 This video is sponsored by the brand new My Time at Portia mobile port. The legend of Zelda's 35th anniversary is feeling a lot smaller than Mario's big anniversary last year. In 2020 we got Super Mario 3D All-Stars, we got Super Mario 3D World plus Bowser's Fury, we got Mario Kart Live and Super Mario 35, we got a Mario game and watch, we even got Mario Lego! For Zelda we're getting Skyward Sword HD plus a Zelda game and watch. According to IG Aonuma, that's all we should expect. He said, This year the original legend of Zelda game reaches its 35th anniversary. We don't have any campaigns or other Nintendo Switch games planned. So why isn't Zelda getting the full Mario treatment? First things first, it's entirely possible that this video will age poorly. While IG Aonuma didn't have any other announcements for us at E3, it's worth noting that the Mario 35 announcement didn't come until September. We may yet see something else once Skyward Sword has been released. Some had been hoping for a Zelda All-Stars collection. There have been rumours spread by journalists such as Andy Robinson of Video Game Chronicle and Jeff Grubber Venture Beat that Nintendo is planning re-releases for Twilight Princess HD and Wind Waker HD. When these weren't announced, Grub theorised, I think we're not getting Wind Waker slash Twilight Princess for Zelda 35th because Nintendo isn't sure if we'll get Breath of the Wild 2 in 2022. So if it needs a Zelda thing next summer slash fall, it's good to have that in reserve. It is true that Nintendo tries to put out at least one Zelda game every year. Re-releases, such as Skyward Sword HD, are useful for filling in gaps between big tentpole releases such as Breath of the Wild 2, which take longer to finish. It would make sense that Nintendo would essentially want a backup game, ready to fire out in case their schedule is thrown off. The company's willingness to delay a Zelda title if necessary is a big part of the reason why the series is so beloved. But what of the merchandise? Why is there no Zelda Cart Live or Zelda Lego? Well, in our desperate attempts to appease our Zelda-obsessed daughter's desire for Zelda merch, we've noticed a trend. Nintendo treats the Mario and Zelda franchises very differently, likely due to such different audiences. First, a quick word on this video's sponsor. My Time at Portia is the beloved farm simulation RPG from developer Pathia Games. As the newest builder in the rural town of Portia, you can befriend locals, build impressive technology, help improve the community, ride in a hot air balloon, and even adopt an alpaca. There's lots to do within the game. Enjoy relaxing farm life, get creative in your workshop, or head out into the unknown to do battle with monsters. Build relationships, get married, and build a life for yourself as you raise a family. With 50 non-playable characters to get to know and an expansive world to build up and develop, there's plenty here for fans of colourful town-building games. My Time at Portia is coming soon to mobile platforms, fully ported to Android and iOS with all its original gameplay. Pre-register now on the Apple Store or Google Play Store to get exclusive mobile-only items. Click the link in the description for more details. Now, where was I? Oh yes, Mario vs Zelda. Mario games, including all spin-offs, have sold 800 million units worldwide, making it the biggest video game franchise in terms of sales. All Mario games are aimed at a family-friendly audience. They can be enjoyed by grown-ups, but they can also be enjoyed by children. However, not every Mario fan will buy every Mario game or piece of merchandise. A fan of Mario Kart won't necessarily rush out to buy the new Mario Golf. The fandom is broad, but also shallow. So Nintendo uses the scattergun approach, firing out a lot of merchandise at a low price point. The better to entice children and their parents to spend on action figures, LEGO sets and clothing ranges. These different products appeal to different sections of the Mario fan base. In contrast to this, the Zelda fandom is a lot smaller. Zelda games have only sold 117 million units worldwide. But where the Zelda fandom is narrower, it's also more dedicated, with deeper pockets. With a few exceptions, Zelda games are aimed at teenagers and adults instead of kids. And this is reflected in the merchandise. There are very few Zelda Jacks Pacific action figures, except for games like Wind Waker with a more child-friendly art style. Instead, Nintendo produces or licences fewer pieces of Zelda merch, but they're generally of a premium quality and price point. There are so many Zelda amiibo. Every possible version of Link from nearly every game. These figures are more expensive collectibles that appeal to older consumers with deeper pockets. The latest piece of Zelda merch to be added to the UK Nintendo store is a £90 statue of Rivali. Hence why, for the Zelda anniversary, we're getting a more expensive than usual loft-wing amiibo. Nintendo knows that Zelda fans will tolerate the higher price. The company's still not producing enough to meet demand, but that's another issue altogether. Hence also why Mario gets 3-in-1 All-Stars packages for re-releases, while Zelda games are released individually as HD remasters. Nintendo knows that with the right layer of extra polish, fans will be willing to pay a premium price for older games. As Nintendo typically makes fewer, more expensive Zelda products, we can see why they might not want to give the Zelda brand the same wide anniversary experience that Mario had. But hey, that's just a theory. And of course, there are plenty of other factors at play here. Work from home delays in 2020 that are impacting the current lineup. The possibility of future releases in 2022 depending on Breath of the Wild 2's development schedule. There may even be another surprise yet to be announced once Skyward Sword has been released. For now though, Nintendo is having a minimalist Zelda anniversary. A Mario Kondo's elder anniversary, focusing on the things that will definitely spark joy for every single Zelda fan, avoiding the clutter that comes from having too many releases at once. As for Metroid fans, well, at least there's Metroid Dread. To be honest, that's more than any of us expected.