'Hyrule Warriors: Legends' Release Date, News & Update: Upcoming Game Is Less 'Zelda,' More 'Dynasty Warriors'?

Players who like both the “Zelda” and “Dynasty Warriors” titles will like “Hyrule Warriors: Legends.”

“Hyrule Warriors: Legends” is basically “Hyrule Warriors” ported to the 3DS and New 3DS systems, making them an ultra-portable alternative to the Wii U version, reports IGN. It brings together the colorful and vivid characters of the “Zelda” world and pits them in combat a la “Dynasty Warriors.”

“Surprisingly, Hyrule Warriors does a good job of tying together the combat of Dynasty Warriors and the revered characters and lore of the Legend of Zelda series in a way that makes me feel powerful in a world I love,” IGN said in its review of “Hyrule Warriors” for the Wii U. “Character customization adds unique flavor to the simple combat, and the satisfying weapons, rewards, and story make it a fun alternative to the typically serious Zelda games.”

“Hyrule Warriors: Legends” for the 3DS looks quite similar to the Wii U version, notes Metro. One notable thing, though, is that the overall visuals of the handheld version appears to be of lower quality: dull and muddy textures, few effects, and pop-ins that are noticeable. And when the 3D mode is turned on, performance even gets worse, with animations becoming choppy.

There are other things visual that players will notice to be of poor quality. In the fight with Dodongo, for example, the barricade simply vanishes when touched, instead of exploding or crumbling in a very explosive way, which makes for an unsatisfying game moment. This and other things make the ambitious port a lot less exciting to have.

On the bright side, the game still has smart enhancements that players will enjoy, such as a quick-swap feature that will enable players to change characters quickly while in the heat of battle, and the added bonus of directing other characters to places in the map via the touch screen.

Five new characters including Linkle, a crossbow-wielding female version of Link, along with other new additions are also added to the game. Such gems should not be ignored for a few obvious technical issues.

Purchasing the 3DS version also gives players on the Wii U an unlock code to get the five new characters as well.

“Hyrule Warriors: Legends” releases March 25.