Mainline Zelda Games that Deserve Hyrule Warriors Spin-Offs

The Hyrule Warriors games have been a surprise hit for Nintendo after crossing over the Legend of Zelda series with the Dynasty Warriors games developed by Omega Force. With the third entry in the series, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, set to tell Zelda’s side of the story from Tears of the Kingdom, other Warriors titles could be used to add to the stories of previous Zelda games as well.

Age of Imprisonment is the follow-up to the previous Hyrule Warriors game, Age of Calamity, which told the story of the war between Hyrule and Calamity Ganon at the center of Breath of the Wild. These two games have taken a major departure from the original Hyrule Warrio, which was a non-canon crossover story that included characters from many different Legend of Zelda games rather than sticking with one point in the timeline. While it could also be promising for the Hyrule Warriors series to return to its crossover roots, depending on the success of Age of Imprisonment, another dive into the hidden lore of a previous game could be on the way. With such a storied franchise history, it raises the question of which previous Zelda game would be the best choice for the next Hyrule Warriors title.

A mural of a Zonai and a Hylian in the trailer for Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment

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By Devin Friend

Which Mainline Zelda Game Should Get the Warriors Treatment Next?

Skyward Sword

One of the great things about the Hyrule Warriors stories is that they can expand what players know about each era in Hyrule’s history. With that in mind, it would be interesting to learn more about the earliest era of the timeline, introduced in Skyward Sword. The largest empty spot on the timeline occurs between Skyward Sword and Minish Cap, so a game that shows what happened after the events of Skyward Sword could help fill that gap. Both Fi and Ghirahim were included in the first Hyrule Warriors game, but they’re not the only powerful characters from their time. Fan-favorite Groose, the Demon King and Ganon predecessor Demise, and prominent side characters like Scrapper would also be perfect warriors. With Skyward Sword HD making the game fresh in fans' memories, this might be a natural choice for the next Hyrule Warriors.

Minish Cap

In one of the Game Boy Advance’s best stories, Minish Cap introduced a fascinating, yet overlooked, aspect of Zelda’s lore: the Picori. Link spends much of this game transforming between his normal size, and a microscopic form that allows him to interact with the miniature inhabitants of Hyrule. This mechanic could allow for varied battlefields and inventive movesets if placed in a more serious context. The game does have a shortage of memorable characters, but Vaati and Ezlo are key figures who could lend inspiration to creative battles. Supporting characters like the Blade Brothers, the ghost of King Gustaf, and this era’s Great Fairies would round out the roster nicely alongside Link and a representative of the Picori.

Wind Waker, Phantom Hourglass, and Spirit Tracks

In the Adult branch of the Zelda timeline, the world is flooded, leading to Wind Waker and its direct sequel, Phantom Hourglass. Spirit Tracks acts as a sneaky cap to a trilogy, taking place only 100 years after the other two. Because these three games take place so close to each other, a story could easily bridge the gap in that 100 years and allow players to explore the flooded cartoon world of Hyrule once again. Wind Waker introduced fans to Toon Link and Zelda, Tetra, King Daphnes, and Medli, all of whom appeared in the first Hyrule Warriors game.

The beauty of this entry is that inspirations could be taken from all three games, such as Toon Zelda’s phantom armor, Link’s Train, and characters like Linebeck or Chancellor Cole. With over 100 years to span and three games worth of inspiration for stories and characters, a flooded Hyrule Warriors would stand out from the rest of the series in the best way.

It remains to be seen how Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment and its unknown roster will be received, but if history is any teacher, the Hyrule Warriors games aren’t going away any time soon. Age of Imprisonment can be played on the Nintendo Switch 2 later in 2025.

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