Hyrule Warriors

Hyrule Warriors is an upcoming game for the Wii U releasing in 2014. It combines the action of Tecmo Koei's Warriors series with the world of The Legend of Zelda, and will be developed by Nintendo and Tecmo Koei.

Story
The Triforce, composed of sacred symbols of Courage, Wisdom and Power, will grant the wish of all who touch it. Many battles between good and evil have been fought for it through the ages.

When Hyrule was in danger of falling into the hands of evil, a hero wearing a green tunic appeared to strike down the ambitions of the evil power. To ensure the evil would never return, he broke the evil's spirit into four pieces, sending three pieces off into the depths of space-time, and sealed the fourth piece at the entrance to the Temple with the Master Sword.

For generations since then, at the edge of Hyrule, a sorceress has watched the equilibrium between the Triforces three aspects; Courage, Wisdom, Power, using a crystal, looking for any sign of a disturbance, but...

The delicate balance of the Triforce has been disrupted, and Hyrule Kingdom is once again being torn apart by a dark power, this time lead by Sorceress Cia. Cia was the sorceress tasked with maintaining the balance of the Triforce. Although once a good person, Cia came to harbor affections for Link, a knight-in-training, which in turn transformed into jealousy towards the Princess Zelda for being able to be with him.

Eventually, Cia finds her mind turned wicked under the control of the evil being thought to have been sealed away, leading her to bring disaster to the kingdom. Link, now stands in opposition to her, while she, with minions Valga and Wizro at her side, plunge Hyrule into chaos. With Hyrule once again besieged by evil forces, it’s up to the legendary hero Link to face hordes of enemies and find the missing Princess Zelda.

Gameplay
The gameplay is very similar to Tecmo Koei's Dynasty Warriors series of video games, but instead uses the setting and characters from Nintendo's Zelda series. The player controls various characters throughout the game, including Link and Impa. While there is a far stronger emphasis on combat than other games in the Zelda series, the player will still use common items from prior games in the series, such as Swords, Bombs and the Fire Rod as weapons. Many of Link's signature moves appear in the new combat system, such as the Spin Attack which takes the form of a Musou Attack, a special attack that renders the user invincible for the duration. Link is also seen using various sword and shields, including the Master Sword and Hylian Shield. Discovering new items and opening Chests is also present in the game, although the full extent of these is unknown.

Unlike most normal Zelda games, vast hordes of weaker enemies like Bokoblins are set to appear, often alongside greater foes such as King Dodongo, encouraging the player to think tactically. The player character will also fight alongside regular Soldiers and other playable characters for the first time in the series. The game will also feature multiple locations throughout Hyrule that will function as battlefields.

The player can collect Rupees and other useful items to upgrade weapons and craft badges, which can then be used to bolster each character’s abilities. Additional game progression is evident in the reveal trailer: early on, Link only has 3 Heart Containers, a regular Sword, and a regular Shield. Later in the video, Link is seen wielding the Master Sword and a Hylian Shield, as well as owning 10 Heart Containers. There will be multiple weapons, such as Link's sword and shield combo which is oriented around speed and heavier weapons that rely on power.

The game will also feature a two player mode with one player using the Gamepad as their screen. In single-player the Gamepad functions as a sub-menu.

Playable Characters
For the first time in the series, multiple playable characters with fully unique moves and weapons are playable. These are set to be unlocked as you progress trough the story. Two playable characters have been confirmed thus far:


 * Link, the Hero. An exceptionally strong soldier in Hyrule's Army, the Triforce of Courage dwells within him. He is a kind individual who can speak with fairies and he has within him a strong sense of justice that makes him firmly stands his ground against evil, even if they are stronger than he. His combat style relies on quick and nimble footwork to mess with opponents. While he can use various weapons, his main weapon is always a speed-type sword.
 * Impa, Commanding Officer of the Hyrule Imperial Guard. Attendant and vassal of the Princess Zelda. Leader of a family charged with supporting Hyrule's royal family from the shadows, she cares not for herself, and works exhaustively for the family and the Princess. Drawing her giant longsword back handed, she disposes of her enemies with exact precision in quick, feverish succession. She is a sword master, with precise movements and footwork.
 * Princess Zelda. The newly crowned monarch of Hyrule who is forced to lead her army due to the sudden time of crisis. She is very dignified and beautiful, giving off the noble atmosphere of the royal family. She wields a rapier and a bow with incredible speed and precision.
 * Midna. The Princess of the Twili who has wandered away from her family for reasons unknown. She is friendly, smart, and strong, but tends to look down on others and her bad mouth can get her into trouble. She was turned into her current form by Cia and thus seeks to return herself to her normal form. In battle she uses magic and can summon Twilit Wolves in order to ride or use as attack beasts.

Development
Hyrule Warriors was announced on December 18, 2013, on a Nintendo Direct. The game was announced as a collaboration with Tecmo Koei. As such, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata stated that the game would not be the next main series installment of The Legend of Zelda series, but rather a spinoff from the Dynasty Warriors series. The game, however, is still being produced by long-time Zelda developer Eiji Aonuma. The game is scheduled for release in Japan on August 14, 2014.

Timeline Placement
Eiji Aonuma has stated that Hyrule Warriors exists as a "separate dimension" and is not part of the main series. However, he goes on to suggest that while the game does not slot into any particular part of the timeline, it has links to different periods of the timeline, and that characters have been "brought together". He said that he had been thinking of it as being similar to The Avengers.