The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes Review: The best of the multiplayer titles

The Legend of Zelda series has long been celebrated for its captivating dungeons, heroic narratives, and innovative gameplay mechanics. However, not every entry in the franchise hits the mark with the same precision. The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes, a title released for the Nintendo 3DS, represents one of the more unconventional experiments in the series’ storied history. Departing from the classic single-player formula, this game shifts its focus to cooperative multiplayer, offering a unique spin on the Zelda formula. But does its attempt to innovate translate into a worthwhile experience, or does it stumble under the weight of its ambitions? In this review, I, Brighton Nelson of RPG Ranked, will delve into the various aspects of Tri Force Heroes to see how it measures up against the beloved entries in the Zelda franchise.

Combat - 4

This game does have some interesting abilities, with various items and costumes that allow for some more intriguing combat than some Zelda games on paper. However, with clunky swordplay that has very little flow and clunky multiplayer mechanics, this game falls to the wayside as one of the weaker Zelda combat systems. I don't despise this game's combat, but it can't stand out among the crowd of other Zelda games.

Story - 4

This game's narrative isn't emotional or intriguing in a meaningful way, but I do applaud the game for trying something fun and unique that stands out from any other game I've played. The story revolves around Link traveling to the kingdom of Hytopia in the middle of a crisis surrounding its fashion obsession, with the land being cursed by The Lady. Link then defeats The Lady, and the game ends. Sure, it has nothing special outside of its stylish setting and storytelling, but it could be much worse.

Dungeons - 3

This game doesn't have traditional dungeons or challenging puzzles. Due to the game's nature, most puzzles lack substance, as some multiplayer gimmick typically is the key to solving them. This game really fails in terms of puzzles, making for a disappointing Zelda experience.

Sidequests - 3

This game has three main sidequests: unlocking and upgrading all 36 costumes, collecting 15 tokens, and beating all 128 missions in both single-player and multiplayer. While the costumes are fun to unlock and upgrade, the other two quests are pretty dreadful. Having to play the whole game in an inferior way for 100% completion was anything but a good idea. Ultimately, for a series with many decent sidequests, this game is severely lacking.

Theming - 7.5

While the dress-up premise was much more naturally explored in Majora's Mask, Tri Force Heroes still has a fun flair to it that makes the game stand out amidst the series. The costumes allow you to tweak the gameplay in fun ways, making for a uniquely themed game that isn't half bad.

Items - 8

With thirty-six unique costumes, I simply can't say this game's items aren't great! This game lends itself to a lot of variety, and every costume has a place in the game. Ultimately, while most items are the same old ones we've seen for years, I enjoy the execution of how said items are introduced and utilized.

Music - 8.5

While I'm not the biggest fan of this game, the game undoubtedly has a great soundtrack, especially compared to some other games in the series! The game boasts a folk music style to its music that dramatically stands out in the gaming world, and while I don't remember any songs by name, this is a highly listenable video game soundtrack.

Quality of Life - 2

I highly doubt multiplayer Zelda could have a fully polished experience, but maybe one day, I'll be proven wrong! This game forces you to play with friends, which is okay enough, or single-player, which is not fun whatsoever. This game really annoys me, if you can't tell.

Art & Graphics - 7

Many people say this is like the New Super Mario Bros,, but I feel that argument is flawed at best. This game looked entirely distinct from any other Zelda title, and only two games used this style unlike New Super Mario Bros... and most of the complainers are fine with other graphical rehashes in the series...? I don't get the hate. While it doesn't have the beautiful looks of Wind Waker or Breath of the Wild and its sequel or the atmosphere of Majora's Mask or Twilight Princess, it is still a great game that looks undeniably timeless. As a whole, while this game certainly isn't one of my favorite-looking games of all time, it still looks great.

The Verdict

Fun Factor: 5
Overall Score: 52%
Letter Rating: C

Tri Force Heroes isn't awful, but it certainly isn't above average, either. It is easily one of the weakest titles in the series, and it has very little to offer outside of playing with other people. This game is only recommendable to major Zelda fans, and even then, I'm sure you won't get too much enjoyment out of it. This game is anything but extraordinary and one of the most underwhelming games on the 3DS. Hey, at least it is my favorite multiplayer Zelda game (which, frankly, isn't saying much).