Following the massive success ofThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildand its sequel, it feels like we’re finally in a new era forZeldagames. Even aside from the blockbuster entries, smaller stories likeThe Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdomand theLink’s Awakeningremake faithfully recreate the original experience with a modern twist. While plenty of classic Nintendo games andZeldatitles have been ported over to the Switch, there’s still plenty of room to give the spotlight to more returning classics.
Now that even older titles likeThe Wind Wakerare finally getting an accessible port thanks to Nintendo Switch Online,there’s even more reason to think that the Switch 2 could fulfill its predecessors' missed potentialfor classicZeldaremasters. Although some games in theLegend of Zeldafranchisemight never see a remaster, I still have hope that the best multiplayer-focused entry will make another debut on Switch 2.
Four Swords Adventures Deserves A Modern Revival
A Unique Experience That Many Players Missed Out On
While it wasn’t the first entry in the series to experiment with multiplayer gameplay,The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventureshad much better success in seamlessly integrating co-op into the standardZeldaformula. As a sequel to the originalFour Swordson the Game Boy,the GameCube reimagining offered both single-player and multiplayercompatibilitywith up to four players in total. With the other players controlling three clones of Link,Four Swords Adventuresgreatly encouraged teamwork and coordination to succeed.
While the multiplayer concept would work great as a party game on its own or to test your friendships,Four Swords Adventuresgreatly expanded on the concept with a handcrafted experience. For the multiplayer side of things,you could also connect your Game Boy Advance systems to act as a second screenfor each player during certain segments, offering even more player freedom. Although you can still control links or explore in different directions at the same time, some puzzles or encounters will still need the whole group to progress.
Even if these concepts aren’t revolutionary on their own, the unique presentation of the multi-system co-op combined with the greatest strengths of theLegend of Zeldaformula make it one of the most memorable experiences in the franchise.Unfortunately, there are some hefty requirements to actually playFour Swords Adventureswith a full party today, asyou’ll need a GameCube, the disc, four Game Boy Advance systems, and four Link Cables. Thankfully, the inaccessibility ofFour Swords Adventurescould be easily solved thanks to Nintendo’s latestinnovations with Nintendo Online.
Bringing Back Fan Favorites With A Modern Twist
Given that Nintendo already broughtFour Swordsto Nintendo Switch Online just last year, it wouldn’t be a far stretch to imagine the sequel making its way to the newest console soon as well. Unfortunately, the version Nintendo chose to add is theworst variation ofFour Swords, completely lacking the single-player aspect that was added in the anniversary edition. On top of the reduced features,there’s no way to play the originalFour Swordsin split-screen either, as each player needs their own Switch and Nintendo Online subscription to play.
Given how many barriers there are to enjoying the fullFour Swordsexperience, it’s no wonder the modern port didn’t make nearly as much of an impact as it deserved. Thankfully, Nintendo’s Game Share functionality could overcome these problems by taking advantage ofFour Swords Adventures’s greatest strengths while improving on its foundations. Rather than needing four separate systems and accounts,Nintendo Online has the opportunity to allow a single player to share theirFour Swordsgameplay with three friendsthrough its GameShare capabilities, both locally and wirelessly.
Until July 04, 2025, a Nintendo Switch Online membership is not needed to enjoy GameChat. Afterwards, a Nintendo Switch Online membership will be required.
Even if a futureFour Swords Adventuresport or remaster doesn’t take full advantage of Nintendo Online’s latest offerings,plenty of less intensive multiplayer outings from Nintendo could still benefit from the added functionality. With less need to flesh out full co-op mode, I have even more hope for more unique multiplayer experiences from GameShare that are more than the simple co-op seen in games likeMario Odysseyor the upcomingDonkey Kong Bananza.
Nintendo Has Only Scratched The Surface Of Zelda’s Library
Plenty Of Beloved Zelda Titles Are Still Waiting For Their Chance To Shine
While Nintendo has done a great job at reviving some beloved entries in theZeldafranchise with releases like the HD take onThe Legend of Zelda: Skyward Swordor the Switch 2 port ofWind Waker’s original GameCube version,there are still plenty ofZeldagames that deserve a modern touch-up. Considering the various controversies anddisappointments over Nintendo Online’s offeringsthere have been over the years,the service could use some long-awaited offerings to win over new or returning members.
Now that an even wider selection of classic Nintendo games has made their way to Nintendo Switch Online thanks to the Switch 2’s hardware,Four Swords Adventuresabsolutely needs to be next in line forNintendo’s GameCube offerings.It might be some time before we see the rest ofZelda’s excellent catalog of titles make its way to modern systems, but remastering a game likeThe Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventuresin its entirety would be a great way to show their dedication to improving Nintendo Online.
