Hyrule Warriors Legends

 3DS
User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 119 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 79 out of 119
  2. Mixed: 22 out of 119
  3. Negative: 18 out of 119
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  1. Here4aMoment
    Mar 27, 2016
    7
    If you " have nothing against Hyrule Warriors itself" at least give it something higher than a 0. Even those who didn't like it gave it a 2. Honestly, it doesn't run that bad on the old 3DS. I read what others were saying and I was afraid it was going to be unplayable but it's not that bad, not even when a ton of things are happening at once. I don't doubt it's better on the New 3DS butIf you " have nothing against Hyrule Warriors itself" at least give it something higher than a 0. Even those who didn't like it gave it a 2. Honestly, it doesn't run that bad on the old 3DS. I read what others were saying and I was afraid it was going to be unplayable but it's not that bad, not even when a ton of things are happening at once. I don't doubt it's better on the New 3DS but it's definitely not as bad as people are saying.… Expand
  2. funkydoodycool
    Mar 25, 2016
    7
    I am a lifelong fan of Zelda and have bought most games related to the franchise - sometimes I am disappointed, such as with Triforce Heroes, but generally I get a lot of enjoyment not just from the gameplay, but from the lore and the characters within.

    I have not enjoyed Dynasty Warriors. I played one game many years ago - possibly the second one on PS2, I forget - and did not enjoy.    I am a lifelong fan of Zelda and have bought most games related to the franchise - sometimes I am disappointed, such as with Triforce Heroes, but generally I get a lot of enjoyment not just from the gameplay, but from the lore and the characters within.

    I have not enjoyed Dynasty Warriors. I played one game many years ago - possibly the second one on PS2, I forget - and did not enjoy. Repetitive, pointless...

    But Zelda. Her name is on this box, and given the promise that this includes all the DLC from the Wii U version with more to come I chose this over the Wii U version.

    I've played several hours now, and am on the fence. The lore is there, the characters, there's some clever fan service here. But the gameplay seems ever so shallow. Enemies don't even seem to be attacking me, just swarming around like gormless pawns. Only the bosses in certain rooms have swung a sword at me, otherwise I have had zero difficulty in progressing.

    That said, I've had fun so far, in a thoughtless, simple way.

    There are some slight flaws with the game engine. I'm playing on New 3DS, and yet have to turn off the 3D effect. Out of around 40 games, this is only the second (after Pokemon Omega Ruby) that has severe framerate issues for me with 3D turned on, enough that it's a problem. Fortunately (?) the 3D effect isn't that good in this case, so it's no loss to turn it off.

    Controls are simple (you can choose Dynasty or Zelda control style - I chose Zelda) with the added stick controlling the camera and the added shoulder buttons taking over from the D-pad, which makes locking onto (and off) bosses easier.

    All in all I recommend this game. Despite my misgivings about the repetitive gameplay and poor implementation of 3D, I'm having fun with it and intend to play it through at least the once.    … Expand
  3. LoneWolfSones
    Mar 26, 2016
    7
    Hyrule Warriors on 3DS shrinks down the Dynasty Warriors and Zelda crossover title onto the portable. The game itself is fun though its obvious concessions were made to get it on to the handheld. Textures are blurry and character models have had their poly counts lowered. The number of enemies have also been reduced. However in the end these concessions still aren't quite enough.Hyrule Warriors on 3DS shrinks down the Dynasty Warriors and Zelda crossover title onto the portable. The game itself is fun though its obvious concessions were made to get it on to the handheld. Textures are blurry and character models have had their poly counts lowered. The number of enemies have also been reduced. However in the end these concessions still aren't quite enough. Performance is poor on the original 3DS as it struggles to maintain a consistent frame rate. The "New" 3DS fares better and is the optimal way to play this game on the 3DS. Do note however that turning the 3D on will also significantly affect the framerate.

    The amount of content is impressive and the 3DS version offers a new story arc featuring Linkle. The 3DS version does introduce some gameplay enhancements that make the experience a bit more accessible. You can swap between heroes on the fly and direct those you aren't controlling to a different objective point.

    Owners of the older 3DS may want to approach this one with caution. Play a demo if possible to know if you can tolerate the performance. "New" 3DS owners will find a smoother experience that is worth picking up. The game still offers an incredible power trip as you decimate hordes of enemies but your enjoyment may be subject to the hardware you own. For that reason I wish this game might have been a "New" 3DS exclusive.    … Expand
  4. EpicLadySponge
    Mar 26, 2016
    7
    Get the same game on the Wii U. It's nothing different except you're looking at a Zelda port from the Wii U to the Nintendo 3DS. Stick with original Hyrule Warriors. Hyrule Warriors Legends isn't successful but it works as a sole title.
  5. BichoXD
    Apr 14, 2016
    7
    good game but if you've played Wii U vercion or not you paresera big deal.
    but I like it portable

    thank you very much nintendo
    I hope segan taking DepNet.com for popular games on the 3DS
  6. TheLordJames
    Apr 2, 2016
    6
    Let me start with this; if you already own Hyrule Warriors for the WiiU, do not bother with Hyrule Warrior Legends. They are essentially the exact same hack and slash game with the exact same story. I honestly would not have purchased this game for $40 if I had known that it was the exact game. The only person I have to blame was myself. I should have done more research before impulseLet me start with this; if you already own Hyrule Warriors for the WiiU, do not bother with Hyrule Warrior Legends. They are essentially the exact same hack and slash game with the exact same story. I honestly would not have purchased this game for $40 if I had known that it was the exact game. The only person I have to blame was myself. I should have done more research before impulse buying it when I saw it on my Best Buy's shelf on launch date. However, the game still looks amazing. On my New 3DS XL console, the game looks beautiful and plays well. The score is always fantastic like any Zelda-esk game. I would strongly recommend this game if you are into hack and slash and/or Zelda games AND you have not purchased Hyrule Warriors for the WiiU.… Expand
  7. Lone_Wolf_Sones
    Aug 7, 2016
    7
    Hyrule Warriors on 3DS shrinks down the Dynasty Warriors and Zelda crossover title onto the portable. The game itself is fun though its obvious concessions were made to get it on to the handheld. Textures are blurry and character models have had their poly counts lowered. The number of enemies have also been reduced. However in the end these concessions still aren't quite enough.Hyrule Warriors on 3DS shrinks down the Dynasty Warriors and Zelda crossover title onto the portable. The game itself is fun though its obvious concessions were made to get it on to the handheld. Textures are blurry and character models have had their poly counts lowered. The number of enemies have also been reduced. However in the end these concessions still aren't quite enough. Performance is poor on the original 3DS as it struggles to maintain a consistent frame rate. The "New" 3DS fares better and is the optimal way to play this game on the 3DS. Do note however that turning the 3D on will also significantly affect the framerate.

    The amount of content is impressive and the 3DS version offers a new story arc featuring Linkle. The 3DS version does introduce some gameplay enhancements that make the experience a bit more accessible. You can swap between heroes on the fly and direct those you aren't controlling to a different objective point.

    Owners of the older 3DS may want to approach this one with caution. Play a demo if possible to know if you can tolerate the performance. "New" 3DS owners will find a smoother experience that is worth picking up. The game still offers an incredible power trip as you decimate hordes of enemies but your enjoyment may be subject to the hardware you own. For that reason I wish this game might have been a "New" 3DS exclusive.    … Expand
  8. ironzombi
    Nov 5, 2017
    7
    I feel this game is going to appeal to certain players a lot more than others, it suffers from having to run on both models off 3ds and I feel the 3ds in general may not be the best platform for this style of game.
    if you are a big fan of Musou games, you should find some enjoyment here otherwise, this game didn't really do much for me and while it is not a bad game, it was fairly    I feel this game is going to appeal to certain players a lot more than others, it suffers from having to run on both models off 3ds and I feel the 3ds in general may not be the best platform for this style of game.
    if you are a big fan of Musou games, you should find some enjoyment here otherwise, this game didn't really do much for me and while it is not a bad game, it was fairly forgettable for me personally.

    be aware, being a zelda fan alone, may not be enough to really appreciate this game.    … Expand
  9. Birdy18
    Oct 28, 2017
    5
    While the gameplay is good, i have many faults for this game. For example, your allies are 100% useless, the only they are actually useful is when you're ganging up on bosses. Other than that, they cant even capture keeps. The items have little to no uses other than bosses, Adventure Mode is boring, the experience gain is weird and any boosts like fairy boosts have barely noticeable effect
  10. joehi1
    Jan 23, 2018
    7
    The Dynasty Warriors style games have become very prevalent in the video game world as of late and they show no sign of slowing down anytime soon. The hack & slash genre is very interesting, to say the least, because of its capabilities to mix with so many franchises to create excellent well-made titles. So when Hyrule Warriors was announced and, long-time fans learned that they were goingThe Dynasty Warriors style games have become very prevalent in the video game world as of late and they show no sign of slowing down anytime soon. The hack & slash genre is very interesting, to say the least, because of its capabilities to mix with so many franchises to create excellent well-made titles. So when Hyrule Warriors was announced and, long-time fans learned that they were going to be capable of playing as some of their favorite characters from the Zelda franchise it was hard for many to contain their excitement. Hyrule Warriors released to mostly favorable reception and fans of the Zelda series seemed happy. However, Nintendo had an idea to let Hyrule Warriors come to the much less powerful 3DS, under the title Hyrule Warriors Legends. While it's great that Nintendo was thinking about their 3DS users, sometimes video games need to know their limitations.

    Hyrule Warriors Legends on the 3DS plays exactly like its counterpart except for the obvious difference in controls. Hyrule Warriors Legends adds six new characters Linkle, Toon Link, Tetra, King of Hyrule, Skull Kid, Ganondorf (with a trident), and Medli. Each of these characters can also be added to the Wii U version of the game by purchasing the Legends DLC so these characters aren't exactly exclusive to the game. The gameplay is very similar to other Musou, style games where you capture "Point A" or have to defeat a certain boss or a certain amount of enemies, while also assuring your army is protected and you haven't lost your base. Each character has multiple types of weapons they can use and each weapon type has different versions of that weapon that can be found. Each of these different weapon versions has different stats which adds some uniqueness to each one you find. The game also contains Heart Pieces like other Zelda games where characters, max health can be increased by completing challenges. The 3DS version adds the ability to tap on character portraits to switch your character at any time which is nice, although it loses the functionality for 2 players to play together which is very unfortunate. Another new addition to Legends is the My Fairy mode, which allows players to find and befriend fairies in combat and level them up so they can perform special attacks in battle. Players who like micro-managing may like this addition to the game although, in reality, it seems to be a rather pointless addition. The final addition is seemingly the replacement to Challenge Mode, called Adventure Mode which allows players to explore a new map in the similar style of the Great Sea. It's an interesting concept and players can receive small 8-bit Zelda items to uncover items on the map but overall many would probably prefer the Challenge Mode instead. There are also two new items added the Hammer and the Ocarina which allows

    While Legends mostly seems like an upgrade from its predecessor it falls very short on the technical aspects of the gameplay. While it is being played on a handheld now which means the graphical downgrade is obviously forgivable, the amount of unpolished environments and the constant frame rate stutters is what stops Hyrule Warrior Legends from being the definitive Hyrule Warriors. The environment looks very downgrade on the 3DS, they are far too blurry and to further complain the lighting of the game is abysmal compared to its predecessor. What's even more unfortunate is the constant frame rate problems that anyone who has an old 3DS will experience. The new 3DS performs better than the old, however, it's disappointing to have to buy a new version of the same handheld to have to experience Legends in a more playable state.

    Overall Hyrule Warriors Legends will scratch that Musou itch for fans that are very intent on playing through Hyrule Warriors. If you have always wanted to play this game and, don't own a Wii U or prefer a portable version of the game you will still find enjoyment from Legends. However, because of the technical downgrades and some of the key features Legends loses if you have the option pay the extra amount of the Wii U version.    … Expand
  11. IndieCrit
    May 3, 2018
    7
    I had never played Hyrule Warriors, so this was my introduction. For a while, I was hooked. Put in tons of hours. But there were noticeable flaws. The gameplay itself was addicting and satisfying. But the graphics bugged me and I experienced framerate drops. But I still love this game, and you should try it. Also, maybe too much content..
  12. CTD0712
    Jun 1, 2020
    7
    El juego en general esta bien, ofreciéndote un amplio arsenal de personajes y buen contenido al que sacarle provecho, pero no deja de ser repetitivo cuya experiencia empeora en la 3DS por la tasa de Frames. Recomiendo jugar este título en Nintendo Wiiu/Switch de ser posible.

Awards & Rankings

33
#33 Best 3DS Game of 2016
11
#11 Most Discussed 3DS Game of 2016
13
#13 Most Shared 3DS Game of 2016

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
70

Mixed or average reviews - based on 58 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 58
  2. Mixed: 25 out of 58
  3. Negative: 4 out of 58
  1. CD-Action
    May 31, 2016
    75
    It’s a shame that because of the limited processing power Hyrule Warriors lost much of its visual attractiveness and fluidity, but other than that it’s one of the best games in the series. [05/2016, p.75]
  2. Nintendo Force Magazine
    May 15, 2016
    80
    If you only have access to an older 3DS model, it's really a hard sell – except if you have incredible patience. But when the game gets plugged into a New Nintendo 3DS or a New 3DS XL, it's a match made in heaven. [Issue #20 – March/April 2016, p.65]
  3. NZGamer
    May 8, 2016
    80
    Story woes and Link Twoguns’ ridiculous official name aside, Hyrule Warriors Legends has plenty to offer, whether you’re after carefree hack ’n’ slash combat or something more tactical. Even if it’s just the Zelda dressing that’s got your attention, the Musou series staples at the core of the game, so often written off as “mindless” or “boring”, will have you hooked.
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