Super Mario Makeron Wii U was a fairly revolutionary offering for Nintendo, bringing the custom level creation scene popularized by “Kaizo Mario” games with creation tools such as Lunar Magic to mainstream audiences with a lighthearted and easy-to-learn design. The potential forSuper Mario Makerand its sequel on Switch aren’t as limitless as user-made tools, but the fact Nintendo was willing to give its fans a custom creation experience featuring its popular IP opened a potential floodgate. One series that many have expressed an interest in seeing adopt this formula isThe Legend of Zelda.
As far as platformers are concerned,KirbyorMetroidwould likely better fitSuper Mario Maker’s mold, but both are relatively niche compared toZeldagames. Nintendo has even experimented with the idea of aLegend of Zeldadungeon maker in Grezzo’s 2019Link’s Awakeningremake, which included a side-activity asking Link to collect Chamber Stones so Dampe can help him create more custom dungeons. The idea was limited, but with the scope ofSuper Mario Makerthis kind of project could thrive as Nintendo’s next mobile project.
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Nintendo in the Mobile Gaming Space
For decades, Nintendo split its primary developers between working on home consoles like the N64, GameCube, or Wii; as well as working on handheld consoles like the Game Boy, DS, and 3DS families. The gaming giant didn’t break into smartphone development until 2016 with theendless runnerSuper Mario Run, despite it being seen as a viable source of income with a larger installed base for years prior.
Much of Nintendo’s experimentation has starred Mario, often riffs on spin-off series with titles includingDr. Mario WorldandMario Kart Tour- which has tracks now appearing inMario Kart 8 Deluxe’s Booster Course Pass DLC. Original projects like the soon-to-shutterDragalia Losthave bolstered its smartphone library, but most games likeAnimal Crossing: Pocket Campare based on pre-existing IP. Some of the most popular Nintendo mobile games aren’t even created by the developer itself, as seen with Intelligent Systems’Fire Emblem Heroesand Niantic’sPokemon GO. Other offerings include Niantic’sPikmin Bloomand DeNA’sPokemon Masters EX, though notably no developer has launched aZeldamobile game.
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The Potential For a Mobile Legend of Zelda Dungeon Maker
One reason for this lack of movement may be thatThe Legend of Zeldais a harder franchise to faithfully adapt to mobile. It’s rare to find big action-adventure games stick the landing on smartphones compared to casual experiences likeAnimal Crossingor puzzle games likeDr. Mario.Some of the best concepts for aZeldamobile game might be divorced from its primary gameplay appeal, instead tackling spin-offs like an adaptation ofThe Wind Waker’s “Sinking Ships"Battleshipclone or an on-rails shooter akin toLink’s Crossbow Training.
Yet a 2DLegend of ZeldaDungeon Maker could bridge the gap with a more fitting conceit.Super Mario Makerbilled itself on touch controls that could conceivable translate to mobile, but its more unwieldy level lengths might have been challenging to depict on a small touch screen (Mario Maker’s limited 3DS port aside).Zelda’s 2D dungeons; fromThe Legend of Zeldaon NES to games likeA Link to The Past,Link’s Awakening, or theOracleduology; are more self-contained as collections of single-room chambers that could be edited one-at-a-time and rearranged at a grander scale.
One benefit to seeing aZeldadungeon creator on mobile is that even potentially flipping between different game “styles,” the mechanics could be a lot simpler thanSuper Mario Maker’s variant enemies and blocks filled with monsters or items. A competent mobile developer would also likely get better use out of the concept’s share-and-play nature than what’s possible withSuper Mario Maker 2’s somewhat obtuse level codeson Switch Internet.The Legend of Zeldais arguably Nintendo’s franchise most in need of a mobile app, and dungeon creation could be its hook to rival games likePokemon GO.
