There’s a Wii U Zelda game schedule for 2015, but that’s a long, long time for fans to wait. Heck, the wait between any two mainline Zelda games can be unbearably lengthy for series fans, never mind the four-to-six year gap you can expect between entries of the home console variety. Of course, quality takes time, which is why the wait is usually always worth it.
This Fall we’re getting something different in the form of Hyrule Warriors, a collaboration between Nintendo and Koei Tecmo. Don’t panic; though these are indeed some of the same folks behind Metroid: Other M, Hyrule Warriors is a completely action-based title made by masters of action-based games. This isn’t the next great Zelda adventure from Nintendo, but it does look to be a visual feast, an incredibly amusing romp, a fanboy’s fantasy, and much, much more. If you own a Wii U, you’ve likely already decided you want in.
Also See: CraveOnline Attends the Hyrule Warriors Event
The game is slated for release on September 26th in North America, making now the perfect time to brush up on your Hyrule Warriors knowledge. Luckily, the game doesn’t require an encyclopedic understanding of Zelda’s convoluted timeline, so newcomers should be able to jump in without too much of a worry.
With that, here’s a breakdown on the Hyrule Warriors experience. Look for our review later this week!
Hyrule Warriors - Everything You Need To Know
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A game of two franchises
Hyrule Warriors forgoes the word “Zelda” in its name, and that’s no accident; the title is far from your traditional Zelda experience. Instead, it’s a marriage between the fiction and aesthetic of Zelda, and the gameplay and, well, mass slaughter of Dynasty Warriors. In other words, this is where otherwise unrealized Zelda fantasies come alive.
The title was initially pitched to Nintendo by Koei Tecmo and Team Ninja leader Yosuke Hayashi, and longtime Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma was immediately interested. Though the premise is nice, Team Ninja has a reputation for getting a bit…. let’s call it “wacky.” Luckily, Aonuma was appointed supervisor for the project, and appears to have kept things in check.
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The roster is massive
The most thrilling aspect of Hyrule Warriors for Zelda fans is the lengthy list of playable characters, which is far longer than anybody ever really expected. In addition to Link, you’ll be able to play as Princess Zelda for the first time, as well as sidekicks like Fi, Midna, and even a new Koei Tecmo original character named Lana.
Each fighter feels unique, and true to Dynasty Warriors fame, is capable of copious amounts of enemy carnage. In the case of Hyrule Warriors, it’s largely Mobins, Bokoblins, and monsters you’ll be massacring, so you can rest assured knowing the loss of human life will be minimal. Still, you can also play as enemy characters, and there’s no telling the sort of atrocities they’ll be willing to commit. I’ll come back to that later.
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There is a plot, but it’s not canon
Let’s face it; there’s no eloquent way to toss all of these Zelda heroes into the same game and emerge with a logical explanation. Still, Hyrule Warriors presents a believable framework, and asserts repeatedly that the game’s plot is not officially sanctioned by Nintendo, the Hyrule Historia, or future Legend of Zelda entries. That’s worth keeping in mind as you play.
Anyway, the explanation goes something like this. Link is a soldier in training in the Hylian army, and is set on stopping Ganondorf from an attempted resurrection. As such, he summons heroes from across time and space (mainly those who’ve saved Hyrule in other timelines) to join the fray to stop Ganon. Why he doesn’t summon an army of otherworldly Links equipped with Master Swords is anyone’s guess, but perhaps that will be explained in the game. Or, perhaps it won’t be.
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There have been other Dynasty Warriors crossovers
Though the point at which Zelda and Dynasty Warriors meet is certainly unique and unexplored, this sort of collaboration is hardly new for Koei Tecmo’s long-running franchise. There have already been Gundam and One Piece variations, not to mention titles like Dragon Quest: Heroes slated for release in 2015. It’s no surprise really; slaying legions of foes with your favorite characters while you wait for the series’ next proper entry is an idea that makes theoretical sense across dozens of gaming franchises. KT may even have to bulk up its Dynasty Warriors teams if the current rate of licensing continues.
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Play as the bad guys
I mentioned the impressive size of Hyrule Warriors’ roster, and in addition to controlling series mainstays like Impa for the first time, players will also get to try their hand at piloting villains. Of course, in the single-player story villains are your enemies, but that doesn’t mean their powers can’t be harnessed for use in other game modes.
Outside of Smash Bros. we’ve never been able to play as Ganondorf, and relative newcomers like Ghirahim are playable in Hyrule Warriors for the first time too. I’d complain that Skyward Sword’s Demise isn’t playable, but it probably wouldn’t be fair to play as the pure embodiment of all hatred and evil in the world. Ganon channels that anyway.
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Ultimate destruction
If you didn’t already know, the levels of carnage in Dynasty Warriors games borders on absurd, and that extends to the number of enemies you’ll be taking out at once in Hyrule Warriors. Expect to send at least a dozen foes blasting off again with a single sword-swipe, and anything beyond that can pretty much destroy entire battalions.
Luckily, the monotony of the battlefield is broken up by something very Zelda-like: massive bosses. What’s unique about the bosses in Hyrule Warriors is that rather than remaining in a pre-defined area or space, they wander around the field just like any other foe. As such, you may be focused on taking out the enormous Dodongo threatening your life, but also have to fend off monster infantry biting at your heels. It’s an interesting balance will require attention, and in some cases strategy.
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So far so good in Japan
Though Hyrule Warriors isn’t flying off of shelves in Japan, it has managed to move approximately 88 thousand units thus far. While that does sound a bit modest, so are the game’s targets by Zelda standards. Hayashi wants to move a million or more units all said and done, and considering that the game currently sits at nearly 10% of it’s goal before the holidays, within its first ten weeks, and prior to its US and European releases? Well, it actually still has a ways to go. But its desired totals are certainly achievable.
As far as reception, Hyrule Warriors has scored well in Japan, receiving a score of 36/40 from Japanese mega gaming mag Famitsu. Reviews break this week in the US, and I’m sure Nintendo is hoping for similar results.
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Miyamoto upended the tea table
Nintendo faithful have surely heard of a phenomenon known as “upending the tea table.” Historically, it refers to a moment where famed designer Shigeru Miyamoto takes a look at a game’s development progress and a) enforces a massive design shift that often proves wise in the long run, b) suggests a key feature or mechanic, or c) gets certifiably furious and “upends” everything that’s been worked on. In other words, he flips over the table with everything on it.
When it comes to Hyrule Warriors, Miyamoto’s upending happened early. According to a recent interview, the original plan was for Koei Tecmo to make a standard Zelda game with Dynasty Warriors elements. Miyamoto, ever-protective of his golden franchise, immediately vetoed the idea and explained that it would be a Zelda “skin” for Dynasty Warriors instead. With all due respect to Hayashi and his team, I’m glad Miyamoto stepped in when he did.
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The cutscenes are amazing
Another tidbit from a recent interview with Eiji Aonuma suggests that the cutscenes in Hyrule Warriors are top-notch, and in some cases better than those of Nintendo’s own Zelda games. While I disagree in terms of delivering emotional punch, the claims are completely true when it comes to pure action and visual prowess (that is, from what I’ve seen so far). To be fair, the last mainline Zelda game, Skyward Sword, appeared on the Wii in 480p, through no fault of its specific developers. Still, the observations of fans remain valid.
Aonuma addressed the claims in the interview, stating that the situation “leaves me a little conflicted, and gives me a mission now to make sure that the new Zelda game that I’m working on can hold its own in that aspect against Hyrule Warriors!” I’m liking the sound of that, Mr. Aonuma. We’re all looking forward to it.
