I have been looking forward to co-op play in the upcoming Hyrule Warriors, since one of the best parts about the Dynasty Warriors games is playing with other people. However, it will all be local in Hyrule Warriors, as the game will not feature any online play.
According to the official Japanese-language Twitter for the game, Nintendo’s upcoming Zelda based brawler will not support online co-op campaign play. Instead, the game will only support couch co-op offline. In this mode, one player uses the Wii U GamePad’s screen while the other other has their character’s viewpoint on the television. Hyrule Warriors will have some kind of online features, but campaign co-op is off-limits.
Recent Dynasty Warriors games have implemented online play. Since Dynasty Warriors 7, there have been online modes which allow gamers to take on the hordes while away from each other. This includes the recent Dynasty Warriors 8 Extreme Legends Complete Edition, which released last March on the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and the PS Vita.
The Dynasty Warriors games are always much more fun with someone else fighting by your side–multiplayer makes these games much more fun. With recent games in the series supporting such modes, it feels a little strange that Hyrule Warriors will be excluding online co-op.
I am glad that there is still local multiplayer, as I will definitely be using that mode to play with friends and family. But, I have friends that own a Wii U that would not be able to play on the couch that easily. Hopefully some kind of online component can allow gamers to play with those that are not so close to them. Hyrule Warriors still looks like an enjoyable experience, and is a Wii U title I have my eye on this year.
This Monday, Nintendo will have a Nintendo Direct stream to show off Hyrule Warriors, and to reveal new information. Hyrule Warriors hits North America on September 26.
