It might be one's dream come true or another's nightmare but apparently, Nintendo is looking to bring yet another one of its most popular franchises to smartphones; this time it's The Legend of Zelda.

According to a Wall Street Journal report, the House of Mario will be bringing Link & Co. to smartphones following the upcoming mobile version of Animal Crossing, which is expected to arrive sometime this year.

It should be noted that the WSJ report mentions the mobile adaptation as an app. So it's not clear as to whether it is an app, a port or an entirely new game à la Super Mario Run.

While the report isn't confirmed, both Nintendo and mobile company DeNA declined to comment to The Wall Street Journal.

Nevertheless, I'm interested about what you think! Will a Zelda app or game fit smartphones? If so, what kind of game/app based off the Zelda universe do you think will best fit the format?

SOURCE

 

[Taleweaver]

It seems like they realize the potential in mobile gaming and are still testing the waters with their best IPs to see which formula works best before the fully invest in it.

Seeing how nintendo does things on their own systems, I doubt they'll ever settle on just a single formula. At best they have a single monetization method, which probably gives their marketing nightmares right now (face it: they can't charge the normal 40/50 bucks because it's about ten times the average price on mobile, and they probably can't lower the average price without sacrificing quality).

Perhaps they are trying to lure people into getting Nintendo games on smartphones.
Only to realize that Nintendo games on smartphones are bullshit.
Then this will open the question, "so wait, this is bs, is there another way to play new Nintendo games?"
---> Lured into buying a console.

Perfect plan! /s
(but they need to keep publishing bullshit on smartphones)

It's just the way it goes. Why do you think coca cola still advertises? It's not like there's anyone on the planet left who has never heard of it. No...they do it to keep the brand name fresh in people's memories. And what better to warm people to the flavor than a free sample?

Same here: not everyone will have a nintendo console, but mobile phones are everywhere. Nintendo smartphone games are sure to raise brand awareness. And that pays off in the future.

It's just...who said anything of these games being bullshit? Mario run isn't bad no matter what mobile game you compare it to, and pokémon go's popularity even made local news.

 

[V0ltr0n]

Yeah nintendo, work on that instead of something for your actual dedicated handheld system. Especially big name titles. I swear, if they make a proper metroid only for phones, it will firmly solidify my hate for the decisions they make. Fuck this mobile shit.

 

[Lightyose]

I hope they don't ruin this...

 

[duffmmann]

Zelda is one Nintendo franchise that I don't think would make for a good mobile phone game. Fire Emblem made sense, Super Mario Run is a good idea too. Of course Pokemon Go is brilliant for what it is. But I just can't see a good mobile phone adaptation working for the Zelda series. I mean I'll see what they come up with, but my expectations are low.

 

[Minox]

Nintendo, please stop making these titles that don't quite fit a touchscreen and just make Advance Wars already

 

[jamezfat]

I swear if the 2d zelda games become mobile exclusives, I will cry

 

[Maximilious]

Bleh. Please not auto-scrolling, card packing, gem matching, location based, pokemon-go-esk, mobile game garbage. If it's something fresh I'll give it a go.

 

[coinblock]

Undoubtedly featuring microtransactions and DRM.

 

[Akshuls]

Zelda Slash. Autoplays, slash at the right time to kill enemies.
I see it coming.

Zelda Rhythm game.

 

[Justin14p]

Super Zelda Link Run

 

[anhminh]

This could be an app, a Link's crossbow training or this.

 

[Bonestorm]

probably be some form of app that ties in with the game, maybe something like pokemon go but you walk around aimlessly and find items then use them in the game, maybe it will have even more shrines.

personally (again not starting a war) nintnedo should be done with BOTW its tried to copy the likes of skyrim and failed..... i actually wonder if/when skyrim comes to the switch its reviews will say something like the next best thing since zelda.

cant say ive been a fan of oblivion, but i got skyrim the other day for the 360 and am actually really enjoying it and can see what nintendo have tried to do but failed.

BOTW is better than Skyrim. Also i don't see how BOTW tried to copy Skyrim? by being open world? you do understand the first Zelda ever was open world right? so who copied who? kids these days..

 

[tbb043]

its tried to copy the likes of skyrim and failed....

1) Better keep some band-aids handy before you cut yourself on all that edge.

2) What does Skyrim have to do with phone games, anyway? It's a PC/console game

 

[pandavova]

inb4 zelda_breath_of_the_wild_virus.apk

 

[Maximilious]

This could be an app, a Link's crossbow training or this.

Endless glider inc.

 

[Deleted member 377734]

well i hope they actually make something half-assed good out of this

 

[Saiyan Lusitano]

my bet is on a roguelike dungeon crawler kind of game probably in a graphic style similar to the fire emblem game

you tap your way through a dungeon, collect keys and new weapons and then fight a boss in an rpg kind of fashion/tap minigame

This. A Zelda game with a virtual d-pad/analogue stick just wouldn't work too well and it would take too much space for making a grand game.

After the backlash Nintendo got for Mario Run (being "too expensive") they're going with the Freemium way.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

Please, no

Nintendo's probably developing a Mario Kart for Android/iOS and likely to be named "Mario Kart Run."

The auto-steering, auto-run and w/e from Mario Kart 8 Deluxe will be taken and put into it.

 

[Ev1l0rd]

A nightmare. Thus far Nintendo's games are true examples on how not to handle mobile games:

• Always online required.
• Requires the signing up of YET another account, unless you already have a NNID.
• Asinine concepts, even though they could be good (Super Mario Runs needless additional building).
• Consistently feature iAP or 'free demos'. No Nintendo, I want to either pay full price up-front for your games ONCE, or just make them free completely. No shitty iAP or fake 'free demos'. (Note, with 'free demos' I'm talking about "Full game is an iAP for the listed game". Just add another listing to the App Store, you're a multi-billion dollar company, I'm sure you can afford the 100$ needed).

In short, Nintendo is about as shitty as most mobile devs. And I had such high hopes for them .

 

[PaBo]

But "noone" will buy it:-(
All apps for andro are backupable

point me to just one working backup of mario run then... scrub. educate yourself before spewing bullshit!

 

[Dr.Hacknik]

All aboard the Micro-Transaction train!

Spoiler: Toot-toot