Developers: Nintendo, Grezzo
Release date: October 22, 2015
Platform: Nintendo 3DS
The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes was announced at E3 2015 for Nintendo 3DS. It serves as the next handheld Zelda game with the same graphics and art style as the ever popular Zelda: A Link Between Worlds. The big gimmick in this game is that it is a multiplayer title, much like Zelda: Four Swords and Zelda: Four Swords Adventures. Users can choose to team up with friends or random heroes via a WiFi connection or local Download Play co-op. There is a singleplayer mode, and I'll go more in-depth about this down the road...
Release date: October 22, 2015
Platform: Nintendo 3DS
The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes was announced at E3 2015 for Nintendo 3DS. It serves as the next handheld Zelda game with the same graphics and art style as the ever popular Zelda: A Link Between Worlds. The big gimmick in this game is that it is a multiplayer title, much like Zelda: Four Swords and Zelda: Four Swords Adventures. Users can choose to team up with friends or random heroes via a WiFi connection or local Download Play co-op. There is a singleplayer mode, and I'll go more in-depth about this down the road...
Gameplay
The core gameplay is the same as Zelda: A Link Between Worlds. The controls are the same — one button swings the sword, another uses the equipped item, and another uses the Pegasus Boots to dash. One central mechanic Nintendo and GREZZO have added is the "totem." Since Zelda: Tri Force Heroes is a three-player multiplayer title, players can pick each other up as a two-stack or three-stack totem. This is used to complete various puzzles, and fight certain enemies.
The core gameplay is the same as Zelda: A Link Between Worlds. The controls are the same — one button swings the sword, another uses the equipped item, and another uses the Pegasus Boots to dash. One central mechanic Nintendo and GREZZO have added is the "totem." Since Zelda: Tri Force Heroes is a three-player multiplayer title, players can pick each other up as a two-stack or three-stack totem. This is used to complete various puzzles, and fight certain enemies.
The totem mechanic is a clever one. The totem process is surprisingly very smooth, and blends into the gameplay wonderfully. The bottom Link walks around, the top Link swings his sword and uses his item, but the middle Link's job is holding the top one up. In other words, the middle player is at the mercy of his companions. That can be a little annoying if you're playing with inexperienced heroes.
However, this mechanic does have a downside, and it's not the middle Link becoming incapacitated in a three-stack totem. Any player can pick their fellow Link up, and the user being picked up is at the mercy of his friend... or troll. As with all online multiplayer, Zelda: Tri Force Heroes does have trolls. There aren't too many however, and there is a blacklist system. If you do encounter an online troublemaker, you can make sure you never play with them again.
The puzzle aspect of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes is very admirable. I have to say, Nintendo and GREZZO did an amazing job designing the various puzzle-filled stages. Most of them are designed for three players to force teamwork. If you and your two fellow heroes successfully work together, it's a barrel of fun.
The difficulty starting out isn't too bad. The first four stages ease you into the gameplay very nicely, and the difficulty slightly ramps up after each area. That is, until you reach about the fourth area. Then, the difficulty takes a sudden turn as the stages become way more harder than before. They aren't impossible however, just unexpectedly difficult. Still, they are very fun and enjoyable if your team works together.
The second gimmick of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes are the outifts that players can craft using various materials from stages in the game. Each costume does something different, whether it enhances the effect of a certain item, or performs a function all on its own. The costumes are a welcome part of the gameplay and spice things up a bit. They can also serve as bragging rights if you have a costume that uses materials from a much later stage in the game.
As I specified, materials are from stages collected in the game. At the end of the stage, there are three chests that players can choose from. You better act quick if you want the first pick—using the Pegasus Boots helps.
Out of the three chests, two contain common materials, while a third will contain a more rare material. The materials are randomized, so it's a game of chance if you're gunning for a specific material. If you really need one particular material, you may have to replay the stage a few times. This is a part of the replay value of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes.
Communication
In Zelda: Tri Force Heroes, communication is key. The standard for most online multiplayer games is voice chat — but Nintendo chose not to include that for this handheld title. Instead, there are icons that can be tapped on the bottom screen of the 3DS. Some would think that this is annoying and that voice chat would be much better. Sometimes that's true, but in reality, the icon system works really well.
When you tell you're playing a game with voice chat, it's easy to tell someone what to do. As long as you know how to progress, communication is easy. Zelda: Tri Force Heroes makes you work for that communication by using its various icons, which is okay. The icons are easy to use, and the best part about them is this: each time you successfully communicate using the icons to navigate a part of a puzzle, it's like a mini-victory. The first time I did that, I felt like a champion.
While voice chat would have been nice, the icon system is definitely an amazing replacement. Plus, you don't have some particularly troubled individuals insulting you or your mother.
Communication
In Zelda: Tri Force Heroes, communication is key. The standard for most online multiplayer games is voice chat — but Nintendo chose not to include that for this handheld title. Instead, there are icons that can be tapped on the bottom screen of the 3DS. Some would think that this is annoying and that voice chat would be much better. Sometimes that's true, but in reality, the icon system works really well.
When you tell you're playing a game with voice chat, it's easy to tell someone what to do. As long as you know how to progress, communication is easy. Zelda: Tri Force Heroes makes you work for that communication by using its various icons, which is okay. The icons are easy to use, and the best part about them is this: each time you successfully communicate using the icons to navigate a part of a puzzle, it's like a mini-victory. The first time I did that, I felt like a champion.
While voice chat would have been nice, the icon system is definitely an amazing replacement. Plus, you don't have some particularly troubled individuals insulting you or your mother.
Coliseum Mode
Aside from the teamwork part of multiplayer, Zelda: Tri Force Heroes incorporates a player-versus-player mode dubbed "Coliseum Mode." Heroes get to duke it out on a variety of maps filled with their own details that make them unique. Players are free to choose from any outfit they have obtained thus far in their journey, which can give you just the advantage you need to win the round.
What's nice about the Coliseum Mode is that players are free to enjoy a three-person free-for-all, or a one-on-one duel. I prefer the three-person matches because they tend to be more action-packed, but the one-on-one is nice too.
Singleplayer Mode
I said I would talk about the Singleplayer Mode that Zelda: Tri Force Heroes offers, and I'm a man of my word. This part of the game is the only part I would not heavily recommend. In fact, I would steer clear of it. As annoying as playing with random Links might be at times, Singleplayer isn't going to help you.
Since the puzzles in Zelda: Tri Force Heroes are designed for three people, you really can't get through the levels with just one Link. To get around this, Nintendo lets you control three separate heroes. Not at once mind you — the player only controls one at a time.
Switching between Links is easy, as it is done by tapping on the bottom screen of the 3DS. The two stationary Links are called "Dopples," and look like lifeless statues with odd faces. It's actually kind of cool, in a creepy sort of way. Regardless, trying to beat a stage by yourself clearly meant for three active players all working together at once is tough, and definitely not recommended by me. The gameplay is slow and very tedious. Stick to multiplayer, people.
Conclusion
Zelda: Tri Force Heroes is a fun teamwork-filled adventure on the Nintendo 3DS. Measuring its worth compared to singleplayer Zelda titles is meaningless, as this is a whole new style of Zelda drawing from the previous two multiplayer games in the franchise. The game is much more polished than its predecessors like Zelda: Four Swords Adventures, and the gameplay is sincerely enjoyable.
Considering all of the above, Zelda: Tri Force Heroes may not be the Zelda game you wanted, but it just may be the one you need. It's a break from the conventional Zelda formula, and a welcome one I think. I give The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes on 3DS a 8/10.
8/10