1+2 are directly related (and sequential), Link to the Past + Link's Awakening are directly related (and sequential), Ocarina of Time + Majora's Mask are directly related (and again, sequential) and Wind Waker + Phantom Hourglass are directly related (ditto sequential).  The middle 2 games even featuring the "same" Link.

OOT also presents a "split" for the timeline, with MM and TWW both being the two possible outcomes of the game (MM being the game where Link traveled to the future and sealed Ganon, TWW being the one where he didn't).  The split timeline theory is pretty popular, and plenty of later games tend to follow it (Twilight Princess likely following the MM timeline, Spirit Tracks likely following TWW one).

The first 3 Zeldas were also considered a trinity by EAD originally, and while ALTTP was said to chronologically be the first game in the western localization, it was specifically the last game originally in the Japanese script.  Link's Awakening was more a "Gaiden" game, then OOT was something of a retelling or series reset (and most of the later can connect in somewhere from there).

The Capcom Zeldas (Oracle of Ages/Seasons, The Minish Cap, Four Swords) are sort of off in the corner, and interrelated.  I've seen people try to fit them into the post-OOT timeline, but I'm not sure if EAD really tries to, or even cares.