Airoheart Draws Inspiration from Link to the Past | Tag Roundup #126

Welcome to TAG Roundup, Featuring Airoheart!

Airoheart was inspired by A Link to the Past, but I’m also getting strong vibes of Secret of Mana. The top-down retro adventure game is in development and looks great so far!

If you want even more gaming news, check out our entire TAG Roundup series! The last post covered an upcoming open-world VR game with lofty ambitions! 

airoheart feature image

Airoheart Mixes Stories, Puzzles, and Combat – Nintendo Life

Developer Pixel Heart Studio claims to emulate A Link to the Past, but I’m pretty sure the opening scene of the Airoheart trailer is right out of Secret of Mana. And that’s okay!

What Secret of Mana gets right, among other things, are a dynamic combat system using weapons and magic, a leveling mechanic for character and equipment, and a story that keeps players interested for dozens of hours. Airoheart boasts these same things while featuring many dungeon crawler scenarios reminiscent of old-school Zelda games.

At the heart – see what I did there – of this 16-bit adventure is a plot of saving England from a dark presence. As your progress through Airoheart, your character gains access to new ways to destroy your foes and save the town.

The 2-minute announcement trailer shows off sword swipes, shield deflects, combat rolls, and projectiles to help you stay alive in the dangerous environment. There are numerous enemies, but the game gives you more than enough ways to defend yourself.

It’s not all killing and doom, though. Airoheart will have classic puzzle sections to test your brain in between fighting. Anyone who has played through a Zelda game will feel immediately comfortable with the simpler puzzles, and I’m excited to see how creative the devs get later in the game.

Equipment seems to play a major role in Airoheart, with your character having substantial inventory space. Players will need to appropriately equip themselves for the current task at hand and adapt to the changing environment.

I really appreciate the artistic design of Airoheart as well. The visuals are lively and the music is on par with some of the best Final Fantasy tracks I’ve heard. Airoheart’s announcement trailer is a small sample size, but hopefully, it is representative of the rest of the game!

Airoheart will have a closed beta in February and will eventually have a full release on the Nintendo Switch and Steam. Check out their website to stay informed about upcoming announcements!

Does Airoheart do enough to fuel your nostalgic Zelda needs? What are some of your fondest memories of top-down story games? Join the conversation in the comments section, below!

Honorable Mentions in Last Week’s Gaming World

  • PC GamesN – A 24-player My Hero Academia battle royale game is on the way
  • WCCF Tech – LEAP is a fast-paced shooter with a variety of unique weapons, movement options, and abilities
  • Koptaku – If you’re looking for a new board game, this list has some great options, including King of Tokyo
  • IGN – Turtle Beach releases a new Xbox controller with an array of customization settings


That’s All For Now

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