Unveiling Nintendo's Legendary Legacy: The Unstoppable Duo of Mario and Zelda

With over 50 years of experience in the video game industry, it is no surprise that Nintendo has accumulated a plethora of popular franchises. Throughout its five-decade existence, Nintendo has achieved monumental success not only in the gaming world but also in merchandising and other external opportunities. This is what distinguishes a successful Nintendo series from a mere game, and there have been numerous such franchises over the years. However, two of the most exceptional ones are Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda.

Introduced to the world just a year apart, in 1985 and 1986 respectively, the Super Mario series and The Legend of Zelda served as groundbreaking titles for the Nintendo Entertainment System. These games demonstrated the home console's versatility and marked the beginning of an incredible journey for both franchises. Over the years, both Super Mario and Zelda have stood the test of time and continue to enjoy immense popularity. Excitingly, 2023 will witness the release of highly anticipated installments for both franchises. This is not the first time that Nintendo has unleashed a powerful combination of Mario and Zelda games, as they have previously done so with great success.

The Complete History of Mario + Zelda 1-2 Punches

In 1986, the first simultaneous release of Mario and Zelda games occurred. The original Legend of Zelda came out in February, followed by the Japan-exclusive game Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, also known as Super Mario Bros. 2 in Japan, released in June. Although most of these release dates refer to their initial launches in Japan, as time went on, the release dates began to align more closely, with them eventually syncing up in the 2010s.

Following this initial release, there was a significant gap in the Mario + Zelda 1-2 punch cycle. Instead, the two franchises adopted an alternating pattern, where multiple Super Mario games were released, followed by a Zelda game during a one or two-year break. This pattern persisted until 2002, when the first Mario + Zelda 1-2-3 punch occurred, and repeated several times in the following decade. In 2002, Super Mario Sunshine was released in July, while both Zelda: Four Swords and Zelda: Wind Waker were launched in December, making it a monumental year for both franchises.

In 2006, Nintendo DS released New Super Mario Bros. in May and Zelda: Twilight Princess in November. The following year, both Phantom Hourglass and Super Mario Galaxy were released. Since then, Nintendo's Mario + Zelda duo has followed a predictable pattern, with releases occurring every two years. In 2009, New Super Mario Bros. Wii debuted in November, followed by Zelda: Spirit Tracks just a month later. In 2011, three titles were released: Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D in June, Super Mario 3D Land and Zelda: Skyward Sword in November.

In 2013, the 3DS-exclusive Zelda: A Link Between Worlds and the highly acclaimed Super Mario 3D World were released in the same month, delighting users of both the 3DS and Wii U. In 2015, Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D kicked off the year, followed by the release of Super Mario Maker in September and Zelda: Triforce Heroes in October. 2017 was a monumental year for both franchises, with Zelda: Breath of the Wild impressing audiences in March and Super Mario Odyssey hitting the gaming scene in October. Then in 2019, Super Mario Maker 2 and Zelda: Link's Awakening were launched, while 2021 treated fans to remasters with Bowser's Fury and Zelda: Skyward Sword HD. Now, in 2023, Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has made a significant impact and Super Mario Bros. Wonder is eagerly anticipated for its triumphant return to 2D in October.