Zelda series veterans waiting forever for a Nintendo Switch release of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD might yet have good reason to hold out hope. While the newest word that the original GameCube release of the classic game will be coming out on the forthcoming Nintendo Switch 2 through the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack service, a standalone release for the high-definition remaster is not entirely beyond the realm of possibility.
This glimmer of hope was seeded after comments from Nintendo of America’s senior vice president of product development, Nate Bihldorff. In an interview with Kinda Funny’s Tim Gettys, Bihldorff theorized that adding a game to the Nintendo Switch Online library would not necessarily preclude a future remaster or single-port release down the line. In being asked directly if the addition of Wind Waker to the GameCube library on Switch 2 excluded the chances of the Wii U HD edition eventually being released on the new console, Bihldorff said “all options are on the table.”
This is not a confirmation but an assuring piece of thought to the fans who enjoy the improvements provided in the Wind Waker HD edition, such as faster sailing with the Swift Sail and more optimized Triforce shard quest. The cel-shaded graphics of The Wind Waker, at first polarizing when it released in 2003 on the GameCube, have since come to be universally praised, which has helped the game become a cult classic among the Zelda franchise. The 2013 HD remaster for the Wii U further polished the game’s look with improved graphics in 1080p.
Although this summer’s release of the GameCube variant on Nintendo Switch 2 is certainly a blessing for all but the most die-hard, being able to experience the ultimate Wind Waker HD on the new hardware is still an enticing offer for longtime enthusiasts. Nintendo’s past has included games being launched as part of Nintendo Switch Online and as individual releases, so it is never outside the realm of possibility Link’s underwater adventure might be viewed on the Switch 2 in its re-released state down the line.
