Time travel isn’t hard to fathom in the realm of The Legend of Zelda, so step back in time for a moment.
The year is 2006. The game: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. The hype building for the game since the infamous E3 2004 reveal trailer is unstoppable.
Take note though – this was originally aimed at being a GameCube title. But at release in 2006, Twilight Princess was available for the GameCube and as a launch title for the new Nintendo Wii.
Are you experiencing deja vu? It’s likely, because Zelda Wii U is in a similar situation.
This time around, the Wii U is taking the place of the GameCube, as we know the next best thing from Nintendo is in development, currently known as NX. We also know that Nintendo is focused solely on Zelda Wii U being the make it or break it game for the Wii U, which is a little unfair.
A system that has been out since 2012 should not have waited 3 years to have a make it or break it moment. Sure, The Wind Waker HD was a great trip down memory lane, and Hyrule Warriors was a fun way to hold ourselves over, but that was with the game coming out Fall 2015. With the release date being pushed pretty much a year further, we’ll be at the 4 year mark and the only well received titles for the Wii U will remain the same: Splatoon, Mario Kart 8, Super Smash Bros., Super Mario Maker (possibly), Star Fox (maybe).
Why let the fate of the Wii U rest solely on The Legend of Zelda? It makes sense because the Zelda fandom will buy new systems for their favorite Nintendo franchise, but with this delay, why not push it the extra mile and have a great polished launch title for the Nintendo NX?
What we already know about Zelda Wii U is that it will change the game play element we’re used to. This reason alone might not be something to let the Wii U rely on Zelda for.
With changes to a game series, there will be a lot of mixed reviews. The Wind Waker is a proof of this as the departure from our first 3D look seen with Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask was swapped to a very cartoonish looking game that was branded Celda (due to the cel shading). And let’s not forget how everyone was beyond excited and then completely annoyed with the motion controls used for Skyward Sword.
Change is constant and I believe The Legend of Zelda, if truly heading into an open-world atmosphere with real time consequences could make for a fascinating and very unique Zelda adventure.
In no way does this article suggest that Nintendo abandon the Wii U completely, but continues to ask why leave the fate of that system to the Zelda franchise on what many consider a sinking ship?
Losing ground in the console wars, the Wii U has sorely needed something to push sales. Yes, games like Mario Kart 8, Splatoon, and Super Smash Bros. have helped increase hardware sales, but nowhere near the numbers Nintendo has been needing to see. It is the opinion of the author that another dual release, akin to Twilight Princess GameCube and Twilight Princess Wii can help save face. However, nixing the plans for the Wii U and pushing straight to the NX would be a home run.
Sales history support this theory. Upon release back in 2006, Twilight Princess for the Wii outsold the GameCube. Why? Because many believed the GameCube had failed and the new innovative motion control Wii was the way to go. If that trend repeated itself, Nintendo could really pull themselves out of the mild slump they’ve been in lately. After all, it’s Zelda title on a NEW system at launch. It’s a win-win.
With Nintendo just reporting Wii U hardware sale losses, it’s easy to say “let’s wait another year for Zelda NX.”
