Wasn't that the direct sequel to LTTP already? I realize it was pretty much all a dream, but the game still exists in Zelda continuity, right?

Do you think this sequel will follow from the end of LTTP and ignore Awakening or maybe the intro story might make reference to a shipwreck?

It just struck me as strange that they are making a game billed as the second game and I haven't noticed anyone mentioning Awakening. I guess they could do the same with OOT and just ignore Majora's Mask too and it would probably sell better than any new Zelda game.

I haven't played it but the Wiki doesn't make any mention of it being directly related to LTTP. That said, Nintendo never said this was a direct sequel. They just said it took place in the same world as LTTP. It could be a prequel or it could be an alternate reality or any number of things.

This according to Wikipedia:

Tezuka sought to make Link's Awakening a spin-off, and gave Tanabe instructions to omit common series elements such as Princess Zelda, the Triforce relic, and the setting Hyrule.^[26] As a consequence, Tanabe proposed his game world idea of an island with an egg on top of a mountain.

So I would say it has nothing to do with any other Zelda game story wise.

I thought Phantom Hourglass was a sequel to Wind Waker so thought it was odd when on a previous bombcast Patrick (or somebody) said modern Nintendo doesn't make direct sequels.

Wait, he said that? What about Radiant Dawn? That was a pretty direct sequel, wasn't it? And isn't the Prime continuity largely straightforward?

It's hard to tell nowadays with the timeline stuff people seem hellbent on stringing together, and it's not helped by Nintendo itself. When Link's Awakening came out initially it was just a Zelda game for the gameboy. I don't remember seeing anywhere that it was a sequel or related to Link to the Past in anyway.

According to the official timeline, the Oracle games actually take place after LTTP though I don't think those are supposed to be direct sequels either.

I didn't hear that discussion, but was Mario Galaxy 2 mentioned? Because that's as direct a sequel as Nintendo has ever made.

I was about to link the official timeline, but I see that's been handled already.

Carry on.

Yeah, I honestly tune out most of what Patrick says - unfortunately I tune out most of what everyone says on the bombcast now; It's background noise for Dota.

@oraknabo: I think they're just calling it a Link to the Past 2 because it occupies the same area. And Awakening is really just a side story, so if it's LTTP2, it doesn't really push awakening to the side.

@voshinova:

The same reason why I don't listen to the Bombcast at all: I inevitably tune it out and feel I wasted it.

He was specifically talking about Legend of Zelda when he said that. As far as Link's Awakening, according to the Official Timeline (hah!), it goes LttP>LttP2>Oracle of Ages/Seasons>Link's Awakening (probably because Oracles Link finishes the game by leaving on a boat).

I vaguely recall it being LttP Link traveling the world to become a better hero. I can't recall WHERE that came from, but it's a pretty old recollection and not likely a timeline people thing.

I have no problem with the various timeline, but then it better actually matter at some point down the line Crisis on Infinite Earth's style.

That's certainly a possibility. I always thought it was officially the same link in addition to being the same world, but I guess there's no reason it couldn't be explained otherwise.

Yeah, I thought it was weird. Adventure of Link, Awakening, Majora's Mask and Phantom Hourglass are all sequels in my opinion.

I didn't realize those two come between the two games, but it makes sense. I don't think I've ever thought of how those fit in and if it's the LTTP Link or not, but I've always thought of Awakening as being the same Link.

@oraknabo: yes that's right.

The way I read the new official Timeline is that the Link of AlttP left Hyrule for yet as of unknown reasons to embark on the adventures of the Oracle games(he summoned against his will right I think?) and then events (or dream of) of Link's Awakening happened during his attempt tor return to Hyrule.

maybe LTTP2 will be what happens when Link finally makes it back to Hyrule?

Be that as it may, Link's Awakening is the 2nd best Zelda game eeeeeeeever!

I'm fairly positive the manual for Link's Awakening, which my 9-year-old self looked through a bunch, was where it said he was traveling the world to become a better hero. It didn't specifically say "following the events of Link to the Past", but I think it mentioned something about being after Ganon's defeat. At the time, that most obviously implied it to be a sequel to LttP, but it's vague enough that Nintendo could slot Link's Awakening in several places in the timeline. The Zelda series really has a ton of those sorts of ambiguities, because it's really never been that story-driven.

For the record, the timeline is still super dumb, and anyone thinking it's ever actually going anywhere to some final confrontation or anything is delusional. If Nintendo were actually trying to do significant universe building, then each game wouldn't speak in such vague generalities and contradict other games and retcon the mythology on occasion.

All the different gods, deities, essences, sages, spirits, Twili, etc. across all the different games really don't seem to come together into any coherent whole. It's just whatever works for that game, with a few random hints to previous Zeldas thrown in for the hell of it.