Nintendo is marking four decades of The Legend of Zelda with a new special-edition Switch 2 colorway due to arrive on October 29. The hardware is timed to the series’ 40th anniversary and lands one week ahead of the November 5 release of the The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake.
There is an important detail for anyone planning a purchase around both items: the anniversary Switch 2 does not include the Ocarina of Time remake. The game will be sold separately. That distinction is likely to matter to collectors, gift buyers and Zelda fans who see the celebratory system and naturally assume the newly spotlighted remake is in the box.
The package is primarily a visual tribute rather than a game bundle, with a gold-and-metallic-green treatment, small pixel-art callbacks to the franchise’s earliest days and a custom dock design built around the Triforce. Nintendo also plans a coordinated group of accessories for the same October 29 date, though all of the anniversary hardware is described as available while supplies last.
A Zelda anniversary design built around gold and green
Nintendo has chosen a two-tone gold and metallic green appearance for this Switch 2 edition. It is a different route from the all-gold Zelda-themed Switch Lite associated with 2024’s Echoes of Wisdom. Rather than covering the entire machine in one obvious celebratory color, this design uses green alongside gold for a look tied closely to Zelda iconography without being a direct repeat of that earlier handheld.
The Joy-Con 2 controllers appear to be central to the effect. Their finish is presented as reflective, catching light in a more restrained way than a flat, single-color shell might. That may sound like a small production choice, but it gives a limited-edition console much of its personality: a machine can look dramatically different on a store shelf, in a display cabinet or under a living-room lamp depending on the material and sheen.
For a franchise with a long history of green tunics, golden relics, sacred triangles and ornamental fantasy objects, metallic green and gold are an intuitive pairing. Nintendo’s design does not need to rely on a giant character illustration to make its point. The colors alone create a strong Zelda association, while the specific artwork adds more direct references for fans who inspect the hardware closely.
The small details reach back to 1986
The special Joy-Con 2 set includes two particularly notable pieces of pixel art. On the front of the left controller is a sprite of Link holding the Triforce, based on his appearance in the original 1986 The Legend of Zelda. The reverse side of the right controller features a sprite of Zelda.
That choice makes the system a tribute to the franchise’s full history rather than only to the Nintendo 64 adventure being remade this year. Ocarina of Time may be the immediate software focus, but the controller artwork starts at the beginning. It also gives the anniversary edition a collector-friendly detail that is not necessarily visible at first glance, especially in the case of Zelda’s sprite on the back of the right Joy-Con 2.
The dock continues the theme in black and gold. Its principal decorative element is a large Triforce motif, ensuring the console retains a recognizable Zelda identity when it is docked for television play. That is significant for a system intended to shift between portable and home setups: a design that only works when the controllers are attached would miss half the point. Here, Nintendo has given the dock its own visual role in the set.
Collectors often judge special hardware on whether it feels like a connected object rather than standard equipment with a logo added late in development. Based on the announced details, the Zelda Switch 2 aims for cohesion across the controllers and dock: metallic color on the Joy-Con 2 pair, pixel-era franchise references, and a bold Triforce centerpiece where the dock remains visible in a typical entertainment setup.
October 29 hardware, November 5 game
The calendar is straightforward, even if the product relationship deserves repeating. The Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 is scheduled for October 29. The Ocarina of Time remake follows on November 5. The dates are separated by one week, but the hardware does not package the game.
- October 29: Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 colorway.
- October 29: Matching carrying case with a screen protector, Switch 2 Pro Controller and gamepad stand.
- November 5: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake.
- Bundle status: The remake is a separate purchase and is not included with the console.
That split date may shape how buyers prioritize a purchase. Someone interested in playing the remake does not need this particular colorway to do so, while someone pursuing the special system needs to factor the game into the budget separately if they want both. Conversely, a fan who already owns a Switch 2 could focus on the standalone game or on one of the themed accessories instead of replacing their hardware.
It is also a useful reminder that anniversary console editions can operate as commemorative products first. The principal appeal here is the 40-year Zelda celebration, the distinct visual finish and the limited supply framing—not an all-in-one way to acquire the remake.
Matching accessories broaden the collection
Nintendo is not stopping at the console. A matching carrying case, which includes a screen protector, is planned for October 29. So too are a Switch 2 Pro Controller and a stand for the gamepad. Together, those additions offer options for fans who want a Zelda-themed setup but either already have the base system or do not intend to buy a second console.
The carry case is the most portable extension of the visual theme, while the Pro Controller gives docked players a way to keep the aesthetic in hand. The gamepad stand is a smaller accessory, but it helps complete a display-oriented collection. For collectors, coordinated extras can become just as desirable as the headline console because they create a complete matching set; for regular players, they also allow more practical purchases based on how they use Switch 2.
Availability is limited to remaining stock, so prospective buyers should not interpret the October 29 date as a guarantee of easy access. No prices are stated here, and no wider allocation details are established. What is clear is that Nintendo expects the console and accessories to be sold while supplies last, a phrase that should encourage interested fans to watch official retail information carefully rather than presume the themed hardware will remain available indefinitely.
Why this release matters to Zelda collectors
Zelda hardware has a particular place in Nintendo collecting because the series lends itself so naturally to symbols, color treatments and historic callbacks. The Triforce can carry a design by itself. Gold can immediately evoke treasure, royalty and the series’ iconic relics. Green can gesture toward Link even without showing a modern character portrait. The 40th Anniversary Switch 2 uses each of those visual tools while incorporating the 1986 sprites to establish the scope of the celebration.
It is also arriving during a broader period of Switch 2 attention. Nintendo’s upcoming presentation schedule has already pointed toward a busy slate of winter news, as covered in our look at the planned Nintendo Direct and its Switch 2 winter-game focus. The Zelda system has a clear identity within that activity: it is hardware made to commemorate a foundational Nintendo series alongside a high-profile remake.
The original The Legend of Zelda released in 1986, and the anniversary edition’s Link sprite deliberately ties the new console to that starting point. Meanwhile, the November 5 remake brings attention to Ocarina of Time, an entry from a much later generation of Zelda. Combining those references means the hardware is not limited to one era of the franchise, even though its launch is closely positioned beside the remake.
For anyone keeping a Zelda collection, the practical takeaway is simple. The gold-and-metallic-green Switch 2, matching accessories and remake are related releases with adjacent dates, but they are separate purchases. The console and accessories arrive October 29, the remake arrives November 5, and the hardware will only be offered while stock remains. The Triforce-marked dock and sprite-decorated Joy-Con 2 pair make this a distinctly anniversary-minded edition—just do not expect a copy of Ocarina of Time inside the box.
