2021 marks the 35th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda franchise, and fans have been hoping Nintendo will celebrate the series with some new releases. But summer is almost here, and only a single new Zelda Switch game has been announced for 2021.
The Switch has already received a number of Zelda games so far. Older titles for the NES and SNES are available through Nintendo Switch Online. A remake of Link's Awakening was released in 2019. Breath of the Wild was a launch title for the system and is still considered to be one of its best games. The original Hyrule Warriors was ported to Switch and received a sequel in the form of Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity. There's also the somewhat bizarre crossover between Zelda and Crypt of the NecroDancer, Cadence of Hyrule.
Zelda fans have long expected Switch ports of Twilight Princess HD and Wind Waker HD, as they are some of the last remaining Wii U games yet to be brought to the system. The release of Super Mario 3D All-Stars also prompted hopes for a similar The Legend of Zelda 3D All-Stars, but there's been no word on any of these releases. 2021 might be a big year for the franchise on paper, but it doesn't look that way on the Switch's schedule.
Zelda: Skyward Sword (& More?) Is Coming To Switch In 2021
At the time of writing, there is only a single new The Legend of Zelda game confirmed for 2021, and it's a remaster. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD is due to be released on July 16. The game has improved visuals and offers multiple control schemes to emulate the original's Wii MotionPlus controls. It's unclear if Skyward Sword HD will add new content or include quality-of-life improvements.
A recent rumor suggests both Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask could also be headed to Switch, but nothing has been confirmed yet. That said, emulated ports of such old games could be easy enough to develop quickly, so a surprise launch later this year might not be out of the question.
Will Breath Of The Wild 2 Be Released In 2021?
The Legend of Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma mentioned before the Skyward Sword HD announcement that development on Breath of the Wild's unnamed sequel was continuing, adding that Nintendo will reveal more news sometime this year. It seems unlikely the game will be out in 2021, as the fact that so little has been revealed about it suggests it's still not ready. The pandemic may have also delayed its development. Fans will know for sure at some point in 2021, but they probably shouldn't get their hopes up for a release this year.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD will be released for Nintendo Switch on July 16, 2021.