How Nintendo Could Make Up For Zelda’s Disappointing 35th Anniversary

As the dust settles from E3 2021, Nintendo Switch owners have a fair amount of content to look forward to. There’s a new Mario Party in the works, the WarioWare series is coming to Switch after all this time, and Metroid Dread is looking to be an incredible new entry in the franchise. Breath of the Wild 2 finally got some gameplay footage which looks stellar, but some fans of The Legend of Zelda fans might have noticed how tiny the 35th anniversary campaign is compared to Mario’s. It’s disappointing for sure, but Nintendo could easily make it up by releasing Zelda’s heavily requested legacy content in 2022 and beyond.

Last year, Nintendo celebrated Super Mario’s 35th anniversary with a wealth of products and games. Mario players were treated to a collection of 3D Mario games, a Super Mario 3D World port, and a Mario-themed Game & Watch. Nintendo even released all kinds of merchandise like sneakers, shirts, and board games. In comparison, Zelda is only getting Skyward Sword HD and a Zelda-themed Game & Watch, which could be a bit underwhelming.

Many were expecting a similar amount of content for the Zelda series, but Nintendo hasn’t said anything about its more subdued approach this time around. Perhaps it feared the limited-release controversy surrounding Mario last year might repeat if it happened again with Zelda, or maybe the pandemic hampered Zelda-related products planned for this year. Many fans would like to see a collection of the 3D Zelda titles on Switch, which can still absolutely happen outside of 2021, and would go a long way to making up for the disappointment this year.

Nintendo Can Release Classic Zelda Titles Next Year

If there’s anything Nintendo likes to do while keeping a fanbase waiting for their next big game, it’s releasing smaller titles to hold them over. In between the release of A Link Between Worlds and Breath of the Wild, there were multiple remakes, Hyrule Warriors Legends, and even Triforce Heros to hold them over. Nintendo could still release this collection of titles on the Switch sometime in the future. If Breath of the Wild 2 does in fact end up releasing in 2022, chances are it would be towards the end of the year, so a Zelda collection in the first half would make sense.

Nintendo could also allow the Zelda collection to offer exclusive content in Breath of the Wild 2. In the original game, players could scan amiibos to earn outfits and gear from classic Zelda titles, but perhaps in the sequel, they could be earned by simply owning save data for the collection on their console. For example, after beating Ocarina of Time, players could unlock the Tunic of Time in Breath of the Wild 2. This way, players without the collection won’t be missing out on anything major, but those who have it will be rewarded for their efforts. Intertwining such highly requested remakes or remasters with the highly anticipated Breath of the Wild 2 could really make up for the lackluster celebration of The Legend of Zelda’s 35th anniversary.

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