Few franchises in gaming carry the weight and legacy of The Legend of Zelda. For decades, Nintendo has delivered genre-defining adventures that set the standard for exploration, puzzle design, and worldbuilding. From the early days of the NES to modern open-world entries, the series has constantly evolved while maintaining a strong identity. It is one of the most respected franchises in gaming, and each new release is treated as a major event.
Understandably, major releases for The Legend of Zelda take time to develop. We saw six years between the release of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. However, Nintendo typically pads this window out with remakes, but this is starting to lose its appeal. Instead, I wish Nintendo would experiment with the series through spin-offs. Most of its other franchises have an abundance of spin-off games, but The Legend of Zelda seldom sees these genre switch-ups. Nintendo is leaving so much possibility on the table by not trying something new with Zelda.
Remakes Are Safe, But They Aren’t Enough
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Rumors have begun spreading about an upcoming remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Naturally, I am beyond excited because it is one of my favorite games of all time, and it has a chance to fix its worst aspect. As one of the most influential games in history, bringing it to modern consoles can not only bring in new fans but also show newcomers why The Legend of Zelda is so beloved.
However, the industry has been saturated with remakes in recent years. While many of them are well-made, they often follow familiar structures without adding enough new ideas. When a franchise relies too heavily on its past, it risks losing momentum. Instead of pushing forward, it starts to feel like it is looking backward. This could see Zelda lose its creative spark.
This is where my concern comes in. Focusing too much on remakes could slow that progress and limit the creative potential of future games. We’ve already seen nearly every mainline game get a remake, some of which are still not available on the Nintendo Switch, like The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess. Instead of getting the chance to play a game I already love, I’d rather Nintendo continue the series’ innovation with new experimental spin-off games that bring something new to Zelda.
Spin-Offs Show What Zelda Can Be
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While mainline entries remain the focus, the few spin-offs that exist prove how flexible Zelda can be. Hyrule Warriors took the world of Zelda and turned it into a large-scale action game, blending familiar characters with a completely different style of gameplay. It showed that the series could work outside of its traditional formula and allowed normally sidelined characters to shine.
More recently, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom has explored new ideas by shifting the perspective and experimenting with unique mechanics. These kinds of projects give developers room to try different approaches without affecting the core series. They expand the universe in ways that mainline entries often cannot and offer a new way to draw in fans. Not only that, but by featuring a protagonist besides Link, fan favorite characters gain more depth.
The problem is that these spin-offs are rare. Compared to other Nintendo franchises, Zelda has far fewer side projects. Mario has a variety of games, including racing titles, sports games, and party games. Zelda, by comparison, has only a handful of spin-offs. Echoes of Wisdom and Hyrule Warriors are basically it, and we need more. The potential for new ideas is there, but it has not been fully explored. Nintendo can look to other genres and use them in the Zelda universe to create major hits on the Nintendo Switch 2.
Zelda Can Branch Into Popular Genres
image courtesy of nintendo
If Nintendo wants to keep The Legend of Zelda fresh, spin-offs are the perfect way to do it. There are countless directions the series could take without changing the core formula of the main games. One idea that stands out is a cozy rebuilding game set after The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild or The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Rebuilding Hyrule could offer a slower, more relaxed experience that focuses on community and exploration and takes advantage of the cozy boom.
A strategy or city management game could also work well. Managing resources, defending settlements, and expanding regions of Hyrule would provide a completely different perspective on the world. It would allow players to engage with the setting in a new way while still using familiar locations and characters. Nintendo could offer different factions with unique playstyles, consisting of Hyrulians, Zoro, Goron, Deku, and more.
Another option is a cooperative action game focused on the Champions of Hyrule. Each character could bring unique abilities, encouraging teamwork and coordination. This kind of experience would appeal to players who enjoy multiplayer games while still staying true to the spirit of the series. It could take what Hyrule Warriors did and offer a tighter focus that emphasizes individual skill and teamwork.
At its best, The Legend of Zelda is a series built on creativity and exploration. Leaning too heavily on remakes risks limiting that creativity. By focusing on spin-offs, Nintendo has the opportunity to expand the franchise in exciting ways while preserving what makes it special. But more importantly, it takes The Legend of Zelda in new directions and offers something fans have never experienced before.
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