With over 50 years' worth of experience in the video game industry, it’s only natural thatNintendohas amassed more than its fair share of popular franchises over the years. Over the course of five decades, Nintendo has seen monumental success in not only the video game landscape, but through merchandising and other external opportunities, and that’s where a popular Nintendo series becomes a true franchise, and there have been plenty of them of over the years, with the best remaining long-term staples for decades. And by far two of Nintendo’s popular franchises areSuper MarioandThe Legend of Zelda.
Debuting just one year apart in 1985 and 1986 respectively, theSuper Marioseries was theNintendo Entertainment System’s first killer app, andThe Legend of Zeldaclosely followed it, both showing the versatility of a home console. The years have been kind to bothSuper MarioandZelda, and the two remain more popular than ever before, with two huge releases for both franchises dropping in 2023. But this is far from the first time that Nintendo has delivered a Mario + Zelda 1-2 punch.
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The Complete History of Mario + Zelda 1-2 Punches
The very first Mario + Zelda 1-2 punch happened all the way back in 1986. The firstLegend of Zeldareleased in February 1986, and the Japan-exclusiveSuper Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, alsoknown asSuper Mario Bros. 2in Japan, released in June. While most of these specified release dates will be when the games first released in Japan, the dates do start to merge much closer together by the mid-2000s, and eventually become the same by the 2010s.
After 1986, there’s quite a big break in the Mario + Zelda 1-2 punch cycle. Instead, the twoNintendofranchises fall into an alternating pattern, with a bunch ofSuper Mariogames releasing, and then in the year or two break, aZeldagame comes in between them. This cycle continues until 2002, when the very first Mario + Zelda 1-2-3 punch happens, which happens a few times over the next decade or so. 2002 sawSuper Mario Sunshinerelease in July, and bothZelda: Four SwordsandZelda: Wind Wakerdrop in December, being a huge year for both franchises.
In 2006,New Super Mario Bros.released on Nintendo DSin May, andZelda: Twilight Princessdropped in November. Just a year later, bothPhantom HourglassandSuper Mario Galaxyreleased. From here on out, Nintendo’s Mario + Zelda 1-2 punch cycle starts to happen like clockwork, occurring every two years. 2009 saw New Super Mario Bros. Wii release in November, andZelda: Spirit Tracksrelease just a month later. 2011 saw another three titles release, withZelda: Ocarina of Time 3Din June, and thenSuper Mario 3D LandandZelda: Skyward Swordin November.
2013 saw the criminally underrated 3DS-exclusiveZelda: A Link Between Worldsrelease, and in the same month,Super Mario 3D Worlddropped, making it a stellar month for 3DS and Wii U users. 2015 sawZelda: Majora’s Mask 3Dopening the year,Super Mario Makerdropping in September, andZelda: Triforce Heroeslanding in October. 2017 was potentially the biggest year both franchises ever had, withZelda: Breath of the Wildknocking it out of the park in March andSuper Mario Odysseycoming up to bat in October. Then 2019 sawSuper Mario Maker 2andZelda: Link’s Awakeninglaunch, and 2021 saw both series put out remasters withBowser’s FuryandZelda: Skyward Sword HD. And to round things out, 2023 has already seenZelda: Tears of the Kingdommake a gigantic splash, andSuper Mario Bros. Wonderis set to give the series its long-awaited triumphant return to 2Din October.
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