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 theLegend of Zeldafranchise will arrive. After the huge success ofBreath of the WildandTears 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 newThe Legend of Zeldagame will release on the Switch 2 sooner rather than later. While theSwitch 2 versions ofBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdomare 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 mainlineLegend of Zeldatitle, but it’s likely that the unique functionality of the Switch 2’s Joy-Con 2 controllers will play an important role.
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 byBreath of the Wildor the highly-praisedbuilding mechanics ofTears of the Kingdom, the most recent era ofThe Legend of Zeldahas been defined by innovation. This trend is very likely to continue when the series ultimately comes to the Switch 2, as the next mainlineZeldagame seems bound to utilize the Joy-Con 2’s mouse mode in some fresh way.
While not a main game,Zeldafans still haveHyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonmentto 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 upcomingSwitch 2-exclusiveDrag x Drive, that put it front and center. If Nintendo ultimately decided to make the controllers' mouse mode a part of an eventualThe Legend of Zeldagame 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
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 2Zeldagame 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 thisnew Joy-Con featurewould 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 ofThe Legend of Zeldahas been defined by innovation.
Since it’sunlikely thatTears of the Kingdomwill get a sequel, Nintendo has the freedom to stray from its gameplay systems, and explore brand-new concepts, with the nextZeldaentry. 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
For those who have been waiting to get their hands on the next-generation Nintendo console, the wait is nearly over. With confirmed exclusives likeMario Kart WorldandDonkey Kong Bananza, there is already a lot to look forward to, and, hopefully, the next mainlineLegend of Zeldaentry is waiting in the wings.
