What is the Legend of Zelda timeline?

Answer 1

The official timeline is as follows (a blank line between games means the game is much later, with a new Link. No gap means a direct sequel chronologically):

- The world is created, along with the Triforce (this happens before any games)

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

- "Era of chaos"; the Sacred Realm is sealed

- Kingdom of Hyrule is established during the "era of prosperity," ruled by the Royal Family of Hyrule

The Legend of Zelda: Minish Cap

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords

- Knowledge of the Triforce spreads, Hyrulean Civil War results as various tribes fight to acquire it

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

After Ocarina of Time, the timeline then splits into 3 branches. The games after Ocarina of Time in each branch are:

Timeline A: "Adult Timeline" (Link defeats Ganon):

- Link defeats Ganondorf, sealing him in the Sacred Realm

- Ganondorf escapes, forcing the gods to cause the Great Flood

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass

- Tetra's pirates discover a new continent, and New Hyrule is established there

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks

Timeline B: "Child Timeline" (Link prevents Ganondorf's acquisition of the Triforce):

- Link is sent back in time to relive his lost youth

- Link alters events so that Ganondorf's claiming of the Triforce never comes to pass

- Ganondorf attacks Hyrule, but is subdued.

- After a failed execution, Ganondorf is sent to the Twilight Realm

- Link travels away from Hyrule

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (direct sequel to Ocarina of Time)

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures

Timeline C (Ganondorf defeats Link):

- Ganondorf obtains all three pieces of the Triforce

- Led by Princess Zelda, the people of Hyrule manage to seal Ganon and the Triforce in the Sacred Realm

- Hyrule experiences a short lived peace, after which knowledge of the Sacred Realm and Triforce spread across Hyrule, and many seek the Triforce

- The Sacred Realm becomes the Dark World under the control of Ganon

- The King of Hyrule orders the Seven Sages to seal the entrance to the Sacred Realm

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages/The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons (story-wise, these two can be played in either order)

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening

- The Triforce is used by the Hyrulean monarchy, until the Triforce of Courage is sealed away and Princess Zelda is cursed into an eternal slumber

The Legend of Zelda

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link