Which Games Are Canon

[Zeruda]

^The king wasn't dead in LttP. S&D contradicts LttP so I'd say it's not canon.

Actually....
In the game itself, it's not said the king is dead. However, he is not seen at all throughout the game. It isn't until the ending scene that we see him. It's very possible that he was killed and resurrected by Link's wish, just as Link's uncle was.

Sound & Drama doesn't really contradict anything in the game.

 

[Chrono]

Legend of Zelda BS is canon. It was literally a third quest for LoZ. If it isn't canon then neither is the 2nd quest for LoZ.

 

[MrMosley]

Legend of Zelda BS is canon. It was literally a third quest for LoZ. If it isn't canon then neither is the 2nd quest for LoZ.

The second quest isn't canon either. Both BS Zelda and the second quest were just things for people to play and ways for Nintendo to get more out of the game. It wouldn't make any sense at all for Link to go through his adventure once, then do it all over again. Only one story is true in LoZ, and that is the first quest.

 

[Shadsie]

*Comes in without having really looked at the topic* ... But I just read the transcript posted of that CD Drama that I had no idea existed up until tonight! Cool!

It doesn't contradict the game any, but I'd say it contradicts the Akira Himekawa manga for Triforce of the Gods (ALTTP), which is *also* an official Nintendo release. However, just because something is official doesn't mean it is canon - the manga... all the Zelda mangas in fact, though official Nintendo merchandise, are explicitly non-canon, and do deviate from the games.

I don't know if the Sound Drama would be considered the same way in that respect? Is it officially considered more connected to the games, just as the mangas, while official, are officially non-canon?

 

[Chrono]

Nintendo made it, it is canon. Cd-i Zelda? Non canon. By your theory... Link's Awakening DX is non canon due to the new dungeon. OoT MQ is non canon due to harder dungeons. ALttP/Four Swords non canon due to the new dungeon in ALttP.

 

[Zeruda]

*Comes in without having really looked at the topic* ... But I just read the transcript posted of that CD Drama that I had no idea existed up until tonight! Cool!

It doesn't contradict the game any, but I'd say it contradicts the Akira Himekawa manga for Triforce of the Gods (ALTTP), which is *also* an official Nintendo release. However, just because something is official doesn't mean it is canon - the manga... all the Zelda mangas in fact, though official Nintendo merchandise, are explicitly non-canon, and do deviate from the games.

I don't know if the Sound Drama would be considered the same way in that respect? Is it officially considered more connected to the games, just as the mangas, while official, are officially non-canon?

The mangas aren't official Nintendo releases. In fact, they are only licensed. Copyrighted. Nintendo has legal rights to the mangas, but they weren't created by Nintendo. They have been approved for profitable release, but have not been deemed official/canon. Akira Himekawa are big on ZeLink shipping and creation of original characters (Ganti, Raven, etc), but they are not at all employed by Nintendo. Basically, they got approval to draw their own adaptation of the stories.
Fun Fact: The Rito tribe was inspired by Himekawa-sensei's Watarara race.

Sound and Drama, on the other hand, is an official Nintendo release, right alongside the music of Koji Kondo. I'd stand to say that S&D is canon, but I'm not going to state that it's fact. It does, however, have more weight to it than Akira Himekawa's mangas.

Not trying to argue that S&D is canon, nor am I trying to argue against it. Just clearing a few things up. I could create a manga and obtain the lincense through Nintendo (if they liked it enough), but it wouldn't mean it was canon.

 

[Chrono]

Oh, btw...

The King seen...dead.

 

[Alter]

I suggest that we take a look at what Zelda Wiki is saying, all of which I agree with.

Legend of Zelda - Yes
Adventure of Link - Yes
A Link to the Past - Yes
Link's Awakening/DX - Yes
BS Zelda - It's basically a remake of LoZ. Doesn't matter.
Ancient Stone Tablets - It's basically a remake of ALttP. Doesn't matter.
Ocarina of Time - Yes
Majora's Mask - Yes
Oracle of Ages/Seasons - Yes
Four Swords - Yes
Four Swords Adventures - Yes
Minish Cap - Yes

Now for the interesting ones...

Freshly Picked Tingles Rosy Rupeeland - Yes
Tingles Balloon Fight DS - Yes, but it doesn't really matter.
Links Crossbow Training - No, but it doesn't really matter.
Zelda Game & Watch + Zelda Game Watch- No, but it doesn't really matter.
Valiant Comic Series - Ambiguously Canon. This means that it could be canon, but there is no official statement from Nintendo. The stories actually fit in perfectly. PM me for details.
Catoon Series - No
CD-I Games - No Nintendo involvement, therefore, non-canon.
SSB Series - No
Soul Calibur 2 - No

You also mentioned Navi Trackers. This was simply a mini-game. Same as Link's Crossbow Training.

I can pretty much guarantee you that this list is as accurate as possible. Correct me if you see an error.

 

[MrMosley]

Ancient Stone Tablets - It's basically a remake of ALttP. Doesn't matter.

This is really the only error I see. AST was a game that took place after the events of ALttP, rather than being a remake of it. I still consider it non-canon. My reasons, you can see in my first post.

 

[Alter]

This is really the only error I see. AST was a game that took place after the events of ALttP, rather than being a remake of it. I still consider it non-canon. My reasons, you can see in my first post.

I've never played it with a language patch, so I really can't say much about it. Perhaps I'll give it a whirl and see.

Thanks for the info, bro.

 

[Shadsie]

The mangas aren't official Nintendo releases. In fact, they are only licensed. Copyrighted. Nintendo has legal rights to the mangas, but they weren't created by Nintendo. They have been approved for profitable release, but have not been deemed official/canon. Akira Himekawa are big on ZeLink shipping and creation of original characters (Ganti, Raven, etc), but they are not at all employed by Nintendo. Basically, they got approval to draw their own adaptation of the stories.
Fun Fact: The Rito tribe was inspired by Himekawa-sensei's Watarara race.

Sound and Drama, on the other hand, is an official Nintendo release, right alongside the music of Koji Kondo. I'd stand to say that S&D is canon, but I'm not going to state that it's fact. It does, however, have more weight to it than Akira Himekawa's mangas.

Not trying to argue that S&D is canon, nor am I trying to argue against it. Just clearing a few things up. I could create a manga and obtain the lincense through Nintendo (if they liked it enough), but it wouldn't mean it was canon.

Thanks for the clear-up. (I've been trying to clear up Copyright law on something non-related on a thread at North Castle so I know how complicated this stuff can get).

Is the inspiration between the Watarara and the Rito actually officially confirmed? If so I KNEW IT!

 

[Deleted member 121]

LttP/Four swords - semi-canon, new content is non-canon
Oracle of Ages/Seasons - canon
Four Swords - canon, I still think the gameplay is a spinoff
Four Swords Adventures - canon, same as above
Minish Cap - canon
Freshly Picked Tingles Rosy Rupeeland - spinoff, non-canon
Tingles Balloon Fight DS - spinoff, non-canon
Links Crossbow Training - spinoff, non-canon
BS Zelda - spinoff, non-canon
Ancient Stone Tablets - spinoff, non-canon
Zelda Game & Watch (2 Games) - non-canon
Valiant Comic Series - non-canon
Catoon Series - more than likely non-canon
CD-I Games - Defiantly non-canon
SSB Series - non-canon
Soul Calibur 2 - non-canon
Navi Trackers - non-canon

Nintendo made it, it is canon. Cd-i Zelda? Non canon. By your theory... Link's Awakening DX is non canon due to the new dungeon. OoT MQ is non canon due to harder dungeons. ALttP/Four Swords non canon due to the new dungeon in ALttP.

Just because Nintendo made it doesn't necessarily make it canon. If BS is canon then so is OoT:Master Quest.

 

[Skull_Kid]

Actually, and just actually, the original LA is the non canon one...
I had to say this.
Also, FOUR SWORD and FOUR SWORDS ADVENTURES Are totally canon, period!
This isn't even debatable anymore.
And Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland might well become canon in the years/months to come

 

[Deleted member 121]

FOUR SWORD and FOUR SWORDS ADVENTURES Are totally canon, period!

I must disagree. I personally count Four Swords as a spinoff minigame, and Four Swords Adventures as a spinoff. Considering I consider them such, they are both non-canon in my book. (Search your feelings. You know this to be true... lol jk)

At the very least Four Swords is non-canon, since FSA was pretty much the Completed or Extended story of the FS minigame that came with LttP on GBA rather than a sequel. Do you disagree?

I'm not looking for a debate on this matter, my mind is made up. You can count what ever you wish to count as canon or non-canon. Opinions are what this topic is for right?

(Wasn't the original Four Swords made by Capcom or some other 3rd party developer? Please correct me if I'm wrong.)

 

[Skull_Kid]

Four Swords was developped by Capcom under the supervision of Nintendo(just like the Oracles, and Minish Cap, if I am not mistaken), and FS is the BS of FSA.
FSA contains lots of evidence that it is canon