The Legend of Zelda
News, coverage and analysis tracking The Legend of Zelda across the outlets.
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The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Reaches $1 Billion, And It’s The First 2026 Film To Do So
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie has surpassed $1 billion in worldwide box office revenue, making it the first film of 2026 to reach this milestone. Produced by Illumination, Universal, and Nintendo, the animated film has earned $429 million domestically and $571.5 million internationally. This success follows the record-breaking performance of The Super Mario Bros. Movie and positions Nintendo for further expansion into filmmaking.
The Summer Game Fest showcase showed Japan’s top game-makers racing ever further ahead of the west | Opinion
The Summer Game Fest showcase highlighted a perceived gap between Japanese and Western game development, with Eastern studios generating more enthusiastic crowd reactions. While Chinese and Korean studios were also prominent, Western developers were notably less represented. The event's tone and content, including mature themes, suggested a shift from previous industry showcases.
Precision-Focused 3D Metroidvania Platformer Blue Fire Is Out on Android
The precision-focused 3D Metroidvania platformer Blue Fire is now available on Android, following its release on PC and consoles. Developer Robi Studios has also launched a quality-of-life update for the mobile version, enhancing its platforming, combat, and challenging Void stages.
Review: Mina the Hollower (Nintendo Switch 2)
Mina the Hollower is a retro-inspired action RPG from Yacht Club Games, featuring a top-down perspective reminiscent of classic Zelda titles. The game presents a challenging experience with over 1,200 handcrafted screens, a unique tunneling mechanic, and a deep customization system through trinkets. Despite a lack of an in-game map by default and a steep learning curve, its charming graphics, engaging exploration, and robust design make it a standout title for the Nintendo Switch.
The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales Preview
The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales is a new Japanese RPG from Square Enix that blends retro sprite aesthetics with modern Unreal Engine visuals. The preview highlights a story involving a kingdom in peril, a magical princess, and time travel, with combat described as engaging and similar to top-down Zelda titles. The game is set to release on June 18 for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S|X, and Nintendo Switch, with a Prologue Demo currently available.
Nintendo Had The Hottest Game On Earth. Then It Rejected The Sequel.
This article discusses the 40th anniversary of Super Mario Bros. 2, also known as 'The Lost Levels,' and why Nintendo of America initially rejected its release in the West. The game was developed as a sequel to Super Mario Bros. for the Famicom Disk System and was notably more difficult than its predecessor. Nintendo of America, led by evaluators like Howard Phillips, found the game too punishing and lacking in innovation compared to other contemporary titles, opting instead to repurpose another game for the Western release of Super Mario Bros. 2.
Random: This Zelda X Wallace & Gromit Parody Is The Mash Up We Didn't Know We Needed
A fan-made stop-motion parody titled 'The Hero of Cheese' mashes up the worlds of The Legend of Zelda and Aardman's Wallace & Gromit. Created in Blender, the short film features Link Wallace and Navi Gromit on a quest for cheese, incorporating numerous references to both franchises. The article also mentions a previous Mario and Creature Comforts crossover and an upcoming official Pokémon offering from Aardman.
Mina The Hollower Was Inspired By Pokemon And Final Fantasy Adventure
Yacht Club Games' upcoming title, Mina the Hollower, draws inspiration from a variety of classic games, including Pokemon and Final Fantasy Adventure, in addition to its clear Zelda and souls-like influences. David D'Angelo of Yacht Club Games highlighted the appeal of packing extensive content into small packages, a hallmark of Game Boy-era titles.
The Surprising Factors That Made Mina The Hollower A Game Of The Year Contender
David D’Angelo, lead programmer at Yacht Club Games, discusses the development and design of Mina the Hollower, a game that blends Souls-like challenge with Zelda-inspired exploration. The interview highlights the studio's approach to difficulty options, inspired by cheat codes and player freedom, and their passion for retro game design limitations. D'Angelo also touches on the game's reception and the studio's philosophy on making games accessible while retaining their core identity.
3 Nintendo franchises that would make great movies, and honorable mentions
This article discusses which Nintendo franchises would make compelling movies, following the success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie. It highlights EarthBound and Kirby as strong contenders due to their narrative potential and distinct characters, while also considering Splatoon for its visual appeal and flexibility. Franchises like Xenoblade Chronicles and Metroid are deemed more challenging due to their lengthy stories or silent protagonists.
The Legend of Zelda Maker is finally a reality thanks to one solo dev making an "N64-inspired love letter,"…
Indie developer Ki3 Games has released a free demo for Temple Maker 64, a fan-made tool inspired by Super Mario Maker that allows players to create and explore dungeons in a style reminiscent of Nintendo 64-era The Legend of Zelda games. The demo features build and explore modes, with the full game planned to launch after a future Kickstarter campaign.
Mina the Hollower review - intricate 8-bit beauty that combines Zelda, Bloodborne and more into something genuinely special
Mina the Hollower is a special 8-bit adventure game that masterfully blends elements from The Legend of Zelda and Bloodborne with its own unique mechanics. Developed over six years by Yacht Club Games, the game features intricate level design, challenging combat, and a deep world filled with secrets. Its design encourages players to meticulously track clues and utilize a variety of gadgets and upgrades to overcome obstacles and enemies.
The Original Pikmin Soundtrack Has Been Added To Nintendo Music
The original Pikmin soundtrack, composed by Hajime Wakai, has been added to the Nintendo Music app for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers. The album features 33 tracks with a runtime of one hour. The original Pikmin game is also available on Nintendo Switch.
Yacht Club Games Delivers a Retro Masterpiece – Expert Game Reviews
Mina the Hollower, the latest ambitious title from Yacht Club Games, is a top-down 2D action-adventure with a Game Boy Color aesthetic, drawing inspiration from classic Zelda and Castlevania titles. The game features a unique burrowing mechanic, a deep trinket system, and a smart twist on the Soulslike death mechanic, offering exceptional replayability and value at $19.99.
Mina the Hollower Review 🐭
Mina the Hollower is a highly acclaimed adventure game that blends classic Zelda-like exploration with unique, challenging combat. The game features a gorgeous 8-bit visual style, an incredible chiptune soundtrack, and a brilliantly interconnected world that gradually opens up to the player. While offering a deep and rewarding experience with plenty of secrets, some difficulty spikes and accessibility options that disable trophies are noted drawbacks.
Mina the Hollower devs score a much-needed hit as the Zelda-like instantly becomes Metacritic's best-rated game of…
Mina the Hollower, the latest title from Yacht Club Games, has achieved a Metascore of 93, making it Metacritic's highest-rated game of 2026 so far. Critics praise the game for its blend of classic inspirations like The Legend of Zelda and Castlevania with fresh, contemporary design. The developers are reportedly relying on this critical success for a much-needed breakthrough.
Round Up: The Reviews Are In For Mina The Hollower
Reviews for Yacht Club Games' upcoming title, Mina The Hollower, are overwhelmingly positive, with many critics praising its retro-inspired design and gameplay mechanics. The game, which blends elements of The Legend of Zelda and Castlevania, has received high scores across multiple publications, including a 9/10 from Nintendo Life and a perfect 10/10 from IGN. Despite some minor criticisms regarding movement controls and potential grinding, the consensus is that Mina The Hollower is a standout title and a potential masterpiece from the developers.
Honor of Kings World preview: Tower of Fantasy meets Where Winds Meet
Honor of Kings World is an upcoming PC and mobile action MMO that blends gameplay elements from Tower of Fantasy and Where Winds Meet. Players can explore vast open worlds, engage in PvE combat, and utilize a variety of iconic characters with unlockable combat styles. The global version is still in development, with a focus on translations and content additions.
Miyamoto recruited Aonuma to Zelda team after he developed Zelda-like game Marvelous for SNES
In a 2005 interview, The Legend of Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma revealed that Shigeru Miyamoto recruited him to the Zelda team after seeing his SNES game Marvelous, which incorporated Zelda-like elements. Aonuma joined the franchise and was responsible for dungeon design in subsequent titles.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Passes A Minecraft Movie At Box Office
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie has surpassed A Minecraft Movie at the global box office, earning over $980 million to become the second highest-grossing video game movie of all time. The Super Mario Bros. Movie remains the top earner at $1.36 billion. Future installments for both franchises and a live-action The Legend of Zelda movie are planned.