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The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom blends the series’ classic structure with innovative gameplay, creating an experience that feels both nostalgic and modern.

Much like the Super Mario series, Nintendo’s Legend of Zelda franchise now appears to alternate between two distinct styles. On one side are the increasingly epic, large-scale adventures of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. On the other side are more traditional, seemingly smaller-scale titles, such as 2019’s beautiful remake of Link’s Awakening and now, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom.

At first glance, Echoes of Wisdom appears to follow in the footsteps of titles like A Link Between Worlds and The Minish Cap, games traditionally suited to Nintendo’s handheld platforms. It presents a smaller canvas, offering a distinctly different experience from the expansive, all-consuming worlds of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. Yet, beneath its deceptively simple surface lies a game that continually surprises with its depth and creativity.

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

The early hours of Echoes of Wisdom are a delightful showcase of that scope. There’s a comforting familiarity that captures the warm glow of a ‘small Zelda’ adventure, but it’s coupled with a spirit of invention. This sense of change is heightened by the absence of series protagonist Link, who is pulled away from Hyrule, giving Princess Zelda her long-overdue chance to save the world.

Armed with the magical Tri Rod, Zelda gains the power to summon echoes of objects and creatures encountered during her journey. These echoes range from items that aid in traversal, like trampolines and crates, to beasties like Redeads and Lynels that follow her commands and attack enemies. This mechanic makes the game’s scope feel almost limitless, as if anything is possible in this condensed, carefully crafted world. And while Echoes of Wisdom doesn’t quite reach the heights of its own ambitions, it comes remarkably close.

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

The use of echoes means that traditional combat mechanics take a backseat, though they aren’t entirely absent. An early power-up offers limited access to Link’s core toolset, but the game encourages players to experiment with the 100+ collectible echoes rather than relying solely on sword and arrow attacks.

The shift can be disorienting at first. Casting echoes to do your dirty work requires more patience and thought than a traditional spin attack, but it’s a welcome change that adds freshness to familiar systems. While players may naturally favor a few go-to items, the game rewards using all the echoes at your disposal. Some can reveal hidden pathways, while others might effortlessly clear a camp of Moblins on your behalf. Using a cooked fish to distract attacking crows is the perfect example of how the game’s mechanics can delight in unexpected and humorous ways.

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

Despite the new approach to action, Echoes of Wisdom treads familiar ground in terms of structure. Much of what’s here has been seen before. For instance, Tri, the accompanying sprite who grants powers and gameplay tips, follows in the grand tradition of, erm, fan-favourite characters like Navi, Fi, and Midna. The blend of overworld exploration and dungeon crawling adheres to the standard formula of pre-Breath of the Wild titles, while the central concept of rifts that steal away Hyrule’s citizens brings Miitopia to mind, of all things.

I expect that fans of traditional Zelda dungeon design won’t mind this familiarity at all. The dungeons are a real treat, after all. Each is an increasingly elaborate construction that strikes the perfect balance between challenge and accessibility. It’s here that the game’s roots as a potential ‘Zelda maker’ project are most apparent. Yet, every dungeon still feels meticulously handcrafted, with cleverly designed puzzles that encourage creativity and can accommodate a range of solutions.

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

The game builds on the aesthetic foundations established by the Link’s Awakening remake for Switch, also developed by Nintendo’s partner studio, Grezzo. Its toy-like art style lends the same cosy, nostalgic feel, yet it immediately distinguishes itself with an improved control scheme. Unlike Link, who was restricted to eight rigid directions, Zelda enjoys full 360-degree movement. It’s a significant improvement that makes traversal feel more fluid. And yes, Zelda even gets a horse, making it easier to explore this expanded kingdom of Hyrule.

Not everything in Echoes of Wisdom shines, however. Following that exciting opening, the game’s first act may deter some players due to its slow pace in building a sense of urgency. This is further hampered by stilted cutscenes that lack the fluidity of the gameplay and unfold all too sluggishly. If you’ve played the recent remake of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, you’ll recognise Nintendo’s familiar, unhurried approach to storytelling. These sequences feel out of place in a game that otherwise thrives on responsiveness. I’m not advocating that the series needs voice acting, but a little more energy and dramatic heft would be welcome.

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

Thankfully, Echoes of Wisdom is more successful at making Zelda’s starring role a meaningful one. The concept of conjuring echoes ties in with her role as the bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom, and her interactions with the people of Hyrule subtly challenges Link’s status as the franchise’s de facto hero. She is a wonderful new protagonist, and the change will hopefully open up even more opportunities for the series to explore new gameplay ideas.

Despite the positive shift in protagonist, Echoes of Wisdom also stays true to the Zelda tradition of making the journey feel like a personal adventure. Whether it’s through the world’s intimate scale or the playful chaos of creating echoes, the game consistently ensures that the experience feels uniquely yours. Zelda may wield the Tri Rod, but the sense of discovery, ingenuity, and heroism remains, as always in this series, firmly in the player’s hands.

Game: The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Developer: Grezzo/Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date: September 27, 2024

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom review

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
4.5 5 0 1
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom strikes a delicate balance between the familiar and the new. Smaller in scale but large in heart, it reaffirms why the series has endured for so long and points to a bright and exciting future.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom strikes a delicate balance between the familiar and the new. Smaller in scale but large in heart, it reaffirms why the series has endured for so long and points to a bright and exciting future.
4.5 rating
4.5/5
Total Score
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