Following the overwhelmingly successful release of Breath of the Wild, Nintendo will be bringing the 30-year-old Legend of Zelda franchise to the smartphone, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.

Although the details are a bit thin and come from “people familiar with the matter”, we can apparently expect the game to come hot on the heels of the mobile launch of Animal Crossing, which itself is due in the latter half of this year. 

Nintendo has already made a splash in the mobile games world with its Fire Emblem Heroes and Super Mario Run entries and, as both of these have different payment strategies (in-app purchases and one-off payments respectively), it’s unclear how users will be charged for this mobile Zelda title. According to the report, Nintendo is looking to bring in new fans and new money with its mobile releases, hoping it will entice casual gamers to buy its hardware.

We’re not sure what role the game will play in the saga’s epic timeline – will it be a canonic mainstay like Ocarina of Time, or a whacky distraction such as Freshly-Picked Tingle’s Rosy Rupeeland? 

Bring on the Tingle. 

• In the meantime, here's how to download and play Super Mario Run right now.

Read More…