RIP Nintendo Power

[Zero Kirby]

Wasn't A Link to the Past made before Ocarina of Time?

Using this logic then clearly Skyward Sword is the last game chronologically

Here's your timeline you're looking for, in spoiler tags because it's hueg

Spoiler

Looks perfectly fine and sensical to me, but then even Nintendo said "we really do not give a shit about the stupid timeline" so if you don't like it, you don't have to agree with it

And it probably looks fine to me because I hate half the series so I couldn't care less either

On the topic of Nintendo Power dying

Expected it quite a bit sooner, honestly

[Koopaul]

People care about it (but no where near as much as the SMB series) but well, it would be like making fun of those little Jumping Ninja-Thingies in SMB 2 every issue. Making fun of a series that old, EVERY issue, just doesn't seem possible. And, as I said, I thought you meant those 3 games and not the DKC Universe.

Um the games were released on the GBA and Virtual Console. They are still on the market and therefor they did talk about each title when it came out for the GBA and the Wii.

It wasn't every issue, it was whenever they could. Also I don't get your analogy, why compare what I said to the Ninjis? An insignificant part of a whole game. NP used to mock the series as a whole, not just single out one element.

*Ahem*

I guess "hate" is a strong word, if you're thinking of it like that. I guess a better word is "disgusted". But I did want it to fail, because I used to love Nintendo Power with all my heart. When these nasty new guys took control of it I was extremely unhappy.

When you loved something, you'd rather see it die than live on being controlled by something that disgusts you.

I guess a similar comparison is when I wanted Pixeltendo to die while it was full of jackasses.

[Mutsukki]

How do you even survive being on the internet?

[Koopaul]

I don't care when people say nasty things about stuff I like. I mean who cares right? But when it comes from something you used to love and respect, it's upsetting.

Get it now?

[Kriven]

It's like you've formed a trust relationship and then the other party punched you in the face.

I actually felt that a lot from Nintendo Power at times, especially when they started some of the layout and tone shifts. They moved away from being a handy mini-guide with quirky commentary and became a monstrous commercial lined with attempted Bad-Ass for Big Boys.

I remember reading the Super Mario Advance issue again and again because they included little bubbles on each page showing off the characters, complete with a mini-biography. I think they even pointed out how one of the Mousers got replaced by Robirdo. The magazine used to be full of trivia and tricks, and then it all just dried up.

[puggsoy]

@Zero Kirby: Right, thanks for the timeline. There's still stuff that doesn't make sense like how Link has a "grandfather" in MC and is a Kokiri in OoT, and that he meets Zelda for the first time in both, but whatever, as you said Nintendo doesn't really care. I don't either really, the games are fun and that's all that really matters, since Nintendo didn't plan a huge storyline anyway.

But since OoT seems to be the crux of the story, with Ganondorf and whatnot, that gives me much more reason to finally finish it, so that's cool.

[Kriven]

@Zero Kirby: Right, thanks for the timeline. There's still stuff that doesn't make sense like how Link has a "grandfather" in MC and is a Kokiri in OoT, and that he meets Zelda for the first time in both, but whatever, as you said Nintendo doesn't really care. I don't either really, the games are fun and that's all that really matters, since Nintendo didn't plan a huge storyline anyway.

But since OoT seems to be the crux of the story, with Ganondorf and whatnot, that gives me much more reason to finally finish it, so that's cool.

Wait, what? Minish Cap and OoT Link aren't even the same character. The timeline spans centuries.

Link, Zelda, and Ganon are eternal spirits constantly resurrected to repeat a continuous cycle and maintain order in Hyrule. The franchise has taken place over millenia, with different Links, Zeldas, and Ganondorfs.

Edit: Think Avatar: The Last Airbender.

[Virt]

Yeah, there are multiple Links and Zeldas and Ganons and Ganondorfs. They just all happen to have the same names.

[Zero Kirby]

What they said (which was literally spelled out in Skyward Sword), plus it's always possible to think of each Zelda game as just another iteration in a telephone game of sorts. It starts with one story told by a guy and eventually spreads around to so many other guys that they all tell different variations of the same story.

[puggsoy]

Edit: Think Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Don't watch that

But yeah I get the point. Thanks for clearing it all up guys, obviously you've studied this much more than me (i.e. at all).

[Kami]

Yeah, there are multiple Links and Zeldas and Ganons and Ganondorfs. They just all happen to have the same names.

Somehow they had cloning technology.

[Mutsukki]

The concept of reincarnation, which is a normal one in Japanese culture, is what's in play here. I mean, since Wind Waker it was obvious (for me) that they were not the same person at all, but rather reincarnations. I'm pretty sure the game tells you that in big bold letters even (Tetra turning into Zelda, King of Hyrule telling his history, the opening cutscene. And look, Spirit Train actually puts you in a kinda close timeline to Wind Waker, but with another Link), I never thought that was confusing. The timeline surely is, but not that particular concept that every Link and Zelda was a different one.

Also, about Ganon(dorf), he's the only one that I'm kinda sure is the same person on all games (even the ones he's a pig), since he's supposedly ridiculously old, immortal and always break the Dark World seal.

[Kriven]

Yeah, Ganon is supposedly a demon that manages to escape from the Dark World every so often. But that doesn't really flow with Ganondorf being the born son of a Gerudo every 100 years.

[puggsoy]

And look, Spirit Train actually puts you in a kinda close timeline to Wind Waker, but with another Link), I never thought that was confusing.

Although I haven't played it yet, I did see that Spirit Tracks has Linebeck III, Linebeck's grandson, which made me think "hell how can Link have adventures with this guy who isn't even married yet, and then his grandson, and still be a kid?" Now it makes way more sense though. That is, if you can consider the idea of identical reincarnation as making sense.

[Goemar]

When the games were new I just always assumed it was a different Link unless it was obviously a sequel.
So Zelda I and II were the same Link. Link to the Past and Awakening. Oot, Majora's Mask, Seasons & Ages (because of Epona and a few other things but pretty sure this is "wrong" now). And obviously the 2 DS ones had the same Link. So that's 4 different Links who had more than one adventure, and then the rest were just other Links in a different time/place/dimension. I think a lot of people really wanted it to be a single Link for some reason but WW showed what most knew all along.

But that was as much thought as I really put into it. I haven't read into the 'official' timeline too much (waiting for the English version of the book) but I'm sure I'll disagree with it anyway (most timelines mess up Moblins).