Read our full Hyrule Warriors review.
Nintendo offered a closer glimpse at the upcoming Hyrule Warriors during its digital event at E3 2014, further detailing a side installment of one of its most storied franchises. Tecmo Koei, the team behind the Dynasty Warriors titles, developed the Legend of Zelda-themed hack ‘n’ slasher, bringing the same over-the-top style of gameplay that characterized the studio’s past offerings.
Showcased during Nintendo’s digital event, Hyrule Warriors differs from traditional Zelda titles in multiple ways. The game features the ability to play as several different characters from the beloved franchise, such as iconic Impa and Twighlight Princess’ Midna, though Nintendo has yet to confirm the entire cast of playable characters.You’ll unlock more characters as you progress through the game’s storyline, each of which touts its own set of unique moves and weapon types, rendering no two characters alike. You’ll also collect Rupees and other hallmark items from the franchise as the maneuver about the battlefield to craft badges, upgrade weapons, and boost your abilities.
Besides a notable cast of playable characters, Hyrule Warriors additionally features a unique style of gameplay not yet seen in the land of Hyrule. Like past Dynasty Warriors titles, the game will exhibit multiple battles at once, with the added ability to explore different areas and assist others engaged in frenzied scuffles. Characters can unleash devastating combos and high-powered attacks to clear the waves of attacking enemies, and as expected, challenging bosses will spawn throughout the battlefield with accompanying cinematics. You’ll also have to utilize a particular set of strategies and tactics in order to defeat the bosses like past Zelda games, and the game will also feature a co-op mode in which one player uses the TV and the other the Wii U’s bundled GamePad. Hyrule Warriors is slated for release on Sept. 26, 2014, on the Wii U.