Polygon Has Attempted the Impossible Task of Untangling the Zelda Timeline
Posted on September 27 2018 by Kat Vadam
Can the Zelda timeline actually be articulated? Since the timeline’s official release in the Hyrule Historia back in 2011, this is a hot question that has been pondered, sworn by and over, and debated by fans of the series until we turn blue in the face. And then, you know, when we finally think we somewhat have the grasp of it, Nintendo has to go and throw a couple wrenches into their own mess with the Encyclopedia and the revelation of Breath of the Wild’s placement (seriously, what is with that?). So now, here we all are again, back at the beginning, asking ourselves what order the games occurred in, and if it is even worth trying to untangle the convoluted chain of events that makes up the Legend of Zelda series.
Enter, Brian Gilbert of Polygon. Our friend and fellow gaming fanatic believes that Nintendo itself has looked at the timeline all wrong, leading all of us to do the same. Yet, he ponders, what about the forgotten media: the CD-i games, the TV series, the books? When the characters appear over a noted fifty times across various forms of entertainment, how can you have a timeline that only acknowledges a portion?
Check out Brian’s fifteen minute comedic exploration and unravelling of the timeline’s tangled mess, exploring not just the games, but all good things Zelda. What do you think? Do you like his more in-depth, thorough explanation of the timeline? Let us know in the comments below!
Kat Vadam is a mother of one, proud cat mom, and wife to someone far nerdier than she could ever hope to be. She also works by day as an analyst, writer, and editor. Here at Zelda Dungeon, she is the Head of Social Media and a copy editor, though she still enjoys occasionally writing things. Someday, she plans on giving up all her worldly possessions to move to the forest and become best friends with a korok. Were it so easy.
