Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment Headed to Switch 2

No Nintendo console feels complete without a Zelda game, and the Nintendo Switch 2 is certainly no exception, though it arrived in a way we didn't anticipate. In today's Nintendo Direct, it was revealed that Koei Tecmo is developing a new Hyrule Warriors game: a Tears of the Kingdom prequel titled Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, arriving this winter.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment marks another entry in the Hyrule Warriors series, this time featuring the cast of characters from the ancient history segments of Tears of the Kingdom. Alongside Zelda, expect to see Rauru, Sonia, and the other bearers of the Secret Stones. The game explores what Zelda was up to after traveling back in time during the events of Tears of the Kingdom, as she teamed up with Rauru—one of the last Zonai—his sister Mineru, and his wife Sonia, to confront Ganondorf and his army.

Nintendo Direct: Nintendo Switch 2 - Hyrule Warriors Age of Imprisonment

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The trailer revealed abilities for these champions, such as Mineru piloting her mech, Zelda wielding magic, Rauru with a unique sword-spear hybrid, and a brief look at the other Sacred Stone holders.

This will be the third Hyrule Warriors title, succeeding the original Hyrule Warriors and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity—the latter of which also offered a prequel narrative to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Age of Calamity was notable for taking a slightly unexpected turn within the known Breath of the Wild lore, so it’ll be intriguing to see if Age of Imprisonment follows suit. We awarded Age of Calamity a 9/10, praising it as "a joy to play and discover" and "a blast from start to finish."

You can find a full recap of today's Nintendo Direct announcements right here.