Iwata says no to Zelda anniversary comp

By Fred Dutton Published 16 June, 2011

Nintendo of America's proposal denied.

Nintendo top brass turned down a request from its US wing to repackage classic Zelda games on a single Wii disc in celebration of the franchise's 25th anniversary this year, according to the latest Iwata Asks interview.

The discussion between Shigeru Miyamoto and CEO Satoru Iwata published on the platform holder's Japanese site and translated by Nintendo World Report, revealed that Nintendo of America wanted to re-release the first few Zelda games for the Wii later this year, in a similar fashion to Super Mario All-Stars 25th Anniversary Edition in 2010.

However, both Miyamoto and Iwata apparently shot the idea down, insisting it wasn't in keeping with Nintendo's ethos to do the same thing two years in a row.

As detailed at E3 last week, you'll instead be getting a series of commemorative concerts, two music CDs, a free DSiWare download of GBA classic Four Swords and a limited edition gold Wii Remote to coincide with the launch of Skyward Sword.

Fans of the franchise should also be getting their hands on the Ocarina of Time 3DS remake right about now. Eurogamer's Keza MacDonald awarded it a perfect 10/10 earlier this week.

Picture of Fred.

About Fred Dutton

Fred Dutton is Eurogamer's US news editor, based in Washington DC.

Read more articles from Fred by visiting the Fred Dutton archive page.

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Comments (35) Latest comment 11 months ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • ajaxpliskin #1 11 months ago

    Ever get the feeling that Nintendo of Japan just kinda make these rules up as they go along...?

  • insincere_dave #2 11 months ago

    Two words... Mario Party.

  • Cryotek #3 11 months ago

    I can see their reasoning for not wanting to do it, but you get the feeling Nintendo are out of touch with what the fans want, and a celebration for an anniversary should be about the fans, IMO.

    EDIT: It would also be a nice chance to make up for the Super Mario collection, which was quite frankly, a borderline insult.
    Edited by Cryotek at 16/06/11 @ 23:58

  • ukuleleimport #4 11 months ago

    Also, since there was already a compilation disc for gamecube, it wouldn't really make much sense for fans who already had that to buy a compilation on the wii. But please, give us the GC four swords on WiiU...

  • carrotcake #5 11 months ago

    They don't want to devalue the series with a budget compilation, they want to make it clear that each individual Zelda game should go for full price no matter how old :). Personally I think Wind Waker should have been part of the New Play Control series and Twilight Princess should be part of the Nintendo Selects series in Europe. They could have easily republished both of them by now and I woulda bought em, and if they were feeling unusually generous they could put both games on the same disc!

  • Koozer #6 11 months ago

    A Link to the Past/Four Swords for free on DSiWare? That'll do nicely.

  • Geowolf #7 11 months ago

    But,.. but... Iwata used to be so nice!

  • Sid-Nice #8 11 months ago

    ITwat.

  • coolbritannia #9 11 months ago

    $$$ - "My hope is that people will wait to buy all these games seperately on Wii U"

  • Phishfood #10 11 months ago

    They gave a free one when Windwaker came out, it really is too early. Maybe give it away for Skyward Sword preorders.

  • Mister-Wario #11 11 months ago

    A shame, I think that if done right these sorts of collections can be pretty good. I remember when I got Sonic Mega Collection Plus: being able to look through stuff like the original manuals and comics was a great touch.

  • layleeloo #12 11 months ago

    No Iwata you money grabbing whore, it's a great idea. Loved Mario anniversary so would have liked to give those early ones a go in one neat disc based package

  • FenderMaster #13 11 months ago

    eh, no loss really, after the shameless Mario All Stars (three SNES remakes of NES games? No Super Mario World, which was on later copies of the game... no Super Mario 64, Sunshine or Mario Kart...)

    if they had done it, all you'd be getting would be Zelda 1, 2 and if your lucky LttP...

  • repeater #14 11 months ago

    both Miyamoto and Iwata apparently shot the idea down, insisting it wasn't in keeping with Nintendo's ethos to do the same thing two years in a row.

    There was bugger all of worth coming out for the Wii in 2010, and there's bugger all of worth coming out for the Wii in 2011. So it seems that ethos isn't really consistently applied.

  • BuckEntropy #15 11 months ago

    Sure, god forbid people start thinking Nintendo is too predictable in how they handle their cash cows.

    Gotta keep 'em guessing about something after all. Makes umm... perfect sense?

  • CamberGreber #16 11 months ago

    I guess there just forcing us to go back to emulators.

  • Der_tolle_Emil #17 11 months ago

    I bet that there will be just as many people complaining about no compilation as there are people complaining that Nintendo is re-releasing the same thing over and over again.

    People are never happy. Personally I'd definitely get a compilation but I guess it makes more sense if they discount the WiiWare offerings with the release of Skyward Sword.

  • Smoped #18 11 months ago

    Remakes sold individually, then?

  • Stratix #19 11 months ago

    Four swords, the multiplayer component will probably include link to the past, the singleplayer classic component. I can't wait to play that again! And for free!?

  • Lee_Morris #20 11 months ago

    Since when did 10/10 mean perfect?

  • Der_tolle_Emil #21 11 months ago

    In case of Ocarina of Time it does. You'll understand once you have played it :)

  • SlackMaster #22 11 months ago

    I think it's unfortunate that Nintendo will not release a compilation but I guess they make more selling them on VC. The Super Mario compilation was disappointing also and I was expecting more from this and for Nintendo to be a little more generous with their fans.

    It's also annoying how Nintendo refuse to release Earthbound on the VC or an Earthbound compilation. >:(

  • SlackMaster #23 11 months ago

    @Stratix - Although the version of Four Swords we'll be getting on DSiWare will be the GBA version it will not include LttP.

  • Jazzy_Geoff #24 11 months ago

    "four swords, the multiplayer component will probably include link to the past, the singleplayer classic component. I can't wait to play that again! And for free!? "

    Lol. Like fuck will it

  • MdaG #25 11 months ago

    Zelda 2, best Zelda ever! HD-version please. :-)

  • azazel_fallenangel #26 11 months ago

    Can no-one remember the two GameCube discs with OoT on them? One with Majora's Mask on it? That play on the Wii
    Any other compilation disc would simply be a re-hash of this, Nintendo just flogging the same old games, for the third time. I for one welcome that the 3DS game has got extra features, and we are getting a whole brand new game this year. We don't need another compilation disc.

  • Huxamalay #27 11 months ago

    I thought you could buy all of the Zelda games via the online store on the Wii

  • RobTheBuilder #28 11 months ago

    More likely that it will affect sales of the "new" 3DS Zelda...

  • alcides #29 11 months ago

    Is there a reason why they made SS Link look like an anime Chris Colfer? (no hate)

  • Mr.Spo #30 11 months ago

    Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

    If Nintendo had announced a compilation with the "early" Zelda games on--probably meaning Zelda, Adventure of Link and Link to the Past, then people would be up in arms about another rip off compilation from Nintendo. Now they've decided not to release a compilation, but instead a remake of arguably the best Zelda, a free Zelda very few people will have played, the best portable Zelda on eShop, a brand new Zelda game, as well as soundtracks and a series of concerts celebrating the music of the series, and people still complain.

    Let's face it--if they were doing a compilation this year, they wouldn't have included titles like Link's Awakening or Ocarina, because they want the stand alone versions of those titles to sell. I'm a Zelda fanatic as far as I'm concerned, Ocarina 3D, Link's Awakening DX, Four Swords, Skyward Sword and the concerts are an excellent way to celebrate Zelda's 25th anniversary, let's not cheapen it with some poor value compilation like the Mario Anniversary last year.

  • sega #31 11 months ago

    "Also, since there was already a compilation disc for gamecube, it wouldn't really make much sense for fans who already had that to buy a compilation on the wii."

    True but the GameCube disc, along with Wind Waker, is going to be useless if people upgrade to the Wii U. Would be nice to know these games can still be played in the next generation.

  • kiantsu #32 11 months ago

    Don't get ahead of yourselves, all I've read is that they'll be giving away Four Swords only, not both games included in the GBA cartdridge. Do you really think they'd give away ALTTP just for free?

  • roquey Verified Lead Quality Assurance Tester and Compliance Specialist, Universally Speaking #33 11 months ago

    so where the fuck is my link to the past remake?

  • SlackMaster #34 11 months ago

    @azazel_fallenangel's - I remember there was a limited edition of Windwaker that had a bonus disc with OoT and Master Quest on it. Then there was also a seperate promotion that was a compilation of LoZ, AoL, OoT with Master Quest and Majora's. This was given out free to people buying new GameCube as well as from other places. I actually brought mine from a bargain bin in Woolworths.

  • SlackMaster #35 11 months ago

    @roquey - tbh I don't think LttP needs remaking. The graphics still stand up today in a cartoony way. I'd like a remake of the original though or possibly the Adventure of Link.