As much as I am sure Retro would be able to deliver a great AAA+ Zelda game I don't think it should be put in there hands. Retro does one thing very good, taking older failing or neglected franchises and breathing new life into them. Retro's talents belong with other less then stellar franchises or new IP then handling Zelda.
Nintendo EAD is the best Nintendo has to offer, Retro may be good but EAD is the best. So why should Nintendo take one of its most important franchises and move it from their best studio to Retro?
Now you mention the remake or handheld version. Your absolutely right Retro could do very well however I think that Zelda should continue to be developed either directly by EAD or in very close working environment to EAD. Meaning keep the development in Japan.
In all honesty while I can definitely see Retro doing an amazing job I think it would be wasting their potential. They proved prior to purchase that they could create great original IP, then they proved with Prime and DKC:R that they could take franchises dying and revive them to their past glory.
If anything Retro should be licensed some other under performing or neglected franchises or go out and create some new IP themselves. Imagine a new StarFox from Retro? Or maybe a new Western focused title (An FPS or WRPG) something that NOA can be proud of. In a day when their aren't that many studios capable of creating ground breaking new experiences Retro is very valuable as a studio that can rescue or build IP.
So why take Zelda from the best studio Nintendo has and give it to Retro. When a struggling IP or new IP could be made by Retro?
-JC7
"In God We Trust - In Games We Play " - Joel Reimer
