Nintendo
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom - Zelda proves she can be as fit as Link to save Hyrule
It is Princess Zelda’s turn to save Hyrule.
Princess Zelda is one of the most important characters in video games. One of the longest-running franchises bears her name, but she has never officially been the heroine of her title like other big names in the company such as Mario, Donkey Kong, or Kirby. 2024 is the year that Nintendo’s most emblematic princesses had their moment in the spotlight, and while Peach had a very modest experience in her theatrical play, Zelda comes to show us that even without Link, the Triforce of Wisdom is enough to save Hyrule.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is the latest title in The Legend of Zelda franchise, mixing past and present mechanics that we have seen in the most recent titles. In this installment, the big twist is that after more than 35 years, Zelda becomes the protagonist of this adventure. A series of rifts have appeared throughout Hyrule and not to fail, the princess of the kingdom is kidnapped by Ganon. The game begins with the rescue of the princess by a mysterious swordsman named Link, who accomplishes the task, but not before being captured by this rift, allowing the princess to escape and report back to the court of the King of Hyrule. However, the rifts continue to grow and take over the kingdom. It is here that Zelda meets Tri, a small spirit who allows her to begin the process of repairing these rifts, as well as using the Echoes, copies of objects and creatures that will allow the princess to achieve her goal.
An adventure that blends past and present
The most recent experiences of the saga have been a total change in the way we play The Legend of Zelda, but if anything, this installment offers us a mix that brings back the classic magic of the dungeons, with a more structured story, but without abandoning the freedom that the most recent titles have given us. If you are a fan of the series, you will find a title that shows the visual art of the remake of Link’s Awakening, with the freedom of the items of A Link Between Worlds, as well as the creativity that Breath of the Wild or Tears of the Kingdom have given to the franchise in recent years. It’s a unique mix that perfectly encapsulates the franchise’s experience on Nintendo’s hybrid console.
But what makes Echoes of Wisdom so special? Beyond Zelda’s control, it is the game’s approach to making her a character who, on this occasion, is responsible for saving Hyrule, even rescuing the traditional hero of the saga. Although the Princess has never been a warrior, she has always been known for her wisdom, and on this occasion, her use of the Echoes stands out. Thanks to the power of the Tri, as we advance, defeat enemies or find new objects, we will have their copies at our disposal. In the beginning, the number will be limited to the power of this interdimensional being, but as we progress, some Echoes will require less power, or Tri will receive power from his friends. How we choose the Echoes is also part of the experience. The best strategy or the best Echo to use depends entirely on the user: Is it better to use the Moblin with a sword or a spear? Is it better to use a pile of stacked beds or water blocks to climb that chest? The type of echo or your creativity is part of how you tackle not only enemies, but also traditional dungeons and puzzles.
As for other elements of the gameplay, we have the use of Tri to move some objects. Very much in the style of the Ultra Hand from Tears of the Kingdom, here we can carry not only objects, enemies and echoes to help us along the way, but even certain weapons and bosses. For its part, we can be “carried” by the natural movement of certain enemies and objects around us, becoming a new approach in how to solve some of the puzzles that we find along the way. In addition, like Link, Zelda can use a horse to transport faster throughout Hyrule, as well as a series of points that, when activated, we can make a quick trip between points that are really important in our journey through Hyrule.
And of course, there will be times when the power of the echoes is not enough and we will have to use another power. At one point in the story, we will have access to Link’s classic weapons, starting with his sword. This will turn Zelda into a skilled warrior, but only for a limited time. As our adventure progresses, we will be able to increase both the time we can be transformed and the power of these weapons, of course, by collecting the right items.
The freedom to tell your story
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom brings back the many dungeons we love from the series, but with a twist. Once again, we have a title with a twist, and instead of relying on the dungeon item to solve our problems, the Echoes are our tools. The story will lead us in a linear way at some points, only to give us free rein later on to complete missions all over the map of Hyrule. We come across areas where we have to help Tri fix the cracks, enter the Still World, a dimension where the cracks have taken away part of the Hyrule we know, and we have to rescue Tri’s companions to fix these areas. After fixing these small cracks, it will be time to fix the larger ones, but not before helping the people of Hyrule. Again, this structure allows us to tell our own version of the game, with different paths to reach the same points in the story.
This Hyrule is a very special version. Though at first it seemed like the map would be the same as A Link to the Past, the world presented in Echoes of Wisdom shows us a map that is more mixed and inspired by what we have seen in recent years, with a glimpse into the past. Two interacting tribes of Zoras, Gerudo warriors more akin to Breath of the Wild, are just the beginning. It’s a Hyrule full of possibilities, and one that explores this corner of the game world very well.
On the other hand, and keeping elements of the last titles, Echoes of Wisdom allows the mechanic of cooking, but with a twist. Along the way, Zelda will find certain foods that she can mix in the stalls of some Deku to make smoothies. These will confer properties such as restoring hearts or some kind of defense or power. Similarly, if we can make a mixture that does not combine well, we will have a product that even Zelda herself will show her displeasure with.
Visually, we find ourselves with an extremely beautiful installment. Using the same style as the remake of Link’s Awakening released 5 years ago, Echoes of Wisdom looks phenomenal, improving a lot on the work done with the previous game. The use of side-perspective levels has also completely increased, further exploring the gameplay possibilities.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom comes to show us the good fortune that the Nintendo Switch has had throughout its life cycle. To start with a title of The Legend of Zelda that came to change everything in the franchise and its almost announced decline, comes to end with a title that represents a great middle ground, is something that many brands would like. Although the title recycles many elements, the way the gameplay allows us to have a Princess Zelda capable of fending for herself is extremely satisfying.