During the Wii U era, Nintendo and Koei Tecmo struck an unlikely partnership. The two gaming companies began working on a line of games that used Nintendo's properties and the Dynasty Warriors formula, developed by Tecmo’s studio Omega Force. The first of their crossover projects was Hyrule Warriors, a Legend of Zelda title that unites characters from across the franchise. Hyrule Warriors was such a success that it received plentiful DLC, two updated re-releases on the 3DS and the Nintendo Switch, and a Breath of the Wild-focused sequel titled Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity.

While Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes must prove itself after the lukewarm response to the first Fire Emblem Warriors, the two Hyrule Warriors titles are both highly regarded. The first Hyrule Warriors built up a compelling cast of Zelda characters and offered a surprising amount of value thanks to its Adventure Mode. Meanwhile, Age of Calamity had the most in-depth gameplay a Warriors title has ever seen, and it took advantage of being a prequel to Breath of the Wild. These two games are both winners in the Switch’s catalog, and Nintendo ought to consider backing a third Hyrule Warriors to push the side series even further.

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There is Plenty of Room Left for Hyrule Warriors to Grow

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There are still lots of things that could be done with a new Hyrule Warriors game, starting with its gameplay. The basic Warriors formula seen in both Hyrule Warriors games is solid, and Age of Calamity represents some of Omega Force’s best work. As parts of both games' rosters would presumably be merged in another in-series crossover, certain mechanics unique to each game could also be merged.

The additions of unique actions, EX Abilities, and more ways to cause weak-point gauges to appear would be great, and the dungeon items could return as loadouts to replace Age of Calamity’s Sheikah Runes. The wider roster of monsters found in the complete Legend of Zelda franchise could also benefit from the more complex enemy design found in Age of Calamity.

Of course, a Warriors game isn't much without its huge roster of playable characters, and a third Hyrule Warriors game would deliver more than ever before. While some cuts are realistic, most of the fighters present in both Hyrule Warriors titles could be brought together. There are also still plenty of blank spaces for a new title to fill, such as introducing the first 3D versions of Vaati and the Oracle games’ characters, as well as adding more fan favorites like Groose. There is still some room for original characters, and it would be interesting to see an original Sheikah warrior using elements from the canceled Retro Studios game.

Hyrule Warriors 3 Would Benefit From a True Musou Mode

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One advantage that Dynasty Warriors holds over the Nintendo crossover titles is its story, which freely focuses on different characters and factions depending on whom the player has chosen to control. Some of that is coming back in Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes, as players will be able to choose between three factions like they would in a modern Dynasty Warriors game.

A third Hyrule Warriors could have an equivalent to that old Musou Mode, where every character would have a short run of stages. It would work similarly to a fighting game’s arcade mode, capped off with story vignettes. This allows for another epic storyline to be told in the main story mode, while minor characters will get their chance in the spotlight via this side mode.

Having the story and Musou modes be distinct entities would also allow for more experimentation with the Warriors format, potentially incorporating Age of Calamity’s world map alongside more varied mission objectives. Proper Zelda dungeons with Warriors-level enemy density is an intriguing idea, and could hold some merit if done properly. The Musou Mode could even give DLC characters the chance to get some degree of story focus, even if they hadn’t existed in the plot before their addition. There is still plenty to be done with Hyrule Warriors, and hopefully Nintendo and Koei Tecmo will ensure that something is in a few years time.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is available on the Nintendo Switch.

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