Summary
The Legend of Zeldaboasts a rich history as one of the premium properties of Nintendo’s expansive first-party line-up. It’s perhapsonly eclipsed by the best ofMariowhen it comes to an impact on gaming, with decades of innovative gameplay, stellar music, and impressive level design.Tears of the Kingdomis the latest masterpiece with Link at the center and reaffirms the belief that the series is one of the best on the medium.
However,The Legend of Zeldais not without fault, even if there are so few. One of the biggest issues is not with any specific game but with Nintendo’s insistence on pooling them into one timeline. It’s far from cohesive and limits the direction that it can go with the story and setting. WithZelda’s success seemingly at an all-time high, now might be the best time to scrap the timeline altogether.
The Zelda Timeline is a Convoluted, Conflicting Mess
The timeline was created to coincide with the release ofHyrule Historia, a collectors' book that features lore tidbits and character artwork. The timeline feels like a forced inclusion, cobbled together to connect games that were developed without a second thought about how they connect to one another. It wasn’t needed, and no game since 2011’sSkyward Swordhas tried to keep too close to the rest of the series.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Swordis the start of the timeline, which splits into three different eras afterOcarina of Time.
Breath of the WildandTears of the Kingdomare clearly two parts of one whole instead of being two chapters of a long saga. They don’t need the timeline to feel like they’re steeped in history, as the landscape and art style show that Hyrule has immense depth. Abandoning the continuity that was created as an afterthought would put to bed a novel and interesting idea, but one that simply doesn’t fit theZeldaseries any longer.
Zelda Entered a New Era on the Nintendo Switch
Zeldahas been one of Nintendo’s most historic and beloved IPs since the very beginning, having gone through different phases over the last 37 years like the switch to 3D visuals and the implementation of motion controls. It’s a franchise that has withstood everything that has been thrown at it, but with the release ofBreath of the Wildin 2017, it’s clear that the franchise is going through yet another change. It’s exciting as the new formula has been a big reason forthe success of the Nintendo Switchitself, but its impact can be used to do more housekeeping.
In many respects, it comes across as thoughBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdomhave rewritten a lot of the lore in the series, and continuing to adhere to theZeldatimeline can feel like more of a limitation rather than essential world-building. Resetting it, or abandoning it entirely, would give Nintendo complete freedom to conjure new stories, gameplay features, and environments that don’t have to conform to continuity. Not every franchise has to be a part of one big, sweeping universe, and asZeldatitles are usually standalone anyway it could be the best course of action to stop trying to adhere to a timeline that never really needed to exist to begin with.
Hyrule in Tears of the Kingdom is Wholly Unique
From being submerged in the ocean inThe Wind Wakerto sending Link to a dreamyKoholint Island inLink’s Awakening,Zeldahas provided players with a wealth of interesting locations. The last two mainline games present the best take on Hyrule yet, even though they aren’t a one-to-one recreation of the realm presented inA Link to the Past.
The geography presents an inherent problem with the timeline, but the wonderment that can be found in the Switch offerings far outweighs the need to conform to the timeline.Breath of the WildandTears of the Kingdomcould even be the best basis for a reworked continuity, as it’s a foundation that has proven to be well replicated.
