On September 3rd, 2020, Nintendo surprised the internet with another short Nintendo Direct. But instead of being filled with small announcements, long-awaited ones were finally unveiled. WithSuper Mario Bros.’s 35th Anniversary eventcomes a number of remasters and ports to the Switch and even a battle royale-styleMariogame to be released, while nostalgic favorites likeSuper Mario 64.andSuper Mario Sunshinewill come in a package deal calledSuper Mario 3D All-Stars. Though the rumor of it had been circulating for some time, fans were happy to finally have a formal announcement of its arrival.
Interestingly,The Legend of Zelda, Nintendo’s other massive franchise, will also have its 35th anniversary next year, and many are wondering if the Japanese developer will pull out all the stops forZeldagames as well. If so, 2021 might just beLegend of Zelda’s big year.
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Wind Waker HD
The originalLegend of Zelda: Wind Wakerwas apart of the phenomenon of the GameCube era. Though the console is officially considered a flop for Nintendo’s sales,Wind Wakeris a nostalgically beloved game for many, earmarking the childhoods of gamers. Back in 2013, the promise of a remasteredWind Wakerproved to be empty because Nintendo had ported it to the Wii U in hopes that it would improve sales for its newest console.
It didn’t by much, unfortunately, and since fans have hoped for a port to the Switch. A similar treatment can be observed withPikmin 3: it was released to the Wii U, but fans would rather treat its upcoming port to the Switch as its true premiere because the preceding console turning out to be lackluster.
The Legend of Zelda Classics
If Nintendo follows the same suit as it did withSuper Mario All-Stars, announcing a bundle of the originalSuper Mario Bros.games, then it’s possible that it might release more of the originalZeldagames for the Switch as well. But which games the developer would choose to send to the Switch is the question.Link’s Awakeningis out of the question because it was wonderfully remastered just last year. Additionally, some of the originals likeLegend of ZeldaandA Link to the Pastcan be played on the Switch via Nintendo Switch Online. But there are popular games from the early days that never received a remaster or port:Oracle of SeasonsandOracle of Ages.
BothSeasonsandAgesreleased for the Game Boy Color and were widely renowned by critics, noting the fun gameplay and colorful designs. The only major issue seemed to be the sound quality, which could easily be fixed in a port to the Switch. Many retroZeldagames can be played either on the Switch or 3DS, and theZeldafandom has quite the army of dedicated nostalgia fans. Putting a Switch version ofOracle of SeasonsandOracle of Agescould be a well-received money grab for Nintendo.
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Twilight Princess & Skyward Sword
Though Nintendo wouldn’t keep with the same name, some could speculate that aZeldapackage similar toSuper Mario 3D All-Stars, which includesSuper Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine,andSuper Mario Galaxy,could be coming to the Switch. Fans have been longing to playTwilight Princesson the Switch, though it was released for the Wii U but suffered the same fate asWind Waker.Additionally,Skyward Swordhas yet to have a remaster, and perhaps it’s the most logical game of theZeldabacklog to receive a port to Nintendo’s newest console.
In fact, recently, arumor began circulating that aSkyward Swordremakeis in the works. Last month, screenshots of a UK Amazon product page began surfacing. It showedSkyward Swordfor the Nintendo Switch under Nintendo’s official account page. In fact, Nintendo was testing an HD remaster ofSkyward Swordback in the Wii U days but decided to go with an HD version ofWind Wakerinstead. The main criticism fromSkyward Swordwas the poor Wiimote controls, which killed the game for many players, but perhaps a port to the Switch could improve some issues.
Ocarina of Time & Majora’s Mask
Prior toBreath of the Wild, these two games stood as fan favorites of the franchise. However, being moved from theNintendo 64 to the GameCube, and then later making 3DS ports of both games, they are the most unlikely to see yet another remaster for the Switch. Still, if the developers wanted to re-releaseThe Legend of Zelda: Collector’s Edition,which containedLegend of Zelda, The Adventure of Link, Ocarina of Time, andMajora’s Maskall in one disc for the GameCube, it’s likely to be popular among fans and is a child-friendly game for family households, so it still holds a chance of being a successful release.
Though it’s not very possible Nintendo would go with this angle, some fans have been requesting a complete remake forOcarina of TimeandMajora’s Maskwith upgraded graphics and reworked controls.
Breath of the Wild 2
Breath of the Wildtook chances, changing up a tried and true formula used throughout theZeldafranchise. Out were traditional temples and linear storytelling, and in were shrines, cooking, and true freedom of exploration. And not only did fans eat it up, but it brought it a gaming audience more partial to open-world action adventures. After being cited as one of the best video games of all time, Nintendo decided to make a full sequel instead of just DLC forBreath of the Wild, but the Japanese developer has yet to confirm a release date.
Earlier in 2020, industry insider Sabi, after having previously leaked that the game was scheduled for a 2020 release, claimedBreath of the Wild 2had been pushed back to 2021. Not only does Sabi have a strong track record, but a 2021 sequel release seems like the most logical option, lining up withZelda’s 35th anniversary.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2is in development.
