Hyrule Warriors for 3DS: Pic Related
I usually refrain from Zelda bashing on my site. There’s two main reasons for that:
1. Low hanging fruit.
2. I actually enjoy a majority percentage of them.
For reasons I might bash Zelda games, see my general ramblings on milking IPs through perpetual re-releases and safe sequels.
And then see Hyrule Warriors. While the prospect of playing Ganon in a non-Smash Bros game is intriguing and I do find it commendable that the folks at Nintendo actually invented a bunch of new playable characters. I ultimately don’t get it. Why not make an entirely fresh IP with those new characters?
The answer to that question is simple: because all but the most devoted Hack n’ Slash connoisseurs aren’t paying for Dynasty Warriors clones anymore. The Zelda IP has to be shoehorned into the process to make it profitable. And if you must ride your cash cows to sell a game with an otherwise underwhelming formula, the game’s bad. Add in that it’s an obvious opportunity for nickle-and-dime DLC and I want to punch my Wii in the face.
Seriously how long is Nintendo going to exploit the Doki Doki Panic re-packaged as Mario 2 business model? I’m being rhetorical – obviously for as long as it makes money.
Now that I’ve angered every human that would possibly read this post, time to make a concession. Dynasty Warriors was once upon a time my favorite thing in the world. And Nintendo announced a, you guessed it, re-release of Hyrule Warriors for the 3DS as a lead into E3.
The 3DS is actually the best possible platform for a Hack n’ Slash game. That’s the true strength of handheld gaming. It’s a great way to showcase older gameplay or more limited genres while accommodating modern design and technology. If the price is right – handheld games should be cheaper and re-releases customarily drop their cost – I fully support this decision.
Well played, Nintendo.