The existence of theSwitch 2is arguably one of the worst-kept secrets in the industry, with only official confirmation from Nintendo and a reveal of the new hardware standing between players and theSwitch’s successor. One of the larger questions surrounding the console, other than a projected release date and hardware specifications, is which Nintendo first-party franchises will launch alongside the Switch 2, and there’s an obvious contender inThe Legend of Zelda. Aside from theZeldafranchise being a time-tested console seller for Nintendo hardware at launch, the company still needs to make good on Switch ports ofThe Wind WakerandTwilight Princess, two of the series' most beloved entries.
The Wind WakerandTwilight Princesswere released in 2002 and 2006, respectively, and have each received HD remasters on the Wii U despite never coming to the Nintendo Switch. Both titles' absence on Nintendo’s hybrid console is curious given that nearly every other game intheZeldaseries(save for the DS-exclusive handheld entries) has made its way to the hardware either as a standalone retail release or a classic game available through Nintendo Switch Online. Delivering two well-known series entries along with the launch of the Switch 2 seems like a likely way to bring the entire series under one roof and cater to fans who’ve been requesting the remasters on modern hardware.
The Switch 2’s Purported Backward Compatibility Could See It Feature the Full Zelda Library
Recently confirmed by Nintendo, the Switch 2 will feature backward compatibility, meaning players will still have access to their physical and digital game collections after upgrading to Nintendo’s next hardware iteration. Considering that the Switch is home to the largest single library ofZeldagames, Nintendo has an opportunity to do something monumental that would only be possible through backward compatibility. Launching a Switch successor that features backward compatibility would bring most of theZeldalibrary over on day 1, and Nintendo could sweeten the deal by launching the system with ports ofThe Wind Waker HDandTwilight Princess HD.
Together with the rest of theZeldagames already available on the Switch (including the most retailZeldagame releases of any generation of Nintendo hardware), having almost the entireLegend of Zeldaseries playable on the Switch 2 at launch would be a major selling point for players looking to upgrade. As a silver lining, Nintendo’s handling of theZeldafranchisecould serve as a positive example for other developers to follow concerning game preservation.
Wind Waker and Twilight Princess Might Follow in Xenoblade Chronicles X’s Steps
The recent announcement ofXenoblade Chronicles X’s remaster and release on the Switch leaves very few Wii U-exclusive titles remaining, with many of the console’s games having already made their way over to Nintendo’s current hardware. Looking at the sales data for the Switch versus the Wii U, there’s a massive gap that exists betweenNintendo’s best-selling home consoleand one of its few commercial failures, so it makes sense that Nintendo would want to bring several Wii U games over to better-selling hardware as a way to recoup on its investment. Why the HDZeldaremasters for the Wii U have yet to follow suit is anyone’s guess, but there’s arguably never been a better time to bring them over than now.
Nintendo will likely aim for a 2025release date for the Switch 2, and with backward compatibility now a confirmed feature, players will have at least three generations of Nintendo titles under one umbrella. The freeing ofXenoblade Chronicles Xfrom Wii U exclusivity is something that few players thought would ever happen. Now that it has,The Wind Waker HDandTwilight Princess HDare the next likely candidates to receive the same treatment.
