As Super Mario approaches its 35th anniversary this month, Nintendo is preparing to celebrate the landmark moment in style. Several of the long-running video game series most influential titles are being remastered for an anniversary collection, while Nintendo has announced enhanced remakes of both the original 1985 game for online multiplayer audiences and the acclaimed 2013 title Super Mario 3D World and with a new Mario Kart title for next month. However, next year Nintendo's other major franchise similarly rings in its 35th anniversary: The Legend of Zelda.

Originally released in Japan on February 21, 1986, and in the US and Europe the following year, The Legend of Zelda was inspired by co-director Shigeru Miyamoto's childhood exploring the woods and caves around his hometown of Sonobe, Japan. Taking place in the mythical land of Hyrule across a variety of medieval eras, the video game series has Link, the Hero of Time reborn through the ages, battle against the evil Ganon for the powerful Triforce and the fate of Hyrule. Since its debut, the franchise has been a Nintendo staple, appearing on each of the video game publisher's home and handheld consoles.

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With millions of fans worldwide, Nintendo should similarly pull out all the stops to give the action RPG franchise its own epic anniversary celebration. Nintendo has been rumored to have a remastered edition of the 2011 Wii game The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword in development for the Switch. Just as reports of Nintendo working on Super Mario remasters leaked months before an official announcement, Skyward Sword's rumors could similarly presage an announcement in time for its tenth anniversary. And with Nintendo steadily porting Wii U titles to the Switch, the previous console's HD enhanced remakes of Wind Waker and Twilight Princess could also transition to the newer console.

Of course, remasters shouldn't be limited to the more recent games on the console but to the franchise's entire history. Last year saw a 3D enhanced remake of 1993's Link's Awakening released to critical acclaim and strong commercial success. Nintendo should consider giving all of the old-school, isometric perspective Legend of Zelda games similar treatment, from the original game and 1987's The Adventure of Link to 1991's A Link to the Past. Also, Nintendo has continued steadily churned out Amiibo offering varying levels of in-game functionality, so a new line of 35th-anniversary Zelda Amiibo should be unveiled, potentially alongside a 35th-anniversary compilation of past games, including 1998's Ocarina of Time and 2000's Majora's Mask.

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The biggest item on any Zelda fan's wish list and perhaps the most unlikely would be the long-awaited release of the sequel to 2017's Breath of the Wild. While the sequel was announced a little over a year ago, development has been underway for several years. Its release is unexpected but would be the biggest possible way to ring in the momentous occasion.

With its emphasis on exploration, immersive worlds and iconic characters locked in an eternal battle between good and evil, The Legend of Zelda has thrilled gamers for over three decades. Nintendo more than likely has more than one announcement up its sleeve to commemorate the fantasy-action series next year, with 18 different fan-favorite installments to draw from its past as the franchise continues to forge its future. The Hero of Time's adventures have always been generational, and the upcoming 35th anniversary would be the perfect way to bring those generations together.

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