Zelda Dungeon Talks: What Are Your Expectations For Zelda In 2016?
Posted on January 05 2016 by Kira Koneko
It is finally here… 2016, this year marks the 30th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda series. Which if you think about it is a little crazy, especially considering that there are some avid Zelda fans that were not even born when the first game was released by Nintendo in 1986. February of that year to be exact, saw the release of what would become one of the most beloved franchises in gaming history. Kind of makes you wonder… Did they realize it? Did they know that this game would quite literally change people lives and become a part of their lives in a way that few franchises can ever boast about? It still amazes me that this is the 30th anniversary of the series, that being said… What will Nintendo do to celebrate this year? Will it be something that lives up to all of our expectations? I for one want it to be spectacular, I want to see this series get the attention that it truly deserves. We already have several titles on the horizon for this year so far, not to mention the elusive Zelda U, but what else can we expect? Better said what should we expect?
This is the exact question we posed to our crackpot team of writers here at Zelda Dungeon, for this week’s ZD Talks! Several staff members chimed in to answer: What are your expectations for Zelda in 2016? Head on past the break to see what they had to say and as always feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments below!
Alexis Anderson – View Profile
Aside from being mildly impressed with Twilight Princess HD and blown away by Zelda Wii U when it releases, I don’t know what to expect. The Zelda series finds some way to surprise me every year, I surely wasn’t expecting a multiplayer Zelda game to be released in 2015 and yet Tri Force Heroes exists. So other than looking forward to updates on and the eventual release of Zelda Wii U, I’m not going to dwell on the future or speculate much, I’ll just let the people at Nintendo continue to catch me off guard (although I do expect that new Akira Himekawa Zelda manga to be officially declared as Twilight Princess, that I am holding out for).
Thomas Jacobs – View Profile
I’m personally looking forward to FINALLY hearing some more about Zelda Wii U. With the recent delay being because Nintendo wants to put more stuff in the game, it’s reasonable to assume they didn’t want to show off too much yet because it’d be subject to change in the near future. Given the scant amount of stuff we’ve seen so far since the first release without any meat it’d be safe to assume they’re still working on the biggest of things like the dungeons, items story and whoever the latest villain might be. Will there be more Ganon(dorf)? A triumphant return of Vaati? Perhaps a new villain? Or will we have a rematch with Majora’s Mask? Furthermore, if the game does come out in time I will expect to write on it quite a bit, but on what subjects remains to be seen. Maybe the fun cast? The complex villain? The references to earlier games? Or maybe Link and Zelda finally share a kiss on screen? All we can do is wait.
Brandon Schmitz – View Profile
Given not only that 2016 is Zelda’s 30th anniversary, but also that Nintendo has already directly acknowledged that, I’m expecting big things from the series this year. Its 25th anniversary, for instance, saw the launch of Ocarina of Time 3D, Skyward Sword, and the beginnings of what became the Symphony of the Goddesses concert. People smarter than myself would probably bet against this, but I still expect Twilight Princess HD to be more than just a prettier port with amiibo functionality. Considering the franchise’s track record since Skyward Sword, I’d be surprised if the game didn’t feature its own Hero Mode. Some new tweaks or options in regards to the original title’s tutorial-based introduction sound likely, too. On top of that, I’m with Alexis in that I totally expect Akira Himekawa’s upcoming Zelda manga to be an adaptation of the Hero of Twilight’s adventure.
Jon Lett – View Profile
Putting it bluntly, I am expecting Nintendo to open some floodgates to something big, because if not, then they have some explaining to do. After months of virtually no news about Zelda Wii U, or anything else really, I expect they must be preparing for one majorly good 30th anniversary year. Hyrule Warriors Legends, Twilight Princess HD, brand new Zelda merchandise like the upcoming trading cards, new Symphony of the Goddesses arrangements, Zelda Wii U – there is no shortage of awesome confirmed material to be seen this year, but I bet there is even more to come. I am still banking on a Zelda-centric Nintendo Direct early in the year, and whatever is revealed there will be touched on at E3. This will be one interesting 365 days, so keep an eye out for news for each and every one of them!
Kevin O’Rourke – View Profile
In 2016 the biggest things I’m looking forward to are Hyrule Warriors Legends on 3DS and Twilight Princess HD. Ever since I got the New 3DS XL I’ve been waiting for a game that pushes the hardware to the limits and I feel that Hyrule Warriors will be that game. Aside from those releases, more details concerning Zelda for the Wii U would be very welcome to hear. Seeing more details about the NX either at E3 or a Nintendo Direct throughout the year is something else to look forward to.
