As the successor to the genre-definingSuper Mario 64, the Nintendo GameCube exclusive,Super Mario Sunshine, had a lot to live up to. When the game was first released in July 2002, critics largely agreed that, although it wasn’t able to reach the heights of its forebearers, it was very good overall.Super Mario Sunshineultimately went on to sell over 5 million copies worldwide. However, it wasn’t able to meet Nintendo’s financial expectations, partly due to the GameCube’s poor commercial performance and the game’s failure to match its predecessor in sales. As a result,Super Mario Sunshinebecame somewhat of a cult classic within theMariorepertoire.
For many years,Super Mario Sunshinecouldn’t be enjoyed on modern platforms. to experience it legally, fans had to play it on either the GameCube or the backwards-compatible Wii. Eventually, Nintendo ported the game to the Nintendo Switch as part oftheSuper Mario 3D All-Starscollectionin 2020, and it now intends to bringSuper Mario Sunshineback on the Switch 2 via Nintendo Switch Online. Since the Switch 2 can already play most Switch 1 games, it’s a bit odd that Nintendo is releasing the same game on its platforms twice. That said, this does at least bode well for the potential of a futureWind Waker HDre-release.
Super Mario Sunshine’s Switch 2 Re-Release Shows that a Wind Waker HD Port is Still Possible
GameCube Games, Like TLOZ: The Wind Waker, Are Coming to Switch 2 via NSO
For those who are out of the loop, Nintendo confirmed during its latest Switch 2 Direct thatGameCube games will finally be addedto the Nintendo Switch Online subscription service later this year. It was noted, though, that this GameCube catalog will only be available on the Nintendo Switch 2 and not last-generation consoles. 3 of the 10 GameCube games that have already been confirmed for the service will be available on the Switch 2 on launch day. These includeF-Zero GX,Soulcalibur 2, andThe Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker.
Up until now,The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Wakerwas probably one of the most requestedZeldagames for the Nintendo Switch. This 2002 GameCube classic was initially derided by fans due to its cel-shaded art style, but as the years went by, the negative sentiment surrounding the game started to change, and it’s now regarded as a fan-favorite. Much likeSuper Mario Sunshine,The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Wakerhas been inaccessible on modern platforms for several years. Although Nintendo did release a 2013 remaster of the game for the Wii U under the nameWind Waker HD, it hasn’t ported it to any other platforms ever since.
Nintendo is Willing to Let Games be Accessible in Several Different Ways on the Same Platform
The version ofThe Wind Wakerthat’s coming to Switch 2 via NSO is not going to beWind Waker HD, but will instead be the original GameCube port of the game. Because of this NSO re-release, some are concerned that Nintendo will never develop a native port ofWind Waker HDfor the Switch 2. However, this isn’t necessarily the case. As previously discussed,Super Mario Sunshineis going to be available on the Switch 2 via two different means: Nintendo Switch Online andSuper Mario 3D All-Stars. Just because Nintendo has released a game in one way doesn’t mean it won’t release it in another.
Even Nintendo of America’s own senior vice president of product development, Nate Bihldorff, said something to a similar effect. During a recent interview with Kinda Funny Games, Bihldorff was asked about whetherThe Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker’s debut on NSO willprevent the Switch 2 from getting the game’s Wii U re-release. In response, he simply stated that “all options are on the table.” This means that fans shouldn’t give up hope for aWind Waker HDre-release just yet, as it could eventually happen someday.
