Hyrule Warriors Story Revealed (Where Is It In The Zelda Timeline?)

We have new information and speculation on Hyrule Warriors. We get into the game's story, as well as talk about what the characters and their designs tell us about it. Surprisingly, it may have a spot in the much vaunted Zelda timeline.

So, the plot of the game involves Shia, originally tasked with protecting the equilibrium of the Triforce, suddenly going rogue. It turns out she has unrequited feelings for Link, in this universe a young Hyrulean soldier, and grows jealous of his relationship with Zelda. She kidnaps Zelda and unleashes her minions onto Hyrule and we’re into the action.

Impa is a commander in the same Hyrulian army, and in this game she is armed with a large sword, that does not seem to impair her speed at all. Visually, she resembles the Impa from Skyward Sword. She was designed to be a brute force character, and that’s laudable coming from Omega Force.

Shia has all the hallmarks of female character design we’ve come to expect from Omega Force and Team Ninja, but in many ways she is a mystery. She seems to borrow some costume design elements from Meg, one of the Poe sisters from Ocarina of Time, but it’s also possible that underneath that mask she may look very much like Impa, because they might both be Sheikah.

Shia’s minions Wizro and Valga are not as mysterious. Wizro takes elements from the Wizrobes, and perhaps takes visual cues from Poes, and possibly Vaati. Valga is basically Volvagia in human form.

Based on the characters that seem to be hinted at early on, it’s possible that Hyrule Warriors’s place in theLegend of Zelda timeline is in between Ocarina of Time and Skyward Sword. As it is, it harkens back to previous Zelda games for sure, making one wonder if this game will be considered canon.

Given Aonuma’s connection to the game’s development, however, we might be wrong in thinking of this as a side game to begin with (Admit it, that’s what you were thinking).

Hyrule Warriors is releasing for Wii U in Japan August 14. We’ll keep you up to date when a Western release date is revealed.