Release Date: June 13th, 2019 (Likely during the Treehouse stream starting at 9 a.m. PT)
Genre: "Rhythmic Action-Adventure"
Price: US$24.99
Player(s): 1-2
Format: Digital
Developer: Brace Yourself Games
Publisher: Nintendo
Size: ~677MB
What is "Cadence of Hyrule – Crypt of the NecroDancer Featuring the Legend of Zelda" aside from being a mouthful of a title?
Cadence of Hyrule is a crossover between Crypt of the NecroDancer and the Legend of Zelda series. In it you traverse an overworld and complete dungeons like you would in a Zelda game but now every action you make, from *moving to attacking, has to be done in time with the beat of the soundtrack.
*Occasionally when you clear a screen of enemies and hazards you are given free movement.
So the game is randomly generated like Crypt of the Necrodancer?
The overworld is semi-random with it being generated once per playthrough, but dungeons are completely random (aside from the entrance) each time you enter them.
Is the game just combat?
You will encounter puzzles and environmental hazards/modifiers as well.
What happens when I die?
You will be able to respawn at any Sheikah Stone you have encountered in the overworld. You'll keep your diamonds (used to unlock new equipment) and any major items and but lose insignificant, and replaceable, ones like torches.
So there is no permadeath?
There is an option to enable permadeath but it is not active by default.
Who are the playable characters?
You start off playing as Cadence from Crypt of the Necrodancer but will eventually pick between either Link or Zelda (Cadence appears to be an option later in the game going off screenshots/video but the specifics are TBA).
Link can use his shield to block while moving and Zelda is able to reflect projectiles back at enemies with Nayru's Love. You can eventually switch between the characters at a Sheikah Stone.
I have terrible rhythm. Can I still play this?
There is a "Fixed Beat" mode where you are able to turn off the beats and just focus on your strategy without rhythm.
Any other features?
There are Daily Challenges for Nintendo Switch Online members.
How many songs are in the game?
The game features 25 tracks remixed tracks from the Zelda series.
How does co-op work?
Co-op (triggered at a Sheikah Stone once you have unlocked both Link and Zelda) spawns both characters into the world and allows them to be controlled independently of each other.
Online co-op?
No. The co-op is local only.
Physical release?
Nothing has been mentioned so far.
Does the game support cloud saves?
Yes.
Metacritic - 88
Destructoid 9.5/10
https://www.destructoid.com/review-cadence-of-hyrule-crypt-of-the-necrodancer-557153.phtml
Cadence of Hyrule really surprised me. It takes the best parts of Crypt of the NecroDancer and makes them more accessible, which really comes with the territory when you're paying homage to The Legend of Zelda. Although it may still take you a while to pick it up, the familiar and welcome open world format is a much better way for new players to acclimate.
Polygon: Unscored
https://www.polygon.com/reviews/2019/6/13/18677696/cadence-of-hyrule-review-zelda-necrodancer
Even more astounding is that Nintendo was willing to grant the team at Brace Yourself Games so much control over one of its most successful and iconic franchises. It was a risky endeavor that paid off, and I hope this heralds a future willingness to be even more experimental with the faces and franchises we've come to know so well.
The Verge: Unscored
https://www.theverge.com/2019/6/13/...-zelda-nintendo-hands-on-release-date-e3-2019
It's that kind of mindset that has given us rare gems like the beloved SNES classic Super Mario RPG. So it's good to see Nintendo embracing it again with Cadence of Hyrule in the era of the Switch, which has become just as much a gateway to the indie game world as it is a flagship Nintendo console. It's that dual purpose for the device that makes it all the more refreshing to see those two worlds combine in a crossover as delightfully weird and fun as Cadence of Hyrule.
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