The Legend of Zelda (series)

The Legend of Zelda is a video game series that takes place in the fictional Kingdom of Hyrule, often led by the titular Princess Zelda. The protagonist of the series is Link, a young man who is destined, in most of the games, to save Hyrule from the clutches of the evil thief Ganondorf or his alter-ego, the dark beast Ganon. Some of the games feature additional protagonists such as Navi the fairy, Ezlo the talking cap, or Midna the Twili, who serve as sidekicks throughout the course of the game, or different antagonists, such as Vaati the Wind Mage, the General of Darkness General Onox, or the Usurper King Zant.

The Legend of Zelda (1986)
The Legend of Zelda is the first installment of the Zelda series. It centers its plot around a boy named Link, who becomes the central protagonist throughout the series.
 * Main Antagonist: Ganon
 * Final Boss: Ganon
 * Villainous Faction: Ganon's minions
 * Timeline: Downfall
 * McGuffin: Pieces of the Triforce of Wisdom

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (1987)
As Link learns all of this, the minions of Ganon begin to attack once again. Believing that they could revive their master by pouring the blood of Link over his ashes, they begin to spread across the land, seeking for him. Eventually, Link is able to gain the Triforce of Courage. Uniting the three Triforces, Link returns to the Northern Palace to wake the slumbering Zelda.
 * Main Antagonist: Ganon
 * Final Boss: Dark Link
 * Villainous Faction: Ganon's minions
 * Timeline: Downfall
 * McGuffin: Pieces of the Triforce of Courage

A Link to the Past (1992)
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is the third main installment of The Legend of Zelda series. After the side-scrolling and more RPG-like gameplay of The Adventure of Link, A Link to the Past was a return to the overhead view and gameplay style of The Legend of Zelda. It introduced the concept of two different worlds (one dark, one light), which was revisited to an extent in its console successor Ocarina of Time with two time periods rather than dark and light worlds.
 * Main Antagonist: Aghanim
 * Final Boss: Ganon
 * Villainous Faction: Ganon's minions
 * Timeline: Downfall
 * McGuffins: Pendants of Virtue + Seven Maidens

Link's Awakening (1993)
The next game, Link's Awakening, was the first Zelda for Nintendo's Game Boy handheld on June 6, 1993 and is the first to take place outside of Hyrule. It was re-released for the Game Boy Color in 1998 as Link's Awakening DX with some additional features, including an extra color-based dungeon and a photo shop that allowed interaction with the Game Boy Printer.
 * Main Antagonist: The Windfish
 * Final Boss: Dethyl
 * Villainous Faction: Nightmares
 * Timeline: Downfall
 * McGuffin: Instruments of the Sirens

Ocarina of Time (1998)
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is the fifth main installment of The Legend of Zelda series and the first to be released for the Nintendo 64. It was one of the most highly anticipated games of its age. It is listed among the greatest video games ever created by numerous websites and magazines. Released in the United States on November 23, 1998, it was the first game in The Legend of Zelda series that was visually displayed in 3D (previous games of the series had a front or top-down view).
 * Main Antagonist: Ganondorf
 * Final Boss: Ganon
 * Villainous Faction: Ganon's minions
 * Timeline: Unified
 * McGuffins: Spiritual Stones + Medallions

Majora's Mask (2000)
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask is the sixth main installment of The Legend of Zelda series, first released on the Nintendo 64 in 2000. Unique among The Legend of Zelda series, the game includes a time system that spans three days, and this cycle must be reset periodically to progress through the game. Majora's Mask is one of the few Zelda games in which Ganon does not play any role whatsoever. In addition, Princess Zelda does not play a major role; she is only seen once in a flashback scene from Ocarina of Time.
 * Main Antagonist: Skull Kid
 * Final Boss: Majora's Wrath
 * Villainous Faction: Monsters of Termina
 * Timeline: Child
 * McGuffin: Boss Masks

Oracle of Ages (2001)
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages is one of two The Legend of Zelda titles released for the Game Boy Color, the other being Oracle of Seasons, both representing the seventh and eighth main installments of the series.
 * Main Antagonist: Veran
 * Final Boss: Ganon
 * Villainous Faction: Monsters of Labrynna
 * Timeline: Downfall
 * McGuffin: Essences of Time

Oracle of Seasons (2001)
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons is one of two The Legend of Zelda titles released for the Game Boy Color, the other being Oracle of Ages, both representing the seventh and eighth main installments of the series.
 * Main Antagonist: General Onox
 * Final Boss: Ganon
 * Villainous Faction: Monsters of Holodrum
 * Timeline: Downfall
 * McGuffin: Essences of Nature

Four Swords (2002)
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords is the ninth main installment of The Legend of Zelda series, released alongside A Link to the Past for the Game Boy Advance as a package known as A Link to the Past & Four Swords. It was the first multiplayer The Legend of Zelda game to be released.
 * Main Antagonist: Vaati
 * Final Boss: The Wind Mage: Vaati
 * Villainous Faction: Monsters of Hyrule
 * Timeline: Unified
 * McGuffin: Great Fairies

The Wind Waker (2003)
Set hundreds of years after the events of Ocarina of Time, The Wind Waker finds the hero Link in a sea scattered with 49 islands, which necessitates frequent sailing and naval combat. Link lives with his grandmother and younger sister Aryll on Outset Island, one of the few inhabited islands in the Great Sea. Link must save his sister from Ganon who thought she was Zelda.
 * Main Antagonist: Ganondorf
 * Final Boss: Ganondorf
 * Villainous Faction: Monsters of the Great Sea
 * Timeline: Adult
 * McGuffins: Goddess Pearls + Master Sword restoration

Four Swords Adventures (2004)
Next in the series came Four Swords Adventures for the GameCube, which was released in the first half of 2004 in Japan and America, and in January 2005 in Europe. The game contains 24 individual stages and a map screen; there is no connecting overworld. For the multiplayer features of the game, each player is required to use a Game Boy Advance system linked to the Nintendo GameCube via a GBA-GCN cable. Although it focuses on multiplayer, the game also features a single player campaign in which using a Game Boy Advance is optional.
 * Main Antagonist: Vaati
 * Final Boss: Ganon
 * Villainous Faction: Monsters of Hyrule
 * Timeline: Child
 * McGuffin: 7 Maidens

The Minish Cap (2005)
The central concept of The Minish Cap is Link's ability to shrink in size with the aid of a mystical sentient hat named Ezlo. While tiny, Link can see previously-explored parts of a dungeon from a new perspective, and enter new areas through otherwise impassable openings.
 * Main Antagonist: Vaati
 * Final Boss: Vaati's Wrath
 * Villainous Faction: Monsters of the Bound Chest
 * Timeline: Unified
 * McGuffin: Four Elements

Twilight Princess (2006)
Twilight Princess arrived as the first Zelda game on the Wii, although. Twilight Princess is set hundreds of years after the events of Majora's Mask. This game chronicles the struggle of a more mature Link, the descendant of the Hero of Time, to rid Hyrule of the "Twilight Realm", a mysterious force plaguing the land. When Link enters this realm, he transforms into a wolf and the gameplay shifts radically.
 * Main Antagonist: Zant
 * Final Boss: Ganondorf
 * Villainous Faction: Monsters of the Twilight Realm
 * Timeline: Child
 * McGuffins: Fused Shadow + Shards of the Mirror of Twilight

Phantom Hourglass (2007)
At E³ 2006, Nintendo confirmed its status as a direct sequel to The Wind Waker. Released on June 23, 2007, Phantom Hourglass features unique new controls making use of the Nintendo DS hardware capabilities, and incorporates a 1-on-1 multiplayer battle mode, supporting play both locally and online through the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.
 * Main Antagonist: Bellum
 * Final Boss: Bellumbeck
 * Villainous Faction: Monsters of the Ocean King's Waters
 * Timeline: Adult
 * McGuffins: Sand of Hours + Three Pure Metals

Spirit Tracks (2009)
It is set in the new-found Hyrule, 100 years after the events of Phantom Hourglass. A new Link appears wearing a conductor's outfit and hat. Early on in the game, Link obtains the Hero's Clothes. Spirit Tracks features the same cel-shaded graphics style that was seen in Phantom Hourglass and The Wind Waker.
 * Main Antagonist: Chancellor Cole
 * Final Boss: Malladus
 * Villainous Faction: Monsters of New Hyrule
 * Timeline: Adult
 * McGuffin: Rail Maps

Skyward Sword (2011)
According to the details given, Link lives in a land known as Skyloft which floats high above Hyrule. He learns that Hyrule is in danger and travels to the ground to save the kingdom. Much of the gameplay focuses heavily on the use of the Wii Motion Plus, allowing the players to have a much greater level of control over Link. At E3 2011, much of the game was unraveled by Miyamoto and Aonuma, including a new flying mechanism in the game. As for characters, a villain under the name Ghirahim causes some controversy in Skyloft, which leads to the kidnapping of Link's friend, Zelda.
 * Main Antagonist: Girahim
 * Final Boss: Demise
 * Villainous Faction: Monsters of the Surface
 * Timeline: Unified
 * McGuffins: Ancient Tablets + Goddess Flames

A Link Between Worlds (2013)
It takes place hundreds of years later, when forces from the parallel universe of Lorule invade Hyrule and turn its sages into paintings. The game is remarkable for its open-ended nature. Link can rent or buy key items from Ravio instead of finding them in dungeons, allowing him to complete dungeons in almost any order.
 * Main Antagonist: Yuga
 * Final Boss: Yugannon
 * Villainous Faction: Yuga's Minions
 * Timeline: Downfall
 * McGuffins: 3 Pendents of Virtue + 7 Sages

Triforce Heroes (2015)
It stars the same Link as its predecessor, A Link Between Worlds, who has fled Hyrule and disguised himself in order to avoid recognition. He stumbles across the land of Hytopia, whose princess was cursed to wear ugly clothing by a villainous witch. Link teams up with two similar heroes to journey through the Drablands and stop Lady Maud to free Princess Styla.
 * Main Antagonist: Lady Maud
 * Final Boss: Drabland's Witch: Lady Maud
 * Villainous Faction: Monsters of Hytopia
 * Timeline: Downfall
 * McGuffins: Lady's Ensemble

Breath of the Wild (2017)
Link awakens from a 100 year sleep and is tasked with destroying Calamity Ganon before the world is destroyed. The game returns to the original The Legen of Zelda concept of a more open-world adventure, where Link is free to explore the world in any direction at any given moment. Major dungeons found in previous games have been replaced with four smaller Divine Beasts and numerous small Ancient Shrine scattered throughout the land.
 * Main Antagonist: Calamity Ganon
 * Final Boss: Dark Beast Ganon
 * Villainous Faction: Ganon's Minions
 * Timeline: United
 * McGuffins: Divine Beasts

Breath of the Wild 2 (TBA)
A sequel to Breath of the Wild revealed in E3 2018.
 * Main Antagonist: TBA
 * Final Boss: TBA
 * Villainous Faction: TBA
 * Timeline: United
 * McGuffins: TBA