The New Zelda Most Fashionable Installment Yet

In Tri Force Heroes, Zelda‘s latest installment for the 3DS and second multiplayer installment, Link and the inhabitants of the world he will be saving will be in high style. In fact, fashion will be such a focus of the game, that the plot will revolve around curing a princess of a curse that makes her clothing ugly. Director Shikata has described the inhabitants of the new game’s world as “fashionable,” and Link himself will be able to collect various outfits that give him new abilities to help him in his quest.

What’s exciting about the costumes of Tri Force Heroes is that they not only provide power ups, but they impact how the player interacts with his or her team and open up new experiences in dungeons, granting the game greater replay value. As our E3 team found when playing the demo of the game, what item and outfit you choose determines your role on your three-person team. Wearing the Zelda dress, for example, raises the player’s chances of finding hearts in pots and when killing baddies, which means a player wearing the dress will stop to fight monsters and break pots when the team’s shared health gets low.

Nintendo has also revealed that the game will include a feature that will allow for further customization or upgrades of outfits in the game. Exactly how these upgrades or customization would work or how extensive it will be has yet to be revealed. Our Editor in Chief Jeff Edelstein has speculated it could be an upgrade system much like that in Skyward Sword.

There’s no telling just how many costumes are in the game and all the abilities they might grant. Below are the costumes we currently know about, and those we have speculated will be included in the game based on official art.

Confirmed Costumes

Zelda Dress

Adorably enough, our favorite hero is trying out something a little different this game. Link can rock the princess’ dress and find more hearts along the way.

Lucky Loungewear

For those who like to take on monsters, this loungewear, which looks like something a jester would wear, will allow the wearer to dodge hits at random times from enemies, which can definitely come in handy in combat.

Big Bomb Outfit

Reminiscent of the Bomb Mask from Majora’s Mask, this outfit grants Link more explosive power when he equips bombs.

Spin Attack Attire

This attire, resembling the armor of a samurai warrior, gives Link’s spin attack more power.

Kokiri Clothes

[No picture yet available]

The familiar green clothes from games past, with some tweaks (apparently, it comes with a pointed hat this time) grants the player increased bow and arrow. This is a good outfit to wear if the player decides to enter a dungeon with the bow and arrow.

Hero’s Clothes

Link’s default clothing in the game and grants Link no special abilities. Some veterans may prefer this outfit for the sake of tradition or use it for a greater challenge.

Goron Outfit

[No picture yet available]

This costume will grant the player wearing it invulnerability to heat, allowing him or her to swim in lava.

Costumes in Official Art

Cat Suit (?)

This adorable feline suit was spied in a piece of official art revealed during E3. What power up this suit would grant Link remains to be seen, although some speculate it may give Link greater speed–especially since it bears a spotted cheetah pattern.

Royal Garb (?)

In two pieces of official art, Links have been seen donning a crown, cape, and triforce belt. One of the pictures makes it appear as if the garb grants Link the power to wield fire balls, like a powered up Mario, but in another picture, we can clearly see the Link wearing the costume is receiving the fire balls from a Link in the ordinary Hero’s Clothes, so the fireballs appear to be a separate item. Exactly what this outfit is based on (if anything in the Zeldaverse) or what power it grants is still unknown.

Martial Arts Outfit (?)

Link looks like a real fighter in this outfit. It’s unclear what power these clothes might grant the player, but the Link wearing them is depicted using a boomerang, which suggests the costume amplifies or boosts this item in some way.

These are the only known costumes at this time, as indicated from the demo play and official art, but it’s become clear there will be more costumes available in the game.

Sources: Nintendo E3 Digital Event, Everything We Know About Tri Force Heroes