Despite the title reveal back in September, there still isn’t much we know about The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. The few trailers have shown a mummified corpse deep within a cavern, oozing with Malice and held down by a mysterious force, a Hyrule Castle lifting from the ground, sky islands, a Link with an altered arm and a mural featuring an unknown figure or deity. While theories light up the internet, many fans are looking to replay some Zelda titles to prepare for the new one. Is the Warriors spin-off, Age of Calamity, a game you need to play to prepare for Tears of the Kingdom?
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is the second Warriors-style spin off in the Zelda franchise, with a focus on the events that took place 100 years before Breath of the Wild. That alone would make one think it’s an important game that will factor into Tears of the Kingdom, but the canonicity of it has been debated.
According to Zelda Fandom, “Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is considered Non-Canon per the Canon guidelines because the order of events irreconcilably occur in a different order from what Nintendo has previously established as canon.” Kotaku also points out the flaws that inevitablty result from the requirement of a large roster to fullfill a Warrior-style game by including both generations of Champions (and the original champions have perished according to Breath of the Wild). And of course, many just do not consider spin-off titles as canon.
At a high level, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity features Terrako, a baby Guardian, who travels back in time before the Calamity began. This triggers the push to understand and utilize the Divine Beasts to prepare for said Calamity. Here lies the gray area–time travel. This opens up the possibility of alternate timelines (Ocarina of Time, anyone?), which can leave fans dizzy from figuring the timeline out.
Image Credit: Nintendo via Zelda Wiki
Whether or not Nintendo will acknowledge Age of Calamity in Tears of the Kingdom, I do think it is a worthwhile game to visit (or revisit) before May 2023. Even if it was truly not considered canon, it still supports Breath of the Wild and can provide a lot of great background information. At the very least, it can put you in the mood for the next Zelda game if you prefer not to sink hundreds of hours replaying Breath of the Wild. I love Breath of the Wild, but I’m not sure if I have the time to run through the mainline before Tears of the Kingdom releases. On the flip side, I do not think Age of Calamity will play a major role in this sequel.
I personally have not played Age of Calamity yet because I do not like Warrior-style games; however, I purchased it on sale this year, and I fully intend on playing it before Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Every detail does not need to be correct–or “canon”–it is still a wonderful game with lots of story telling. Cut scenes can still provide pertinent and important context. If Tears of the Kingdom does incorporate the events of Age of Calamity in the plotline–great–and if not, I would not regret spending some time with the characters in that universe.
What do you think? Is Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity important to play before Tears of the Kingdom? Please share your thoughts with us on our Boss Rush Facebook Group or our Boss Rush Discord.
Nintendo Pow Block Podcast – Wednesdays at 7AM ET
Nintendo Pow Block is Boss Rush Media and The Boss Rush Network’s Nintendo podcast. Each week, Edward, Corey, and their friends from around the internet come together to talk about the week in Nintendo, including news, rumors, new games, questions, and the fan-favorite Snacktendo segment. Check out Nintendo Pow Block Live on Twitch every Monday night at 8:30PM Eastern / 5:30PM Pacific or on Podcast Services and YouTube Wednesday mornings at 7AM. If you enjoy the show, consider leaving us a five star rating on iTunes and Spotify. Thanks for listening to Nintendo Pow Block!
Anchor | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google | Overcast | Pocket Casts
Follow Nintendo Pow Block on Social Media:
Twitter | Discord | Instagram | Twitch | YouTube | Facebook Group | Facebook
Shows also available on the Nintendo Pow Block Podcast feeds:
- Nintendo Pow Block Expansion Pass
- The Nintendo Direct Recap Show
- Nintendo Spoiler Alert
- Ranking Nintendo Episodes of Standard Definition: The Retro and Nostalgia Podcast
Sources: Nintendo, Zelda Fandom, Kotaku
Featured Image Source: Nintendo via Forbes
Leave a Reply