Nintendo to display next Zelda at Space World

[06.14.99] » Nintendo's follow-up to the legendary Ocarina of Time will be shown this August at their annual Space World expo.

    Since last November's release of the seminal Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, rumors of another title starring Link have run rampant. Nintendo recently acknowledged that there was indeed another Zelda title in the works, but gave no further details regarding the nature of the game or how far along it was in the development cycle. The possible 64DD format of "Legend of Zelda: Gaiden" also brought into question what changes would be made for a US release.

    No matter the format, it doesn't appear that there will be any more 3 year waits, however. Nintendo comfirmed at today's New World Generation Toy Fair that Zelda: Gaiden will be among the line-up at Nintendo's exclusive Space World show this August. Formerly known as "Shoshinkai", this Nintendo-only gaming exposition has long been a place for Nintendo to focus attention on their own products without anyone else vying for the spotlight. This Zelda "side story" has been rumored to use an upgraded Zelda engine and possibly take Link on adventures outside of Hyrule, much like the classic Link's Awakening for Game Boy.

    The last installment of Zelda received Famitsu's first (and only) perfect score, helped Pokémon kick start the N64 in Japan, and averaged nearly a copy sold every second between its US release and the end of the year. Many declared it to be the pinnacle of gaming on the N64 and the current generation of consoles. What will Miyamoto and Nintendo do to top such an act? Miyamoto has spoken of a "network Zelda" before, and 2 recent announcements have been made regarding Nintendo's upcoming modem plans. That is still speculation, though, as specific gameplay details remain unknown at this time. The GIA will be sure to bring you the latest info as details emerge on Nintendo's next franchise update.