Rumor: Zelda Games’ infamous Phillips CD-i games are being remade for Switch
We have received word from a source close to Nintendo that the Phillips CD-i The Legend of Zelda the games are coming to Switch later this year, and Nintendo is reportedly saving the announcement for Nintendo Direct this summer with a shadow drop planned.
Three Zelda games were released on the platform in the 90s thanks to a deal between Nintendo and Phillips. Link: Faces of Evil, Zelda: Rod of Gamelon (both in 1993) and Adventures of Zelda (in 1994). And all three will arrive on the Switch in “remastered” form as part of the massive Zelda launch that Nintendo is planning for 2023, following the release of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom in May.
Our source, who wished to remain anonymous, told us that while Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma does not consider the trilogy to be Zelda lore canon, they “are an important part of the history of Nintendo and The Legend of Zelda, as well as the first games that allowed Zelda players to deserve in order to be available on more modern systems.” All three games will feature improved visuals and a redesigned orchestral soundtrack.
Indeed, both The Wand of Gamelon and Zelda’s Adventure mark the first time Princess Zelda was playable outside of spirit form – hello Spirit Tracks! — and she still hasn’t had a playable human role in the main Zelda game. This means that these two entries, despite how controversial and offensive they are to Zelda fans, are important milestones in the series.
The Faces of Evil and The Wand of Gamelon were developed concurrently by Animation Magic. At the time of its release in October 1993, reviews were mixed, but mostly positive. Both games are side-scrolling action-adventure games that put you in the shoes of Link (Faces of Evil) and Zelda (Wand of Gamelon). With expressive animated cutscenes, these two titles have produced some of the most memorable moments in the history of the Zelda series.
Zelda’s Adventure, the third CD-i game, was developed by Viridis Corporation and used FMV throughout the game instead of animated cutscenes. The action was top-down, in contrast to Animation Magic’s efforts, and once again saw you playing as Zelda on a quest to save Link from Ganon.
The deal between Nintendo and Phillips is infamous for Big N ending its previous agreement with Sony, which was developing a CD-ROM add-on for the Super NES. Then Sony continued development of the PlayStation – and we know how it ended.
