The Legend of Zelda is a series of open world adventure video games. The games are typically about a boy named Link who has to rescue Princess Zelda from Ganon. The first game of the franchise was made by Shigeru Miyamoto and was first sold February 21, 1986 by Nintendo. Most of the Zelda games take place in the fictional kingdom of Hyrule. The games all have fighting, adventuring, item collecting, puzzle-solving, and sometimes racing parts. The Legend of Zelda series has sold over 125 million games, with 23 different games in the series during 2017, making it the 20th best-selling video game series ever.
Main characters
Link - The protagonist of the game, who uses the items and skills he's collected over the game to save the princess. Zelda - The princess who sometimes gets kidnapped but gets saved by Link. Ganon or Ganondorf - A recurring antagonist who tries to conquer the land.
Games
Right now, there are 29 games in the main series, including the compilations and remakes. The Legend of Zelda (1986. NES) Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (1987, NES) The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (1991, SNES) The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (1993, GB) The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX (1998, GBC) The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998, N64) The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (2000, N64) The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages (2001, GBC) The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons (2001, GBC) The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past & Four Swords (2002, GBA) The Legend of Zelda: Collector's Edition (2003, GCN) The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Master Quest (2003, GCN) The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (2003, GCN) The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap (2004, GBA) The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures (2004, GCN) The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (2006, GCN/Wii) The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (2007, NDS) The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (2009, NDS) The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D (2011, 3DS) The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (2011, Wii) The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD (2013, Wii U) The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (2013, 3DS) The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D (2015, 3DS) The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes (2015, 3DS) The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD (2016, Wii U) The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017, Wii U/Switch) The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (remake) (2019, Switch) The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD (2021, Switch) The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (2023, Switch)
Universe
Hyrule
Hyrule is a fictional world in The Legend of Zelda series. It is inhabited by many races, including Hylians, Gorons, Zoras, and others. Death Mountain is a large volcano that Goron species lives on. Ganon has also had his lair in Death Mountain twice. Gerudo Desert is a desert that Ganondorf was born in. Only once every 100 years is a man born, so almost every Gerudo is a woman. Hyrule Castle is the home of the Royal Family, which includes Princess Zelda. It is often Ganon's target. Kakariko Village is a village that first appeared in The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. It appears in many other games after. Lake Hylia is a lake in many of the games. It is often the way to Zora's Domain, the home of the Zora species. The Lost Woods is a forest in many of the games in the series that is easy to get lost in. The Master Sword rests here in A Link to the Past and Link's home, Kokiri Forest, is right next to the Lost Woods in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
The Flooded Great Sea timeline
Long after the adult version Link from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time disappeared, Ganon returned, and when Link did not come to save the people of Hyrule, they asked the Goddesses to flood Hyrule. Hyrule was flooded, and many people died because of it. Hyrule was lost under the sea, and people lived on islands that are scattered around the Great Sea. The events of The Wind Waker take place many years after.
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass is set after the events of wind waker some years later and The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks is set after Phantom hourglass many years later in the wind waker timeline.