Hyrule Warriors Legends for Nintendo 3DS revisits the Wii U title from 2014 and while many ports are looked down upon, Legends actually does a good job of implementing what made Hyrule Warriors fun. What's more, the latest 3DS title has not only updated the combat system to make fighting much more bearable, but also gives players some new characters to fight with that you can transfer over to your Wii U.
Let’s dive into what makes Hyrule Warriors Legends a great addition for anyone looking for some action on your 3DS.
STORY
If you aren’t familiar with the Wii U title, Legends spins a story that puts players in a world set in the Zelda universe, separate from the main titles, so no past experience needed. Your team of characters must fight hordes of enemies to stop the arrival of the Dark Lord as you enter different areas meeting and recruiting characters along the way.
Players of the Wii U title know the story all too well but there are some new side areas that introduce new characters to the game. You’ll finally meet Linkle, the female version of Link, and see how she and the other new characters fit into this world.
It’s a pretty straightforward story as you try and stop the villainous sorceress, Cia, who you’ll learn is not alone in her attempts to overthrow Hyrule. But the real reason to buy Hyrule Warriors Legends is the satisfying hack-and-slash action that takes place throughout the game.
GAMEPLAY
First, let’s tackle the elephant in the room. Yes, the framerate on the old 3DS and 3DS XL are terrible. Don’t even think about purchasing this game if you don’t have the New Nintendo 3DS. Unfortunately the graphics of the game are too much for the old models but if you do own the New 3DS, then you shouldn’t have a problem.
Hyrule Warriors Legends takes the battle system of Dynasty Warriors and implements the characters and fighting of the Zelda series to great effect. You’ll run around the area mashing the X and Y button in different combinations to perform some visually stunning and fun combos.
At its core, Legends is a gateway for any player hankering to slash their way through waves of enemies while looking awesome doing it. For 3DS owners, there’s definitely a place in your library for that kind of game.
This is especially true when you have such a diverse cast of characters. Each playable character in Legends is unique and from the way they move to the weapons they use, you’ll have a great time choosing different characters to pummel your opponent. If you’re a veteran of the series, then you’ll love learning Linkle and the rest of the new recruits to Legends as they all have their own flair.
Returning players will also love the improvements to the battle system, namely to the maps and how you can change between characters in the middle of a fight. In the past, you’d have to run across the map to get to a keep that’s being attacked or save one of your teammates from being knocked out but that’s all gone with the ability to change between characters.
You can also use the map on the bottom screen to direct your AI controlled characters to keeps that need support or to meet you to face off against a boss. There are also the addition of owl statutes that allows your character to teleport to other owl statues that are littered across the map once you find the ocarina of time, making getting around each level much easier.
However, there is a problem with the AI and the way they control your allies. I found them to be little help in battle and defeated rather easily, even on easy mode. This forced me to finish the map as fast as possible before my allies were knocked out, or to babysit them.
As you level up your heroes, they are less likely to get knocked out so there isn't as much babysitting as you progress through the story. That said, the early stages of Hyrule Warriors Legends can get irritating.
MODES
The story mode of Hyrule Warriors Legends is not the only thing you can sink hours into. Adventure Mode allows for some quick grinding sessions that allows for leveling of characters, material acquisition and finding new weapons.
Fairy Mode is a brand-new mode that lets you find and raise your own personal fairy that you can use to accompany you in battle with its own special skills. You can even customize and dress up your personal fairy.
There’s plenty to do in Hyrule Warriors Legends.
VERDICT
Hyrule Warriors Legends is great for anyone looking for some mindless action to sink hours into, this is especially true if you missed out on the 2014 Wii U game.
Each character is unique and fun to learn with some stunning visuals while battling. The cutscenes are crisp, if not a bit dark in color, but the gameplay is where the fun is. With an amazing soundtrack any lover of the hack and slash genre, will feel right at home.
The AI can be a bit frustrating at times but the overall gameplay and the amount of hours you can invest in it makes this a great addition to any Nintendo 3DS library.
