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[LocalE]

Villain always looked Kefka-esque, crossed with Ganondorf. I always thought of him as a guy. Just a very effeminate-looking with all of the makeup, etc.

 

[MYE]

So another effeminate villain...?

Like, why?

Clown, Jester, Magicians go hand in hand with flamboyancy

 

[RagnarokX]

It's all pretty self contained though, there's slight references sure, but never anything substantial. It's so minimal that it just seems ridiculous to me that anybody could even care.

There's next to zero character development in these games, so why everyone is so invested in the world is a mystery to me.

They are great games, but looking for some overarching narrative is fruitless.

This is bull.

It's especially important in Wind Waker, which begins with a recap of the events of OoT. Various characters keep comparing Link to the Hero of Time, some of which you only see in a replay where the ancient Hylian is translated, but there's enough of it without that.

Twilight Princess is more vague about it, but understanding where Twilight Princess takes place in the timeline is pretty much necessary for making sense of Ganon's surprise appearance. Various locations are pretty much just suped up straight out of OoT. The Temple of Time is a pretty huge connection.

Ganon is the same Ganon in most of the games. The only time it's a different Ganon is Four Sword Adventure, and then it might be a reincarnation. This is actually important in Wind Waker and Twilight Princess.

Then you have the direct sequels.

AoL directly follows LoZ. Ganon's cult wants to resurrect Ganon, who Link killed in the last game, using Link's blood.

LA is pretty much a stand alone game following ALttP, but the Oracle games feature Twinrova trying to resurrect Ganon.

MM brings the Ocarina of Time with it, a major plot device from the game of the same name. There are various things in Termina that you won't appreciate if you haven't played OoT because that world is a strange mirror of OoT's world.

PH and ST continue the story of Link and Tetra after Wind Waker. PH features the whole pirate crew as they search the Great Sea. ST's only surviving character from WW is Niko, but there is a huge stained glass window featuring Tetra and Zelda prays to Tetra, who is her grandmother.

This game is a sequel to ALttP, OoX, and LA set only about 4 generations after those games. The world map hasn't changed a lot from ALttP, and part of the fun Aonuma expects players to encounter is experiencing how the world has changed since they last visited it. It is not crazy to expect references to ALttP, OoX, and LA (well, LA maybe, since that whole game took place in a dream).

Also, the Zelda games tend to have some very good characterization. Wind Waker's Link, Twilight Princess' Midna and Link, Spirit Track's Zelda and Link, Skyward Sword's Zelda and Link.

 

[peanutbutterlatte]

Still think late game twist will be Hilda turning out to be the big bad and you work together with the iffeminate Gerudo.

 

[Tripon]

Still think late game twist will be Hilda turning out to be the big bad and you work together with the iffeminate Gerudo.

NO. HILDA MUST REMAIN PURE.

 

[Tookay]

It's all pretty self contained though, there's slight references sure, but never anything substantial. It's so minimal that it just seems ridiculous to me that anybody could even care.

There's next to zero character development in these games, so why everyone is so invested in the world is a mystery to me.

They are great games, but looking for some overarching narrative is fruitless.

These kinds of posts are really tiresome. The bolded isn't even true from an overarching series angle if you pay attention to Ganondorf in OoT vs. TWW vs. TP. On an individual game level, it's missing most of the Links from the 3D games, Zelda in SS and ST, Midna in TP, and almost half the cast in MM.

 

[morikaze]

Antagonist always looked like Ganondorf with a dash of Kefka, as such I forever imagined him being a guy. Only a very girlish-looking one with all of the facial cosmetics, etc.

 

[Oni Link 666]

“As you probably know, after A Link to the Past, Link goes off on a trip. The Link in this game is a different one. So I think we can assume that it’s quite a bit farther in the future, ” Aonuma said through an interpreter. But according to the timeline, A Link to the Past is followed by the Oracle of Seasons/Ages games, Link’s Awakening, and the original Zelda games on the NES. Would there be any specifics callouts take place during the adventure? “I’ll leave that to your imagination. Although, for example, Link’s Awakening is not a game that takes place in Hyrule itself, so it’s not like it directly connects to that one. Maybe that’s the right track to get you there?”

It'll be interesting to see where this falls exactly. Does this actually take place in between LttP and Link's Awakening where the Oracle games also fall? When they changed the artwork from the LttP looking Link to a more Oracles looking Link, I didn't think anything of it, but now that he says these things, maybe there is something more to that. Maybe this is Oracles Link.

We also asked if he had any other details to share about the villain named Yuga. We couldn't help but notice a visual connection to the Gerudo, a race of humans introduced in Zelda: Ocarina of Time that consisted solely of females, with one male born every hundred years. “I don’t think he’s a Gerudo, “ Aonuma clarified. “I think perhaps the designers were a bit influenced by the art from past games. One of things we did with him, actually, was to make him a little bit ambiguous gender-wise, whether he’s a man or a woman. Having the longer hair and all. He also actually sings in the game.”

I never thought he was a woman, but it's funny to see people here thought so and still think there must be some mistake in the translation.

“When you look at the logo, what that two-Triforce symbol is really trying to show the difference between Lorule and Hyrule. But I don’t think that necessarily corresponds to the way the Triforce operates in Lorule. How the Triforce in Lorule works connects to what happened to Lorule. I think you’ll see that in the game, ”

Oh, so something happened there? Was it that its ruler was killed after corrupting the land with his dark soul? I still think this is just the Sacred Realm with a different name.

“What I wanted to do was make a game where you could get stuck and get lost and you’d have to think about things, but you’d have fun doing that. Obviously, If you just get stuck and stay stuck, that’s not fun. If you get lost and stay lost, that’s not fun. But if there’s a way out that you’re able to get to, that’s where I think the fun of a Zelda game lies, “ Aonuma explained. “In previous Zelda games, we've created the scenarios and linked them together in a line. But ultimately that becomes super linear. I think that’s not really that much fun. What I wanted to do with this new game, A Link Between Worlds, is to be able to give players lots of choices and let them be able to think about things for themselves.”

I like the sound of this. Too many times in recent Zelda games, I've felt like the answer was kind of, oh I don't know, written on a sign right by the puzzle or something.

“Once you have that ability, you’re able to do it at any time. Everything else came later, really. For being able to go into a wall, we felt like the side view was most appropriate for that. Then we thought that if we combined that with the top view and we move between those two things, we’d have an interesting tonal shift there, a contrast. That would give us different ways of looking at the world that would be more interesting. Once we had that, we could use the world of Link to the Past to create the rest of the game. We could use that as a kind of base.”

The idea of shifting perspectives sounds really interesting. I can just imagine being able to see more hints and possible puzzle solutions and ways to get around every time you shift perspectives.

 

[morikaze]

Will Lorule have a connection to Termina? How many alternate worlds are there... and why is Majora's Mask in the game?

 

[RagnarokX]

It'll be interesting to see where this falls exactly. Does this actually take place in between LttP and Link's Awakening where the Oracle games also fall? When they changed the artwork from the LttP looking Link to a more Oracles looking Link, I didn't think anything of it, but now that he says these things, maybe there is something more to that. Maybe this is Oracles Link.

Might want to read what you quoted.

“As you probably know, after A Link to the Past, Link goes off on a trip. The Link in this game is a different one. So I think we can assume that it’s quite a bit farther in the future, ” Aonuma said through an interpreter.

This is not the same Link as ALttP/Oracle/LA Link. According to Sahasrahla Jr. ALttP took place in the time of his grandfather's grandfather's grandfather:

So maybe 500 years later?

 

[sphagnum]

Will Lorule have a connection to Termina? How many alternate worlds are there... and why is Majora's Mask in the game?

Nobody knows yet in regards to the MM connection. As for alternate worlds, we now have:
the Sacred Realm/Golden Land/Dark World (ALttP), Koholint (sort of, LA), Termina (MM), Twilight Realm (TP), World of the Ocean King (PH), Dark Realm (ST - although this one is actually called the Dark World in Japanese), Silent Realm (possibly the Sacred Realm?, SS), and Lorule (ALBW). Of course, there's the whole dual-world mechanic that Zelda games usually have if you want to count places that are just other territories or elements of the same overworld as well instead of being different universes, like Holodrum, Labrynna, undersea Hyrule, Minish-sized Hyrule, the Surface, young Link vs. adult Link, etc...

 

[Oni Link 666]

Might want to read what you quoted.

“As you probably know, after A Link to the Past, Link goes off on a trip. The Link in this game is a different one. So I think we can assume that it’s quite a bit farther in the future, ” Aonuma said through an interpreter.

This is not the same Link as ALttP/Oracle/LA Link. According to Sahasrahla Jr. ALttP took place in the time of his grandfather's grandfather's grandfather:

So maybe 500 years later?

So, are you saying LttP and LA Link is Oracles Link?

 

[sphagnum]

So, are you saying LttP and LA Link is Oracles Link?

Hyrule Historia confirmed that.

 

[Brqan]

Villain always looked like Ganondorf X Kefka, so I always thought of him as a guy. Just a very effeminate-looking one with all of the makeup, etc.

 

[The Lamonster]

There can be only one.

.

 

[Thorakai]

I'm ready for parallel worlds in my Zelda timeline baby.

 

[Oni Link 666]

Hyrule Historia confirmed that.

OK. I didn't think this was the same Link (as in LttP and LA) and I did read what I quoted. I've been following the game and I knew that he was no the same one already, but the way he says “I’ll leave that to your imagination. Although, for example, Link’s Awakening is not a game that takes place in Hyrule itself, so it’s not like it directly connects to that one. Maybe that’s the right track to get you there?” just made me think that those games stop being relevant to the timeline and this game because Link leaves Hyrule. Who's to say how many years went by in between the Oracle games and LA? Link travels to other dimensions and through time. Maybe there was another Link in Hyrule and this game takes place at the same time.

 

[Mory Dunz]

There's no he/she pronoun is Japanese right?


So he's not saying whether it's a man or woman right...?

 

[RagnarokX]

OK. I didn't think this was the same Link (as in LttP and LA) and I did read what I quoted. I've been following the game and I knew that he was no the same one already, but the way he says “I’ll leave that to your imagination. Although, for example, Link’s Awakening is not a game that takes place in Hyrule itself, so it’s not like it directly connects to that one. Maybe that’s the right track to get you there?” just made me think that those games stop being relevant to the timeline and this game because Link leaves Hyrule. Who's to say how many years went by in between the Oracle games and LA? Link travels to other dimensions and through time. Maybe there was another Link in Hyrule and this game takes place at the same time.

http://zeldawiki.org/Oracle_Series#Timeline_Placement

As confirmed in Hyrule Historia, the Oracle series are a sequel to A Link to the Past and a prequel to Link's Awakening, all of which feature the same Link, under the "Downfall" timeline split, where Ganon defeated the Hero of Time in Ocarina of Time. Some time after defeating Ganon at the end of A Link to the Past, Link is transported by the Triforce to Holodrum where Oracle of Seasons takes place. After defeating Onox, Link travels to Labrynna and Oracle of Ages takes place. Link then defeats Ganon in the linked ending of the Oracle games and leaves Labrynna by boat to continue his training in new lands. After completing his training, Link travels back towards Hyrule by boat when he is shipwrecked on Koholint Island and Link's Awakening takes place.

Link travels to the past in Oracle of Ages. You could kinda say LA takes place in the same world as Hyrule because it takes place in a dream, a world that doesn't really exist. It's kind of a grey area. That's why Aonuma is iffy on the subject of LA references. Everything from LA ceased to be when the Windfish woke up. Unless the Windfish shows up there's not much they could do.

 

[ArchedThunder]

There's no he/she pronoun is Japanese right?


So he's not saying whether it's a man or woman right...?

No, there are male and female pronouns, but also gender neutral ones, I assume he probably used gender neutral pronouns and they just picked male ones in the translation for simplicity.

 

[SuperAndroid17]

Ugh...I hate this timeline crap.

Why wont they say this game takes place after "X" and "Y".

 

[sphagnum]

Ugh...I hate this timeline crap.

Why wont they say this game takes place after "X" and "Y".

But...they did.

It takes place after Link's Awakening and before the original Zelda.

 

[khaaan]

Add a few letters and Yuga becomes an anagram of Guyanon.

 

[120v]

it'd be cool if there were references or connections to Zelda 1 and 2... the original 3 games were my favorite. but i'm not expecting it...

in a way i'm kinda iffy about this game screwing the canon. the first three games were kind of their own thing, then Ocarina came along and gave the series a more "mainstream" feel, which is fine. but i liked that the original games still kind of had their own lore ... i hope they don't cram it too full of post -LttP stuff, or they integrate it in really subtle ways.

don't get me wrong, i'm not big on zelda canon, but LttP is my favorite all time game, can't help but get a little touchy about it

 

[mantidor]

So another effeminate villain...?

Like, why?

Seriously, I'm a bit dissapointed.

Because Nintendo. I thought everyone would be accustomed to the wacky world of Zelda characters after Majora's Mask and so on. This villain looks a bit less goofy though and more... well, villainous.

I don't mind the gender defying characters in Zelda, the guys at the lake house in TP, the other guy that reads your future in SS, but as villains? really? it's too close to the awful "effeminate villain" annoying and overused trope.

 

[Oni Link 666]

it'd be cool if there were references or connections to Zelda 1 and 2... the original 3 games were my favorite. but i'm not expecting it...

If this is the game that's going to be the one before Zelda I, then I think it would be cool if the do something to set that scenario up.

 

[Tathanen]

If this is the game that's going to be the one before Zelda I, then I think it would be cool if the do something to set that scenario up.

I'm hopin for that too. Ganon bein turned to mush at the end of LTTP and then coming down out of the mountains in Zelda 1 was always a weird disconnect.

 

[Village]

Clown, Jester, Magicians go hand in hand with flamboyancy

kinda...I guess.

My perception of magician is different from another persons though.

Interesting none he less.

 

[Dash Kappei]

So Trannydorf is a actually a guy?

Way to be permabanned, you'd think one would have learnt something after 7 years on gaf but nope

 

[ElectricKaibutsu]

Way to be permabanned, you'd think one would have learnt something after 7 years on gaf but nope

Not permabanned. Their avatar is still there.

I'm pretty sure that's how it works anyway.

 

[Tripon]

Not permabanned. Their avatar is still there.

I'm pretty sure that's how it works anyway.

That's not how it works. The avatar doesn't matter.

 

[Barakov]

If anything Yuga's design reminds me of the great fairies from OoT. Their laughs are forever grained in my psyche.

 

[Link1110]

Maybe he's gonna turn out to be Zelda. I recall someone else seemin to be a man...

Or maybe this is the new style. I remember when I saw the scene with Girahnim introducing himself I just kinda rolled my eyes and thought he was Zelda's Sephiroth, but hey... We got Kuja after Sephiroth, right?

 

[Eusis]

That's not how it works. The avatar doesn't matter.

Yeah, it just seems to trip every so often, most notably with juniors.

Yuga really does look like some horrific fusion of Ganondorf and Ragdoll Annie.

 

[Albo]

It's all pretty self contained though, there's slight references sure, but never anything substantial. It's so minimal that it just seems ridiculous to me that anybody could even care.

There's next to zero character development in these games, so why everyone is so invested in the world is a mystery to me.

They are great games, but looking for some overarching narrative is fruitless.

They're self contained but for diehard zelda fans, there's still an endless amount of references and connections between games to base theories on and such that the average person wouldn't notice let along care about. It really made me appreciate all the minute details they've included in games to link them to others. Ever since the release of hyrule historia it's dwindled down a little though, from what I've seen.

 

[I'm new be nice]

They're self contained but for diehard zelda fans, there's still an endless amount of references and connections between games to base theories on and such that the average person wouldn't notice let along care about. It really made me appreciate all the minute details they've included in games to link them to others. Ever since the release of hyrule historia it's dwindled down a little though, from what I've seen.

These kinds of posts are really tiresome. The bolded isn't even true from an overarching series angle if you pay attention to Ganondorf in OoT vs. TWW vs. TP. On an individual game level, it's missing most of the Links from the 3D games, Zelda in SS and ST, Midna in TP, and almost half the cast in MM.

This is bull.

It's especially important in Wind Waker, which begins with a recap of the events of OoT. Various characters keep comparing Link to the Hero of Time, some of which you only see in a replay where the ancient Hylian is translated, but there's enough of it without that.

Twilight Princess is more vague about it, but understanding where Twilight Princess takes place in the timeline is pretty much necessary for making sense of Ganon's surprise appearance. Various locations are pretty much just suped up straight out of OoT. The Temple of Time is a pretty huge connection.

Ganon is the same Ganon in most of the games. The only time it's a different Ganon is Four Sword Adventure, and then it might be a reincarnation. This is actually important in Wind Waker and Twilight Princess.

Then you have the direct sequels.

AoL directly follows LoZ. Ganon's cult wants to resurrect Ganon, who Link killed in the last game, using Link's blood.

LA is pretty much a stand alone game following ALttP, but the Oracle games feature Twinrova trying to resurrect Ganon.

MM brings the Ocarina of Time with it, a major plot device from the game of the same name. There are various things in Termina that you won't appreciate if you haven't played OoT because that world is a strange mirror of OoT's world.

PH and ST continue the story of Link and Tetra after Wind Waker. PH features the whole pirate crew as they search the Great Sea. ST's only surviving character from WW is Niko, but there is a huge stained glass window featuring Tetra and Zelda prays to Tetra, who is her grandmother.

This game is a sequel to ALttP, OoX, and LA set only about 4 generations after those games. The world map hasn't changed a lot from ALttP, and part of the fun Aonuma expects players to encounter is experiencing how the world has changed since they last visited it. It is not crazy to expect references to ALttP, OoX, and LA (well, LA maybe, since that whole game took place in a dream).

Also, the Zelda games tend to have some very good characterization. Wind Waker's Link, Twilight Princess' Midna and Link, Spirit Track's Zelda and Link, Skyward Sword's Zelda and Link.

Let me just ask you guys this:

What moral lessons, other than "good trumps evil" have you learned from The Legend of Zelda?

Majoras Mask not withstanding (because really that is the only exception of the entire series), these games are heavily gameplay focused. Again, that's not a bad thing, I just don't understand how people seem to think there's going to be anything of substance to derive from these games narratively.

It's really a pointless thing to even discuss i'll admit, nowadays I feel like discussing The Legend of Zelda's narrative is like trying to discuss Super Mario's narrative. But that's exactly my point, it feels like if Nintendo was trying to connect all the Super Mario games together: "After Mario finished his grand adventure in space he actually returned to the mushroom kingdom and found that princess Peach was taken by Bowser and so Super Mario Galaxy takes place before Super Mario Bros 3 on the NES".

It's just ridiculous to me that they are even trying to bother connecting all this shit. There's obviously no pay off or plan for the direction of the series.

Like I said though it's not a big deal, I just find it funny that they are still trying to connect this clusterfuck of a web and that somebody could even care.

 

[Lapidus' Beard]

Let me just ask you guys this:

What moral lessons, other than "good trumps evil" have you learned from The Legend of Zelda?

Never, ever...

Spoiler

harm any chickens.

 

[Shin Johnpv]

Might want to read what you quoted.

“As you probably know, after A Link to the Past, Link goes off on a trip. The Link in this game is a different one. So I think we can assume that it’s quite a bit farther in the future, ” Aonuma said through an interpreter.

This is not the same Link as ALttP/Oracle/LA Link. According to Sahasrahla Jr. ALttP took place in the time of his grandfather's grandfather's grandfather:

So maybe 500 years later?

Wouldn't his Granfather's grandfather's grandfather be like 6 generations past. So using 30 years for a generation that would be like 180 years later. Which I believe should fit. Basically well after LttP/OoX/LA but also a good bit of time before Zelda 1.

Granted generations could be different for Hylians, and we could be looking at say 50 - 60 years a generation and that would put us at like 300 - 360 years after LttP.

 

[Mindwipe]

Booo, I was really hoping it was LTTP Link.

That's dented my interest quite a bit. It feels odd for Hyrule to be so unchanged after that long.

 

[batbeg]

Let me just ask you guys this:

What moral lessons, other than "good trumps evil" have you learned from The Legend of Zelda? .

Discussion of a series' overarching narrative is only valid if it teaches moral value? I'm not one of those who care about such a thing, but for example with RagnorakX's post I found it very interesting none the less. What harm is there in letting others enjoy themselves?

 

[Conor 419]

I'm concerned with Nintendo habitually associating androgynous qualities with villainous ones.

 

[chickdigger802]

Off topic, but anyone else find it crazy that they haven't released ALTTP in some form on 3ds VC yet?

One of the last zeldas that i've never gotten around to finishing...

 

[NEO0MJ]

Off topic, but anyone else find it crazy that they haven't released ALTTP in some form on 3ds VC yet?

They have yet to release any Snes game on the 3DS. They should though work on releasing GBA games, which includes a port of ALTTP.

 

[RagnarokX]

Let me just ask you guys this:

What moral lessons, other than "good trumps evil" have you learned from The Legend of Zelda?

Majoras Mask not withstanding (because really that is the only exception of the entire series), these games are heavily gameplay focused. Again, that's not a bad thing, I just don't understand how people seem to think there's going to be anything of substance to derive from these games narratively.

It's really a pointless thing to even discuss i'll admit, nowadays I feel like discussing The Legend of Zelda's narrative is like trying to discuss Super Mario's narrative. But that's exactly my point, it feels like if Nintendo was trying to connect all the Super Mario games together: "After Mario finished his grand adventure in space he actually returned to the mushroom kingdom and found that princess Peach was taken by Bowser and so Super Mario Galaxy takes place before Super Mario Bros 3 on the NES".

It's just ridiculous to me that they are even trying to bother connecting all this shit. There's obviously no pay off or plan for the direction of the series.

Like I said though it's not a big deal, I just find it funny that they are still trying to connect this clusterfuck of a web and that somebody could even care.

Since when do stories have to have moral lessons to matter? You claimed that the games don't relate to each other in any way that matters and I pointed out that was false with examples of how the relations are important in several games in the series. The stories are simple but enjoyable and often well done, with several Zeldas featuring very memorable characters with great character development.

Just because you are willfully ignorant of these connections or believe that they are somehow convoluted when they are not does not mean everyone else should be. You want to believe they are self-contained retellings of the same legend over and over with no stories or characters at all? Knock yourself out. But you're ignoring the reality of what the games actually are and getting upset when others don't.

We don't have to try to connect the games. The games connect themselves pretty well on their own. The only games that were difficult to figure out were the NES/SNES/Game Boy/Four Sword games. The rest all reference each other and make it pretty clear where they take place in relation to each other. Hyrule Historia cleared up that confusion.

Before Hyrule Historia here is what we knew based on the content of the games themselves and stuff Aonuma said:

Skyward Sword -> Minish Cap -> Ocarina of Time

We knew there was a split timeline because Aouma said so when Wind Waker came out and a gain when Twilight Princess came out to explain where those games stood. Both are sequels to OoT. So we also knew:

Ocarina of Time -> Majora's Mask -> Twilight Princess

and

Ocarina of Time -> Wind Waker -> Phantom Hourglass -> Spirit Tracks

We also knew:

Ocarina of Time -> A Link to the Past -> Link's Awakening -> Legend of Zelda -> Adventure of Link

because the games themselves and Nintendo said that's how they were related.

The confusion was where the ALttP chain took place. After Wind Waker or after Twilight Princess. The problem was that neither timeline really made sense based on ALttP's opening story. People also didn't know where to place the Oracle games, Four Sword, or Four Sword Adventure.

Wouldn't his Granfather's grandfather's grandfather be like 6 generations past. So using 30 years for a generation that would be like 180 years later. Which I believe should fit. Basically well after LttP/OoX/LA but also a good bit of time before Zelda 1.

Granted generations could be different for Hylians, and we could be looking at say 50 - 60 years a generation and that would put us at like 300 - 360 years after LttP.

Yes, but I'm looking at it from the perspective that Sahasrahla is super old and a generation for his family might be longer than average. I'd say 200-500 years.

 

[Holy Order Sol]

Don't get the connection between moral lessons and overall character development/narrative either. Seems like moving goalposts to me.

 

[Bagu]

Lorule is the home country of those Garo ninja from Majora's Mask!

 

[I'm new be nice]

Discussion of a series' overarching narrative is only valid if it teaches moral value? I'm not one of those who care about such a thing, but for example with RagnorakX's post I found it very interesting none the less. What harm is there in letting others enjoy themselves?

To me it's seems a bit vapid without something deeper to gain, that's just my tastes for narrative though (this is a game for children after all), it doesn't ruin the games for me. I don't think there's a harm in discussing what's there, but I was curious to pick peoples brains to see how they felt about it.

Since when do stories have to have moral lessons to matter? You claimed that the games don't relate to each other in any way that matters and I pointed out that was false with examples of how the relations are important in several games in the series. The stories are simple but enjoyable and often well done, with several Zeldas featuring very memorable characters with great character development.

Just because you are willfully ignorant of these connections or believe that they are somehow convoluted when they are not does not mean everyone else should be. You want to believe they are self-contained retellings of the same legend over and over with no stories or characters at all? Knock yourself out. But you're ignoring the reality of what the games actually are and getting upset when others don't.

We don't have to try to connect the games. The games connect themselves pretty well on their own. The only games that were difficult to figure out were the NES/SNES/Game Boy/Four Sword games. The rest all reference each other and make it pretty clear where they take place in relation to each other. Hyrule Historia cleared up that confusion.

Before Hyrule Historia here is what we knew based on the content of the games themselves and stuff Aonuma said:

Skyward Sword -> Minish Cap -> Ocarina of Time

We knew there was a split timeline because Aouma said so when Wind Waker came out and a gain when Twilight Princess came out to explain where those games stood. Both are sequels to OoT. So we also knew:

Ocarina of Time -> Majora's Mask -> Twilight Princess

and

Ocarina of Time -> Wind Waker -> Phantom Hourglass -> Spirit Tracks

We also knew:

Ocarina of Time -> A Link to the Past -> Link's Awakening -> Legend of Zelda -> Adventure of Link

because the games themselves and Nintendo said that's how they were related.

The confusion was where the ALttP chain took place. After Wind Waker or after Twilight Princess. The problem was that neither timeline really made sense based on ALttP's opening story. People also didn't know where to place the Oracle games, Four Sword, or Four Sword Adventure.

Reading your post does make me realize that the connects are a bit more obvious than I had originally remembered. That's certainly fair. It's not really the connections I was talking about though man, it's was the overarching story or meaning to it all which is that of a children's tale about "good trumping evil". That seems to be the overall message of the series to me, and I mean you can't expect something grand from a series that started over 20 years ago, and on some level I think it's impressive that Nintendo is trying to connect all these games together, but I can't help but laugh a little bit about it.

That's all, i'm not getting all upset about it or anything, and I don't want to diminish the value people get from the series, it just seems a little funny to me.

 

[RagnarokX]

To me it's seems a bit vapid without something deeper to gain, that's just my tastes for narrative though (this is a game for children after all), it doesn't ruin the games for me. I don't think there's a harm in discussing what's there, but I was curious to pick peoples brains to see how they felt about it.



Reading your post does make me realize that the connects are a bit more obvious than I had originally remembered. That's certainly fair. It's not really the connections I was talking about though man, it's was the overarching story or meaning to it all which is that of a children's tale about "good trumping evil". That seems to be the overall message of the series to me, and I mean you can't expect something grand from a series that started over 20 years ago, and on some level I think it's impressive that Nintendo is trying to connect all these games together, but I can't help but laugh a little bit about it.

That's all, i'm not getting all upset about it or anything, and I don't want to diminish the value people get from the series, it just seems a little funny to me.

I think you're moving goalposts since what you found funny was people expecting nods to other Zelda games in this game.

Regardless, you're wrong about the individual stories. Many stories can be boiled down to good vs. evil but there's more to them than that.

Wind Waker is about a boy whose sister is kidnapped and though scared he sets out on a quest to rescue her. In the process he gets wrapped up in something much bigger. Although not a child of destiny granted power by the gods, this boy earns that power for himself and steps out of the shadow of the Hero of Time to save the entire world. It also features a Ganon who has been humbled by defeat and is a lot more sympathetic.

Twilight Princess features a young impish princess who teams up with Link to get back save her realm. At first she is very rude to Link, but over the course of the game she warms up and becomes a tragic character. Her relationship with Link is very well done.

In Spirit Tracks Zelda's ody gets stolen by the villains and she embarks on a quest with Link to get it back. Her development from pampered princess to hero is the best rendition of the character yet.

In Skyward Sword Link, Zelda, and Groose are all well done and developed characters.

Majora's Mask is full of great characters and stories.

 

[LocalE]

Way to be permabanned, you'd think one would have learnt something after 7 years on gaf but nope

Why would someone be permabanned, or banned at all, for that? I don't see what's worthy of a reprimand there.

 

[I'm new be nice]

I think you're moving goalposts since what you found funny was people expecting nods to other Zelda games in this game.

Come on dude, don't start accusing me of backtracking here, my first post very clearly stated: "It's not like past characters appear in other games or have an overarching narrative."

You make a strong case for the individual stories, but I still don't see any significance for the overall picture to lead someone to feel invested in where a game fits into the timeline.