The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes

The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes
Developer	Nintendo EPD, Grezzo
Publisher	Nintendo
System	Nintendo 3DS
Release Date	JP October 22, 2015 US/PAL October 23, 2015
Genre	Adventure
Rating	ESRB: E

The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes (known in Japan as The Legend of Zelda: The Three Triforce Musketeers) is a multiplayer action game that was released for the Nintendo 3DS in 2015. It is the eighteenth game of the The Legend of Zelda series. This game focuses on a multiplayer experience, complete with online gameplay, and it features a much simpler and more light-hearted story than most Zelda games.

Story

This game is set in the kingdom of Hytopia, which has a culture fixated on fashion. The kingdom's princess, Styla, has fallen victim to a witch's curse which traps her in an unflattering black jumpsuit. A call has been put out for young people to act as the legendary "Tri Force Heroes" and go on a quest to defeat the witch, Lady Maud, in order to undo the curse on the princess. Link (according to a statement from Nintendo, the same Link from A Link Between Worlds) soon steps up to volunteer, working with two others on an adventure into the Drablands in search of the witch.

Gameplay

The gameplay follows the Four Swords model in some regards, in that the game is created with an emphasis on a multiplayer experience. However, it features three Links instead of four to make the totem mechanic simpler. a totem is when multiple Links leap on top of each other. This allows the Links to reach new areas and to fight monsters that would otherwise be out of their reach. Each Link is equipped with a sword and can claim one weapon to use throughout a set of levels. Usage of items (as well as swimming) depletes an energy meter, and all characters share the same health meter. When adventuring, there are different areas to choose from, which are each divided into four levels. Each level is further split into four different stages. Once a level is completed, players can earn a treasure, in the form of an material that can be used to gain new outfits. After an area is completed, three challenges become available for each of the area's levels, which come with chances to earn different materials.

Hytopia acts as the hub that players operate out of. At the castle, players can choose between multiplayer or single player modes, along with an online Coliseum mode. When playing single-player, the player manually switches between controlling the three Links through the touch screen, with the other two Links being mysterious dolls known as Doppels. With mutliplayer, the player can choose between Local Play, Download Play or online gameplay, and three players have to be gathered. At the Coliseum, players can battle each other and earn more materials. Hytopia also contains a small town area which has several establishments such as a materials shop, a treasure chest minigame (which can be played once daily with the chance to win a material), a photograph store (for uploaded in-game pictures to Miiverse) and Madame Couture's outfit shop. By bringing materials to Couture, she can fashion different outfits for Link which each have special effects.

The game was updated with free downloadable patches, which included the addition of an area known as the Den of Trials, new outfits and expansion of online features.

Development

The game's inspiration was rooted in Spirit Tracks, in which the player could control Zelda when she possessed Phantoms. The director of both Spirit Tracks and Tri Force Heroes, Hiromasa Shikata, stated that the Phantom possession mechanic had intrigued him and led to him considering implementing multiplayer into Zelda. There was also a strive to focus on cooperation over competition, in contrast to the Four Swords games, which caused some of this game's differences. Tri Force Heroes also apparently received some influence from Marvelous: Another Treasure Island, which it is considered to be a spiritual sequel to.

Legacy

Sequels

While Tri Force Heroes has not had a direct sequel, the next Zelda game would be Breath of the Wild in 2017.