Nintendo is celebrating The Legend of Zelda’s 40th anniversary with free downloads, and the company is not asking for a penny in return. The Nintendo Today app now offers collectible cards, animations and exclusive wallpapers to anyone who wants them, with no purchases required.
The promotion follows a Nintendo Direct that kicked off the anniversary festivities, showing a new gameplay trailer for Ocarina of Time’s remake. New merchandise themed around the celebrations was also announced, along with fresh details on the upcoming live-action movie. For fans who prefer digital treats over physical ones, the app is the place to be.
What The App Offers
The Nintendo Today app is handing out a different collectible card each day, with users able to download one fresh daily. Completing a short quiz unlocks extra digital goods, including any missed cards from previous days and exclusive wallpapers. The animations are new themes for the app’s in-app calendar, based on The Legend of Zelda series, and they are available to anyone who downloads the app.
These downloads should not be confused with the official Legend of Zelda Trading Card Game. The app downloads are exclusively digital, but that does not make them any less cool.
How To Get Them
The app is free to download and costs nothing to use. There are no in-app purchases, and there is no need to spend money to collect the cards or animations. The only requirement is an affinity for Zelda, or the few seconds it takes to collect them.
Why Nintendo Is Doing This
It is not uncommon for Nintendo to hand out free gifts during anniversary celebrations. Pokémon’s ongoing 30th anniversary saw The Pokémon Company, of which Nintendo is a part, give away free downloads to fans. The same logic applies here: Zelda’s 40th anniversary deserves a similar gesture, even if it does not include full games.
Both franchises have used free digital content to mark milestone anniversaries, and both have done so without requiring any payment from the player.
What The Free Goods Are Worth
The collectible cards are small but meaningful. None of these items require a purchase, and none of them are locked behind a paywall.
The animations add visual flair to the app’s calendar, while the wallpapers provide a personal touch for anyone who wants to dress up their device.
The Future Of The Celebration
Fans can likely expect more free Legend of Zelda downloads like these in the future as Nintendo continues to celebrate the game’s momentous 40th anniversary. The company has shown a willingness to engage with fans through the app, and there is no reason to think that trend will stop now.
The anniversary is still in its early stages, and there is plenty of room for Nintendo to keep the momentum going.
A Quick Comparison
| Feature | Free Downloads | Official TCG |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Sold separately |
| Format | Exclusively digital | Physical cards |
| Access | Anyone with the app | Not specified |
| Unlock method | Daily download, quiz | Not specified |
The Takeaway
Nintendo is making the most of the Nintendo Today app by offering fans more ways to interact with it. The free downloads are a genuine treat for anyone who wants to celebrate without spending money. They are worth collecting, even if you are new to the series.
The anniversary is young, and the company has plenty of time to keep the celebration going. The free downloads are a strong start, and they set a standard for what is to come.
See the video the story is built around at Screenrant.
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