Oh, man. Oh, MAN! Last night, I would not have predicted that I'd wake up this morning to learn that Nintendo kicked off their latest Nintendo Direct with the announcement of a Zelda/Warriors collaboration with Tecmo Koei. Suffice it to say, the news left a lot of people rather stunned. And I have to say, I love it!

Regardless of what this game ends up being called in the west (I'm betting it'll turn out to be something similar to The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Warriors), I am psyched. Perhaps even enthused! Earlier this year, I wrote about why I love the Dynasty Warriors series, and you're free to read up on that if you want; this is not going to be another post along those lines despite the almost comical level of bile coming from certain corners of the internet. Seriously, I haven't read bile this vitriolic regarding a Zelda game since the Wind Waker reveal.

Anyway, here's what I hope and half-expect (I'm not going to guarantee myself anything) to see in Hyrule Warriors based on my past experience with the larger Warriors franchise.

Will there be multiple playable characters?

My guess: Yes. One of the staples of Warriors titles are large, diverse casts of playable characters. And while The Legend of Zelda is historically light on the number of playable characters (Link, Kafei for like ten seconds of Majora's Mask, Zelda in one of those shit CDi games), that doesn't mean that we'll be seeing the pointy-eared guy in the green tunic exclusively. Looking at the franchise as a whole, there's a pretty large cast of characters that would make for intriguing combatants.

• Link
• Zelda/Sheik
• Ganondorf
• Zant
• Midna
• Agahnim
• Hilda
• Impa
• Saria
• Skull Kid

That's just off the top of my head, and we're not getting anywhere near the true oddballs. How would such a cast mix together? Well, that's a good question and I'll tackle that in a second. My main point here is that it's fairly easy to cook up a roster of player characters for a Zelda-based Warriors title that doesn't devolve into seven different flavors of Link and Zelda. And other Warriors games have had their share of odd choices for combatants.

So a related question that comes to mind is, will there be only Zelda characters in this game? Will there be any character crossover from Dynasty or Samurai Warriors? Well, probably not. The Legend of Zelda is far from the first third-party property that Koei has adapted in this manner. Gundam, One Piece, and Fist of the North Star have all been given the Warriors treatment, and none of them feature any figures from Dynasty or Samurai Warriors running around. So I would guess that this will be a fairly straight-forward cast of Zelda characters, with one potential exception.

Several years ago, Tecmo Koei partnered with Nintendo on Samurai Warriors 3 to produce a whole side mode based on an old Famicom game called Nazo no Murasamejou (The Mysterious Murasame Castle). Along with this mode, they included the old game's protagonist Takamaru as a playable character, given a modern, Warriors-influenced makeover.

Could Takamaru reappear in Hyrule Warriors? Well, I wouldn't bet on it, but stranger things have happened.

What will the story be like?

Good question. This is something that could be approached in numerous ways. For example:

1. The story mode is simply a retelling of various events from the Zelda timeline in episodic fashion and features Link exclusively as the player character.
2. The story mode is divided by character, like the older Warriors titles with smaller casts, giving each playable character their own narrative set somewhere in the timeline.
3. Similar to number one, the story is an overarching retelling of events from the Zelda timeline, but with different characters playable at different points, similar in nature to the story modes found in the most recent Dynasty Warriors titles and Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage 2.
4. Crazy hijinks involving time travel, because well, why not? The mash-up approach worked for Warriors Orochi, which mixed figures from ancient China and sixteenth century Japan without any trouble. This approach may also involve a new original character to serve as an antagonist and dare I say require Link and Zelda to work together with Ganon in order to save the day?
5. It could be set in a self-contained dream world not unlike Link's Awakening.
6. Something else entirely!

Really, there are a lot of ways that they could take the game's story mode, and it's hard to say which guess is likely to be the most accurate. It could be focused on a very specific Zelda title or a span of the timeline. Or it could just do its own thing.

But speaking of the story, Warriors titles are very heavy on voiced dialogue. Zelda is not. Will this be the game to break the trend and give everyone voice acting? Man, it would be really interesting if it is. It would also be strange to play a Warriors game without constant dialogue, but more in tune with the Zelda franchise's history with voice acting.

What about side modes/other content?

There's, again, a lot of ways that this could go. Warriors titles have had a pretty diverse range of side content outside the main story mode, and it tends to vary heavily based on the specific sub-branch of the franchise in question. Many games have featured character encyclopedias and timelines, and it would be interesting, to say the least, if Hyrule Warriors contained an interactive archive of the timeline and of numerous characters found within it.

There's the possibility of a survival mode similar to what has commonly appeared in Samurai Warriors. Fighting through floors of a castle until either reaching the top or finally getting stomped. Or the game could offer more than one type of story mode. The licensed franchises like Gundam and Fist of the North Star have featured games with both a story mode that reflects official canon, and an original or dream mode that takes the characters and puts them in an original scenario. It's possible that if the game's primary story mode were to feature Link almost entirely if not exclusively as the main character that the otherwise secondary characters could be unlocked for use in this second story mode.

There's also the question of multiplayer and online play. This is practically a given; if not in the main story mode, there will be at least one mode, be it the standard Free Mode that allows replaying stages with any character or what have you, that will at minimum allow two-player simultaneous play. It will also likely be the case that online play of some sort, cooperative and/or competitive, will be present.

So while there's no definitive way to state what will be present, history has shown that there are a vast number of possibilities. Certainly, some are more likely than others. Whatever is the case, it will certainly be heavily Zelda themed.

What's with that rock guitar Zelda music?

Pretty cool, huh?

In Conclusion

Well, there's a little that we do know, and a whole lot more that we don't. I'm intrigued in finding out what the details truly are, but in the meantime, there's plenty of options on what it could be. It's very likely that the concept of Hyrule Warriors I currently have in my head is way off-base, but then again, who honestly saw this game coming?

What would you guys like to see?

I'd love it if the game is voiced, but all Link says is variations on "HYYAAAAAAAAH" and "SAAYAAAAAAAH", and everyone in the game can understand him perfectly.

I've heard a lot of rumors about this game and very little speculation, and quite honestly I can barely bring myself to make that many guesses until I know more about it. Most of the games in the Warriors series that I enjoy are the Empires versions, and I doubt that this game will have those mechanics or modes in it... but then again, who knows?

I can see a roster of playable characters easily enough, but as far as traditional Warriors-style army v. army setups I have to wonder how that'll work. For the villains it's easy enough, what with your typical array of monsters that were seen in the trailer, but who the hell's gonna be backing Link up on the battlefield? Is the army of Hyrule finally going to have to put up a fight? It's going to be interesting to see how all of it goes, nonetheless.

If they do go with the Warriors Orochi style 'let's just mash these together' sorta world, then I'd love to see some of the different races in Hyrule take to the field. Let me watch a Goron fight Dodongos. I'm totally up for that. Hell, just including the Sages from Ocarina of Time gives you playable characters from a variety of races... anyways, it's gonna be really weird. But I'm totally willing to see where they go with it, because hey, maybe it'll be pretty fun!

Really interested to learn more stuff about this game.

I'm somebody who's only played a few Zelda games and has never played a Dynasty Warriors game, so this was just weird to me. But definitely weird in a way that I could potentially, maybe, perhaps, see myself get behind.

Also, as much as I was fine with the rest of the music in that trailer, I thought the chest opening music was a bit weak

YO I HEARD ON THE INTERNETS THAT SAMUS IS GONNA BE IN THIS. HYPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.

But really though, they should put Samus in this videogame.

Perhaps even enthused!

"What is this newfound feeling!? It is joyous and wonderful!"

I didn't even know we had a Tweet button until I accidentally hit it just now.

What game was that?

I like Dynasty Warriors when the mood strikes and Im a big Zelda fan, but after I realized this wasnt some weird fan mod of a dude taking assets from twilight princess and putting them in DW7 or something, and stealing some shit guitar riff remix from Overlocked I was just like "ew ew ew ew fuck everything about this ew". Who wanted this or asked for this? Who looks at the strengths of the LOZ series and comes to this conclusion? fuck everything

Its like TK is going out of their way to completely miss the spirit of the IPs they are, for some baffling reason (a lost bet?) continuing to gain access to.

When people want "something new" in Zelda that doesn't mean they want something that's exactly the same from a different series. Nothing about this is new. I seriously thought it was a mod, I've seen all of those moves in DW. Its like a bad joke.

Namco has never made a Metroid game.

That would be hilarious. I would approve of this!

It's not even necessarily the case that you would have an army as back-up, though it's possible. In the Fist of the North Star games, it's just the player's character and perhaps one or two allies against everyone else. But if they incorporated allied armies like you're thinking, that would be pretty cool.

I didn't ask for it, but I sure as heck like the idea.

@hailinel: Sorry, I meant to say Tecmo...which is basically who is making this game. I'm not sure why Namco and Tecmo sometimes get mixed up in my mind...maybe just because the names sound similar.

@bisonhero said:

Yes please.

This should be Kid Icarus or something else I dont give a shit about. I understand these games are easy to make and sell well in Japan, fine alright. Make Kid Icarus into this cus its not a big stretch. Hell, make Star Fox into Gears of War cus who gives a shit Star Fox hasnt been good in over a decade. But a good zelda game like just came out, why piss in the pool here. Like I said I enjoy a DW once every couple years just to ventilate, its comfort food cus its pure mindless escape. I simply have issue with the IP they're choosing to associate this with being the complete opposite of that.

Yes, A Link Between Worlds did just come out, and Aonuma's next Wii U Zelda is in development. This game doesn't really affect those, though. And those franchises you don't give a shit about? Other people do give shits about them. This new game is a spin-off, and a potentially entertaining one at that. It's silly to be upset about its existence.

Is this game going to be full priced? Considering how DW now has like a bajillion dudes in it, it's hard to imagine them making a Zelda version with anywhere near as much depth/content. If it's full-price the Zelda reskin won't be enough to make me want this over whatever the latest DW game is.

I legitimately can't wait for this fucking game, because it's guaranteed to either be amazing or horrid. No middleground, no mediocrity.

wow, kinda more then I thought, didn't think about ken's rage for a second..... Yeah, well that's a good sign of optimism, and I'm so fucking cynical. It's not that I'm cynical, I wouldn't mind playing this game then any dynasty warrior game since the second PS2 release.

My favorite part of this blog is how the section discussing the music is just "HEY THAT SHIT WAS RAD EH?" =P

I'd be surprised if it isn't. I'm interested to see how they flesh out this game into a full title, but I have confidence in them being able to do that.

WELL HEY THAT SHIT WAS!

For my money, Hyrule: Total War is still my number one favorite dumb Zelda crossover, though this has the advantage of being official instead of a crazy bootleg mod.

It looks like Dynasty Warriors, and I have very little interest in that franchise.... though if I can play as Tingle and murder hordes upon hordes of moblins, consider me back in.

Actually, hold up. I just watched the trailer again, and there are armored dudes fighting the monsters alongside Link in some of the shots. It looks like the armies are present!

Oh man, what? I haven't even watched the video on that page and I'm already amazed.

HOW DID NINTENDO HAVE THIS IN THEIR POCKET BUT GODDAMN CRANKY KONG WAS ANNOUNCEMENT THEY FELT THEY NEEDED TO HYPE UP FOR THE VGX???

This could potentially be really cool. Or it could be Dynasty Warriors.

No Tingle = No deal.

Tingle's Rosy Rupee Rampage sounds pretty wild.

Tom Nook should be a playable character.

I came to this thread to see people get over-excited about a fucking Dynasty Warriors game, but that made me smile.

No way. Tom Nook is too OP for any video game other than Animal Crossing where he has already won before you even arrive. He would merely reach the battlefield and do his psychotic raccoon laugh then comment about the shoddy house rating hyrule castle would get. Next thing you know his store would be the only shop in Hyrule and everyone would be in debt to him for billions of rupees.

Nice judgmental attitude, there.

A playable version of Impa who is, as far as I can tell, based on the super-rad Skyward Sword version of the character is pretty great, and apparently there's a duo of villains in the form of witch-lady and dude-with-horns. Mostly I'm just excited because Impa's fantastic.

Playable Zoras are a MUST!

Never had much interested in the Dynasty Warriors games, they just looked liked dumb mindless action, which can be fun in small doses.

So many come out though that I've never bothered. Now that we're getting a one-off in a franchise I actually care about though, I'm intrigued. I don't expect it to be amazing, but it could very well be entertaining for a one or two game dealie.

I mentioned this in the other thread, but this style of gameplay is a really great chance to portray one of the backstory "Wars" that are often mentioned in Hyrule lore. Which is a story that isn't a good fit for traditional Zelda action.

I'm hoping it will be the Imprisoning War.

http://zeldawiki.org/Imprisoning_War

i honestly dont know if i like or hate this idea.