The Legend of Zelda fans are often divided, but for the past eight years, they’ve presented a united front on one topic. In the brief lulls between Breath of the Wild, the Link’s Awakening Remake, Tears of the Kingdom, and Echoes of Wisdom, the topic of conversation routinely turns back to The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess.

Switch ports of Wind Waker and Twilight Princess have always felt tantalizingly close to reality. Both games were already remastered for the Wii U, so bringing them over to its more popular successor would only make sense. In 2024, I was forced to admit that the dream looked dead on Switch. A year and a half later, I think a likely release window has finally emerged.

Super Mario Galaxy Paves The Way For Zelda Remasters

There’s A Clear Template To Follow

The key lies in the recent reveal of Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 for the Switch, another remaster that was a long time coming. While Super Mario Galaxy previously appeared as part of the limited Super Mario 3D All-Stars collection, Galaxy 2 spent years on the sidelines for no discernible reason.

The new release isn’t random. It’s part of the marketing cycle for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, a 2026 follow-up to The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Having a film adaptation on the horizon will generate interest in the games, and playing the games will generate interest in the movie. A win-win for Nintendo, and a win for fans, $69.99 price notwithstanding.

It may shock you to learn that there isn’t a The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker + Twilight Princess Movie in the works. There is, however, a Zelda movie slated for 2027, which Nintendo recently announced the cast for. Following the pattern set by the Super Mario Galaxy re-releases, late 2026 seems like an auspicious window for Wind Waker and Twilight Princess remasters.

Even if the games don’t connect directly to the movie, Nintendo will want to release something to build hype, and Wind Waker and Twilight Princess are the most likely candidates. Six years passed between Breath of the Wild‘s 2017 release and Tears of the Kingdom in 2023, so we likely can’t expect another mainline 3D game for a while yet. Echoes of Wisdom just came out in 2024, making a new 2D game in 2026 equally improbable.

Older Releases Won’t Kill Wind Waker & Twilight Princess Hype

Anticipation Has Never Died Down

The Super Mario Galaxy remaster model would translate easily to Wind Waker and Twilight Princess remasters. Wind Waker is already available through Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, but that requires a premium monthly subscription to access. It’s also the original GameCube version, not the Wii U remaster. While each version has its advantages and disadvantages, the remaster would have more mass market appeal.

Slap the Wii U versions of the games together for $69.99, and Nintendo would have a surefire hit on its hands. Zelda games are always blockbusters, and the Switch 2 is still in need of a new one. The only game on the horizon is Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, and its Dynasty Warriors-based hack-and-slash gameplay won’t appeal to every Zelda fan.

By the time late 2026 rolls around, interest in remasters of Wind Waker and Twilight Princess will have reached a fever pitch once more. Even the minority of fans who own a Wii U are likely letting it gather dust at this point, and re-purchasing the games on Switch or Switch 2 would be significantly more convenient. I’ve got Wii U copies of both, but despite using my original Wii semi-regularly, I can’t remember the last time I turned the Wii U on.

The Status Of Zelda Remasters Is Still Unclear

Any Fate Is Still Possible

The main question for me at this point is whether Nintendo will release them on the Switch or lock them to the Switch 2. While I initially thought Nintendo might reserve the titles as exclusives to push the Switch 2, I’m starting to think a multi-generation launch is more likely.

The Super Mario Galaxy remasters are releasing on the original Switch, and game cards for the older system are cheaper than the prohibitively expensive cards for its successor. Without any technical reason that they couldn’t run on the original Switch, forcing Switch 2 exclusivity might not go over particularly well.

This is all just speculation, of course. Wind Waker and Twilight Princess remasters could drop tomorrow as a random surprise. They could come out in 2028. Nintendo could lock them in the Disney Nintendo Vault, never to be seen again. Nintendo keeps its cards close to the chest these days, and it’s hard to know much of anything until a Nintendo Direct reveals it directly.

It’s a game of odds, though, and I’d wager that a late 2026 window for Wind Waker and Twilight Princess remasters has the most going for it. I’ve been a skeptic in the past, so I’m not prone to unfounded optimism on this particular issue. Just don’t hold me to my idle Zelda speculation if everyone ends up being disappointed again.

Movie(s)

The Legend of Zelda (Live-Action)

Created by

Shigeru Miyamoto, Takashi Tezuka

Upcoming Films

The Legend of Zelda (Live-Action)

First TV Show

The Legend of Zelda

First Episode Air Date

September 8, 1989

Cast

Jonathan Potts, Cyndy Preston

The Legend of Zelda franchise follows the adventures of Link, an elf-like Hylian, and Princess Zelda as they protect the land of Hyrule from the evil warlord-turned-demon king Ganon. The series is known for its mix of action, adventure, and puzzle-solving elements, often revolving around the collection of the Triforce, a powerful relic left by the goddesses who created Hyrule. Each game features different incarnations of Link and Zelda, maintaining core elements while introducing new characters and settings.