Nintendo Switch accumulates behind it after more than five years of presence in the market dozens of jewels to enjoy. We all know some of them, such as the bombshell that has been the long-awaited launch this 2023 of the new The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdombut there are also many notable indie titles in the catalog of the hybrid it is logical that they do not generate as much attention as the aforementioned giant. In this regard we would like to rescue today a game that, although it cannot and should not be compared with Tears of the Kingdomit must be said that it has proven to be one of the best recent deliveries from the emblematic Nintendo saga, and that has not been developed by the Japanese themselves. Let’s talk about Cadence of Hyrule – Crypt of the NecroDancer Featuring The Legend of Zelda.
Cadence of Hyrule brings together the best of Zelda in 2D with a lot of rhythm
A few years ago Nintendo strengthened ties with another developer, Brace Yourself Gamesto do something quite improper in them, that is, to allow another studio to use one of their most classic and beloved IPs and carry out a themed and playable crossover. that’s how I was born Cadence of Hyrulea title that saw the light of day in 2019 and that surprisingly merges the best of classic Zelda in 2D with the rhythmic mechanics and roguelike from the acclaimed 2015 indie Crypt of the Necro Dancer.
As we say, Nintendo is not very given to giving up control of its franchises, but when it does, it usually relies on teams with good ideas and interesting proposals. Oh we have the games Mario + Rabbids from Ubisoft as an example. In any case, against all odds and even though Brace Yourself Games is a small independent company with fewer resources and track record than Ubisoft, Cadence of Hyrule is undoubtedly a original and fresh collaboration and a Zelda installment that surely many fans will greatly enjoy if they they miss the classic adventures from Link.
The central idea of the game, on paper, it sounds provocative and simple at the same time. The title invites us to enjoy that feeling of adventure, exploration and dungeon crawling of the classic portable Zelda as A Link to the Past either The Minish Cap with a plain story and that goes to the point, but all of it seasoned with the rhythmic mechanics of Crypt of the Necro Dancer. What does this mean? Well, the gameplay of this work is very similar to that of the aforementioned Canadian indie insofar as the stage floor is divided into boxes and we can only jump from one to the other during combat if we are able to do it to the rhythm that marks the pulse or time of the melody that sounds in the background
Cadence of Hyrule is a production with a great soundtrack by Danny Baranowsky with lots of well-known themes from the Nintendo saga reinterpreted in different styles.
In addition to the inherent rhythmic characteristic of the game, which by the way requires some coordination at the controls on our part and it can be somewhat demanding for those less used to this field (although in the game options we are allowed to activate the arrhythmic mode in case we are not very good at following the music), Cadence of Hyrule also applies to the Zelda formula overtones of the roguelike genresomething that feels great.
In this way, the game presents procedurally generated dungeons and random items obtained from chests or by defeating creatures. Also remember that apply severe penalties if our character dies, causing the loss of many of the items that we have obtained as well as the rupees accumulated in the pockets. Not all objects are lost, be careful, because some remain, among them the precious diamonds that last from one life to another and help us to acquire useful equipment.
All this game system is developed in a Beautiful hyrule with Esports Extras-art aesthetics reminiscent of works of the past in 16 bits, and of course the world is full of mythical locations such as the Kakariko village, Lake Hylia or Zelda’s castle, places where there is no shortage of little puzzles and other challenges. Not forgetting many characters loved ones like Tingle and more surprises that await us in different corners of the kingdom.
For this and more, Cadence of Hyrule It is a joy both for veteran lovers of the Zelda saga and for newcomers looking for something different. A production that, we remind you, can try it for free thanks to its demo from the Switch eShop and that it is a great proposal if you have already played The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and still you are looking for more original experiences by Hyrule.
An excellent roguelike where music becomes the great protagonist
This is what we thought on his day of Cadence of Hyrule in our analysis: “Far from being more of the same or an unexciting way to expand the Zelda universe, Cadence of Hyrule is a title formidable in all its sections and, once you get used to its dynamics and the fact of having to move to the rhythm of the music, it is a real delight“. And you, have you tried it or already knew it?
