Overall I'm pretty happy with the first update of Tri Force Heroes. First of all it's free, so it doesn't split the community and I can install it on all my 3DS systems without paying extra. And you don't look a gift horse into the mouth. I wouldn't be even sure, how much this should be worth... maybe 0.99€ or 1.99€, but not more. It only adds one hour of gameplay.
But I like that this goes in a different direction, where you might enjoy replaying the whole thing. In my previous posts I pointed out how well one new area could be packed as DLC with four new levels, 12 challenges, new materials and outfits and one new arena. But this wouldn't solve the main issue with the game. Once you're done with all the challenges, you're done with the game and you move on, unless you really enjoy helping others getting there. It's in the nature of a Zelda game and the lack of multiple save slots doesn't help with the situation either. But there needs to be something that keeps you playing. And having some interesting modes like might do that, at least for a little while.
Right now the Den of Trials has only one level, but it's entirely possible that they will add more levels to this area with additional trials, especially a Boss Rush comes to mind. There also should be space for another area, which should be used for something different, e.g. a Realm of Memories for the 30th Anniversary.
(It would also be nice to have some sort of random mode. What added real replay value to Four Swords was the random selection of floors in a level. You never knew what you would get and that way things kept being interesting. I would picture the final version of Vaati's Palace as the basis, where you would fight every boss from the game and get random floors from the entire game in between. Maybe something like this could work in Tri Force Heroes as well. Have a random floor, have a random challenge, fight stronger enemies and fight the bosses in between. The only problem I see here is that the outfits wouldn't work with random floors at all. Even in the Den of Trials you're already stuck with costumes that are helpful in all situations. The Goron Garb might be nice in the Fire Zone, but it won't help you in the next one. So, this idea might not make sense...)
This is what I have in mind right now: one Boss Rush Mode update and one Anniversary update, both featuring two additional costumes for a total of six DLC costumes. Naturally I will speculate more about the costumes later, but it looks like I was on the right track following the Magic Ring abilities from Oracle of Ages & Seasons. Now we got the Steadfast Ring as an additional effect for the Fierce Deity Armor and it's entirely possible that some other remaining ring abilities will come back as well, e.g. the Roc's Ring, even if it's just as a side effect.
Besides the additional content Nintendo and GREZZO hit the nail on the head with their improvements. I think it pays that there is now the Miiverse, Nintendo is finally getting direct feedback from their customers and they can improve their games based on that. So, stuff like buying Friendly Tokens or the measures against quitters are very welcome and are probably based on feedback.
And hopefully future updates will also address the much criticized singleplayer mode. I would just do the following:
- Have the Dopples follow you by pressing R.
- Being able to chose outfits for Dopples.
- Steer a totem with any Link.
If we would have these improvements, the singleplayer should be fine. With the outfits maybe there should be the restriction that one outfit can't be used twice, so you can't abuse the Tri Suit and the like. I got used to the fact that you can only profit from one costume in singleplayer and actually equipping all Links with outfits might be too powerful for singleplayer.
The other big feature, which could use a lot of improvements, is the arena. I was a big fan of the StreetPass battles in A Link Between Worlds, but I can't seem to enjoy the arena that much. A few things could help though:
- Whoever did the most damage should win.
- Additional arenas, especially a basic arena without gimmicks.
- Dark Links as singleplayer bots.
- Option to turn off the Wallmaster in duels.
- Balancing some outfits like Hammerwear.
- Medals.
The last point is important, there should be something like the 50 Challenges in A Link Between Worlds. Win wearing Bear Minimum! Win without using B or Y! Win against the Sword Master Suit! All the costumes alone would add enough potential for many different challenges and this would motivate players to keep playing the arena, while using all sorts of different costumes, instead of resorting to the few overpowered ones.
It might even be that one of the updates focuses entirely on the Coliseum mode instead of adding new areas to the game. Could come with two outfits specifically designed for the arena. To be honest, I don't really need or want a Boss Rush, so having an Arena Update and an Anniversary would be great.
PS: I would also love more music for the Lucky Lobby Ball, especially some songs from Zelda II - The Adventure of Link, mainly Palace and Town, and the Underworld theme from The Legend of Zelda. Also, the Lake Hylia or House theme from Four Swords Adventures to have something from this game as well. These are like the only Zelda games with music from Nintendo that don't get featured by the Lobby Ball. And of course there are many other great songs, which could appear.
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