History of The Legend of Zelda (Mainline Series)

The Legend of Zelda is one of the most beloved series in all of gaming. Over 30 years, the series has innovated game design, inspired countless other game developers, and changed the landscape of video games for good. To celebrate the launch of the eagerly awaited Tears of the Kingdom, let’s take a look at the history of The Legend of Zelda.

In the mid-1980s, Shigeru Miyamoto was working on Super Mario Bros for the Famicom, but began noodling around with an idea for a different game. Miyamoto was inspired by his youth exploring the Japanese countryside, and wanted to move away from the linearity of Mario to give players an adventure where they had to carefully consider their next moves. 

The team worked up a classic damsel-in-distress tale whereby the hero, Link, would rescue Princess Zelda from the evil Ganon’s lair on Death Mountain. It was a simple premise, but Miyamoto, along with Takashi Tezuka, went on to build something on top of it that would change the kinds of games Nintendo made. The Legend of Zelda remains as one of the most influential games of all time, and was the springboard for a franchise that would define Nintendo. In this episode of History Of, we examine the impact the series has had on gaming since its inception in 1986.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
00:24 - The Legend of Zelda (1986)
02:52 - Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (1987)
04:22 - The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (1991)
05:21 - The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (1993)
06:47 - The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998)
09:13 - The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask (2000)
10:58 - The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages (2001)
12:42 - The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (2002)
14:10 - The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures (2004)
15:06 - The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap (2004)
15:56 - The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (2006)
17:20 - The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (2007)
18:09 - The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (2009)
18:43 - The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (2011)
20:23 - The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (2013)
21:45 - The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes (2015)
22:08 - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017)
24:25 - The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (2023)

#Zelda #TearsOfTheKingdom #GameSpot

What's your favorite game in the 'Legend of Zelda'? Comment below with #GameSpotGiveaway for a chance to win free stuff! Giveaway closes on 5/2 at 8AM PT! Available to US Residents ONLY. See terms and conditions for details.

[fatbart]

I haven’t preordered a game since I was a teenager. I’m 43 now and preordered Tears of the Kingdom.

[XLYRX-qdwt]

I love this franchise so much, its been a major part of so many childhoods including my own. I cannot wait to continue my journey to Tears of the Kingdom and see what it has to offer

[nayosparks]

I've come to the conclusion that the Triforce is basically a giant game of rock-paper-scissors between Ganon, Link, and Zelda.

[chasehedges]

Heroes get remembered but legends never die

[emmamiller.]

This franchise...agh its so good. It's what really got me into gaming. I love everything about it, the lore, story, phenomenal music, gameplay, puzzles, characters, worlds, etc. Nintendo has put so much work into the series and it's so worth the wait. 37 years and 20 games (not including spin-offs), that's absolutely *amazing.* Zelda games aren't just video games, they are experiences, you really feel like you are Link, a hero. You really do feel like you saved a whole Kingdom. Link and Zelda are really special characters, and I can't imagine Nintendo without them. Now, we are 11 days away from Tears of the Kingdom and I *cannot* wait to jump into Hyrule again.




Oh and also, we have the best fandom, love you guys <3

[Dawn_Raider]

“Every games have a story, only one is a legend” - Wind Waker ad I saw back in 2003

[sprgamingbros]

The open world and exploration of “Breath of the Wild” made it one, if not my favorite in the series. So replayable!

[rydermoses]

A link to the past is my personal favorite of the Zelda games. Can't go wrong with nostalgia

[vegaa.]

Fun fact: Dig-Dug was the first groundbreaking game!

[demetriusdaniels]

A Link to the Past definitely is my most memorable Zelda experience. Breath of the Wild is a very close second. Tears of the Kingdom looks like it may knock both titles off their place on my list.

[robertdelreal]

Favorite legend of Zelda game for me is The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. Mainly because believe it or not, that was the first ever video game I ever played and ever since then, I’ve been hooked to video games!

[tylerturner]

BotW got me into the franchise but I think Wind Waker was my favorite title. I think BotW is one of the greatest games ever made but Wind Waker art style really hooked me. #GameSpotGiveaway

[SomeeRandomGuy]

Weird that the things you said were praised in Phantom Hourglass were actually the things everybody said they hated, especially at release.

[williamhermann]

Man, just the intro theme for A Link To The Past gives me goosebumps. That game created my love for gaming as a whole.

[liamrushton]

Not only was this a fantastic video but I love all the new shows Gamespot is putting out, amazing work ❤

[popeyes]

Zelda link to the past was the first Zelda game that I completed in the series. It's one of my top 5 favorites.

[huindoong]

This video is a masterpiece! From someone who always loves games but never had a chance to own hardware and Zelda games, this video offers such a good summary and history!

[DaRkLoRd-rcyu]

Twilight Princess is a 10/10. Most of these games are. But i feel like these days twilight princess doesnt get the recognition it deserves. Its one of the best. Dont overlook it, its one of the funnest and grandest quests in the series. Yes it is partly ocarina of time done again but that doesnt take away from how good the game actually is.

[joesnider]

Theyre all incredible games I have loved the whole series but started on Ocarina of Time in the 90s. My favorite franchise in gaming

[TheSiemek]

Best game series ever and nothing comes close.