What we want from Zelda’s 35th Anniversary

We’re less than a month away from the 35^th Anniversary of the first Legend of Zelda game. Since its original Japanese release on February 21^st, 1986 on the Famicom Disk System, the series has become one of the best-selling and most iconic in video game history. There have been some arguable misses along the way, but largely the Zelda series has cemented Nintendo’s reputation for producing quality sequels and spinoffs for their beloved properties.

Now that we’re through the 35^th anniversary of Mario, hopefully Nintendo will be able to celebrate this series in the same way. Will we get a limited release of three classic games from the Zelda franchise, ala the Mario 35^th Anniversary Collection? Or will we perhaps get a big remake of a classic entry in the series? Nintendo are being typically tight lipped about their plans, but this is the Internet, people. The floor has been opened to wild speculation, so let’s get to it!

What’s likely: Breath of the Wild 2 release date

There are some obvious choices for what we’re likely to see between now and February 21^st. The safest bet is that we’ll get a release date for the Breath of the Wild sequel that got teased way back in 2019. We’ve heard very little about how development is going since that E3 trailer. Personally, I think the plan was to release this sequel on the 35^th Anniversary of the original The Legend of Zelda game, but 2020 was not the year for careful planning.

It’s likely that announcing a release date for Breath of the Wild 2 will be at least part of Nintendo’s plans for February 21^st. Fans are clamouring for it, so hopefully we’ll get some word on when we’ll get that on our Switch and an update on the gameplay. Will fans get the things they’ve been wishing for? Only one way to find out.

What I’d like: Skyward Sword for Switch

I’m going to come out and say it – I really liked Skyward Sword. It was a fun take on the character of Zelda and had one of my favourite Zelda companions in the form of Fi. The main villain was a little bland, but the way it established the origins of Hyrule were really fun, and actually set up the image of Calamity Ganon for Breath of the Wild.

If we can get a remake of Skyward Sword that either removes the motion controls completely or at least refines them a bit, I’d call it a win for Zelda fans. Of course, this would require a complete remake of the control scheme, which makes it less likely due to the amount of work necessary to make that happen without breaking the game completely. Still, it would be a welcome change and would make it much easier for me to go back and replay this entry in the Zelda franchise.

Pipedream: The Adventure of Link remake

As long as we’re asking for things that will definitely never happen, we should talk about The Legend of Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. This was the second entry in the Zelda franchise and a direct sequel to the original, back before Nintendo adopted the Final Fantasy strategy for Zelda sequels. It featured a mixture of side-scrolling and top-down action and exploration, plus some light RPG elements in ways that were both ahead of its time and woefully misused. It’s a mixed bag of a game, but it has gotten very little love over the years. I would love to see that change.

Why is this a pipedream? Even the most hardcore of Zelda fans have very few memories of this game. It certainly didn’t make the kind of splash the original did and it has long been overshadowed by subsequent entries in the franchise. I would just like to see Nintendo give it a remake for the modern era.

Nightmare fuel: Zelda CDi

If there is a kind and caring God above us we will never see these games ported or acknowledged ever again. (Well excuse me, Princess. – Ed.)

What would you like to see from Zelda’s 35^th anniversary? Share your thoughts in the comments, or stop by any of the social channels below and let’s chat!

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Trent Cannon

Trent is a fan of anything that doesn't take itself too seriously. He is frequently hilarious and adorable. If 240 character takes on gaming, anime, or rat pictures are your thing, follow him on Twitter.

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