Chances are you’ve already heard some of the rumors and speculation concerning the Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and its impending re-release on the Wii U. Hopes for an HD remake followed soon after, with memories of Wind Waker‘s return in mind. The hackers at WiiBrew continue to bring hope to eager fans with the release of a list straight from Nintendo’s servers. The twist? Skyward Sword gained its own mention.
Twilight Princess: HD Remake or Simple Digital Download?
Hope for a high-definition upgrade for Twilight Princess followed the appearance of its game image in the Nintendo eShop. WiiBrew’s listing for the game includes the all important “HD” tag. This information comes with a disclaimer: “This unofficial document is not necessarily accurate.” This, in combination with silence on Nintendo’s end regarding upcoming returns of past Zelda titles, leaves no concrete evidence.
Prior to Wind Waker, Nintendo experimented by tweaking both Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword‘s graphics to HD status. It’s always possible that eShop tag may be misplaced from past Nintendo endeavors. On the other hand, given the lack of any official release date for Zelda U, it isn’t strange to assume Nintendo would offer gamers something else to curb hunger pangs for a new title. The approaching holiday season could certainly apply pressure to the company as well.
The entirety of the list on WiiBrew differientiates between games, DLC, upgrades, system-data, and background titles with different code IDs. Twilight Princess falls under the to-be-released game category to these codes, another reason to hope that the source (hacked or not) is Nintendo itself.
So Skyward Sword will be HD, too, right?
Not necessarily. Skyward Sword‘s slot does NOT feature any mention of “HD”. It’s important to keep in mind that while fans have enthusiastically experimented with heightened graphics for the game, the anniversary celebration release back in 2011 did not meet Nintendo’s sale expectations. Whether or not you personally think the game was underrated, there’s no denying that the hype just didn’t meet the skyrocketing success of some Nintendo titles, or even other installments in the Zelda series.
Come, my dear Loftwing, and let us fly where we will be better appreciated.
It also isn’t likely Nintendo will release two HD remakes from the same brand simultaneously, or even relatively close together. As with Wind Waker, it makes sense to move from the least recent games on up. Twilight Princess has greater appeal for Nintendo than Skyward Sword, following this logic.
Where does this leave the ever faithful fan base?
What we’re most likely looking at is a Twilight Princess HD rendering and a standard re-release for Skyward Sword. Critics and critical fans accused Twilight Princess of being too lengthy in the past, but this can also be seen as an advantage for an HD remake. Fans dedicated to the game and its replay value certainly won’t scoff at a breathtaking image enhancement across the full length of the story. Younger, budding gamers will have an opportunity to move toward the series with this appeal combined with a newer console.
We just want it all. Is that too much to ask?
Zelda U isn’t coming home with any of us anytime soon. It should be no surprise that Nintendo actively looks for a second to its Wind Waker HD success in the meantime. And the fanbase has already proven wrong Nintendo’s uncertainties regarding a remake. Another risk is in order, but Skyward Sword just may rank too high and too recent on the danger-scale for the pricey venture.
Which game would you prefer to play in HD if given the choice? What’s your opinion on HD editions in general? Should Nintendo be looking back even further for these new releases? Just some food for thought, but feel free to discuss in the comments below.
