Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment Marks Trend of Zelda Games Without Link

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Apart from assuring that the spin-off series remains active and thriving, the unveiling of “Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment” might hint at a fresh direction in Nintendo’s “The Legend of Zelda” series, where a main character takes a brief hiatus. Among the numerous announcements during April’s Nintendo Direct prior to the Switch 2’s release was the disclosure of a third “Hyrule Warriors” game, this one based on “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.” Similarly to its predecessor, “Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity,” “Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment” is slated to be another spin-off prequel, delving into the past during the Imprisoning War to focus on Princess Zelda.

Considering the narrative of “Tears of the Kingdom,” the main question regarding “Age of Imprisonment” is whether this implies that Link will not make an appearance in the upcoming prequel, given his long-standing role as Zelda’s protagonist. Unless Omega Force intends to rewrite the events of “Age of Calamity” in a non-canonical manner like they did with “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild,” it seems possible that “Age of Imprisonment” could be the first “Hyrule Warriors” game without Link as a playable character. If this is the case, then “Age of Imprisonment” wouldn’t be the only recent “Zelda” game to omit Link, hinting at major changes coming for the series in the future.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment Will Have To Make Do Without Link

Following the great sales of “Age of Calamity”, it was probably just a matter of time before “Hyrule Warriors” progressed to “Tears of the Kingdom” for another spin-off, aiming to recreate the enchantment as it did with “Breath of the Wild”. However, based on its Nintendo Direct trailer that didn’t include Link, it appears that “Age of Imprisonment” is sticking to “Tears of the Kingdom”‘s main storyline for now. This means that “Age of Imprisonment” can introduce new playable characters like Rauru, Sonia, and Mineru, which could make it the first “Hyrule Warriors” game without Link as a character.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment and Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom Put Link on the Back Burner

In contrast, while the new “Hyrule Warriors” title is highly anticipated, “Age of Imprisonment” will be the second recent “Zelda” game to feature characters other than Link as the main character, with Princess Zelda taking the lead role. Previously only playable in less popular spin-offs like “The Legend of Zelda: Wand of Gamelon,” the protagonist role for Princess Zelda was first introduced in the mainline game “The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom.” Although “Echoes of Wisdom” could have been a unique experiment to cater to the desire for Princess Zelda as the protagonist, “Age of Imprisonment” suggests that this might not be a one-time occurrence.

Nintendo Could Be Gearing Up For Future Link-lite Zelda Games

In a similar vein to the old adage, if something happens once it’s an anomaly and twice it’s a pattern, it appears that Nintendo and the Zelda series are on the brink of starting a fresh trend within their flagship franchise, given that two consecutive games in the series have featured Link in a less prominent role. With Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom now behind us, there’s an opportunity for Nintendo to experiment with new concepts as they consider the future of the Zelda series. The recent releases, Echoes of Wisdom and Age of Imprisonment, could be examples of this exploration post-Tears of the Kingdom. Link may not be fully replaced or retired from his role as the main protagonist in the Zelda games, but these titles suggest that Nintendo is looking to expand the series’ horizons.

As a dedicated Zelda gamer, I’m excited about the potential shift for the franchise. The warm reception to Echoes of Wisdom indicates there’s a hunger for games like it, while it seems Nintendo is eager to step away from the crowded timelines and breathe new life into the series as a whole. By tapping into this untapped potential with revamped characters like Princess Zelda or more Zelda spin-offs on the Switch 2, Nintendo could rejuvenate the franchise, even if Tears of the Kingdom seems to have hit its peak. Alternatively, Age of Imprisonment might follow in the footsteps of Age of Calamity, offering fresh, non-canonical adventures that Nintendo could explore instead.

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2025-04-07 23:05