The Nintendo Zelda-themed Game & Watch handheld console was my favorite thing from E3

Game & Watch The Legend of Zelda edition

(Image credit: Nintendo)

published 16 June 2021

After a look at the origin story, The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword HD, Eiji Aonuma, producer of the Legend of Zelda series casually reached into his top pocket and revealed a green and gold Game & Watch handheld console.

To celebrate the 35th anniversary of the original Legend of Zelda game, this special Game & Watch system features the original 1986 game, as well as Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, the GameBoy version of The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, and a special version of the Game & Watch title, Vermin, staring Link as the playable character.

The watch functionality also includes a playable clock based on The Legend of Zelda, and an interactive time themed around Zelda II: The Adventure of Link.

The last Game & Watch device was released for Mario’s 35th anniversary, so it’s nice to see the same tradition being offered for Zelda. I just hope the same honor is given to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games in a few years’ time. Game & Watch The Legend of Zelda is due out on November 12 priced $49.99 (£36/AU$65).

As a final sign-off, Nintendo showed new footage from the long-awaited sequel to The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild, now due to release in 2022.

As T3's Editor-in-Chief, Mat Gallagher has his finger on the pulse for the latest advances in technology. He has written about technology since 2003 and after stints in Beijing, Hong Kong and Chicago is now based in the UK. He’s a true lover of gadgets, but especially anything that involves cameras, Apple, electric cars, musical instruments or travel.