Can you believe it? Link (the green one) is 40 this year, yet his boundless enthusiasm for adventure still hasn’t waned. My boundless enthusiasm, meanwhile, waned decades back, so it’s clearly something in the Hyrule air. ANYWAY, to celebrate the Zelda series’ 40th anniversary, Nintendo is airing a special Direct showcase (the first of two planned for this week), promising a “variety of The Legend of Zelda-related information”.
That’ll almost certainly include a full reveal for its Ocarina of Time Switch 2 remake following its somewhat controversial unveiling earlier this year, but beyond that, we can only speculate. You’ll find communal speculation (if you fancy a bit of a chinwag) over in Eurogamer’s live report, but we’ll be keeping track of everything announced in today’s Zelda Direct right here.
We’ll be updating this story as more is revealed…
Switch 2‘s Ocarina of Time remake gets a proper reveal and release date
A classic reborn, and all of that. Not everyone loved the semi-realistic look Nintendo appeared to be going for when it unveiled Switch 2’s Ocarina of Time remake earlier this year. But now we’ve had a chance to see it properly in action, and it’s certainly different, opting for a moody, misty, fairytale vibe unlike any Zelda we’ve seen before.
New features include a manual jump and the ability to hum ocarina tunes into the Switch 2 mic rather than tapping them out. Or you could toot a tune on an actual Ocarina if you have one lying around. It’s fully voiced too, and supports Zelda Notes on the Switch 2 app, and as for when it’s out, it’s coming 5th November this year.
And there’s new Zelda amiibo to match
Of course, it wouldn’t be a new Nintendo release without new amiibo to go with it, and that’s exactly what we’ve got. New amiibo based on the Ocarina of Time remake’s interpretation of Young Link and Young Zelda are due to release at some currently undisclosed point later this year.
Zelda 40th anniversary concerts are on the way
If you’re a fan of the Zelda series’ music (and frankly, who isn’t?, then you’ll be able to hear some of its most beloved tunes played live in concert starting early next year. Nintendo’s priming a worldwide orchestral tour that begins in Tokyo, Japan, on 23rd January before heading to North America, Europe, and Australia, with a UK date set for 3rd April in London.
Next year’s live-action Zelda movie gets a nod but no first trailer
We’ve all been wondering how Nintendo might be looking to tackle its (I think) first live-action video game adaptation since 1993’s Super Mario Bros. movie, and, well, we still don’t know. Today brought the news the Zelda movie – which stars Benjamin Evan Ainsworth as Link, Bo Bragason as Princess Zelda, and Sam Neill in one of his last appearances – won’t have a subtitle. Why? Zelda creator Shugeru Miyamoto says we’ll find out when it releases in cinemas on 30th April next year.
