For the Sake of Zelda Fans, 2026 is When Nintendo Finally Needs to Pull the Trigger on What They Have Been Waiting 8 Years For

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Fans of The Legend of Zelda have long hoped for HD versions of Twilight Princess and Wind Waker to be released on the Nintendo Switch. As of now, Nintendo hasn’t announced any plans to do so, but many are optimistic that 2026 might be the year. The Legend of Zelda is a hugely popular game series, and it’s disappointing that some of its greatest titles are only available on older consoles.

Before releasing Breath of the Wild, Nintendo updated its fans with beautiful HD remasters of The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess. These updated versions not only looked better but also included improvements to gameplay. Wind Waker HD made the often-criticized Triforce quest easier and allowed for faster sailing. Twilight Princess HD also streamlined the experience, resulting in a smoother and better-paced game than the original 2006 release.

Nintendo released most of its popular Wii U games on the Switch, leading many fans to expect that updated versions of Wind Waker HD and Twilight Princess HD would follow. For years, rumors have circulated about these Zelda remasters coming to the Switch, and some people even claim the ports are finished and Nintendo is simply waiting for the best moment to release them. Since there aren’t any new Zelda games planned for 2026, next year seems like a likely time for Nintendo to finally bring the HD versions of Wind Waker and Twilight Princess to the Switch – and potentially the upcoming Switch 2 as well.

While the original The Wind Waker can be played on the Switch and the new Switch 2 through the Expansion Pack, the updated remaster offers enough improvements that many Switch 2 owners will likely buy it anyway. Plus, a large number of people still use the original Switch and wouldn’t be able to play the remaster. Twilight Princess isn’t available on either console, making a port of the HD version even more appealing. At the very least, we might eventually see the GameCube version added to Switch Online, similar to how Wind Waker was released.

A new Zelda game has come out every year since 2023, starting with Tears of the Kingdom. Echoes of Wisdom followed in 2024, and updated versions of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom were released for the Nintendo Switch 2 in 2025. Nintendo will likely want to continue this trend with another Zelda release in 2026. If they don’t create a completely new game, remastered versions of Wind Waker and Twilight Princess would be a great option.

Every Zelda Game You Can Play on Switch and Switch 2

  • The Legend of Zelda
  • Adventure of Link
  • A Link to the Past
  • Link’s Awakening (original and remake)
  • Ocarina of Time
  • Majora’s Mask
  • Oracle of Seasons
  • Oracle of Ages
  • Four Swords
  • The Minish Cap
  • Wind Waker (Switch 2 only)
  • Skyward Sword
  • Breath of the Wild
  • Echoes of Wisdom
  • Tears of the Kingdom

Currently, 15 main Zelda games are available to play on the Switch 2, and 14 on the original Switch. The only major titles missing are Four Swords Adventures, the DS games Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks, and the 3DS games A Link Between Worlds and Tri Force Heroes, along with Twilight Princess. There’s hope that the DS games might return through the Switch Online service. Four Swords Adventures could also come to Switch via Switch Online, but potentially only for Switch 2 owners. The 3DS games likely need to be remastered – fans would especially love to see updated versions of the 3DS remakes of Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask. However, given the limited popularity of Tri Force Heroes, it might remain exclusive to older consoles.

In 2026, the Zelda series will celebrate its 40th anniversary, making it an ideal moment to release the older games on today’s consoles.

It would be fantastic if all the main Legend of Zelda games were available to play on a single console. Whether that will happen remains to be seen, but releasing updated versions of Twilight Princess HD and Wind Waker HD seems likely. Hopefully, these games will come to the Switch or the next Nintendo console next year. If not, Nintendo surely has a few surprises planned for Zelda fans as they celebrate the franchise’s 40th anniversary.

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2025-12-12 23:04