We still haven’t recovered from Nintendo’s showcase at this year’s E3.
The Nintendo Direct presentation just did not give us a break in terms of excitement; the pace of announcements did not let up during those 40 minutes, and the surprises had us all screaming with joy. Nintendo more than made up for the absence of Metroid and Bayonetta 3 with heavy hitters like Luigi’s Mansion 3, Pokemon Sword and Shield, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and No More Heroes 3.
Of all the franchises Nintendo represented this year, however, the most exciting announcements pertained to The Legend of Zelda. Nintendo showed off three new games in the series this year, treating us to a remake, a crossover spin-off, and a whole new title. It’s insane to now think back to the very start of the year when none of these had even been announced. While we expected Link’s Awakening and Cadence of Hyrule to show by the time E3 rolled around, none of us were prepared for news on a direct sequel to Breath of the Wild. When the Direct ended with this news, the emotional rollercoaster just spun completely out of control for all of us on the news team — it’s a moment I’ll never forget!
That passion was evident in the effort the team invested in our extensive coverage on these three Zelda games, which I present to you now conveniently compiled into one place. At the time of publication, we’re still reporting new information on these games and will be updating this article accordingly with even more details, so be sure to check back!
Breath of the Wild sequel
- The Nintendo Direct ended with this surprise reveal trailer
- That sure looks like Ganondorf in the trailer
- Aonuma described the game as “darker” than Majora’s Mask
- He also mentioned that Red Dead Redemption 2 was an inspiration
- Breath of the Wild concept art from two years ago looks like it may hint at what the sequel could bring
- Aonuma explained why he chose to make a direct sequel, confirmed Director Hidemaro Fujibayashi’s involvement, and that the team will take their time with the development process
- We discovered that the audio in the trailer is even scarier when reversed
- Aonuma won’t tell us if Princess Zelda is playable yet
- The game was the second most-discussed Nintendo game on Twitter during E3
Link’s Awakening (2019)
- The game got a new trailer, and a September 20 release date
- Chamber Dungeons is a brand new mode that lets you craft your own dungeons
- A new, adorable Link amiibo was announced, also releasing on September 20
- There were plenty of boss fights seen in the trailer
- Here’s the English box art
- North America’s “Dreamer Edition” includes an art book with the game
- Europe’s limited edition is even better, with an art book and a Game Boy-themed steelbook
- The characters in the original game influenced Aonuma when developing subsequent Zelda titles
- The sword, shield, Power Bracelet, and Pegasus Boots are always equipped; no need for manual equipping
- The complete Color Dungeon from Link’s Awakening DX is included, and the Treehouse gave a sneak peek
- The Trendy Game Shop’s crane game now includes more realistic “crane physics”, making it slightly more difficult than the original
- An item that looks like a bowl of cream was spotted during the Treehouse gameplay
- We got a closer look at the incredible Link’s Awakening diorama on the E3 show floor
- Nintendo Minute showed some off-screen footage of the game, and asked Aonuma who his favorite character is
- Off-screen footage showed us a Cucco swarm, Link perishing at the hands of an angry shopkeeper, and the effects of Magic Powder on enemies and pesky raccoons
- More footage showed Link journey through the Tail Cave and battle Moldorm
- Sale upgraded his bed to a hammock in the remake
Cadence of Hyrule
- The game got a new trailer, and a June 13 release date
- Nintendo Treehouse played the game for over 25 minutes on the stream
- The Japanese launch trailer released, showing a new villain
- Nintendo Minute played the game, exploring the beach area and the Frozen Grotto
- The game’s guitarist discussed how important the Zelda series is to him
More Zelda news
- We opened a new board on the forums so you can discuss the newly revealed Breath of the Wild sequel
- The next Spirit Event in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate will be themed on Link’s Awakening
- Aonuma said that a Skyward Sword remake would be “impossible” without motion controls and discussed the future of other Zelda remakes
- The “technical difficulties” screen during the Nintendo Treehouse stream was a cute reference to Zelda II: Adventure of Link
- Aonuma is still excited to collaborate with Zelda creator Shigeru Miyamoto after working on the franchise for 20 years
- Aonuma, along with other Nintendo staff, received promotions
Other gaming news
- Gods & Monsters is a Breath of the Wild-style game announced by Ubisoft
- Cadence of Hyrule’s predecessor Crypt of the NecroDancer is now on sale on Nintendo eShop
- The Hero from Dragon Quest and Banjo-Kazooie are joining the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate roster this year
- Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser discussed how the company strives for a healthy work-life balance for employees
- Cadence of Hyrule publisher has some “exciting news” to share on June 19
- Doug Bowser discussed his experienced filming his discussion with an animated Bowser for the Nintendo Direct
Zelda Universe features
- Here are five things we would like to see in the Breath of the Wild sequel
- We broke down the trailer of the Breath of the Wild sequel with a comprehensive analysis
