The Legend of Zelda
A legendary adventure saga turns 35 years old
"The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" was released for Nintendo Switch in 2017.
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One of the most popular video game series will turn 35 on Sunday. "The Legend of Zelda" was first released in February 1986.
Video gamers have had countless adventures over the past few decades. They have defeated archenemies, saved worlds and found their great love. Hardly any other adventure series was as influential and popular as "The Legend of Zelda". That alone shows the decision of the late actor and comedian Robin Williams (1951-2014, "The Dead Poets Club") to name his own daughter Zelda (31). It's been 35 years since the first part of the series was published.
It all started in 1986
While the young protagonist Link took up sword and shield for the first time in Japan on February 21, 1986, Western video game fans had to be patient until 1987. Only then could they hold the game module for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), which stood out for its unusual golden color, in their hands for the first time.
Numerous titles followed, which often shaped the childhood and youth of the following generations. "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild", the latest installment in the main series, which was released in 2017 for Nintendo Switch and Wii U, sold more than 21.45 million copies by December 2020 alone.
Before that, numerous other games appeared in the series that had a lasting impact on the gaming landscape and the lives of many video game fans. With a Metascore of 99, "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time" originally published for the Nintendo 64 is considered by "Metacritic", a website that aggregates ratings, to be the best video game ever released. Among other things, it is just ahead of "Breath of the Wild", which with a score of 97 – with a maximum of 100 – is also at the top of the comparison.
What's next for the anniversary?
So far, Nintendo does not want to be looked into the cards whether "Breath of the Wild 2" could appear in the anniversary year. Recently, Eiji Aonuma (57), producer of the "The Legend of Zelda" series, said that the group would not like to share any news about the successor announced at the E3 video game fair in 2019. However, development is progressing smoothly and fans will receive new information later in the year. Many are currently still hoping that "Breath of the Wild 2" will be released by Christmas business 2021 at the latest.
At the same time, Nintendo announced another "Zelda" game a few days ago. The title "The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword" published in 2011 for the Nintendo Wii is to get a new HD version for the Switch, which will be available from July 16, 2021. Among other things, this should also offer a revised control system. Joy-Con controllers in the Zelda design should also appear on this day.