Zelda fans have been spoiled by the incredible games that the franchise has seen since the launch of the Nintendo Switch. Between Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, there’s almost too much to play. But all fans want to know when they’ll see Wind Waker on Switch.
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker first debuted on the Nintendo GameCube in 2002 and has been held up as one of the best games in the series ever since. While it was eventually brought to the Wii U with a HD remaster, fans have been waiting since 2017 to play the game portably on Switch. Nintendo has already ported Skyward Sword to its hybrid console, so it would make sense if Wind Waker on Switch was the next title to release. Unfortunately, details on this port are scarce.
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When Will Nintendo Release Wind Waker on Switch? (Everything We Know)
In the sections below, we’ve broken down all rumors and suggestions about Wind Waker on Switch regarding the game itself and its release date. There are almost no details to go on, which means all we can do is speculate about when or if Nintendo will release the port.
At the time of writing, January 7, 2024, there’s only been one hint of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker coming to Nintendo Switch. That rumor turned out to be false, or Nintendo changed things around at the last second. However, a lack of knowledge can also lead us to make some interesting conclusions.
For example, if we look at the Zelda games that are available on Switch right now, there are very few left that haven’t made the transition. Thanks to Nintendo Switch Online, all subscribers can access the classic Zelda games on Switch. Link’s Awakening was remade for the device, and BOTW, TOTK, Skyward Sword, and Cadence of Hyrule are all available to purchase and play today.
The two games that are blatantly missing from those on Switch right now are Twilight Princess and Wind Waker. Both of these games were released for the Nintendo GameCube and Wii U, which we believe may have something to do with why Nintendo is taking so long to port them.
We reckon Nintendo will release a Twilight Princess port before Wind Waker on Switch. If both games are as complex as each other to port, it makes sense to do Twilight Princess first because it has the grittier story and motion controls that make sense on the Switch’s Joy-Cons.
Then, once Twilight Princess has been ported, we believe we’ll finally see Wind Waker on the hybrid platform. The game could work well with motion controls or the touchscreen, but with it being the older of the pair, we suspect it’s more of a challenge to bring to the new device.
In June 2023, Nintendo re-released Pikmin 1 + 2 for Nintendo Switch. These GameCube games made the transition beautifully and just in time for Pikmin 4. This shows it’s possible to port GameCube games to Switch, but Nintendo seems to prefer to do this around major releases.
Why Isn’t Wind Waker on Switch Yet?
Ultimately, we’re on Nintendo’s timeline when it comes to the release of Wind Waker on Switch. The company has come a long way in recent years, bringing back beloved classics. But it’s important to note that in Japanese culture, once something is complete, it’s commonplace for the work put into it to be discarded.
A good example of how this has been problematic for video games is with the Silent Hill remasters. Many of the files for those games, including voice recordings and text files, had to be redone because the old ones were deleted after the games were first shipped. While we don’t think this happened with any Wind Waker files, it does explain why a company that started in Japan wouldn’t initially see value in re-releasing old games.
All Wind Waker on Switch Rumors and Leaks
There are almost no leaks and rumors about the port of Wind Waker on Switch. In August 2022, VGC reported that, according to Jeff Grubb, a Nintendo Direct showing Wind Waker and Twilight Princess was set for the following month. However, that Direct never happened.
That’s the only credible rumor we’ve seen for the port to date. What is clear is that Nintendo sees value in porting older games to the Switch, which it’s only doubled down on in recent years. With the release of the Metroid Prime 1 remaster, Skyward Sword, and a slew of other Wii and Wii U titles, no game is out of the question when it comes to an eventual port. The real question is whether it’ll be on the Switch or Switch 2.
When is the Release Date for Wind Waker on Switch?
At the time of writing, there’s no confirmed release date for Wind Waker on Switch. The last game in the Zelda franchise to be released was The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. The game was incredibly popular, and we’re confident Nintendo is going to prioritize DLC for it over any other Zelda projects.
If rumors are to be believed, Nintendo is planning on launching the Switch’s successor at some point in 2024. Between that and TOTK DLC, we doubt we’ll see Wind Waker on Switch until 2025 at the earliest. However, Nintendo may surprise all fans by announcing a Wind Waker port before either of these other projects comes to fruition.
Based on the way Nintendo has released Zelda games in the past, with Skyward Sword coming after BOTW and just before TOTK, we still don’t expect anything before 2025. But it’s certainly possible that Nintendo will bring more Zelda games to the Switch before it launches the successor console to help build up the user base. The Switch port of Wind Waker may even be a game Nintendo uses to tempt fans into purchasing a Switch 2 console.
Published: Jan 7, 2024 01:27 pm