Drablands Challenges are more difficult versions of Levels in Tri Force Heroes.
Overview
Drablands Challenges are special challenges added onto regular Levels, making them significantly more difficult. They become available once the main boss of the given Area is defeated. With the exception of the Den of Trials, each Area features Drablands Challenges, where each Level contains three types of challenges, each with varying goals and difficulty. Drablands Challenges can range anywhere from decreasing the Links' Heart Containers, requiring that they clear a Level within a certain time limit, or even neglect to provide them with items intended to solve certain puzzles in favor of different items. In addition to simply providing the Links with new goals, enemies that do not normally appear in the Levels may become present during these challenges. The Material rewards that the Links can earn at the end of a Drablands Challenge differ from the Materials they would receive if they were to complete the Level normally.[1]
Completion List
The Drablands Challenge Completion List is a bulletin board that appears in every lobby of Hytopia Castle, with the exception of the Coliseum lobby. It lists Link's progress in completing the Levels and their Drablands Challenges. Whenever Link completes a Level or a challenge, either over multiplayer or with Doppels, a Triforce-shaped marker will be added to the Completion List to signify its completion. If however Link skips a Level's Stage during single-player, then the Level will not be marked on the list after completing it even though it will still be marked in the Level selection screen. Including the ordinary Levels and all of their Drablands Challenges, there are 128 markers to be filled.
On the bottom screen, Link can also check his completion records cleared only through multiplayer or with Doppels. Two tabs on the bottom screen can be pressed to show these individual records. Including both boards, there are a total of 256 challenges to clear, however each challenge is identical between both modes.
After Link completes all challenges of an Area, King Tuft will reward him with a unique, gold-quality Material (E.g. clearing all Woodlands Levels will award him the Supple Leaf), that can only otherwise be obtained through the Coliseum. After Link clears all 128 challenges on the main Completion List (not including the separate boards), the King will reward him with a Gold Rupee worth 300 Rupees.
Types of Challenges
Challenge | Description | Levels |
---|---|---|
Fewer Heart Containers! |
The Links enter the Level with halved health, reducing their number of Heart Containers to four. The Links can wear Outfits that increase their maximum health, such as the Jack of Hearts, Queen of Hearts, and Lady's Ensemble, to help regain a little of their health. | Deku Forest Forest Temple Water Temple Den of Flames Snowball Ravine Ice Temple The Lady's Lair Infinity Dunes Desert Temple Illusory Mansion Grim Temple Sky Temple |
Clear within the time limit! |
The Links are given a limited amount of time to clear the Level. Hourglasses of varying sizes can be picked up to increase the remaining time: small hourglasses restore 5 seconds, and big hourglasses restore 20. If time runs out, the Links will receive an immediate Game Over. The initial time limit given remains the same when playing with other Links or with Doppels. If the Links lose all of their Hearts and are KOed, they will reappear at the beginning of the Stage with the same amount of time they had when they fell. If the Links are KOed, all hourglasses will reappear as well. If Linebeck's Uniform is worn, an additional 10 seconds is added to the initial time limit for every Link wearing it. |
Deku Forest Buzz Blob Cave Forest Temple Abyss of Agony Cove of Transition Hinox Mine Den of Flames Fire Temple Training Ground Stone Corridors Gibdo Mausoleum Desert Temple Illusory Mansion Grim Temple Deception Castle Sky Temple |
Guard the Orb! |
The Links must transport a glowing Orb that lights a circular area around it. This Orb will protect the Links from a red shade covering the Level, which will harm the Links should they step outside the Orb's radius. At the beginning of each Stage, the Orb rests on a pedestal, and at the end, it must be thrown into another. The Triforce Gateway will not activate until the Orb is placed into the latter. The Orb must be thrown into the cup at the end to open the Triforce Gateway. If the Orb falls down a pit or into water, it will reappear nearby. | Deku Forest Abyss of Agony Frozen Plateau Infinity Dunes Lone Labyrinth |
Pop all balloons! |
A number of red balloons appear in each of the Level's four Stages, including any boss Stages. These balloons must all be popped in order to advance to the next Stage. Some of the balloons float at higher elevations, and require the Links to form a Totem to reach. | Buzz Blob Cave Moblin Base Secret Fortress Blazing Trail Hinox Mine Frozen Plateau Palace Noir |
Clear using only Bombs! |
The Level's ordinary items are replaced with Bombs, requiring the Links to use them more creatively in solving puzzles and defeating enemies. | Buzz Blob Cave |
Defeat all foes sans sword! |
The Links must defeat all enemies without using their Sword, and instead must rely on other items provided in the Level. The button for the Sword is disabled during this challenge. All enemies in a Stage must be defeated in order to proceed to the next. | Moblin Base |
Transport the orb quickly! |
Similar to the "Guard the Orb!" challenge, except there is no damaging red light. The Links must transport an Orb through the Level within a certain amount of time. Varying hourglasses can be picked up to increase the remaining time: small hourglasses restore 5 seconds, and big hourglasses restore 20. If time runs out, the Links will receive an immediate Game Over. At the beginning of each Stage, the Orb rests on a pedestal, and at the end, it must be thrown into another. The Triforce Gateway will not activate until the Orb is placed into the latter. If the Orb falls down a pit or into water, it will reappear nearby. If the Links lose all of their Hearts and are KOed, they will reappear at the beginning of the Stage with the same amount of time they had when they fell. If the Links are KOed, all hourglasses will reappear as well. If Linebeck's Uniform is worn, an additional 10 seconds is added to the initial time limit for every Link wearing it. |
Moblin Base Water Temple Blazing Trail Snowball Ravine Ice Temple Bomb Storage Palace Noir |
Adventure in the dark! |
The entire Level falls pitch dark, with only the Links and available torches providing little light. The Light Armor makes the challenge easier, as it lights a much larger area. | Forest Temple Snowball Ravine Infinity Dunes Lone Labyrinth |
Clear with halved energy! |
Items that use the Energy Gauge will use up double energy. | Secret Fortress Water Temple |
Evade the Wallmaster! |
A Wallmaster will continuously follow the Links throughout the entire Level and must be avoided. If it slams onto one of the Links, it will instantly KO them. It can be defeated, but will soon respawn. | Secret Fortress Cove of Transition Blazing Trail Fire Temple Silver Shrine Sealed Gateway The Lady's Lair Stone Corridors Floating Garden |
Halved attack and defense! |
The Links have their attack power and defense halved, making their attacks do half damage and causing them to take double damage from enemies. The Sword Suit and Sword Master Suit restore damage to regular strength for whichever Link is wearing it, while the Bear Minimum and Cursed Tights cause the Link to suffer quadruple damage. | Abyss of Agony Cove of Transition Silver Shrine Sealed Gateway Training Ground Palace Noir Dragon Citadel |
Don't pop any balloons! |
A number of red balloons appear in each of the Level's four Stages, including any boss Stages. If any of these balloons are popped, it results in instant KO. | Hinox Mine Desert Temple Deception Castle |
Avoid the volcanic rocks! |
Volcanic rocks fall throughout the entire Level. If any of the Links are hit by one, they will be damaged and burned. | Den of Flames Dragon Citadel |
Only Bombs-no swords! |
The Links' items are replaced by Bombs, and their Swords are disabled. The Links must rely entirely on their Bombs to attack and solve puzzles. | Fire Temple The Lady's Lair Gibdo Mausoleum |
Don't get hit by snowballs! |
Snowballs fall throughout the entire Level. If any of the Links are hit by one, they will take damage. | Frozen Plateau Ice Temple |
Win without using a sword! |
The Links are unable to use their Sword, and instead must rely on the Level's items to attack and solve puzzles. The challenge is similar to the "Defeat all foes sans sword" challenge, except not all enemies have to be defeated to proceed. | Silver Shrine Bomb Storage Floating Garden |
Don't drop the pot! |
The Links are provided with a pot which must be safely transported through the entire Level. the pot rests on a pedestal as the Level begins, and once it's picked up, it cannot be set back down. In order to solve puzzles and fight certain enemies, the pot will have to be passed over to another Link when the other is necessary. At the very end of the Level is a red cup that the pot must be thrown into to activate the Triforce Gateway. | Sealed Gateway Training Ground Lone Labyrinth |
Don't fall at all! |
If any of the Links fall down a pit, they will be instantly KOed and the Stage will restart. | Bomb Storage Stone Corridors Illusory Mansion Grim Temple Floating Garden Deception Castle Dragon Citadel |
Avoid falling and quicksand! |
If any of the Links fall down a pit or into quicksand, they will be instantly KOed and the Stage will restart. | Gibdo Mausoleum |
Clear without any items! |
No items are provided for use in the Level. Instead the Links must rely entirely on their Sword or other objects, such as Bomb Flowers, to attack. | Sky Temple |
Trivia
- During the Nintendo Treehouse Live event at E3 2015, the Drablands Challenges were known as Challenge Courses.[2]
- Although the cancel button used to forego a Drablands Challenge simply reads "No", its internal text description is "Do that hero thing you do!".[citation needed]
- The rim of the pedestal on which Link must place the Orb or Pot resembles King Tuft's collar and hair curls.
Nomenclature
Names in Other Regions | |||
---|---|---|---|
Language | Name | Meaning | |
EnglishUK | Bonus Challenge | ||
FrenchCA | Missions spéciales | Special missions | |
FrenchEU | Défis spéciaux | Special challenges | |
SpanishEU | Misiones especiales | Special missions | |
SpanishLA | Misiones especiales | Special missions |