Okay, fellow Hylians! Let’s dive into some exciting (and slightly confusing) news floating around the Great Sea of speculation regarding the Switch 2 and our beloved The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker.
Alright, so you probably heard the news: Nintendo confirmed that the original GameCube version of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker is one of the first titles hitting the “Nintendo Classics” library for the upcoming Switch 2. For many of us, while exciting to see the classic return, it brought a wave of worry. Did this mean the absolutely gorgeous Wind Waker HD remaster, currently stranded on the Wii U like Link on Outset Island pre-King of Red Lions, was officially sunk for the new console?
We’ve been practically begging Nintendo to port Wind Waker HD (and its sibling, Twilight Princess HD) from the Wii U for years. Seeing the original GameCube version announced felt like Nintendo might be saying, “Here’s your Wind Waker fix, now stop asking for the HD one.”
But hold onto your grappling hooks! There’s a beacon of hope shining through the fog.
According to Tim Gettys over at Kinda Funny Games Daily, he had a chance to chat with a high-ranking Nintendo representative at a recent Switch 2 press event. Specifically, he spoke with Nate Bihldorff, Nintendo of America’s Senior Vice President of Product Development. Tim directly asked him if having the GameCube Wind Waker on the Classics service meant the Wii U HD port was definitively not coming to Switch 2.
Bihldorff’s response? He was apparently “very quick” to say “no, all options are on the table.”
Now, let’s manage expectations – this isn’t a confirmation that Wind Waker HD is definitely coming. It’s classic Nintendo non-committal language. However, it’s crucially important because it directly refutes the idea that having the GameCube version available automatically disqualifies the HD remaster. The door is still open!
This tells us that Nintendo might not see these different versions as strictly competing. Think about it:
- We got the fantastic Link’s Awakening remake on Switch, but the original Game Boy version is also playable via Nintendo Switch Online.
- Metroid Prime Remastered launched to huge acclaim on Switch, but it’s highly likely the original GameCube Metroid Prime will eventually join the Classics library too.
- Pikmin 1 and Pikmin 2 received separate ports/re-releases on the Switch, even before any GameCube NSO-style service existed.
While some speculated that Nintendo avoided putting the original Super Mario RPG on NSO because the full remake was coming, Bihldorff’s comment suggests this isn’t a strict company rule. They seem open to letting multiple versions of beloved games coexist on their platform.
So, what does this mean for us Zelda fans?
It means don’t give up hope! The arrival of the GameCube Wind Waker on Switch 2 is awesome, but it doesn’t necessarily torpedo our chances of finally getting the definitive Wind Waker HD port (and hopefully Twilight Princess HD too!) on modern hardware. Nintendo has explicitly stated that the possibility still exists.
Keep those fingers crossed, keep voicing your desire for these HD ports, and maybe, just maybe, we’ll be sailing the Great Sea in glorious high definition on the Switch 2 someday soon!
What do you think? Does this news get your hopes up for the HD remasters making the leap? Let us know in the comments!
