Can the Non-canonical Zelda Games Fit into the Timeline?

[kroni]

The ones I know about specifically are the three cd-i games. i didn't even know about their existence until watching the AVGN, and I'm sure they're non-canonical since they're not made by Nintendo and probably aren't supposed to be part of the main "story". But for the sake of argument could those games be put into the timeline without creating inconsistencies? Hopefully somebody knows enough about those games to give an informed response.

Also, how about the Link's Crossbow Training game? And the game with Tingle where he meets the Rupee God? (Haven't ever played these either so again I know nothing)

 

[JuicieJ]

Aonuma said in a recent interview that all the games are on one timeline, which means there are no "non-canonical" games.

 

[kroni]

I haven't played any games mentioned. However they are called non-canonical for a reason. They do not fit and were never intended to fit into the main timeline of the series. They are merely spin offs and as such should never be taken as anything more.

It may well be possible to fit them into a timeline. However using any evidence in these games to support or disprove placements of actual games in the series simply is not logical.

Just because it is illogical doesn't mean we can't discuss it. It's illogical to debate about a video game in the first place. That response was not very helpful at all and basically repeated a lot of information back to me.

Aonuma said in a recent interview that all the games are on one timeline, which means there are no "non-canonical" games.

Actually, there are "non-canonical" Zelda games. The ones on Cdi were not made by Nintendo, or Miyamoto, or anyone else affiliated to Nintendo. Rather, a different company purchased the rights to Zelda and made their own games that are completely separate from Nintendo's official timeline.

 

[Locke]

I haven't played any, but I hear LCT fits after or during TP, and FPTRR sometime after(?) WW. Some however can't fit. For example, BS Zelda and BS Triforce of the Gods are remakes/ports of LoZ and LttP, so if you wanted to place them in the timeline you'd have to replace the originals.

 

[MissingLink]

They go along with the timeline if you look at all of the possibilites. Idk about tingle and the crossbow but the rest, yes

 

[guapo2003]

With the way this timeline is screwed up, then I wouldn't see why not. I mean they are afterall Zelda games even if people dismiss them as so.

 

[TNinja]

With the way this timeline is screwed up, then I wouldn't see why not. I mean they are afterall Zelda games even if people dismiss them as so.

i would have to agree with guapo2003 on this one, unless these games are actually the final key to make the current "official" timeline actually make sense

 

[Phantom Roxas]

I haven't played any, but I hear LCT fits after or during TP, and FPTRR sometime after(?) WW. Some however can't fit. For example, BS Zelda and BS Triforce of the Gods are remakes/ports of LoZ and LttP, so if you wanted to place them in the timeline you'd have to replace the originals.

On the subject of ports, what about the GBA version of ALttP and FS Anniversary Edition? The Palace of the Four Swords and the Realm of Memories are sidequests, and their canonicity is rather unclear, especially since if FS indeed takes place before ALttP, how could the Realm of Memories resemble ALttP's Hyrule Castle?

 

[Graboidfan31]

I don't think they are cannonical but perhaps they(cdi ones) suck so bad, that they shouldn't be considered existing!

 

[SecretNerd-sshh]

There are 7 games in this series that I consider debatable but can absolutely fit in the timeline little to no problems.

I personally own and have beaten Link:Faces of Evil and Zelda:Wand of Gamelon, as well as beaten zelda game AND watch and played Links Crossbow training. I have yet to play Zelda Adventures and Zelda gamewatch but both games have little to no story but enough to place them if you wanted. As for Ancient Stone Tablets, I never played it, but its placement is confirmed to be 6 years after Alttp.

Out of these 7 Zelda titles, 3 were Developed and published by Nintendo. Ancient Stone Tablets and Zelda Game and Watch as well as LCT. These would have the strongest case of being canon.

The CD-i games Nintendo only offered cursory input. And the Zelda Gamewatch nintendo just published.

The order of the CD-i games and all the others based on the events in each can be placed rather easily.

Zelda: Wand of Gamelon
- King Harkinian ( King of Hyrule ) ventures out to help out a Duke of a land called Gamelon. He gets attacked by Ganon and has Zelda send out for Links help. Link then goes missing by getting sealed in a mirror. (Unknown how or by who)
- Zelda, with the aid of Impa, set off to Gamelon to find the King and Link.
- They find out that the Duke who sent for the Kings aid, is working of Ganon.
- Zelda obtains the Wand of Gamelon, confronts ganon and incapacitates him with the wand and saves her father.
- They return to Hyrule where zelda smashes the mirror and frees Link.


Link: Faces of Evil
- With Ganon weakened by the Wand of Gamelon, there is a time peace over Hyrule and Link becomes bored.
- A wizard (I forget his name) travels to Hyrule and informs the king that Ganon has taken over a far off island named Koridai.
- The King sends Link to Koridai because according to the wizard, the prophecy states only Link can stop Ganon.
- While Link is in Koridai, Zelda gets kidnapped by Ganon back in Hyrule.
- Link defeats several of Ganons minions that results in him obtaining the Book of Koridai. A translator (I forget his name) tells Link that he book can be used to seal Ganon.
- Link makes his way through Ganons lair, battles him, and successfuly seals him in the Book of Koridai and saves Zelda.

Zelda Adventures
- Ganon somehow escapes the Book of Koridai's seal and kidnapps Link and has taken over the 7 celestial signs to bring an Age of Darkness over the Kingdom of Tolemac.
- Zelda retrieves the 7 celestial signs, defeats Ganon and saves Link. ( Not sure if Ganon is actually killed)


So, all these games happen in the same time frame. Link and Zelda are the same throughout. I would place these games before LoZ and after LA, since somehow Ganon is already revived unexplained by the time of LoZ anyway, and in the CT ganon is sealed in the FS in FSA.

Zelda Game and Watch
-Very little story, Link must defeat 8 dragons and retrieve a piece of the triforce from each.
-This is all in an attempt to break the seal the dragons have placed around a kidnapped Zelda.

Zelda gamewatch
- Even less story, link must defeat 4 dragons, each holding on to a piece of the triforce.

Well, these games could easily be placed inbetween LoZ and AoL. AoL happens several years after LoZ which gives these games a timeframe to happen in. Ganon is non existant, and by the time of AoL the Triforce is complete.

Thats my take on the "non" canon games. They can fit in no problem if you want them to.

----------------------/tWW/PH-->ST
SS-->tMC-->FS-->OoT--> Alttp/AST/OoX/LA--> WoG/FoE/ZA--> LoZ/G&W/GW/AoL
---------------------\MM-->TP/LCT-->FSA

WoG=Wand of Gamelon, FoE=Faces of Evil, ZA=Zeldas Adventure, G&W= Game and Watch, GW=Gamewatch, AST=Ancient stone tablets, LCT=Links Crossbow Training.