Editing The Legend of Zelda (universe)

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|originconsole    = [[Nintendo Entertainment System]] (Famicom Disk System)
|originconsole    = [[Nintendo Entertainment System]] (Famicom Disk System)
|firstinstallment  = ''{{b|The Legend of Zelda|game}}'' (1986)
|firstinstallment  = ''{{b|The Legend of Zelda|game}}'' (1986)
|latestinstallment = ''{{s|zeldawiki|The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom}}'' (2024)
|latestinstallment = ''{{s|zeldawiki|The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom}}'' (2023)
|interwiki        = zeldawiki
|interwiki        = zeldawiki
|interwikiname    = Zelda Wiki
|interwikiname    = Zelda Wiki
|interwikipage    = The Legend of Zelda (Series)
|interwikipage    = The Legend of Zelda (Series)
}}
}}
'''''The Legend of Zelda'' universe''' ({{ja|ゼルダの伝説|Zeruda no Densetsu}}, ''The Legend of Zelda'') refers to the ''{{b|Super Smash Bros.|series}}'' series' collection of characters, stages, and properties that hail from [[Nintendo]]'s long-running and famous ''The Legend of Zelda'' game series. It is a series of fantasy action-adventure titles produced by Nintendo throughout the company's history. It is widely considered one of the most influential video game franchises ever created, and has earned a spot as one of the company's flagship franchises alongside such notable series as {{uv|Mario}} and {{uv|Pokémon}}, with ''{{s|zeldawiki|The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time}}'' being the best-reviewed game of all time by certain sources. The series has sold over 100 million units, making it the one of the best-selling video game franchises of all-time. As a result, it is heavily featured in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series, with five separate characters playable in  ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]'', ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'' and ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]'', and 6 separate characters in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'': The main hero [[Link]], his younger counterpart [[Young Link]] (''Melee'' & ''Ultimate'') and [[Toon Link]] (''Brawl'' onward) incarnations, the titular [[Princess Zelda]], her alternate ninja-like guise [[Sheik]], and series villain [[Ganondorf]].
'''''The Legend of Zelda'' universe''' ({{ja|ゼルダの伝説|Zeruda no Densetsu}}, ''The Legend of Zelda'') refers to the ''{{b|Super Smash Bros.|series}}'' series' collection of characters, stages, and properties that hail from [[Nintendo]]'s long-running and famous ''The Legend of Zelda'' game series. It is a series of fantasy action-adventure titles produced by Nintendo throughout the company's history. It is widely considered one of the most influential video game franchises ever created, and has earned a spot as one of the company's flagship franchises alongside such notable series as {{uv|Mario}} and {{uv|Pokémon}}, with ''{{s|zeldawiki|The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time}}'' being the best-reviewed game of all time by certain sources. It has had over fifteen official titles which together have sold over 60 million units, making it the 7th best-selling video game series ever. As a result, it is heavily featured in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series, with five separate characters playable in  ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]'', ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'' and ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]'', and 6 separate characters in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'': The main hero [[Link]], his younger counterpart [[Young Link]] (''Melee'' & ''Ultimate'') and [[Toon Link]] (''Brawl'' onward) incarnations, the titular [[Princess Zelda]], her alternate ninja-like guise [[Sheik]], and series villain [[Ganondorf]].


==Franchise description==
==Franchise description==
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[[File:SSBM opening Link Zelda Sheik.jpg|thumb|[[Link]], [[Princess Zelda]], and [[Sheik]] in their ''Ocarina of Time'' designs, as depicted in the [[opening movie]] of ''Melee''.]]
[[File:SSBM opening Link Zelda Sheik.jpg|thumb|[[Link]], [[Princess Zelda]], and [[Sheik]] in their ''Ocarina of Time'' designs, as depicted in the [[opening movie]] of ''Melee''.]]
At least three other releases in the main series were arguably revolutionary in their own right. The third game, ''{{s|zeldawiki|The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past}}'' for Super Nintendo in early April 1992, advanced many of the conventions introduced by the original game's formula to resemble what a modern-day top-down ''Zelda''-style game traditionally features, with refined combat, item-usage, puzzle-filled dungeon aspects, and more detail to the archetypal story. It is widely considered today to be one of the greatest video games ever released, and the many ''Zelda'' games that make use of this top-down style are typically relegated to Nintendo handhelds. However, even more momentous was the late-1998 release of ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time]]'' for the Nintendo 64, which seamlessly converted the ''Zelda'' formula into a fully realized and detailed three-dimensional world presented in the third person, and introduced what has since become common elements in 3D action-adventure games: a target-lock system to orient the player-character towards specific enemies and circle strafe around them in combat situations in areas with a freely rotatable camera, and context-sensitive buttons. On its initial release, it received perfect review scores from the majority of video game publications that reviewed it, and it sold over seven million copies worldwide. Like ''A Link to the Past'' for the top-down 2D perspective, ''Ocarina of Time'' introduced to the series the 3D-style of gameplay regularly used by console-based ''Zelda'' releases, which typically are the "biggest" releases in the series. Finally, after years of elaborating on the formulas set by ''A Link to the Past'' and ''Ocarina'', ''{{s|zeldawiki|The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild}}'' was released in 2017 for the Wii U and Nintendo Switch. ''Breath of the Wild'' expanded ''Zelda'' to a highly engrossing open-world style, giving the player freedom to explore the game's world at their own leisure and adding a high degree of realism to the gameplay mechanics, and received near-unanimous praise as one of the series' best entries and the first truly revolutionary ''Zelda'' game since ''Ocarina of Time''.
At least three other releases in the main series were arguably revolutionary in their own right. The third game, ''{{s|zeldawiki|The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past}}'' for Super Nintendo in early April 1992, advanced many of the conventions introduced by the original game's formula to resemble what a modern-day top-down ''Zelda''-style game traditionally features, with refined combat, item-usage, puzzle-filled dungeon aspects, and more detail to the archetypal story. It is widely considered today to be one of the greatest video games ever released, and the many ''Zelda'' games that make use of this top-down style are typically relegated to Nintendo handhelds. However, even more momentous was the late-1998 release of ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time]]'' for the Nintendo 64, which seamlessly converted the ''Zelda'' formula into a fully realized and detailed three-dimensional world presented in the third person, and introduced what has since become common elements in 3D action-adventure games: a target-lock system to orient the player-character towards specific enemies and circle strafe around them in combat situations in areas with a freely rotatable camera, and context-sensitive buttons. On its initial release, it received perfect review scores from the majority of video game publications that reviewed it, and it sold over seven million copies worldwide. Like ''A Link to the Past'' for the top-down 2D perspective, ''Ocarina of Time'' introduced to the series the 3D-style of gameplay regularly used by console-based ''Zelda'' releases, which typically are the "biggest" releases in the series. Finally, after years of elaborating on the formulas set by ''A Link to the Past'' and ''Ocarina'', ''{{s|zeldawiki|The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild}}'' was released in 2017 for the Wii U and Nintendo Switch. ''Breath'' expanded ''Zelda'' to a highly engrossing open-world style, giving the player freedom to explore the game's world at their own leisure and adding a high degree of realism to the gameplay mechanics, and received near-unanimous praise as one of the series' best entries and the first truly revolutionary ''Zelda'' game since ''Ocarina of Time''.


It is customary for at least one main ''Zelda'' title to be released over the lifespan of a given Nintendo console or handheld. Many of these adhere by default to a realistic, comparatively "adult" aesthetic, starting with ''Ocarina of Time'' and including titles as recent as ''{{s|zeldawiki|The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild}}''; however, in early 2003, a radically different "younger" alternative look and style was introduced into the series with the release of ''{{s|zeldawiki|The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker}}'' for the GameCube. This introduces a heavily cartoon-stylized, cel-shaded design and graphical style both to Link and the rest of his world, and this exact "[[Toon Link]]" design and aesthetic is reused in several subsequent releases on Nintendo handhelds, all of which are separate from the games featuring the "adult" aesthetic. Given the nearly-''Mario''-scale importance and relevance the ''Zelda'' franchise has had both to Nintendo and to the industry as a whole, it is unfailingly one of the first franchises confirmed for a starring role in each game of Nintendo's ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'' series of crossover fighting games. Later games in the ''Smash Bros.'' series have featured content from both the realistic and the cartoon ''Zelda'' styles.
It is customary for at least one main ''Zelda'' title to be released over the lifespan of a given Nintendo console or handheld. Many of these adhere by default to a realistic, comparatively "adult" aesthetic, starting with ''Ocarina of Time'' and including titles as recent as ''{{s|zeldawiki|The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild}}''; however, in early 2003, a radically different "younger" alternative look and style was introduced into the series with the release of ''{{s|zeldawiki|The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker}}'' for the GameCube. This introduces a heavily cartoon-stylized, cel-shaded design and graphical style both to Link and the rest of his world, and this exact "[[Toon Link]]" design and aesthetic is reused in several subsequent releases on Nintendo handhelds, all of which are separate from the games featuring the "adult" aesthetic. Given the nearly-''Mario''-scale importance and relevance the ''Zelda'' franchise has had both to Nintendo and to the industry as a whole, it is unfailingly one of the first franchises confirmed for a starring role in each game of Nintendo's ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'' series of crossover fighting games. Later games in the ''Smash Bros.'' series have featured content from both the realistic and the cartoon ''Zelda'' styles.
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Each of the ''Zelda'' games, for the most part, are set in a fantasy land named {{s|zeldawiki|Hyrule}}, which had been created by a trio of goddesses that subsequently left behind embodiments of their power in a three-triangle artifact called the {{s|zeldawiki|Triforce}}, a great evil - most often a demonic being named Ganon, or alternatively a powerful humanoid sorcerer named [[Ganondorf]], depending on the game - threatens the land, and the only hope is for a young boy or man garbed in green, [[Link]], in cooperation with a princess named [[Zelda]], to go on an adventurous quest across Hyrule to smite the evil, most often with a blessed blade in an altar named the [[Master Sword]]. There is almost always some sort of variation to a given installment's narrative that ties both into the story and the gameplay; in some games there is a parallel world that Link must explore, while the world may be mostly covered in ocean in other games. Link himself may undertake his quest under a different set of circumstances each game, such as in ''{{s|zeldawiki|The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess}}'' when he can transform into a wolf and receive assistance from an imp-like creature named [[Midna]], or ''{{s|zeldawiki|The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap}}'', where a talking hat he acquires allows him to shrink and grow back in size at will. Even Zelda's backstory, role, and relevance can vary between games, such as whether she is a classic damsel-in-distress or a capable ally of Link, but very rarely is any sort of romance between her and Link even implied.
Each of the ''Zelda'' games, for the most part, are set in a fantasy land named {{s|zeldawiki|Hyrule}}, which had been created by a trio of goddesses that subsequently left behind embodiments of their power in a three-triangle artifact called the {{s|zeldawiki|Triforce}}, a great evil - most often a demonic being named Ganon, or alternatively a powerful humanoid sorcerer named [[Ganondorf]], depending on the game - threatens the land, and the only hope is for a young boy or man garbed in green, [[Link]], in cooperation with a princess named [[Zelda]], to go on an adventurous quest across Hyrule to smite the evil, most often with a blessed blade in an altar named the [[Master Sword]]. There is almost always some sort of variation to a given installment's narrative that ties both into the story and the gameplay; in some games there is a parallel world that Link must explore, while the world may be mostly covered in ocean in other games. Link himself may undertake his quest under a different set of circumstances each game, such as in ''{{s|zeldawiki|The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess}}'' when he can transform into a wolf and receive assistance from an imp-like creature named [[Midna]], or ''{{s|zeldawiki|The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap}}'', where a talking hat he acquires allows him to shrink and grow back in size at will. Even Zelda's backstory, role, and relevance can vary between games, such as whether she is a classic damsel-in-distress or a capable ally of Link, but very rarely is any sort of romance between her and Link even implied.


Besides instances where some games are direct sequels and continuations to each other, there is usually no relevance in continuity between any of the seemingly independent portrayals of Hyrule. This, however, did not stop fans from speculating wildly on how all of the titles could be ordered in a chronological timeline that assumes Hyrule in all of these games is, in fact, the same world in different stages of its history, and that the reappearances of Link and related characters represent different individuals that are unwitting reincarnations of eras and Links from the past—due to contradictions between games that arise when trying to place them all in a linear timeline, estimates were made that the Zelda chronology branched off into separate directions. In 2011, during the 25th anniversary of the franchise, Nintendo posted an official timeline for the series that affirmed that there were, in fact, three separate branches with their own corresponding games. The current official ordering of ''The Legend of Zelda'' series is explained below:
Besides instances where some games are direct sequels and continuations to each other, there is usually no relevance in continuity between any of the seemingly independent portrayals of Hyrule. But this did not stop fans from speculating wildly on how all of the titles could be ordered in a chronological timeline that assumes Hyrule in all of these games is, in fact, the same world in different stages of its history, and that the reappearances of Link and related characters represent different individuals that are unwitting reincarnations of eras and Links from the past. But due to contradictions between games that arise when trying to place them all in a linear timeline, estimates were made that the Zelda chronology branched off into separate directions. In 2011, during the 25th anniversary of the franchise, Nintendo posted an official timeline for the series that affirmed that there were, in fact, three separate branches with their own corresponding games. The current official ordering of ''The Legend of Zelda'' series is explained below:


*'''"The Legend of the Goddesses & the Hero":''' The beginning timeline before its triple-branch. After the creation of the heavens and Hyrule, the earliest chronological game is ''{{s|zeldawiki|The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword}}'' (2011), taking place on floating islands in the sky named {{s|zeldawiki|Skyloft}}, which the goddess {{s|zeldawiki|Hylia}} had lifted to safeguard the Hylian people from the monster hordes of the demon king {{s|zeldawiki|Demise}} infesting the lands below. The original incarnations of Link and Zelda, living on Skyloft along with the other Hylians during this time, are involved in a quest that explains and lays the groundwork for the patterns shown in the rest of the series. Following this, the {{s|zeldawiki|Sacred Realm}} wherein the Triforce resides is sealed, and Hyrule Kingdom is established. Then, in both ''{{s|zeldawiki|The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap}}'' (2005) and ''{{s|zeldawiki|The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords}}'' (originally released as part of a Game Boy Advance port of ''A Link to the Past'' in December 2002), separate Links fight the wind mage {{s|zeldawiki|Vaati}}. Finally, in ''{{s|zeldawiki|The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time}}'' (1998), a child Link takes part in a pivotal moment of the timeline when an evil human sorcerer, the original [[Ganondorf]], covets the Triforce beyond the Sacred Realm, and Link must regularly travel back and forth between periods separated seven years apart - with Link himself assuming the form of a teenager during his time in the later period - and receive help from the enigmatic [[Sheik]] in order to defeat Ganondorf and the monstrous form Ganondorf eventually assumes, Ganon.
*'''"The Legend of the Goddesses & the Hero":''' The beginning timeline before its triple-branch. After the creation of the heavens and Hyrule, the earliest chronological game is ''{{s|zeldawiki|The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword}}'' (2011), taking place on floating islands in the sky named {{s|zeldawiki|Skyloft}}, which the goddess {{s|zeldawiki|Hylia}} had lifted to safeguard the Hylian people from the monster hordes of the demon king {{s|zeldawiki|Demise}} infesting the lands below. The original incarnations of Link and Zelda, living on Skyloft along with the other Hylians during this time, are involved in a quest that explains and lays the groundwork for the patterns shown in the rest of the series. Following this, the {{s|zeldawiki|Sacred Realm}} wherein the Triforce resides is sealed, and Hyrule Kingdom is established. Then, in both ''{{s|zeldawiki|The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap}}'' (2005) and ''{{s|zeldawiki|The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords}}'' (originally released as part of a Game Boy Advance port of ''A Link to the Past'' in December 2002), separate Links fight the wind mage {{s|zeldawiki|Vaati}}. Finally, in ''{{s|zeldawiki|The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time}}'' (1998), a child Link takes part in a pivotal moment of the timeline when an evil human sorcerer, the original [[Ganondorf]], covets the Triforce beyond the Sacred Realm, and Link must regularly travel back and forth between periods separated seven years apart - with Link himself assuming the form of a teenager during his time in the later period - and receive help from the enigmatic [[Sheik]] in order to defeat Ganondorf and the monstrous form Ganondorf eventually assumes, Ganon.

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