photo: dunechaser

The guys at PureNintendo are dropping some math on us to add even more specualtion to the (we can only hope), announcement of a “The Legend of Zelda” Wii game announcement at E3.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Announced - December 1995

Released - November 1998

The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask

Announced - June 1999

Released -October 2000

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

Announced - August 2001

Released - March 2003

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Announced - May 2004

Released - November 2006

• Ocarina of Time was released in November of 1998 and Majora’s Mask was announced only 8 months later.
• Majora’s Mask was released in October 2000 and Wind Waker was announced just 11 months later.
• Wind Waker was released in March of 2003 and Twilight Princess was announced just 15 months later.

This is the longest time we have waited for a Zelda announcement for a console in over 13 years. This is the perfect time for Nintendo to announce a new Zelda for the Nintendo Wii.

From the GameSpot Forums:

Yes, it is highly probable we might see it. The reason people think we will not is because for some reason, by “Zelda announcement”, they think of a full floor of Nintendo Wiis demoing the next Zelda in near-complete form. Please, come back to Earth, and realize a few facts:

1. Every 3D Zelda was announced one year after its predecessor release

And the “too early” argument crumbles. It’s “too late” actually. Majora’s Mask was announced in 1999, one year after Ocarina of Time, The Wind Waker was revealed in 2001, which is also one year after Majora’s Mask, and Twilight Princess, guess what… yes! It was announced just one year after The Wind Waker, in 2004. I friggin’ don’t know where do these “oh, we have to wait soooo long for Zelda announcements” complaints come from. The wait for the Zelda Wii revelation is not normal, as many of you seem to believe, and it shall end July 15th-17th.

2. Zelda games are hyped for one or even two years

If Nintendo plans to release Zelda Wii in 2009 or 2010, then it has to be announced now. Zelda games are known for their long hype and slow revelations, pic after pic, trailer after trailer. It’s like every major game. Look at Mario Galaxy, Metal Gear Solid 4, Final Fantasy XIII, or at any other Zelda game for that matter. Nintendo won’t announce Zelda Wii soon before launch, they will reveal it one or two years before release, and that can only be now. A 2009 announcement would mean a 2011 release. Five whole years after Twilight Princess. That just makes no sense.

3. Nintendo needs to gather hardcore gamers

Nintendo has been having trouble getting rid of the “100% casual” image. Little by little, they’re starting to do it, but they need a “final blow” on this matter. Announcing Zelda now means to have the hardcore crowd attention hold for as long as they want. They did it with Twilight Princess, they had us waiting and drooling for two years, and they will do it with Zelda Wii as well.

4. Zelda Wii is in development and was featured at E3 2007 dammit

There’s some people living under a rock who still don’t believe Zelda Wii is being made. WTF? If it wasn’t enough the several reports from different sites and mags and the simple fact it has been years Twilight Princess was concluded, let me show you something:

[4:24] That’s all he can say about Phantom Hourglass today. Instead, he moves on to discuss…what’s coming in the next Zelda project. Holy cow.

[4:25] Aonuma has a bullet-point list of features in his head already that he wants to implement in the next Zelda. Miyamoto forbade him from letting us in on the secret, though. Rats.

[4:26] But he says he has a child-like excitement about something new like this, and he wants to let us in on the info immediately.