Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity

Pre-release screenshot showing Link fighting hordes of Bokoblins

Like the previous Hyrule Warriors game, Age of Calamity mixes the hack-and-slash gameplay of Koei Tecmo's Dynasty Warriors franchise with the characters, locations, and other elements from Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series.[4] The basic gameplay is participating in large-scale battles against enemies, while also completing objectives and taking strategic actions such as capturing bases and commanding troops.[5]

In addition to retaining the combat, material crafting, and weapon-upgrade systems from Hyrule Warriors, the game incorporates environmental puzzle solving and the use of the Sheikah Slate tool and paraglider from Breath of the Wild.[6] Players can upgrade their characters, complete missions and challenges, use resources to access new areas, build weapons, and cook foods that can be used as buffs. Weapons in this game are invulnerable and will not break over time, unlike in Breath of the Wild.[7] The game's map is similar to the one for Breath of the Wild. Players can choose stages from it and use the Sheikah Tower to explore between regions.[7] The game features 18 playable characters; 14 are obtained via progression in the main story, while four can be unlocked by completing various side quests.[4][8][9] Besides the characters, players are also able to control the gigantic Divine Beasts to destroy large numbers of enemies.[10]

The game also features compatibility with Nintendo's Amiibo figures, with the figures of the Four Champions relaunching alongside the game.[11]

During the Great Calamity, a small Guardian awakens within Hyrule Castle, caused by Zelda's power awakening. Seeing the destruction being caused, it escapes through a time portal, followed unbeknownst by a portion of Calamity Ganon's Malice. Arriving in this new timeline just before the Calamity began, the Guardian is found by Link during battle. When it uses Impa's Sheikah Slate to raise a Sheikah Tower, they take it to Sheikah engineers Purah and Robbie for study, learning it came from a future in which Ganon reawakens. Being informed of this, King Rhoam sends Link and Zelda to meet with the four candidates selected to pilot the Divine Beasts – Mipha of the aquatic Zora, Daruk of the mountainous Goron, Urbosa of the desert-dwelling Gerudo, and Revali of the birdlike Rito.

With the Champions assembled, King Rhoam commands them to find a knight able to wield the Master Sword, which rests in Korok Forest. There, they make their way into Korok Forest with the help of the Korok musician Hestu and encounter a dark prophet named Astor who seeks to revive and control Calamity Ganon, but Link draws the Master Sword and forces Astor to withdraw. With Purah's research revealing the presence of other Sheikah towers hidden underground, the Champions set out to activate the towers and in turn using the maps provided by the towers to lead a preemptive strike on the Yiga Clan hideout, forcing Yiga leader Master Kohga to retreat. Learning from the Guardian's records that Calamity Ganon will return on Zelda's birthday, King Rhoam sends her for training in hopes of awakening her sealing magic in time, while deploying the Divine Beasts to prepare for the Calamity's impending return.

As Robbie and Purah finish analyzing the Guardian's memory, they are captured by Yiga spies, but the Guardian escapes with the Sheikah Slate and delivers it to Zelda just as the Calamity arrives. As Link, Zelda, and Impa retreat from the castle, King Rhoam seemingly sacrifices himself to cover their escape. With Calamity Ganon emerging from the castle, Impa shows Zelda the Sheikah Slate, revealing that Ganon had taken over the Divine Beasts in the other timeline. Believing the same is happening to them as well, the group moves out to aid the rest of the Champions. Meanwhile, Mipha, Daruk, Urbosa, and Revali are about to be killed by Calamity Ganon's Blights same as it happened in the original timeline, but Sidon, Yunobo, Riju, and Teba from the other timeline appear via time portals created by the Guardian, buying enough time for Link and his allies to help defeat the Blights. With the Champions saved and the Divine Beasts at their disposal, they begin to help reclaim Hyrule and clear the way to Hyrule Castle. Astor, aware of the change in the current situation, kills many of the Yiga Clan and uses their life force to revive the Blights. When Link is cornered by the Blights, Zelda moves to defend him, finally awakening her sealing magic and forcing Astor to retreat. Master Kohga and the remaining Yiga Clan members defect to Zelda's side, seeking revenge against Astor. The group also discovers that King Rhoam survived thanks to a Guardian's Shield he confiscated from Zelda earlier, and the two subsequently reconcile.

With their allies gathered, Purah uses the Sheikah towers to transport them all outside of Hyrule Castle and begins their final battle against Calamity Ganon. Although the Divine Beasts weaken Ganon's spirit form, Astor arrives along with Harbinger Ganon, the small Guardian from the current timeline infected with the Malice that came back from the future, only to be defeated by Link, Impa, Zelda, the Champions, and the future heroes. Astor attempts to summon Calamity Ganon to destroy them but is instead consumed as Harbinger Ganon manifests itself into Calamity Ganon. Calamity Ganon corrupts the little Guardian and turns it against the group, forcing them to fight it. Upon its defeat, Zelda remembers she activated the little Guardian as a child, naming it Terrako, which became her companion after her mother died before her father took it away so she would focus more on her training after Ganon's return was prophesied. Zelda and her allies march towards Hyrule Castle and confront Calamity Ganon, but are unable to damage him until Terrako uses the last of its strength to self-destruct, weakening Calamity Ganon. Now vulnerable, Calamity Ganon is defeated by Link, and Zelda uses her power to seal the Calamity once and for all. With Calamity Ganon defeated, the future heroes are returned to their timeline while Link, Zelda and their allies look out at the now peaceful Hyrule. In a secret ending, Purah and Robbie repair Terrako and reactivate him, reuniting Zelda with her old friend.

Age of Calamity was revealed in a trailer that was released on September 8, 2020, presented by Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma and Koei Tecmo producer Yosuke Hayashi.[12] The game features the same art assets as Breath of the Wild, but uses the more combat-focused gameplay style of the previous Hyrule Warriors game.[13] More information was revealed at the Tokyo Game Show on September 26.[14][15][16]

The game came into fruition when Breath of the Wild's director Hidemaro Fujibayashi and art director Satoru Takizawa pitched the idea to Aonuma, who liked the idea and after discussions. Aonuma then approached Hayashi, a producer from Koei Tecmo, to make a new Hyrule Warriors about the events of the Great Calamity, which were mentioned but not properly shown in Breath of the Wild.[17] Aonuma felt that the battles would complement well with the style of a Warriors game.[18] Nintendo's Zelda developers worked more closely with the development team at Koei Tecmo than on Hyrule Warriors, providing advisement and assistance with gameplay, graphics, world, and dialogue.[19]

During Nintendo Treehouse Live gameplay presentation on October 7, Nintendo stated that the game will explore more backstories and relationships between characters, aspects that were not thoroughly examined in Breath of the Wild.[7] At the end of that month, the demo became available to download from the Nintendo eShop, which includes the first chapter of the game.[10] Kotaku noted from the demo that the game felt more connected to Breath of the Wild than to a Warriors title.[6]

Starting in January 2021, three characters from Age of Calamity cameo as collectable Spirits in the crossover fighting game Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. These characters are Impa, Master Kohga, and the Diminutive Guardian.[47]

• Official website