In my last article, I mentioned that sometimes two sources can contradict one another, and when such an occasion arises, it is important to know where sources stand relative to one another. This article is meant to be a guide to determining your own ranking system
The first thing to remember is that there are four main types of sources:
Nintendo-made games
This category encompasses the pure, undoubtable information that we get from the main Zelda lineage. It should rank at the top of any list in terms of validity.
Nintendo-made sources which are not games
The big ones here are instruction manuals, NintendoPower and developer interviews, thought it includes anything made by Nintendo employees that isn't a game.
Third-party sources which are officially endorsed by Nintendo
This includes the Capcom Zelda titles (Oracle series, Four Swords, Minish Cap), the Zelda cartoon, and the official manga. It does NOT include the CD-I games, which are no longer endorsed by Nintendo.
Unofficial sources
Stuff like fanfiction, CD-I games, fanart, etc. Not really good for much besides inspiration and laughs.
Other Considerations:
Dreams
Link's Awakening and Phantom Hourglass both end with Link waking up and realising it was a dream, and as such, excluding the brief sequences at the start and end of each game where Link is awake, these games are not necessarily usable. We would still generally take most of the information as canon, but should a contradiction arise, these dreams would be considered false information.
Chronology
The developers' conception of the timeline has changed dramatically over time, and thus old information is generally trumped by newer information. We still hold on to the belief that all in-game information still holds true, but older instruction manuals and interviews directly conflict with the newer games, and as such we consider them discredited.
That's all for now. If our conception of the Zelda canon changes, we'll post an update.
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