10 Video Games That Retconned EVERYTHING

Narrative consistency is essential for games that want to tell a satisfying and engaging story. Sometimes the tale being told will be entirely new, and other instances will be a retelling of events that came before, but while this is often welcomed, it can come at the cost of consistency.

Retconning the events of previous games is enticing if a new, better idea is had, but sometimes a game's conclusion will also opt to discredit the events of the very experience it's trying to wrap up.

With so many games turning into franchises it's clear that new and fresh ideas are needed, but retconning the events of what came before can be a clear indicator of whom the developer is trying to impress. On one hand, rendering previous events as irrelevant could anger existing fans. On the other, new players will welcome the sudden change, as it gives them a suitable and feasible place to start with no research needed.

Small changes to continuity are plentiful in the AAA space, but companies that opt to retcon an entire game or series are far less frequent.

With most entries in the seasoned Zelda franchise, there are a handful of things that usually come with each release.

A cute green tunic, the iconic Master Sword and heart container pieces littering the land are expected, so when Breath of the Wild did something different it was often criticised for it. There was, however, one game that was perhaps the most unique of all.

While most mainline Zelda games are set in Hyrule, 1993's Link’s Awakening’s tale unfolds on the charming and diverse Koholint Island. Full to the brim of harsh obstacles for our hero to overcome and kooky characters to meet, it was all rather different from the norm.

There’s a reason for that. Upon reaching the game’s conclusion it comes to pass that the events of the game, from the surprisingly complex dungeons to the Windfish himself, are merely a figment of Link’s imagination.

A dream to be had while floating out at sea, Link’s Awakening completely wipes away everything that the player thought would be another of the Hero of Hyrule’s valiant quests. The adorable characters he met and the luscious environment players spent hours learning all about rendered completely irrelevant.