One of the better Warriors games
Hyrule Warriors, much like Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, has been out for 4 years now. Odds are, if you haven't already played it on the 3DS or on the Wii U, then you probably never cared about it, or you're simply not a Warriors style fan (lots of critics aren't).
However, if you're like me, you simply waited for the right opportunity to present itself. While I dabbled (very briefly) with the game on the New 3DS, I couldn't get into it, mainly for the poor resolution and incredibly small screen which made things damn near impossible to read. Hyrule Warriors on the Switch however, capitalizes on the best of both worlds.
For the record, I would never recommend you try playing this game split screen in handheld mode. Don't do that to yourself, or your friends. Yes, it plays, and actually it plays very well, however it's damn near impossible to see what's going on at all times. Then again, it is a Warriors game...if you can move a joystick and mash buttons, you're bound to have success.
That being said, playing solo in handheld mode is just right. The screen size is the right size to enjoy your experience while curled up on the couch, and the resolution looks sharp and clean. The game for the most part maintains a solid 60fps, which makes for a very smooth, flowing button mashing romp.
Playing docked is still preferable, at least for me. The Switch does actually brighten up the battlefield quite a bit more than its Wii U predecessor, and textures seem to be a bit more detailed. All in all, you're getting the convenience of the New 3DS portability and the visuals of the Wii U bundled into one sweet package, and it's obviously the best way to enjoy it
Now let it be known, that I've been a fan of the Warriors series ever since Dynasty Warriors 2 on the Playstation 2. I've obviously played many of the gazillion titles that Koei Tecmo has shamelessly thrown at us over the years. That being said, I can confidently say that Hyrule Warriors really does the best job of creating a Warriors experience that isn't bogged down with awful frame rate issues, texture drop-ins, and of course recycled assets from decades ago.
The key here, obviously, is that this is a Nintendo endorsed title. You can't just take a Zelda game and roll it into a hot turd for the public to chew on. Nintendo has the know how and quality control enough to ensure that you are indeed getting a quality product, and you really do. It is genuinely fun to play a Warriors game with Zelda characters, and the familiarity of finding new weapons, upgrading your combos, and even playing through a cheesily narrated story are all....well, enjoyable.
And truth be told, you are getting a core Warriors experience. You have your 'special' bar that fills for you to unleash a powerful attack. You fight off generals huddled up in enemy hideaways until you finally break into the enemies main camp. You will slaughter easily over 1,000, laughably flimsy and otherwise paper-like enemies (things to smack with your weapons ie button mashing). It's mindless, but it's a damn joy, and sadly it's one of the few entries in the long going series in recent time that actually does it right.
While it will likely go under the radar this year, I was very pleased to give Hyrule Warriors a go on the Switch. If you haven't played it yet, and have had even the slightest urge to give it a go, you'll find that it's perfect for some time wasting, button mashing mayhem. If you're looking for a traditional Zelda experience, then you should probably stick with Breathe of The Wild, and hang out until we get a hopeful 2D adventure again (fingers crossed).
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