Review: Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer Featuring The Legend of Zelda (Nintendo Switch)

Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer Featuring The Legend of Zelda has one of the longest titles of any game I’ve ever reviewed. I won’t count that against the game, but in the interest of saving some keystrokes, I’ll be referring to it from now on as simply “Cadence of Hyrule”. A first for Zelda spin-off games, Cadence of Hyrule features rhythm-based movement and combat with a top-down perspective–something that was present in the game’s bigger brother, Crypt of the NecroDancer. While this title certainly adds a fresh twist to the familiar Zelda gameplay, is it enough to woo those who might be on the fence about the game?

First things first, for those who haven’t played Crypt of the NecroDancer, Cadence of Hyrule asks players to move and attack to the beat (in its default mode). At the bottom of the screen, players will see a metronome that will help players keep in sync. This is only visible when there are enemies on-screen. If you’ve vanquished all the enemies or happen to be on a simple exploration screen, players can move freely without the need to be with the beat. Also, I should clarify, you can technically move freely during battles as well, but if you’re off-beat, the game will let you know by slowing you down or causing you to miss an attack. This could even lead to being on the receiving end of an enemy’s attack.

Also, a huge shout-out to one of my fellow writers, Seth Cano, for this gameplay tip–I mentioned a ‘default mode’ above, but it’s important to also mention there is a Fixed Beat Mode. What a difference that mode made for me! Never have I experienced a simple settings toggle have such an impact on my enjoyment of a game. It immediately alleviated my frustrations with the imposed beat-keeping mechanics. The metronome is removed from the bottom of the screen and players are free to move at any time. As soon as the player moves, enemies will move as well–similar to the game Superhot. This made my experience much more enjoyable but I can see why the developers might not want this as the default mode. It sort of short-circuits the uniqueness of the game’s gameplay. That said, I’m very happy the mode was included for those impatient gamers such as myself :D

Playing the game with a friend was also a welcome addition and I thank the developers for including it. Two players can play side-by-side for the whole game, not just co-op specific levels which you find in so many games. Solving basic puzzles on each screen, finding hidden grottos, fighting enemies, and even the boss battles were all very fun with a friend along for the ride. The puzzles won’t be quite as involved as traditional Zelda titles, but they did offer a nice change of pace.

From a visual and audio perspective, enough can’t be said for this game–it’s quite simply fantastic. The pixel art feels like the spiritual successor of The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap and I’d love to see more of this type of art style from Nintendo with future top-down, 2D Zelda games. The animations are fluid and expertly crafted and, my goodness the soundtrack, what a treat on its own! I don’t usually recommend a game based solely on visuals or soundtrack, but Cadence of Hyrule may be my first.

Cadence of Hyrule didn’t click with me at first but the Fixed Beat Mode really helped. Without that mode, I don’t think this game would have as much appeal but the developers were wise to include it. With such a great visual presentation and an excellent soundtrack, players need to check out Cadence of Hyrule even if they’re just a little curious. The gameplay may trip you up as it did for me, but check out the Fixed Beat Mode–you’ll be glad you did!