General Zelda Anyone Else Notice This Pattern?

[ihateghirahim]

The Legend of Zelda was released in 1986. It contained a mysterious Triforce and the evil Ganon. We knew surprisingly little about all of the this from the game.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past was released in 1992 as prequel to the first game. It revealed what a part of the origin of Ganon and the Triforce, but it didn't tell us everything. It left us with the knowledge that both the monster and the Triforce had an even deeper past. It also introduced a super-powerful Master Sword we knew very little about.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time was released in 1998 as a prequel to the previous game. It revealed the origin of Ganondorf and the Triforce for the most part. However, many questions were still unanswered. It also featured the Master Sword, but still told us little about its origin.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword was released in 2011 as a prequel to the previous game. It revealed more about the Triforce, the Master Sword, and even Ganon, but many questions are still unanswered. Possibilities are many for another origin game.

Is Zelda doomed to forever prequelize itself?

 

[Sydney]

Yes, and we can blame Demise's curse because of it.

 

[DarkestLink]

A Link to the Past was released as a sequel. It wasn't a prequel until recent times.

 

[Shadsie]

Possibly. I noticed the "in" for a prequel as soon as Zelda told Link about the origins of the sailcloth. "This is a sailcloth like that of the ancient Hero!"

This also brought to my mind the idea of a recursive reality in which, somehow, some way, Wind Waker and its sequels mobius-loop back in time to make the Skyward Sword prequel game a sequel. Yes, my mind is weird. Sail. Cloth.

In reading through the Hyrule Historia... I disagree with where Nintendo placed the Oracles games - it looks like a ret-con that nobody thought too much about because those games aren't very popular or something. Those games always struck me as a seperate Hero from the one in A Link to the Past and the (not-canon) mangas pretty much went by that premise, too. I mean, maybe they were intended to be sequels, but it seems like they're floating games/non-sequels to me an that they were just quickly jammed into the Timeline as an afterthought.... Which means for me, when the "legends" get retold as they eventually will be, we may see lots of prequels become sequels and sequels become prequels.

Even recursive reality won't suprise me at this point.

 

[Justac00lguy]

A Link to the Past was released as a sequel. It wasn't a prequel until recent times.

I am pretty sure Nintendo labelled this game as being a prequel to the events of the first two games. I can remember when putting timelines together that this was one of the only known canon link between the original 2 games and A Link to the Past.

 

[DarkestLink]

I am pretty sure Nintendo labelled this game as being a prequel to the events of the first two games. I can remember when putting timelines together that this was one of the only known canon link between the original 2 games and A Link to the Past.

I'd love to see evidence, but AoL itself was released as an origin story (LoZ had no story)

 

[Justac00lguy]

I'd love to see evidence, but AoL itself was released as an origin story (LoZ had no story)

I tried to find some but most websites now refer to the Hyrule Historia rather than the in game manual but I am still pretty sure that this was known prior to HH.

 

[ihateghirahim]

AoL was not according to the gamebook

 

[Castle]

The series has kinda written itself backwards but it is more accurate to say it has written itself out of order.

Zelda II: Link's Adventure is a direct sequel to The Legend of Zelda
Majora's Mask is a direct sequel to Ocarina of Time
Spirit Tracks and Phantom Hourglass are sequels to Wind Waker
Twilight Princess takes place long after Ocarina of Time and so does Wind Waker

It is interesting that The Legend of Zelda is one of the last games chronologically, but I think the reason why the series has seen so many prequels is because the first game started with a premise that was expanded upon by future installments at later times. Each time these titles expanded a bit more on the backstory and history hinted at in their predecessors and alluded to further details that would be fleshed out in subsequent installments.

I kinda like the way The Legend of Zelda, as a legend, is uncovered bit by bit over time in reverse. By now a lot has been said, so I wonder if further adventures will fill in the gaps.

 

[Triforce Hermit]

I'm hoping that the new Zelda will tie the two timelines that split back together. Hopefully, SS is the last the prequel of all prequels.

 

[Din Akera]

Yes I have noticed the prequel to the prequel game line up that you are talking about. I think that making prequels is probably easier for Nintendo rather than making sequels. Though, obviously we have some of those too. But think about it. Option A, make a story that follows in line with something you have already created and be confined to those rules/story arcs that you created previously. Making sure characters, places, and story points fall within your predefined circumstances. Or, option B, place your story before those events occurred and allow yourself to be free of any constraints. You can make new places and new characters and story points, then end up with the option of allowing it to end lining up with the beginning of your previous story, or have it end in a time that still occurs before the previous story (so they don't meet up at all). No rules, no constraints, just creative freedom.

I can understand why Nintendo does this. It is sometimes hard or frustrating for fans because they want to see old characters and places that they enjoyed or liked, but it would be very taxing to create. Without the pressure of making sure everything lines up you can just create something you want to create and enjoy it. Nintendo knows that all of their Zelda games are dissected, judged, and criticized (as well as praised) by fans. If there were to make a sequel and make a mistake in the story plot points, could you imagine what fans would do with that? I'd be scared to make sequels as well.

 

[DarkestLink]

AoL was not according to the gamebook

It gives us the origin story of Zelda and explains why all the other games would have the princess named as such.

 

[snakeoiltanker]

I'd love to see evidence, but AoL itself was released as an origin story (LoZ had no story)

Here you go DL. Zelda A Link to the Past - English Instruction Manual Scans

this is the actual Instruction Manual that came with ALttP. i read the copy i have in my hand and after reading i searched on the internet so you can read it yourself. You always ask for Evidence when people prove you wrong, yet you never off any to support your argument. Anyways, if you read the story, it tells the origin as well as introduce Link, and Zelda who link does not know, if this were ment to be a sequel to the first to games, Link would already know Zelda as he did in the second game when he was trying to find a ways to wake her from her coma. look at the title of the game "a link to the past" the name alone tells you its a prequel!

 

[DarkestLink]

Anyways, if you read the story, it tells the origin as well as introduce Link, and Zelda

For this game. Zelda as a whole and her origins were introduced in AoL.

who link does not know, if this were ment to be a sequel to the first to games, Link would already know Zelda as he did in the second game when he was trying to find a ways to wake her from her coma.

O Rly?

tWW, TP, ST.

It's a different Link.

look at the title of the game "a link to the past" the name alone tells you its a prequel!

Now before you start throwing an uncivilized hissy fit, how about you read the dialogue yourself. *eyeroll*

And so, on an ill-fated night, a new chapter in the legend of Hyrule's hero begins--a new chapter in the Legend of Zelda --Page 7

You're right. Obviously a prequel.

 

[Justac00lguy]

Now before you start throwing an uncivilized hissy fit, how about you read the dialogue yourself. *eyeroll*

And so, on an ill-fated night, a new chapter the legend of Hyrule's hero begins--a new chapter in the Legend of Zelda --Page 7

You're right. Obviously a prequel.

Not the nicest way to respond to someone but anyway I found a quote for you...

engeki Nintendo 64 (MediaWorks, Inc.). January 1999. "Shigeru Miyamoto: (時オカ→神トラ)それから初代ときてリンクの冒険という順番になる。 / Ocarina of Time, A Link to the Past, then comes the original and The Adventure of Link in turn.