For the past year, Nintendo has been commemorating the 35th anniversary of its Super Mario series. The celebrations now turn to its other renowned franchise, The Legend of Zelda, which turns 35 this year. As a token of admiration towards the beloved series, one fan has created a piece of artwork combining all of the games into one stunning display.
Brought to the Zelda community's attention by Redditor MarcusHyrule, the work of artist dreamTech was highlighted. The creator included various landmarks and details from across the franchise, including Hyrule Castle, the Skyloft from Skyward Sword, and a Twilight Portal from Twilight Princess. Link can be seen in the foreground, standing on a rock with his sword held high, dressed in his Breath of the Wild tunic. A Cucco - one of the franchise’s temperamental creatures - can also be seen watching Link from behind.
The artwork's watercolor aesthetic matches the soft palette featured particularly in Breath of the Wild, and the ominous Moon from Majora’s Mask watches Link and Hyrule with its unwavering stare. Wind Waker’s King of Red Lions and Death Mountain can also be seen at the mouth of the river on the horizon. The artwork is a moving tribute that every fan would love to have as the centerpiece to their game room, and its attention to detail with its texture is enough to rival Alan Lee’s artwork for The Lord of the Rings.
As we honor Link’s 35 years of protecting Hyrule, our sights are also set on the next installment. Breath of the Wild 2 was last teased during E3 2019, and some think that the anticipated sequel will release with Nintendo’s successor to the Switch. The Japanese heavyweight may have squashed those new console rumors for now, but we’re still looking ahead to Link's next chapter and how Breath of the Wild 2 will fit into the canon after Age of Calamity.
In a recent conference call, Nintendo confirmed that it has “a variety of titles” coming this year. In addition to maintaining its hit Animal Crossing: New Horizons - whilst promoting the newly released Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury and the upcoming slew of Pokemon games - could Nintendo also be preparing the long-awaited Mario Kart 9? Or will we finally get our hands on Link’s second inning with Breath of the Wild 2?