The Nintendo Switch 2 already has a compelling lineup of confirmed games waiting on the horizon, but it's unknown when the next main chapter in the Legend of Zelda franchise will arrive. After the huge success of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, a new entry in the long-running series is all but guaranteed to release on the Switch 2.
Nintendo's upcoming console has been a long time coming, and many fans are hoping that a new The Legend of Zelda game will release on the Switch 2 sooner rather than later. While the Switch 2 versions of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom are already confirmed, a fresh entry in the series is still on a lot of Nintendo fans' wish lists. There's no way to know exactly what Nintendo will do with the next mainline Legend of Zelda title, but it's likely that the unique functionality of the Switch 2's Joy-Con 2 controllers will play an important role.
Nintendo Can Record Switch 2 GameChat Audio and Video
Nintendo confirms that it may record video and audio from GameChat sessions on the Switch 2, so players may want to be on their best behavior.
The Switch 2 Can Continue Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom's Embrace of Experimental Gameplay
Whether it's the freedom of exploration offered by Breath of the Wild or the highly-praised building mechanics of Tears of the Kingdom, the most recent era of The Legend of Zelda has been defined by innovation. This trend is very likely to continue when the series ultimately comes to the Switch 2, as the next mainline Zelda game seems bound to utilize the Joy-Con 2's mouse mode in some fresh way.
While not a main game, Zelda fans still have Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment to look forward to.
The Switch 2's Mouse Joy-Cons Are One of the Console's Most Intriguing Features
Leading up to Nintendo's Switch 2 showcase back in April, many fans were eager to find out more about the Joy-Con 2's mouse mode. This control scheme, which requires players to slide their Joy-Cons across a surface, looks compelling, and there are already confirmed games, like the upcoming Switch 2-exclusive Drag x Drive, that put it front and center. If Nintendo ultimately decided to make the controllers' mouse mode a part of an eventual The Legend of Zelda game for Switch 2, there are a few clear ways that could be done.
How The Legend of Zelda Could Make Mouse Controls a Central Mechanic
- Point-and-click shooting
- Puzzle-focused gameplay
Perhaps the most obvious implementation of the Joy-Cons 2's mouse mode is allowing players to control a bow with it, and doing so could make the ranged combat in a Switch 2 Zelda game feel a lot more satisfying than it does in other entries in the series. However, another possibility comes in the form of puzzles, and players could find themselves using mouse mode to drag objects to different areas of a room, switching between mouse mode and normal controls, and much more as they work to solve them. This is not to say that this new Joy-Con feature would need to be at the center of every puzzle, but playing around with the gameplay possibilities it provides could keep puzzle sections from growing stale as the game progresses.
The most recent era of The Legend of Zelda has been defined by innovation.
Since it's unlikely that Tears of the Kingdom will get a sequel, Nintendo has the freedom to stray from its gameplay systems, and explore brand-new concepts, with the next Zelda entry. The Joy-Cons 2's mouse mode may very well be part of that exploration.
The Switch 2's Joy-Cons also feature a "C" button that triggers GameChat.
The Switch 2 is Almost Here
- The Switch 2 will be released on June 5, 2025.
- The console is priced at $450, while a bundle that includes Mario Kart World will be $500.
For those who have been waiting to get their hands on the next-generation Nintendo console, the wait is nearly over. With confirmed exclusives like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza, there is already a lot to look forward to, and, hopefully, the next mainline Legend of Zelda entry is waiting in the wings.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 95 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
- Released
- May 12, 2023
- ESRB
- Rated E for Everyone 10+ for Fantasy Violence and Mild Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Engine
- Havok
- Cross-Platform Play
- N/A
- Cross Save
- N/A
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Adventure, Action, Open-World
