Every forty years, a legend earns its monument — and Nintendo has answered that call with a limited-edition Switch 2 console bearing the golden Triforce and Link's signature green, released into a world of devoted fans who emptied store shelves within hours of a single Direct presentation. The console, priced at $519 and launching October 29, arrives one week before the Ocarina of Time remake, a deliberate choreography of nostalgia and commerce that Nintendo has long perfected. What unfolds here is a familiar human ritual: the scramble to hold something rare, to possess a piece of a story that
Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 Pre-Orders Live; Walmart Has Stock Now
Limited-edition Zelda merchandise tends to sell out fast
Mark
So this is just a cosmetic reskin of the regular Switch 2, right? Same hardware underneath?
Mimi
Exactly. The Triforce on the dock and the green Joy-Cons with gold accents are the main visual changes. It's the same console otherwise—same performance, same capabilities.
Luke
But we should be clear: Nintendo hasn't said anything about whether this limited edition will have any production run limits beyond just being "limited." We know it sold out at some retailers, but that could mean they made fewer units or just that demand was very high.
Mark
Why wouldn't they bundle the new Ocarina of Time game with it? That seems like an obvious move.
Mimi
Nintendo has done this before with themed consoles. The Animal Crossing Switch didn't come with the game either. It's a way to keep the console price at $519 while letting people choose how they want to buy the game.
Luke
Though it's worth noting that some fans see it differently—they'd rather have a bundle at a higher price point than buy the game separately. We don't know what Nintendo's reasoning was beyond precedent.
Mark
When does it actually ship?
Mimi
October 29. The game comes out November 5, so there's a week gap.
Luke
And as of the article's publication time, Walmart had stock but Best Buy and Target were already sold out. That's a pretty fast sell-through, but we don't know the actual numbers—how many units were made, how many each retailer got.
Mark
So if someone wants one, they need to act now.
Mimi
That's the practical reality, yes. Stock is clearly moving fast.
Luke
Though "fast" is relative. We're measuring this in hours based on retailer status, not actual unit counts. It's real scarcity, but it's worth being precise about what we actually know.
Der Puls
- Pre-orders went live the moment Nintendo's Zelda Direct ended, triggering an immediate rush that drained Best Buy and Target allocations within hours.
- The console's design — Triforce-emblazoned dock, green Joy-Cons with gold accents — speaks directly to four decades of franchise devotion, making restraint nearly impossible for longtime fans.
- A critical detail cuts through the excitement: the Ocarina of Time remake is not included, requiring a separate purchase despite launching the very same week.
- Walmart held stock as of publication, but the window was visibly closing — a pattern consistent with every limited Nintendo release before it.
- UK pre-orders arrived later but moved swiftly, with £429 listings at Amazon, Nintendo's own store, and Smyths Toys absorbing demand across the Atlantic.
Every forty years, a legend earns its monument — and Nintendo has answered that call with a limited-edition Switch 2 console bearing the golden Triforce and Link's signature green, released into a world of devoted fans who emptied store shelves within hours of a single Direct presentation. The console, priced at $519 and launching October 29, arrives one week before the Ocarina of Time remake, a deliberate choreography of nostalgia and commerce that Nintendo has long perfected. What unfolds here is a familiar human ritual: the scramble to hold something rare, to possess a piece of a story that shaped a generation.
Nintendo marked forty years of The Legend of Zelda by unveiling a limited-edition Switch 2 console, and the pre-orders that followed its Zelda Direct were anything but leisurely. Best Buy and Target sold through their stock within hours. By mid-morning on September 9, Walmart remained one of the few retailers still holding inventory at $519 — though that, too, was tightening fast.
The hardware itself is a considered tribute. The dock displays the Triforce prominently, that golden triangle inseparable from Zelda's visual identity across four decades. The Joy-Con controllers arrive in green with gold accents beneath the joysticks — a quiet nod to Link's enduring look. As Nintendo's first limited-edition Switch 2 console, the design carries real weight for collectors, which explains the speed at which it disappeared from shelves.
The console launches October 29, one week before the Ocarina of Time remake arrives exclusively on Switch 2 — a timeline that sharpens urgency for anyone who wants the hardware ready at launch. But buyers should note: no copy of the game is included. It must be purchased separately, physically or digitally, continuing a pattern Nintendo established with the Animal Crossing Switch bundle years prior.
In the United Kingdom, pre-orders moved more slowly but were live by September 9 at £429 across Amazon, Nintendo's UK store, and Smyths Toys. A matching Pro Controller and a bundle with a display stand were also available. The advice for anyone still hoping to secure one was simple and urgent: act now, because the window was already closing.
Nintendo marked the 40th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda by releasing a limited-edition Switch 2 console, and the pre-orders went live immediately after the company's Zelda Direct presentation concluded. Within hours, major retailers like Best Buy and Target had already sold through their allocation. As of mid-morning on September 9, Walmart still had stock available at $519, though supply was clearly tightening across the board.
The console itself carries deliberate design choices that celebrate the franchise's history. The dock features the iconic Triforce—the golden triangle that has anchored Zelda's visual identity for four decades—prominently displayed. The Joy-Con controllers come in contrasting shades of green with golden accents underneath the joysticks, a nod to Link's classic appearance. This is Nintendo's first limited-edition Switch 2 console, and the company invested real effort into the aesthetic. It's the kind of hardware that appeals immediately to longtime fans, which explains why stock began evaporating so quickly.
The console launches on October 29, exactly one week before the Ocarina of Time remake arrives exclusively on Switch 2. That timing creates natural urgency—collectors want the hardware ready when the game ships. But there's a catch worth noting: the Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition console does not include a copy of Ocarina of Time. Buyers will need to purchase the game separately, either as a physical copy with textured foil packaging or digitally through the Nintendo eShop. Nintendo has done this before; the Animal Crossing: New Horizons Switch console from the first generation didn't bundle the game either. It's a deliberate choice that feels very much in character for the company.
Pre-orders were scattered across multiple retailers almost immediately. Walmart had the console in stock as of publication. Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and Nintendo's own store all had listings, though availability varied significantly. In the United Kingdom, retailers moved more slowly—pre-orders didn't go live until September 9—but by that date, stock was available at Amazon, Nintendo's UK store, and Smyths Toys at £429. A matching Pro Controller with the same Zelda-themed design was also available for pre-order, and Nintendo offered a version bundled with a display stand.
Anyone serious about securing one of these consoles was being advised to move quickly. The pattern was already clear: limited-edition Zelda merchandise tends to sell out fast among the franchise's devoted audience. Retailers that had stock in the morning were empty by afternoon. The window for pre-orders was narrow, and it was narrowing by the hour.
Bemerkenswerte Zitate
Nintendo has done similar in the past. The Animal Crossing: New Horizons Switch 1 console didn't include a copy of the game either. It's a move that feels very Nintendo.— Tom's Guide reporting
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