Hold up! Wait a minute! What did we just witness with the trailer for Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment? Dropped during the Nintendo Switch 2 announcement, this trailer gave us plenty to chew on, and we’re not just talking about Korok seeds. Introduced as a prequel to Tears of the Kingdom, this entry promises a brand-new cast of characters… and a surprising absence that fans definitely noticed. Let’s break down what’s going on in this epic reveal of the newest Hyrule Warriors.
A Trailer That Lives Up to the Name
The trailer for Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment opens with a familiar aesthetic, those carved mural scenes we saw in Tears of the Kingdom, recounting the story of the Zonai descending, joining forces with the Hylians, creating prosperity… and facing the inevitable Calamity. Sound familiar? It should. But this game is flipping the Legend of Zelda formula in a pretty major way.
Because Link? Nowhere in sight at the moment, something rarely seen in a Legend of Zelda game!
Instead, we get Zelda fully stepping into her title. After all, it’s called The Legend of Zelda, and this time, she’s front and center. The trailer shows her holding a mysterious artifact that appears in the murals, hinting at ancient magic and forgotten power. And then, boom, time travel. Zelda is transported back to the golden age of Hyrule, where the Zonai and Hylians still live in (mostly) peaceful coexistence.
But peace doesn’t last long in Hyrule (it never does). Zelda takes up the mantle not as a sidekick, not as a damsel, and not as a semi-playable magical assist character; she is the main protagonist. And honestly? It’s about time.
What Could This Mean?
This shift is huge. Zelda has always played a vital role in the franchise, but this is the first time she’s truly taking the lead in a full-action warrior title. No Link to lean on. No green tunic backup. Just Zelda, magic, courage, and whatever this ancient conflict is shaping up to be.
The gameplay shown so far stays true to what we’ve come to expect from Hyrule Warriors: large-scale battles, flashy combos, and over-the-top special moves. But the art style and tone clearly reflect the influence of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, meaning this story will likely pack more emotional and narrative punch than we’re used to from a Hyrule Warriors game.
Final Thoughts
This new entry in the series is shaping up to be something we’ve never seen before, and honestly, kudos to it! Zelda is finally stepping into the spotlight, taking center stage, and living up to her own legend instead of letting Link do all the fighting. This shift could stir up a lot of buzz about the future of Legend of Zelda games and the direction of the franchise overall.
With time travel, ancient Zonai lore, and the noticeable absence of Link, there’s plenty of room for fan theories to take off and for the hype to keep building. Fans are eagerly anticipating the release of Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment to see what surprised devs have in store for us on June 5!
