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3DS

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The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes (3DS) Single-Player Review

by Neal Ronaghan - October 21, 2015, 7:03 am EDT
Total comments: 9

Score Pending

It’s like Weekend at Bernie’s but with two dead Links.

The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes is very much a game of threes. You fight monsters and solve puzzles with a trio of legendary heroes, and in our time with the game, we’ve come to realize it has three major components to it: single-player, local multiplayer, and online play. So, in the spirit of the game, we’re splitting up our review into three chunks over the next few days. After all three parts are written, we’ll have a conclusion and a final score. Check out our thoughts on the online and the local play (as well as the final score). Here are our thoughts on the single-player portion.

The Zelda series is best known for being an epic single-player experience, but in a few cases, the single-player is more of a perfunctory option. Following in the shoes of Four Swords and the Nintendo Land mini-game Zelda: Battle Quest, The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes features a less compelling single-player component that while rife with beautiful music and clever writing, boils down to tedious, drawn-out puzzles as you frantically switch between three heroes in a series of puzzle-focused levels.

When you engage in the single-player, you get paired up with two Doppels, which are creepy inanimate dolls that resemble the fabled hero. To progress through each level (which are the same as in the multiplayer), you have to switch between each character and get all three to the finish. Switching is done by tapping the touch screen, which is easy and reasonably intuitive. However, since the characters don’t move when not controlled, you often have to laboriously switch between each one to move them to different parts of the level. It takes a game that feels just as great as A Link Between Worlds and makes it slow as molasses. Solving puzzles is still rewarding, but most of the time, I’d realize what had to be done and then have to painstakingly execute it by switching between the trio. In multiplayer, that often happens as well, but at least communication and player interaction is present there.

In a few cases, bosses and some of the unlockable challenge stages are seemingly insurmountable in single-player. Moments crop up every so often where you essentially need two characters to do things simultaneously, which you just can’t do in single-player. You either need to use one of the more powerful unlockable outfits to break the game (e.g. run in lava in a Goron outfit, fire three arrows with the Kokiri outfit) or stage it to perfection. A few bosses are also reliant on a player baiting the foe so the other two can attack. By yourself, this just turns into a plodding match of body-swapping as you frantically switch between characters. Additionally, as near as I can figure, completing the time trial levels solo requires a near-flawless run as you switch between the three characters as quickly as humanly possible to get them through the stage. These uniquely frustrating moments are thankfully not everywhere, but when you come across one, it’s disheartening and rather maddening.

As a single-player experience, Tri Force Heroes has its moments but playing through it solo is just a stark reminder of the game’s multiplayer focus. At its best, single-player can be nice when you’re trying to lock down a specific material for an outfit. But, if you’re planning on getting Tri Force Heroes and playing it by your lonesome, I don’t recommend it. Your best option is to make some new friends or go back and replay A Link Between Worlds or A Link to the Past.

Stay tuned later this week for our thoughts on the local multiplayer and the online multiplayer!

Summary

Pros
  • Awesome Zelda music
  • Endearing writing
Cons
  • Frustrating challenges
  • Tedious gameplay

Talkback

Ian SaneOctober 21, 2015

In Four Swords Adventures in single player (or any mode where you have less than the full four players) you can simultaneously control the other Links in formations that you can toggle between.  It wasn't as great as playing with four human players but it worked pretty damn well.  It was clear that a lot of thought was put into making that multiplayer focused game still fun and playable in single player.

But this?  This sounds like single player was a complete afterthought.  Switching constantly between inanimate characters is the sort of half-assed crap I expect from lesser developers, not Nintendo.  There is no excuse for this single player to be inferior to that of a game more than ten years older that was made by many of the same people.

ForgottenPearlOctober 21, 2015

I'm not surprised.  Considering how many friends I have, I'm passing on this one.

TheXenocideOctober 21, 2015

Do you have to play online with friends, or can they just be randos?

kokumakerOctober 21, 2015

This just might be the first game in the history of the series that I have virtually zero interest in.
That makes me sad.

Mop it upOctober 21, 2015

I didn't expect the single player to be worthwhile, but it doesn't bother me as I'm getting this for the multiplayer. Even if single worked well, I wouldn't play it.

Quote from: TheXenocide

Do you have to play online with friends, or can they just be randos?

You could play with randos if you hate yourself.

CircasurviverOctober 21, 2015

Quote from: ForgottenPearl

I'm not surprised.  Considering how many friends I have, I'm passing on this one.

Quote from: Shaymin

Quote from: TheXenocide

Do you have to play online with friends, or can they just be randos?

You could play with randos if you hate yourself.

I don't have any friends and I had a blast playing the online demo

Mop it upOctober 22, 2015

I actually had some fun with randoms in the demo... but only after I completed a stage once before. It was interesting seeing how different people tackled the tasks at hand, and then any trolling didn't bother me.

TheXenocideOctober 26, 2015

I'm actually having a pretty decent time playing mostly solo, although I did run into one boss that would have been WAY easier co-oping.

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3DS

Game Profile

The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes Box Art

Genre Adventure / Action
Developer Nintendo
Players1 - 3

Worldwide Releases

na: The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes
Release Oct 23, 2015
PublisherNintendo
RatingEveryone
jpn: Zelda no Densetsu: Triforce 3 Jūshi
Release Oct 22, 2015
PublisherNintendo
RatingAll Ages
eu: The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes
Release Oct 23, 2015
PublisherNintendo
Rating7+
aus: The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes
Release Oct 24, 2015
PublisherNintendo
RatingGeneral
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