As the Nintendo Switch 2 looms on the horizon, one of the most important questions surrounding it relates to Nintendo’s most cherished IP, such asThe Legend of ZeldaandSuper Mario. It’s been anticipated that Nintendo will come out swinging with hard-hitting exclusives within these franchises, much like how theNintendo Switch 1’s debut was bolstered byBreath of the WildandSuper Mario Odyssey.
This is an exciting prospect for Nintendo fans, especially those interested in the next chapter ofThe Legend of Zeldain the wake ofTears of the Kingdom. Nintendo has been fairly clear about its intentions to move away from theBOTWformula with this next entry, pivoting the series in a new and unexpected direction. Naturally, this new direction will garner a lot of attention, but it doesn’t mean thatZeldahas to remain narrow-sighted on its mainline releases: the series has had a history of well-received and interesting spin-offs, likeHyrule WarriorsandCadence of Hyrule. With the Nintendo Switch 2 heralding a new, post-BOTWera, it would be a great opportunity to let the fabled franchise spread its wings once more.
The Nintendo Switch 2 Should Be Home to More Legend of Zelda Spin-Offs
Zelda Has Loads of Unrealized Spin-Off Potential
It’s interesting thatSuper Mariohas received an abundance of spin-offtitles, whileZeldahas been the base for relatively few. While it’s perhaps a bit unrealistic to expect a “Zelda Cart” or “Zelda Strikers” in the future, there’s plenty of potential for more experimental games set in theZeldauniverse. For instance, something likeSuper Mario RPG, but withZeldacharacters, locations, and lore elements, could be a more than worthwhile endeavor.
The benefits of such a multipronged release approach are myriad, but the most obvious one is rather simple: a greater abundance of uniqueZeldaexperiences. TheHyrule Warriorsseries, for instance, offers a high-octane, action-orientedadventure that is still decidedlyZelda, andCadence of Hyrulesits comfortably in the middle of theZelda-rhythm Venn diagram, making it appealing to a wide audience. Even relatively quaint spin-off games, likeLink’s Crossbow Training, make good use of the hardware of their time while offering refreshing gameplay.
Nothing will ever compete with the mainlineZeldareleases, of course, but that’s not the point; games likeTears of the Kingdomwill always be the definitiveZeldaexperiences, steering the franchise’s legacy and upholding its trends even through extreme bouts of experimentation. However, spin-offs allow developers to getmore creative with theZeldaworld, not hogtied to the familiar formula of dungeons, item-based puzzles, and the like.
What Zelda Spin-Offs Could Look Like On the Nintendo Switch 2
As alluded to above, some of the greatest potential forZeldaspin-offs is tied to the hardware of the device on which they are released. With the Nintendo Switch 2 ostensibly featuring mouse-like functionality on the new Joy-Cons, perhaps this feature could be leveraged to similar effect as theWiimote inLink’s Crossbow Training. That is to say, there could be aZeldaRTS or grand-strategy game alaCivilization, utilizing the new features of the Joy-Cons to their fullest extent within theZeldafranchise.
That’s just speculation, though. Ultimately, the specific route thatNintendo chooses to take with theZeldafranchiseand its spin-offs is less important than the high-level release philosophy the company adopts. Leaving spin-offs behind entirely, as it seems to have done in recent years, would not only be leaving money on the table, but also robbing the games industry of potentially incredibleZeldatitles beyond the scope of the flagship entries, which would be a shame.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
WHERE TO PLAY
Save Hyrule—this time with the wisdom of Princess Zelda!The people of Hyrule are being stolen away by strange rifts—and with a certain swordsman among the missing, it’s up to Princess Zelda to save her kingdom in the latest adventure in The Legend of Zelda™ series!Team up with the ethereal creature Tri and use the Tri Rod to create “echoes,” which are imitations of things you find in the environment—then recreate those echoes whenever you like to solve puzzles and defeat enemies. Use echoes like water blocks to reach new heights, make bridges out of old beds, throw rocks at foes, or find your own combination of echoes to do things your way. You can even make echoes of monsters to fight at your side in combat!
