Nintendo Expands Mobile Ambition with ‘Legend of Zelda’ App Forthcoming

Nintendo resisted launching mobile app versions of its console games for several years. Now that the company has finally embraced the smartphone as a gaming platform, it’s going all out.

According to sources cited in the Wall Street Journal, Nintendo intends to launch a Legend of Zelda smartphone game late this year or early next. This builds on three games already launched— Miitomo, Super Mario Run, Fire Emblem Heroes—and will come after Animal Crossing, which is slated to launch later this year.

Given the early success of Nintendo’s new Switch console and the selling factor of Zelda games, we don’t expect a fully fledged Legend of Zelda game for the smartphone. It’s likely to be less ambitious in scope, though Nintendo has not offered details that suggest either scenario.

Moving forward, Nintendo plans to release “two to three” new mobile games each year, drawing from its vast catalog of classic console games. What can we expect? Super Smash Bros, Mario Party, Donkey Kong? We don’t know, but we’re excited to find out.