- This article is about the series as a whole. For information on the first game in the series, see The Legend of Zelda. For other uses, see The Legend of Zelda (Disambiguation).

The Legend of Zelda is a video game series that takes place in the fictional medieval-inspired Kingdom of Hyrule,[2] often led by the titular Princess Zelda. The protagonist of the series is Link, a young man who is destined, in most of the games, to save Hyrule from the clutches of the evil warlock Ganondorf or his alter-ego, the dark beast Ganon. Some of the games feature additional protagonists such as Navi the fairy, Ezlo the talking cap, or Midna the Twili, who serve as sidekicks throughout the course of the game, or different antagonists, such as Vaati the Wind Mage, the General of Darkness General Onox, or the Usurper King Zant.
The Beginning (1986-1993)
The Legend of Zelda


The Adventure of Link


A Link to the Past


Link's Awakening


The 3D Era (1998-2002)
Ocarina of Time


Ocarina of Time was re-released on the GameCube in 2002 when it was offered as a pre-order incentive for The Wind Waker in the US and Japan. Europe continues to receive it free in every copy of The Wind Waker, except for the discounted Player's Choice version. It included a previously unreleased 64DD expansion known as Ura Zelda in Japan and Master Quest in North America, however the original Ura Zelda planned for the 64DD at the time was to enhance Ocarina of Time in most aspects, instead of being a dungeon remix, which Master Quest is. Ocarina of Time was included as part of Collector's Edition for the GameCube in 2003.
The game was remade in 2011 as Ocarina of Time 3D on the Nintendo 3DS, which added improved graphics, 3D effects, Boss Challenge mode and included the Master Quest.
Majora's Mask


A remake of the game was released in 2015 as Majora's Mask 3D on the Nintendo 3DS, which added, among many other changes, improved graphics and controls, 3D effects, and a fishing minigame.
Oracle of Ages & Oracle of Seasons




Four Swords sub-series (2002-2005)
Four Swords


The Link and Princess Zelda featured in this game are childhood friends. This is also the first game in which Vaati and the Four Sword appear. As part of the 25th Anniversary of The Legend of Zelda series, Four Swords Anniversary Edition was briefly made available as a free download for both the Nintendo DSi and Nintendo 3DS. The game was a special edition of Four Swords now featuring a single player mode.
The Wind Waker


The game was re-released for Wii U in 2013 as The Wind Waker HD, which added improved graphics, faster sailing, Hero Mode, and online integration with Miiverse.
Four Swords Adventures


Four Swords Adventures is really two games in one: Hyrulean Adventure (with a storyline and action somewhat similar to a traditional Zelda adventure) and Shadow Battle (a free-for-all melee "battle mode" which pits Links against each other as the players struggle for dominance in Hyrulean arenas). The Japanese and Korean versions include a third segment, known as Navi Trackers (originally designed as the stand-alone game Tetra's Trackers), which is not included in any other incarnation of the title. Navi Trackers contains an important first for Zelda, as the game has spoken dialogue for most of the characters.
The Minish Cap


The Next Generation (2006-2011)
Twilight Princess


Phantom Hourglass


Spirit Tracks


Skyward Sword


Rethinking the Conventions of Zelda (2013-present)
A Link Between Worlds


Tri Force Heroes

Breath of the Wild


Spin-Off Games
Link's Crossbow Training


Hyrule Warriors


Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity


Tingle Series
- Main article: Tingle (Series)
The Tingle series of video games is a spin-off of The Legend of Zelda series, centered on Tingle, who originally appeared as a supporting character in Majora's Mask.
Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland

Tingle's Balloon Fight DS

Ripened Tingle's Balloon Trip of Love

CD-i Games
- Main article: Philips CD-i Games
After aborting a partnership with Sony to make a CD add-on for the Super Nintendo, Nintendo signed a deal with Sony's rival Philips. After this deal also fell through, part of the compromise between Nintendo and Philips was allowing Philips to produce Zelda games for their CD-i console.
The Faces of Evil
- Main article: Link: The Faces of Evil

The Wand of Gamelon
- Main article: Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon

Zelda's Adventure
- Main article: Zelda's Adventure

Nomenclature
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Language | Name | |
![]() | Japanese | ゼルダの伝説 (Zeruda no Densetsu) |
External Links
References
- ↑ [1], Zelda.com, retrieved April 23, 2020.
- ↑ Iwata Asks: A Sword & Sorcery Tale Admired Worldwide "And I was really happy that we here in Japan could make a medieval tale of sword and sorcery liked by the people of the world." Shigeru Miyamoto