Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity turns the Hyrule of Breath of the Wild into a battlefield. Link, Zelda, Impa and the four Champions face Ganon’s armies, capture outposts and protect their allies. Sheikah Slate runes create openings against powerful enemies, while character switching helps you respond to objectives across the map.
Our Age of Calamity walkthrough covers the story missions and important battles.
| Original platform | Nintendo Switch |
|---|---|
| Original European release | November 20, 2020 |
| Genre | Action / Musou |
| Developer | Omega Force, in collaboration with Nintendo |
| Players | 1–2; local co-op |
| German age rating | USK 12 |
A familiar kingdom with a different story
The characters, regions and approaching Calamity come from Breath of the Wild, but events develop into a separate story involving changes to the timeline. Later chapters reveal how this version of the conflict unfolds.
The Hyrule map offers major story battles, smaller challenges and quests for the kingdom’s inhabitants. Supplying materials can unlock combos, extra hearts and useful facilities. Check available upgrades between missions to prepare for the next battle.
Runes and different fighting styles
Remote Bombs, Stasis, Magnesis and Cryonis can counter specific enemy attacks. Watch for the rune prompt to interrupt the attack and expose an opening. Each character uses the runes differently, so learning Link’s attacks does not teach you every detail of Impa’s or Zelda’s fighting style.
Elemental rods, Special Attacks and weak-point gauges provide other opportunities. Against a strong opponent, waiting for a counter can be more effective than attacking constantly. Order allies toward distant objectives, then switch to them when you need to act there.
Divine Beasts and preparation
Some missions put you in control of the Divine Beasts. Their weapons and range require different priorities from the battles fought on foot.
Fuse weapons to improve them, collect materials and choose useful meals before deployment. Consider a weapon’s seals as well as its attack value: an additional effect can make a particular challenge easier.
Co-op and the Expansion Pass
Two players can share one Switch in local split-screen co-op and divide up the mission’s objectives. The original Switch game does not offer an online co-op campaign.
The separately sold Expansion Pass adds weapon types, characters, battles and Apocalyptic difficulty. These additions are separate from the original 2020 base game. Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition from 2018 is a different game with a different campaign.
Announced for Switch 2: Definitive Edition
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity – Definitive Edition is scheduled for February 25, 2027 on Nintendo Switch 2. Nintendo has announced improved visuals and frame rate, more enemies on screen, the Expansion Pass content and a new Calamity Mode. Existing Switch save data can be transferred. This is an upcoming separate release; the walkthrough’s original campaign is based on the Switch game.