The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdomsits comfortably among the more unique and novel entries in theZeldafranchise. While it certainlyrevolutionizes certain elements of theZeldaformula,Echoes of Wisdomis particularly interesting because of how it remixes and iterates upon already-existing mechanics and features, such as the cooking ofBOTWandTOTK, or the cartoonish, chibi-influenced art design of theLink’s Awakeningremake.
It speaks to a broader design trend in modernZelda, that being the series' willingness to embrace change while still being tethered to fundamentals that have existed for decades. For instance, the firstLegend of Zelda’s open-ended exploration with minimal handholding, though obviously rudimentary compared to games of today, seems like a clear precursor to the “open-air” world design ofBreath of the Wild. A slightly more unexpected parallel between new and oldZeldacan be seen inEchoes of Wisdom, whose side-scrolling sections feel oddly similar toThe Adventure of Link, the veritable black sheep of the series' early days.
Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom Suggests Strong 2D Action Could Be in the Series' Future
Buried amidst the manyclassicZeldamechanics thatEchoes of Wisdomrevampsare several side-scrolling sections, often integrated into dungeons or serving as smaller excursions in the overworld. During these shifted-perspective dalliances, the core gameplay is virtually unaltered, the only real change boiling down to the removal of an axis of movement, making the transition smooth and familiar without losing its sense of variety and surprise.
Oftentimes, these snippets of 2D side-scrolling can be amongthe most enjoyable parts ofEchoes of Wisdom, recontextualizing its essential combat and puzzle-solving mechanics, literally granting a different perspective and opening the door to different routes of experimentation. This success makes one wonder why there aren’t more side-scrollingZeldagames. Generally speaking, the franchise will either adhere to a top-down perspective, like that ofEchoes of Wisdom, or a more traditional (at least in the AAA space) 3D, third-person format. But countless hit platformers, Metroidvanias, and adventure games, including many from Nintendo itself, prove that the side-scrolling perspective doesn’t have to be a limitation. Indeed, it can often lead to powerful gameplay, narrative, and artistic opportunities.
Much of this praise can also be applied to theside-scrolling sections of theLink’s Awakeningremake, although to a lesser extent.
An Adventure of Link Reboot Could Be the Perfect Venue for a Side-Scrolling Zelda Adventure
Zelda 2: The Adventure of Linkis usually considered one of the worst gamesin the series. While some fans appreciate its bold departures from its best-selling predecessor, there’s also a sense that it may have thrown the baby out with the bathwater, implementing changes at the expense of core design elements that made the firstZeldagame work so well. The great creative and commercial success of the originalZeldain comparison toLink’s Awakeningis reflected by the series' modus operandi in the subsequent decades;Zeldahas shied away from 2D side-scrolling in favor of more open-ended world design, only dabbling in the concept for the sake of short-lived experimentation and gameplay variety.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. TheZeldaseries has shown consistent improvementover the years, and the side-scrolling aspects ofEchoes of Wisdomare evidence of that: Zelda’s Echo abilities can take on entirely new functionality and utility in these sections, as do her more watered-down platforming capabilities. Maybe a remake ofThe Adventure of Linkcould borrow some of these broad-strokes philosophies, learning fromEchoes of Wisdomand leveraging its unique presentation for effective combat and puzzle-solving systems. Such a creative decision could serve as a great way to redeemZelda 2, taking its good elements, such as its RPG features, and nestling them within a more mechanically engaging framework.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
WHERE TO PLAY
Save Hyrule—this time with the wisdom of Princess Zelda!The people of Hyrule are being stolen away by strange rifts—and with a certain swordsman among the missing, it’s up to Princess Zelda to save her kingdom in the latest adventure in The Legend of Zelda™ series!Team up with the ethereal creature Tri and use the Tri Rod to create “echoes,” which are imitations of things you find in the environment—then recreate those echoes whenever you like to solve puzzles and defeat enemies. Use echoes like water blocks to reach new heights, make bridges out of old beds, throw rocks at foes, or find your own combination of echoes to do things your way. you may even make echoes of monsters to fight at your side in combat!
