Summary
As much as Link is an iconic gaming hero, featured in nearly every entry ofThe Legend Of Zeldafranchise, people have wanted more characters.The Legend Of Zelda: Echoes Of Wisdomis a showcase of that want for a different protagonist, as fans flocked to the opportunity to play as Princess Zelda.
However,Echoes Of Wisdomis not the only game to feature different playable characters, with Princess Zelda being only one of them. Nintendo has experimented withThe Legend Of Zelda, dating back to the early 90s to today with the Nintendo Switch, giving gamers unique experiences within the world of Hyrule.
Thanks to memes and edits on the internet,Zelda: The Wand Of Gamelonhas been cemented as part of gaming history but not in the best way. It was the first time Princess Zelda was playable in her own adventure, but it and its sister game,Link: The Faces Of Evil, have gone down as notoriously panned games forthe failed Philips CD-I console, which was quickly forgotten.
Rather than a top-down view,Zelda: The Wand Of Gamelongoes back to the sidescrolling style ofZelda 2: The Adventure Of Link, but with animated cutscenes and counterintuitive controls. Besides being able to play as Zelda, most fans consider the CD-I game one of the worst of the beloved franchise.
Another game for the CD-I and one that stepped away from the animated cutscenes and embraced live-action FMV in the style of the originalThe Legend Of Zelda, making for a strange adventure. However, the live-action visuals for the sprites and environments inZelda’s Adventureare considered only slightly better than the other CD-I games.
Princess Zelda was also the main hero inZelda’s Adventure, trying to save Link from Ganon in the world of Tolemac. It is considered to have far more novelty with its style with bizarre characters and voice-acting, but it isa harderLegend Of Zeldagame to own today, with copies fetching a high price and the CD-I consoles notorious for rarely working.
6Freshly-Picked Tingle’s Rosy Rupeeland
The Strangeness Helps Tingle’s Spin-Off Stand Out
Of all the characters that have appeared inThe Legend Of Zeldagames, few fans expecteda polarizing character like Tingleto get one, let alone two in a franchise. In the first game,Freshly-Picked Tingle’s Rosy Rupeeland, gamers who love to collect in-game currencies can rejoice as the whole object of the game is to collect as many rupees as possible as Tingle.
The story ofFreshly-Picked Tingle’s Rosy Rupeelandis bizarre, as Tingle is guided by a sentient rupee to collect as much of the gem-like currency via completing missions across the land. It has very little to do withThe Legend Of Zelda, which is partially why the game was only ever released in Europe and Japan.
5Ripened Tingle’s Balloon Trip of Love
A Quasi-Dating RPG In The Zelda Universe
Tingle’s second game,Ripened Tingle’s Balloon Trip Of Lovefeatures Tingle going on an adventure inspired byThe Wizard Of Oz, featuring a scarecrow, a robot, and a lion joining the titular hero as he searches for love in a fantasy world, while happening to fight a great evil along the way inone of the most unusual Zelda games.
The Tingle adventure was exclusive to Japan, but its weird yet appealing characters and world-building led toRipened Tingle’s Balloon Trip Of Lovegetting a dedicated fan-made translation in the ROM and emulation community. Over the years, it has turned into an underrated gem among fans of Zelda, showing the benefits of emulators.
AfterCrypt Of The NecroDancerbecame a surprise success, the same developers were able to use their roguelike rhythm game template withThe Legend Of ZeldaviaCadence Of Hyrule. It was praised for its soundtrack backed by addictive and challenging gameplay that forces the player to move and attack in sync with the beat.
Link is still a main character inCadence Of Hyrule, but Princess Zelda can be chosen as the hero. However, Cadence fromCrypt Of The NecroDancer, Impa, Shadow Link, and other characters can be unlocked or purchased. The game waspraised as a well-made rhythm game, a genre that is rare to find these days.
Nintendo has a tendency to experiment with their spin-offs by collaborating with other studios andHyrule Warriorsis an example of that, developed by Koei Tecmo. The simplest summary of Hyrule Warriors is that it isDynasty Warriorsbut set inThe Legend Of Zeldauniverse, with a plethora of characters to choose from, both familiar and original.
Zelda, Impa, Ganon, Ruto, Darunia, Zant, Midna, Agitha, and Fi are only the tip of theHyrule Warriorsiceberg, as the roster features twenty-nine playable characters. Thanks to the game’s story bouncingacross the era of the massiveZeldatimeline, fans can battle hordes of enemies from many versions of Hyrule, with hundreds of hours worth of content in the story and other modes.
So much ofBreath Of The Wildis focused on Link unlocking his memories from one century before his reawakening in Hyrule, revealing so much history before Calamity Ganon came along. So, fans were thrilled to experience events during that time inHyrule Warriors: Age Of Calamity.
The firstHyrule Warriorsmay feature more characters, butAge Of Calamitytook the formula of the gameplay and improved upon it, adding new mechanics and abilities. The maps are also more intricate, with as much of a challenge roaming them as it is taking on legions of enemies, and the story is more character-driven, with voice acting and cutscenes fleshing outBreath Of The Wildlore.
1The Legend Of Zelda: Echoes Of Wisdom
A Classic Zelda Experience Starring The Princess Herself
In most cases, Princess Zelda is a bonus character for players to choose from, butThe Legend Of Zelda: Echoes Of Wisdomis the first game in thirty years in which she is the main character. Built off theLink’s Awakeningremake,Echoes Of Wisdomfeatures Zelda going on an open-world adventure in Hyrule,with traditional dungeons to traverseand a classic top-down perspective.
Echoes Of Wisdomalso stands out fromLink’s Awakeningthanks to its unique gameplay for Zelda, who uses magic to fight her way through Hyrule. She can create echo clones of items and enemies to fight or solve puzzles, forcing players to use more strategy. Along with plenty of side quests and memorable characters,Echoes Of Wisdomquickly impressed longtime fans.
