The launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 is only a few days away, and Zelda fans should be excited. Multiple Zelda games are getting upgrades for Switch 2, plus we’re getting Wind Waker on the console for the very first time, plus there’s the potential for all the unannounced Zelda games to come. Today I want to get the hype train rolling and look forward to The Legend of Zelda on Nintendo Switch 2.

A new Nintendo console doesn’t come around very often, and we’re in the final stretch. There’s a lot to look forward to for Zelda fans, so let’s dive into the topics.

Free enhancements

Much has been said about Tears of the Kingdom and Breath of the Wild, but much less has been said about a couple of other Nintendo Switch games getting free updates. 12 Switch games are getting free updates and two of them are Zelda games with Echoes of Wisdom and Link’s Awakening. Both games are getting optimised visuals and HDR support. Both games chugged at times on Nintendo Switch. While they both target 60fps, they didn’t consistently hit. With the Switch 2 we’re likely to see much more stable performance, especially in those grassy areas. Optimised visuals and HDR support are going to look great, so if you haven’t played these games or you’ve been wanting to get back to them, then playing them on Switch 2 will be the perfect time.

Switch 2 Editions

Both Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom are getting more substantial upgrades. This means improved performance in higher resolution, HDR support, plus integration with Zelda Notes, the new feature for the Nintendo Mobile app which comes with a ton of new features. Both Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom struggled with performance issues on Nintendo Switch. Both will now run at 1440p and 60fps, which will dramatically improve player’s experience with the games.

Zelda Notes will offer companion features like autobuild sharing, navigation, voice memories, item sharing, photo studio and more. I think Autobuild sharing is going to bring a lot of players back to Tears of the Kingdom. There was a huger barrier to Ultrahand, and sharing creations easily on social media is going to lead to an explosion of creativity and a reinvigoration among Tears of the Kingdom fans. Plus it’ll give haters something else to complain about. I’m looking forward to the voice memories, hopefully we’re going to get some new lore in there and this is going to work in both Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. Navigation is going to be a handy tool for the completionists out there.

Personally, I’m planning on going back to Breath of the Wild first. While I’ve played it a few times, I really want to see it in all it’s glory on Switch 2, plus play around with Zelda notes, so expect more Breath of the Wild content here soon. If you want to get the upgrades you can purchase them individually, or if you have Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack then you’ll get them for no additional charge. We’re also getting a whole bunch of new amiibo related to Tears of the Kingdom, modelled around the Sages.

Wind Waker

We finally get Wind Waker on Nintendo Switch via the Gamecube Nintendo Classics on Nintendo Switch Online. Fans have been asking for Wind Waker for a long time, and I think we expected Wind Waker HD from the Wii U, but I am not complaining. I’m looking forward to playing the original, I think it looks better than Wind Waker HD, but I appreciate that’s down to personal preference. Wind Waker is one of the first games to appear on the Gamecube Nintendo Classics collection, and hopefully that means more Zelda coming later, perhaps we’ll get Twilight Princess added in the future. It’s worth noting that GameCube games are exclusive to Nintendo Switch 2, plus Nintendo are selling a GameCube Controller too, for that authentic GameCube experience.

Age of Imprisonment

I’m not a huge fan of Hyrule Warriors games, but I know many people in the Zelda community are big fans, so this is worth noting. Age of Imprisonment is scheduled for release later in 2025, plus this time the Zelda team have confirmed the game to be canon, something thye have skirted around before. We’re going to take control of Zelda and other party members in the Imprisoning War, so I would expect new lore from this game which is going to be an interesting discussion Zelda fans. No exact release date just yet, but this one is coming to Nintendo Switch 2 later in the Winter.

Nintendo Switch Online

This is not confirmed, and purely my own speculation, but I would imagine we’re going to get Nintendo DS games added to Nintendo Switch Online in the not too distant future. It’s the natural progression of the online service, and will hopefully allow Nintendo to have all their legacy consoles and games in a single place. This is most likely a few years away, but that means A Link Between Worlds, Spirit Tracks, and Phantom Hourglass. If we get Twilight Princess on the GameCube Nintendo classics, and they do decide to add DS games also to Nintendo Classics, then the Switch 2 will be the ultimate Zelda machine, giving you the ability to play every mainline Zelda game on a single console. It may be a pipedream, but you have to imagine that’s what Nintendo is shooting for.

Remakes or remasters

The next brand new Zelda game for the Switch 2 is likely some years away, therefore I would imagine a remake or remaster is coming our way to fill in the gaps and cater for the Zelda community’s hunger. I think there are a few good candidates; Zelda I, Zelda II, Ocarina of Time and A Link Between Worlds all come to mind. It is Zelda’s 40th anniversary next year, so there’s a chance the Zelda team may want to celebrate that – but there’s also a chance they don’t do anything, because… well, it’s Nintendo. Personally, I would love to see a Zelda II remake.

Brand new Zelda game

This is the big one, and the thing I am most excited about. Right now, the Zelda team are working on the next Zelda on the Switch 2 hardware. It’s most likely a few years away, but I am super excited to see what the Zelda team come up with. Both Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom are looking fantastic in their Swicth 2 Editions, and they will likely find a new audience albeit not huge. The next Zelda game is likely to move away from the Wild era style, which means new Hyrule, new Link, and new adventures, on a platform that’s more powerful, plus has a bunch of new features the Zelda team could tap into. We’re seeing some form of social features with item and autobuild sharing via Zelda notes, but I would expect the Zelda team to roll in those features into the main game, especially with the increased emphasis with online play through GameChat. Mainline Zelda games take about 5-6 years to build, so it’s probably 2028 or 2029 before we get this new Zelda game, but with the release of the new platform the countdown can begin.

Let me know in the comments what you think.