Here's my rough timeline. I'm going to replay everything and take notes to get more accurate, but this should do for now.
Link I - The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
Why is this first and not OoT? Eiji Aonuma said in an interview (I believe that it was for the release of FSA) that the original FS was the oldest tale in Zelda chronology. Now, if TMC tells the beginning of the Four Sword saga (what with the forging of the Four Sword and Vaati becoming a Wind Mage and all), then it would come before FS. Therefore, it's first. The game can be open for interpretation too. It could potentially explain why the Kokiri wear green hats, why monsters populate Hyrule, etc.
Link II - The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords
Mmm...this could be different Link. However, it is stated that Zelda already trusts Link above anyone else - so they must have some kind of existing relationship. But, the backstory provided in the manual contains an adventure not presented in TMC. So, something's missing.
Link III - The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Prior to those FS revelations, it was widely accepted that OoT came first. Umm...I don't think anyone will disagree with this, so no point in defending it.
Link III - The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
If you want a time frame, Nintendo of America say three months after the events of OoT. But that has little effect on anything. No need to defend this either. It is a direct sequel to OoT.
Link IV - The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
At least 100 years after the events of OoT. Within that time however, a lot has happened. Geography's changed a little, but Kakariko has been abandoned and relocated. All races are present, or at least mentioned in some way. Anyone think that the Ooccoo are somehow connected to TMC's Wind Tribe? :o Hey. What dungeon did the Armos appear in? Was it City in the Sky? I don't remember. But, TMC tells us that the Minish created Armoses for the Wind Tribe long ago.
Link V - The Legend of Zelda: Hyrulean Adventure
I'm not too sure about this. Somehow the Mirror of Twilight must be put back together. In this game, Ganon uses the Mirror of Darkness to send people to the Dark World (similar to how the Twili were banised the the Twilight Realm via the Mirro of Twilight). A series of Dark Link are seen in a TP cutscene in reference to Hyrule's history of war. I'm pretty sure that that had to do with the Fierce Wars that were pre-OoT; but if not then...I think FSA/HA comes before TP due to it's use large use of Dark Link. Or...maybe that cutscene was just artsy, because Ganon wasn't free again yet. At least, as far as we know. Confusing. The overworld map for Hyrulean Adventure is also a bit flooded. Which leads into...
Link VI - The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
Hundreds of years after OoT. The events of OoT, TP, and FSA, make up the Imprisoning War (the Fierce Wars kick starts this). ... Kind of. You have to be really liberal with that interetation. If we go by the old ALttP (which has now been reconned), then only OoT would be the war. But...at the end of FSA, Ganon is sealed within the Four Sword, and in Japan the Imprisoning War is called the War of Sealing. Ganon's seal is also a triangular prisim, which is what it was in some official art for ALttP. Anyway...getting off track. In TWW, the King speaks of Hylian knights who fell in battle during the war. FSA anyone? So, we know that TWW is after that at least.
Link VII - The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
This game has to do with the Dark World. It was first created when Ganon was sealed in the Sacred Realm in OoT, it was then expanded during FSA, and now it's a seperate realm onto itself like the Twilight Realm. Ganondorf has been imprisoned once, and probably killed twice by now. As, FSA shows us, Ganon is a mythological beast or spirit who keeps inhabiting a new Ganondorf, although the beast is capable of standing on it's own. And, that's what you get in ALttP. Or it could be the power of the Dark World. Regardless, you're facing Ganon not Ganondorf, and Ganon is destroyed. For good. So, we won't be seeing him for a while now...
Link VII - The Legend of Zelda: Oracle Series
Or, maybe you will. Twinrova revives Ganon, but the keyword here is...revived. This shows that he was defeated in ALttP. Once revived he is a bumbling manical fool. The lands in the Oracle Series lie east and west of ALttP's Hyrule. Probably. I've examined the maps. And given a few liberties, like the back side of Death Mountain being call Talus (as it was in FS) then this would work. Link leaves on a boat.
Link VII - The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
It is official that this is a direct sequel to ALttP. But I put the Oracles inbetween there because of the boat thing. Oracles end on a boat, LA starts on a boat. Link's Nightmares include past foes from ALttP, so that adds to the authenticity of the sequel claim.
Link VIII - The Legend of Zelda
How does this work? I'm not sure. Ganon is back for some reason. Back in these days, story was null. But, in AoL we learn that Ganon's minions can revive him by using Link's blood. Maybe they did that. Link VII died or something. I don't know. But somehow Ganon is back. But, not my fault. It is confirmed that ALttP is a prequel to LoZ.
Link VIII - Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
This is a weak explaation but...this is the only game with a numerical value. Therefore it is the sequel to all the other games. We know that is is a direct sequel to LoZ, no need for an explanation.
Now, another way of examining the timeline is with the state of Triforce.
- Creation of Hyrule and Triforce; whole in Sacred Realm
- TMC; not mentioned
- FS; not mentioned
- Fierce Wars; sought after
- OoT; whole in Sacred Realm, in Ganon's clutches, split
- MM; not mentioned
- TP; Ganon has Power
- FSA; not mentioned
- TWW; split. Courage split and hidden beneath the waves. Ganon has Power. Wisdom hidden with royale family. At the end it is united.
- ALttP; united
- Oracles; united, in Hyrule Castle
- LA; not mentioned
- LoZ; split, Ganon had power, wisdom was split and hidden, courage is in the Great Palace
- AoL;united in the end.
:o It's split in LoZ? Oh noes. How comes. The Legend of Sleeping of Zelda. A small technicality. It states that at some point in time, Zelda's brother sent a wizard to question Zelda on the locaion of the Triforce. This was because the King died and the Prince could only inherit a piece of it. He wanted the other two pieces and Zelda knew where it was. A spell was placed upon her, wherein she fell asleep for ages. In her memory, every female of the Royal Family was named Zelda. You would think this would go erly on in the timeline, no? I would. But, I can't get it to fit. The Triforce is split in LoZ because of the King's death. I guess that would go after ALttP, because that's when it's whole. This would be fine and all, if...we didn't have seven other Princess Zeldas already. @@
That's my bare bones timeline. I could go more detailed, but this is just a simple post.
