With [Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes](https://youtu.be/w5TrSaoYmZ8) coming by the end of this week, I think now is a good time to reflect on the various Nintendo-published Warriors games to come out on the Switch. Dynasty Warriors-style games, also called Musou titles, typically involve the player clearing out waves of enemies with over the top, hack and slash combat. This has been the primary draw for the series ever since its inception in 2000 with Dynasty Warriors 2, and it has captivated the minds of kids, adults, and Jim Sterlings the world over.
In addition to the mainline Dynasty Warriors series, Koei Tecmo has transferred their style of gameplay to other licensed properties such as One Piece, Gundam, Attack on Titan, and Persona 5. In terms of Nintendo, both Zelda and Fire Emblem have received the Warriors treatment, with each getting one “All Stars” game and another centered around the latest core entry in their respective franchises. Here are all three Nintendo-published Warriors games that have been released so far:
**1. [Hyrule Warriors](https://youtu.be/DUzdlDiFUyU):** Originally released on the Wii U in 2014, this game later saw a 3DS port in 2016 and finally a “Definitive Edition” Switch port in 2018 that included all the DLC and extra content from all the previous versions. When compared to other Musou titles, the gameplay in the original Hyrule Warriors is pretty straightforward. But what it lacked in complexity, it made up for in sheer content and fanservice, with just about every major Zelda title referenced in some form or fashion. This was likely many people’s first brush with the Warriors franchise, regardless of the platform it was available on.
**2. [Fire Emblem Warriors](https://youtu.be/n16aNy1O65Y):** After the success of Hyrule Warriors, it seemed like the next logical step to bring these climactic large scale battles to Nintendo latest cash cow: Fire Emblem. With the series being more relevant than ever thanks to Awakening and Fates, naturally the roster would pull primarily from these games, much to the disappointment of FE fans. Revealed for both the Nintendo Switch and New Nintendo 3DS in January 2017, this game brought many conventions of the Fire Emblem series to a Warriors setting, such as the Weapon Triangle, job classes, and support conversations. However to me, it felt like this game was abandoned by the developers halfway through the DLC’s run. Oh well, at least there were plenty of fanservice costumes to enjoy.
**3. [Hyrule Warriors Age of Calamity](https://youtu.be/uDMWRRAEogs):** In a time where everyone was miserable and stuck inside their homes all day, Nintendo casually announced that we’re getting a new Hyrule Warriors game in just a few months! And not only that, it was going to be a prequel of sorts to Breath of the Wild? Set during the events of the Great Calamity? And we get to play as not only the Champions but also the Divine Beasts?! Taking all this into account, it should come as no surprise that Age of Calamity would go on to become the single best selling Warriors game of all time.