The Legend of Zelda will be crossing over with indie darling Crypt of the Necrodancer to create a brand new title for the Nintendo Switch. The new game will be called Cadence of Hyrule, and it’s release date will be spring 2019, meaning it will be debuting in just a few months at most.
It’s a good year to be Legend of Zelda fan. Earlier this year, Nintendo announced that it would be remaking Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening for the Switch, and that it would debut in 2019. Although that would’ve been enough to tide over most fans of the franchise, a rumor began circulating shortly after that there was another 2D-style Legend of Zelda game in the works for 2019. Few would have expected a crossover project to be the fruit borne from that speculation, but it appears that might be the case.
The official name of the game is Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the Necrodancer feat. The Legend of Zelda, which is quite a mouthful, and seems to indicate that this will primarily be a Necrodancer game that borrows several elements and characters from the world of Link and pals. Cadence of Hyrule brings the titular Cadence, the protagonist of Necrodancer, to Link’s world. The trailer showed off Link and Zelda battling various enemies throughout a game world that seemed to borrow heavily from A Link To The Past, especially when it comes to enemy design. Here’s a tweet that shows off the trailer:
Crypt of the Necrodancer first came out for the PC in 2015 and arrived as a Switch port in 2018. Players use rhythm based on the game’s music to gauge the effectiveness of their moves, and everything flows in a way that is ensnaring and addictive. The indie title was one of the most popular games in its genre when it released years ago, and fans have been eagerly awaiting the next move from Brace Yourself Games, the studio behind Necrodancer. Now, they have their answer, and it’s likely more ambitious than may would have expected.
Although the crossover itself is major news, it’s even more interesting to consider just how liberal Nintendo is getting with its precious IPs. The company has traditionally been extremely protective of its most popular franchises, and that certainly includes The Legend of Zelda. For Nintendo to allow a Canadian indie dev studio access to the assets of one of its most important IPs is a startling revelation, and could lead to some even more ambitious partnerships in the gaming giant’s future.
More: 25 Hidden Details In The Original Legend of Zelda Only Super Fans Notice
Source: @NintendoAmerica
