GameTimeline

Release & story order

Hyrule Warriors timeline

Every main Hyrule Warriors entry in US release order—from the 2014 Wii U musou crossover through Definitive Edition on Switch and Age of Calamity's Breath of the Wild prequel. Not part of Nintendo's official Zelda chronology; Release and Story tabs explain the two separate musou universes.

Updated July 2026

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Release order Story order

Release order

When Koei Tecmo and Nintendo shipped each Hyrule Warriors entry in the US—Wii U (2014), 3DS Legends (2016), Switch Definitive Edition (2018), and Age of Calamity (2020).

  • Play today → Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition (Switch)—includes Wii U + Legends content
  • BotW fans → Age of Calamity after Breath of the Wild (alternate prequel, not strict canon)
  • Skip Wii U and 3DS if you buy Definitive Edition—same crossover story
  • Main Zelda RPG order → Zelda games timeline—not required for musou
Story order tips

Two separate musou worlds—not the Hyrule Historia branches. Hyrule Warriors merges heroes from every Zelda era into one crossover war. Age of Calamity is an alternate Breath of the Wild prequel—different plot from the main Zelda Story tab.

  • Crossover saga → one Hyrule Warriors entry (play Definitive Edition)
  • Age of Calamity → separate entry—do not merge into Historia branches
  • No link between musou wars and Ocarina's Child/Adult/Fallen hero splits
  • Cadence of Hyrule and Link's Crossbow Training → Zelda spin-offs FAQ

Timeline

When each game was released. Click a game for platforms, dates, and where it fits in your playthrough.

Release order

  1. Hyrule Warriors

    Hyrule Warriors

    Wii UMusouCrossover

    Hyrule Warriors mashes Zelda eras into Omega Force musou—Cia's invasion with Link, Zelda, Impa, and crossover bosses. Release tab year here is 2014.

    Overview
    Weapon movesets built from series items; non-canon timeline mashup playground. Sequel debates still measure new games against what Hyrule Warriors established.
    In-game setting
    Superseded by Definitive Edition for most players. Not on Zelda Historia branches.
    Should you play it?
    Collectors only—buy Switch DE instead. See Zelda for canon RPGs. Pair Hyrule Warriors with startHere guidance before optional side titles.
    Release date
    US Wii U September 26, 2014. Platforms called out for this beat: Wii U.
  2. Hyrule Warriors Legends

    Hyrule Warriors Legends

    Nintendo 3DSMusouCrossoverHandheld

    Hyrule Warriors Legends ports the musou to 3DS with Wind Waker maps, Medli, and Tetra extras. Release tab year here is 2016.

    Overview
    Handheld exclusive stages later folded into Definitive Edition. Sequel debates still measure new games against what Hyrule Warriors Legends established.
    In-game setting
    Same crossover saga—not a lore sequel. Content lives in DE now.
    Should you play it?
    Skip unless collecting 3DS; prefer Definitive Edition. Pair Hyrule Warriors Legends with startHere guidance before optional side titles.
    Release date
    US 3DS March 22, 2016. Platforms called out for this beat: Nintendo 3DS.
  3. Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition

    Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition

    SwitchMusouCrossover

    Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition packs Wii U + Legends + DLC roster onto Switch—one-stop crossover musou. Release tab year here is 2018.

    Overview
    Complete Cia saga maps/characters docked or portable. Sequel debates still measure new games against what Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition established.
    In-game setting
    Best 2026 way to play non-Calamity Hyrule Warriors.
    Should you play it?
    Start the crossover here. Separate from Age of Calamity's BotW branch. Pair Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition with startHere guidance before optional side titles.
    Release date
    US Switch May 14, 2018. Platforms called out for this beat: Switch.
  4. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity

    Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity

    SwitchMusouBotW prequel

    Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is a BotW-era musou prequel with Champions—and an ending that diverges from Breath of the Wild lore. Release tab year here is 2020.

    Overview
    Sheikah-tech musou set in BotW's world with time-travel twists.
    In-game setting
    Treat as its own branch—not required for Tears of the Kingdom. Canon RPG order: Zelda.
    Should you play it?
    Play after BotW for context; skip if you only want Cia crossover DE. Pair Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity with startHere guidance before optional side titles.
    Release date
    US Switch November 20, 2020. Platforms called out for this beat: Switch.

FAQ

Musou vs main Zelda canon, Definitive Edition vs originals, Age of Calamity placement, and other spin-offs.

Play order

See the Zelda games timeline for release order and the three official story branches after Ocarina of Time—from Skyward Sword through Tears of the Kingdom. This page covers musou spin-offs only.

Canon & Zelda hub

No. Hyrule Warriors is a non-canon crossover that pulls heroes and villains from every Zelda era into one war—it does not fit the Child, Adult, or Fallen hero branches on the main Zelda page. Age of Calamity uses Breath of the Wild characters but tells an alternate Calamity story that contradicts BotW's established backstory. Play musou for action; use Zelda games timeline for lore.

Age of Calamity is a what-if musou prequel starring the Champions. Its ending does not match the flashbacks in Breath of the Wild—Nintendo treats it as a separate branch for gameplay, not a chapter on the main Zelda Story order. Watch it as fan-service after BotW, not as required lore before Tears of the Kingdom.

Optional & related

More timelines

Other release-order and story-order guides on this site.