The Legend of Zelda is one of Nintendo’s most popular franchises. But it is also a complicated series that has multiple timelines. Some of these timelines are very different from each other. Considering how complex the Zelda series is, it would be hard to try to fit all of the games into a chronological order.
However, Breath of the Wild does have some reference to the previous Zelda games. It contains references to the Great Sea from Wind Waker and Wolf Link from Twilight Princess.
The game also contains references to the Ocarina of Time and Skyward Sword, which explain how the Four Swords were created. Whether the game is connected to these other games is unclear.
However, it does appear that Breath of the Wild is located at the end of a particular timeline. This makes a lot of sense given what happens in the game. For instance, the game features a very malevolent force named Ganon. While other games like Twilight Princess and Wind Waker feature a more peaceful, idyllic world, Breath of the Wild is described as apocalyptic.
According to the official Hyrule Historia, the timeline was split in “Ocarina of Time.” During the final battle of OoT, the Adult and Childhood timelines overlapped. In the Childhood timeline, Ganondorf was sealed away in the Twilight Realm. He then tried to escape several times.
However, he was ultimately defeated by a group of reincarnated heroes, and Hyrule returned to a peaceful state. During this time, Link was young.
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