The 35th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda franchise, but Nintendo hasn't celebrated it to the same degree as the Super Mario Bros. 35th anniversary.
One of the biggest ways Nintendo celebrated Mario's anniversary was with Super Mario 3D All-Stars, which contained remastered versions of Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy. This led fans to believe that a similar collection could be in the works for The Legend of Zelda series. If it was possible to bring Super Mario 64 to the Switch in an upgraded form, then surely it would be just as easy for Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask? Those games also had upgraded remasters on the Nintendo 3DS, which were also candidates to appear in a theoretical Legend of Zelda 3D All-Stars.
It seems that there won't be a need for a Legend of Zelda 3D All-Stars, after all. Nintendo announced that N64 games are coming to Nintendo Switch Online in late October, but only to those who pay extra for the Expansion Pack upgrade. It has been confirmed that Ocarina of Time will be a launch title, while Majora's Mask will be added in a future update.
The Legend Of Zelda 3D All-Stars Most Likely Isn't Happening
The presence of Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask as N64 games on Nintendo Switch Online has removed the need for an anniversary collection. There wouldn't be an incentive to pay full price for remastered versions of the games when the originals are already available on the system. The appeal of Super Mario 3D All-Stars would also have been diluted if Super Mario 64 was available on Nintendo Switch Online before it was taken off the eShop.
It's not all doom and gloom for The Legend of Zelda's anniversary, as it's still likely that the HD versions of Twilight Princess and Wind Waker will be coming to the system in the future. At least the presence of the Expansion Pack means that Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask are playable on the Nintendo Switch at all. Nintendo has yet to reveal the price of the Expansion Pack, but it's likely going to be cheaper than what The Legend of Zelda 3D All-Stars collection would have cost, considering Nintendo charged full price for the Super Mario Bros. one.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time will be released for Nintendo Switch Online's Expansion Pack in late October.
