[Zeta Dragoon]

Premise

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom: It's up to Zelda and her wisdom to save the kingdom of Hyrule in a brand-new story in The Legend of Zelda series. The people of Hyrule are being stolen away by strange rifts that have appeared, with a certain swordsman among the missing.

Team up with the mysterious fairy, Tri, and use the power of the Tri Rod to create echoes – imitations of things found in the environment. Then recreate those echoes whenever you like to solve puzzles and defeat enemies. Use echoes of water blocks to reach new heights, make bridges out of old beds, throw rocks at foes – or find your own creative combination of echoes to do things your way. You can even create echoes of monsters to fight at your side in combat.

Join Zelda in her quest to rescue Hyrule when The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom launches for Nintendo Switch on Sept. 26.

Trailers

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom – Announcement Trailer – Nintendo Switch


The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom – Traversing Hyrule Trailer – Nintendo Switch


The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom — Into the Still World, a Journey Continued — Nintendo Switch


The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom — Overview Trailer — Nintendo Switch


The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom – Launch Trailer – Nintendo Switch


Screenshots

General Information
Title: The Legend of Zelda: Echos of Wisdom
Genre: Action Adventure
Release Date: September 26th, 2024
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
Standard Edition Cost: $60.00
Developer: GREZZO
Publisher: Nintendo
Directors:
Tomomi Sano - Nintendo
Satoshi Terada - Grezzo - Art style, 3D backgrounds, and lighting
Producer: Eiji Aonuma
Illustrator: ???
Composers: ???

Editions

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond for Nintendo Switch unveiled in latest Nintendo Direct presentation - News - Nintendo Official Site

The newest Nintendo Direct presentation featured a broad variety of games coming to the Nintendo Switch™ system in 2024 and beyond, including the first look at Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and the reveal of The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, as well …

www.nintendo.com

Ask the Developer Blog

Ask the Developer: Echos of Wisdom - Part 1

Ask the Developer Vol. 13, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom — Part 1 - News - Nintendo Official Site

This article has been translated from the original Japanese content. Some of the images and videos shown in text were created during development. In this thirteenth volume of Ask the Developer, an interview series in which Nintendo developers convey…

www.nintendo.com

Ask the Developer: Echos of Wisdom - Part 2

Ask the Developer Vol. 13, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom — Part 2 - News - Nintendo Official Site

This article has been translated from the original Japanese content. Some of the images and videos shown in text were created during development. In this thirteenth volume of Ask the Developer, an interview series in which Nintendo developers convey…

www.nintendo.com

Ask the Developer: Echos of Wisdom - Part 3

Ask the Developer Vol. 13, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom — Part 3 - News - Nintendo Official Site

This article has been translated from the original Japanese content. Some of the images and videos shown in text were created during development. In this thirteenth volume of Ask the Developer, an interview series in which Nintendo developers convey…

www.nintendo.com

Ask the Developer: Echos of Wisdom - Part 4

Ask the Developer Vol. 13, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom — Part 4 - News - Nintendo Official Site

This article has been translated from the original Japanese content. Some of the images and videos shown in text were created during development. In this thirteenth volume of Ask the Developer, an interview series in which Nintendo developers convey…

www.nintendo.com

Articles and Previews

10 Things You Need to Know from the New Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom Trailer - IGN

Nintendo just dropped a new six-minute Echoes of Wisdom trailer detailing settlements around Hyrule and Zelda’s wild new Bind ability that looks like her version of Link’s Ultrahand power from The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Much like the world of Hyrule, the footage was stuffed with...

www.ign.com

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom showcases dungeons, Swordfighter Form, and more in new Into the Still World trailer | RPG Site

Zelda can take on adversaries, by creating echoes, using automatons, or by wielding a sword - at least for a little while.

www.rpgsite.net

Note this Preview has some spoilers.

Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom balances creativity, improvisation, & fulfillment to make something special - Preview | RPG Site

If this game is the blueprint that will define the Princess of Hyrule's playstyle moving forward, she absolutely needs more games where she's the main character because this was a blast to play.

www.rpgsite.net

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom summons a new Overview Trailer that summarizes Zelda's upcoming game | RPG Site

A meaty 6-minute trailer that succinctly sums up all the defining features in the next entry in The Legend of Zelda.

www.rpgsite.net

Reviews

D-Pad Review Thread

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom Review Thread

COGconnected - James Paley - 85 / 100 Quote not yet available Cerealkillerz - Steve Brieller - German - 9.3 / 10 The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom blends classic Zelda gameplay with innovative mechanics, allowing players creative approaches. Zeldas ability to summon Echoes adds depth...

d-pad.life

 

[kreen101]

Looks super easy.

 

[Franky Family]

Just like TOTK I'm going to try not to spoil anything for a few months. Can't wait to see how this game plays out as Zelda has been moving back closer to its glory days ever since 2017

 

[Bullet Club]

It looks like it should be good fun.

 

[AJUMP23]

Looks like a really fun game.

 

[WesternBlood]

The mix of 3d perspective top down with side scrolling platforming is the best Legend of Zelda play style.

 

[Bullet Club]

 

[Franky Family]

Looks like we're getting our money's worth with Echoes of Wisdom. Reported to be 8x the size of Link's Awakening. Now that's what I'm talking about fatboy

Oops, the new Zelda game is "8 times the size" of Link's Awakening because Nintendo and Echoes of Wisdom devs just couldn't help themselves

As longtime Zelda fans, Grezzo developers got a little carried away

www.gamesradar.com

 

[HeresJohnny]

Zelda-themed Switch lite in stock at Nintendo.

 

[Franky Family]

Played roughly 45 minutes of Echoes of Wisdom last night and the beginning of the game is fun. More exciting than your typical Zelda intro

 

[John Day]

Should be good fun while at work.

 

[JORMBO]

My only gripe is that all the items are on one menu kind of like BOTW and TOTK. Sometimes you have to change up items a bunch of times one after another. So it ends up being a bunch of menu scrolling. I don't have that many yet, but I can see this becoming really annoying really quick.

 

[John Day]

My only gripe is that all the items are on one menu kind of like BOTW and TOTK. Sometimes you have to change up items a bunch of times one after another. So it ends up being a bunch of menu scrolling. I don't have that many yet, but I can see this becoming really annoying really quick.

Does the game pauses in these instances?

 

[JORMBO]

Does the game pauses in these instances?

yes

 

[zero]

I'm finding it pretty boring so far. The beginning of the game is sleep inducing

 

[zero]

God I miss the old days, where you just jumped right into the overworld. Now, I have to do a boring tutorial with Link, then I have to talk to a bunch of stupid villagers, then talk to the king and his stupid attendants, then do a boring stealth section, then watch more boring dialog with Impa, zzzzzzzzzzz

Link to the Past had you waking up during a stormy night and heading right to the castle and fighting knights with epic music playing. THAT'S HOW YOU FUCKING START A GAME

 

[Franky Family]

God I miss the old days, where you just jumped right into the overworld. Now, I have to do a boring tutorial with Link, then I have to talk to a bunch of stupid villagers, then talk to the king and his stupid attendants, then do a boring stealth section, then watch more boring dialog with Impa, zzzzzzzzzzz

Link to the Past had you waking up during a stormy night and heading right to the castle and fighting knights with epic music playing. THAT'S HOW YOU FUCKING START A GAME

A Link to the Past is kind of an anomaly though. Besides the first two Zelda games, and ALttP of course, which other ones catapult you right into the action? Your expectations are slightly unreasonable. Games now usually experiment with and eventually implement some form of new mechanics and system to give (hopefully) entirely new and satisfying experiences when playing said games. Nintendo is especially persistent in that way with their innovations. In the past, Nintendo pursued innovation almost to a fault imo. The beginning of Echoes of Wisdom has been good so far imo, but I've only played the very beginning where they're starting to establish the gameplay

 

[Neil Young]

A Link to the Past is kind of an anomaly though. Besides the first two Zelda games, and ALttP of course, which other ones catapult you right into the action? Your expectations are slightly unreasonable. Games now usually experiment with and eventually implement some form of new mechanics and system to give (hopefully) entirely new and satisfying experiences when playing said games. Nintendo is especially persistent in that way with their innovations. In the past, Nintendo pursued innovation almost to a fault imo. The beginning of Echoes of Wisdom has been good so far imo, but I've only played the very beginning where they're starting to establish the gameplay

Jesus man, does Nintendo cut you a check?

 

[JORMBO]

I finished the game yesterday. Nothing in the game will blow your mind, but it was an enjoyable experience throughout the whole playtime. The only gripe is the one from my initial impressions. I think they could have limited the echoes. Everything becomes and echo, but I did not use most of them. It just becomes clutter on the menu. Overall I'd give the game an 8/10.

 

[zero]

I played a little more of it, it's fun enough I guess but nothing mind blowing. I do sort of like how Zelda gives you more of a mage type gameplay experience while Link has always been a straight forward warrior. I feel so jaded lately. It's getting harder and harder for games to hold my interest for very long.

I tried playing Cassette Beasts just now. The first screen after you start the game asks you to create a character and asked for my name and my pro nouns. I immediately deleted the game from my hard drive.

 

[Hardensoul]

Played roughly 45 minutes of Echoes of Wisdom last night and the beginning of the game is fun. More exciting than your typical Zelda intro

Like the way the controls were introduced! The opening is your introduction tutorial! Which is great opening!

 

[Hardensoul]

God I miss the old days, where you just jumped right into the overworld. Now, I have to do a boring tutorial with Link, then I have to talk to a bunch of stupid villagers, then talk to the king and his stupid attendants, then do a boring stealth section, then watch more boring dialog with Impa, zzzzzzzzzzz

Link to the Past had you waking up during a stormy night and heading right to the castle and fighting knights with epic music playing. THAT'S HOW YOU FUCKING START A GAME

You didn't have to talk to anyone but can walk straight to the King!

 

[Hardensoul]

Glad they made Zelda playing differently, was hoping she was more of a projectile mage. Zelda to me plays more like Diablo 2 Necromancer.

Really don't like sword mode, only because I didn't want to play like Link. But I had to at times because certain bosses will just take too long without sword mode.

So far I'm really enjoying Echoes and the new play style playing as Zelda!

 

[Optimus]

Alright, be honest d-padders, how easy is this Zelda game? At any point, does it even play like a core Zelda game (ie. sword, shield, boomerang, bow)?

My wife is probably gonna buy this game, and I don't have the heart to tell her I planned on skipping it. I played Link's Awakening and still don't think it's a very good Zelda game. I'm still very much of the mind that LttP and OoT are the classic Zeldas.

 

[Hardensoul]

My only gripe is that all the items are on one menu kind of like BOTW and TOTK. Sometimes you have to change up items a bunch of times one after another. So it ends up being a bunch of menu scrolling. I don't have that many yet, but I can see this becoming really annoying really quick.

Agree, there are extra buttons there that could be set for favorite Echoes. Wish we could unlearn some, so that it doesn't come up on the quick( not quick) menu!

 

[Hardensoul]

Alright, be honest d-padders, how easy is this Zelda game? At any point, does it even play like a core Zelda game (ie. sword, shield, boomerang, bow)?

My wife is probably gonna buy this game, and I don't have the heart to tell her I planned on skipping it. I played Link's Awakening and still don't think it's a very good Zelda game. I'm still very much of the mind that LttP and OoT are the classic Zeldas.

Sword mode plays like Link. But it's limited with time meter that can be extended. But mostly play Zelda like a necromancer summoning Echoes you've defeated.

Easy? I can't say, likely any games once you figure boss weakness/patterns it can get easy. We are back to traditional dungeons and puzzles. So far for me I'm leaning towards easy, but I've only done 3 dungeons and only maybe 1/4 into the game!

Zelda Echoes plays differently enough to try.

I'm advocate for changing up game play and style for 3D but I don't realize I needed change for 2D until I played Echoes. It was a welcomed change for me!

 

[Optimus]

Sword mode plays like Link. But it's limited with time meter that can be extended. But mostly play Zelda like a necromancer summoning Echoes you've defeated.

Easy? I can't say, likely any games once you figure boss weakness/patterns it can get easy. We are back to traditional dungeons and puzzles. So far for me I'm leaning towards easy, but I've only done 3 dungeons and only maybe 1/4 into the game!

Zelda Echoes plays differently enough to try.

I'm advocate for changing up game play and style for 3D but I don't realize I needed change for 2D until I played Echoes. It was a welcomed change for me!

Ease comes down to how much skill do you need to be successful at progressing through the game. LttP and OoT are hallmark examples of the items only really helping you if you know how to use a joystick and hit buttons with proficiency. LttP, for sure, requires you to move Link around with skill or you're gonna get crushed/gnashed/bumped out of the boss fight. Most modern games try and dumb this down with checkpoints or just giving you a nasty looking boss with easy outs where the thing sits exposed for 15 minutes before launching into another epic cinematic scene.

Which one is Echoes? If you hit the boss's weak point, does it immediately expose its orifice for you to pound it??

 

[Hardensoul]

Ease comes down to how much skill do you need to be successful at progressing through the game. LttP and OoT are hallmark examples of the items only really helping you if you know how to use a joystick and hit buttons with proficiency. LttP, for sure, requires you to move Link around with skill or you're gonna get crushed/gnashed/bumped out of the boss fight. Most modern games try and dumb this down with checkpoints or just giving you a nasty looking boss with easy outs where the thing sits exposed for 15 minutes before launching into another epic cinematic scene.

Which one is Echoes? If you hit the boss's weak point, does it immediately expose its orifice for you to pound it??

Not necessarily all weak points but weaknesses in each boss. The challenge is just really figuring out how to beat them. In one the bosses I beat it much different from the easy way seen on videos. I beat it and thought it was challenging but not hard.

I heard there is a hero/hard mode after beating game. Maybe let wife beat it and then you blind play hard mode?

 

[infinitys_7th]

Jesus man, does Nintendo cut you a check?

He is mostly right.

LoZ and AoL dump you right in, but LA, OoT, MM, the Oracle games, WW, TP, and SS all had long intros. BotW and TotK (less so because of the linear start to exit the first cave) start quickly because you are stuck on the Great Plateau/sky island, but their intros are pretty open.

 

[Hardensoul]

Ease comes down to how much skill do you need to be successful at progressing through the game. LttP and OoT are hallmark examples of the items only really helping you if you know how to use a joystick and hit buttons with proficiency. LttP, for sure, requires you to move Link around with skill or you're gonna get crushed/gnashed/bumped out of the boss fight. Most modern games try and dumb this down with checkpoints or just giving you a nasty looking boss with easy outs where the thing sits exposed for 15 minutes before launching into another epic cinematic scene.

Which one is Echoes? If you hit the boss's weak point, does it immediately expose its orifice for you to pound it??

Actually, Hero mode can be chosen from the start. Just go to difficulty setting.

 

[Optimus]

Actually, Hero mode can be chosen from the start. Just go to difficulty setting.

Oh no, that is opening up a whole other can of worms with me. If it's anything like Link's Awakening Hero Mode, I don't appreciate that trash. You either get hearts exploding out of every bush and jar, or you get nothing except fairies. LttP and OoT understood difficulty by design. It's not something additive that you can just flip on with a switch. I'm thinking like the boss from the third dungeon in LttP where that SOB is moving around so frantically as the fight wears on that you can only skill yourself to victory. You will not be moving forward if you can't dodge the boss and time your hits.

 

[zero]

So I jumped back into this and finished the first dungeon (my God so much damn talking from the NPCs, let me get back to the game damnit)

I am starting to just really enjoy having a bunch of minions that I can attack enemies with. I got a Peahat and it was fun watching him wreck that dark version of Link in the first dungeon. At one point he just sort of backed Link into a wall and just kept spinning into him LOL

There is one thing I'm not sure I like, that Link mode that you activate with the sword. It feels like a cop out. Like we couldn't just make a Zelda game where you don't play as Link so they put this into the game. I don't like it. I want to play through the game just summoning stuff. This is Zelda's game, not Link's. I fought the dungeon boss using summoned creatures, but it seemed like it just wouldn't die until I finally activated Link mode, which made me roll my eyes a bit.

Aside from that though, I will probably stick with this and finish it along with Mario & Luigi: Brothership, which I've also been playing.

 

[Zeta Dragoon]

Instead of Link mode there should have been a Sheik/Shiekah mode that allows Zelda to use stealth gameplay and takedowns.

Tetra/Pirate mode that summons a boat and cannon for wide water areas, summon Pirate crew, steal enemy weapons, items and rupees.

As for Zelda, she should be able to use a bow and sword normally (Per Twilight Princess.)

 

[DonDonDonPata]

Instead of Link mode there should have been a Sheik/Shiekah mode that allows Zelda to use stealth gameplay and takedowns.

Tetra/Pirate mode that summons a boat and cannon for wide water areas, summon Pirate crew, steal enemy weapons, items and rupees.

As for Zelda, she should be able to use a bow and sword normally (Per Twilight Princess.)

Nintendo doesn't really respect or even understand their own lore, especially for LoZ series.

See: Tears of the Kingdom is a direct sequel to BotW yet retcons 80% of the previous game.

 

[Zeta Dragoon]

Nintendo doesn't really respect or even understand their own lore, especially for LoZ series.

See: Tears of the Kingdom is a direct sequel to BotW yet retcons 80% of the previous game.

That's why a Monolith Soft Zelda Xenoblade scale JRPG is one of my dream games.

 

[DonDonDonPata]

That's why a Monolith Soft Zelda Xenoblade scale JRPG s one of my dream games.

Yup, I'd play that. Allow Monolithsoft to make their own "pocket dimension LoZ" and reinterpret the lore as they see fit. We all know they're responsible for the excellent map design in BotW.

 

[Zeta Dragoon]

Yup, I'd play that. Allow Monolithsoft to make their own "pocket dimension LoZ" and reinterpret the lore as they see fit. We all know they're responsible for the excellent map design in BotW.

I do have a random insane theory Zelda is in the same universe as Xenoblade. Namely their Divine Numbers being 3, and the orginal Zelda first being conceived as a Tron like setting, then the series steadily getting more and more futuristic/Tron like after Ocarina.

 

[Franky Family]

Nintendo doesn't really respect or even understand their own lore, especially for LoZ series.

See: Tears of the Kingdom is a direct sequel to BotW yet retcons 80% of the previous game.

As much as he has done for the series, I believe that might be traceable to the fault of Mr. Hidemaro Fujibayashi. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate what he has done for the games even if with each major console release of his for TLoZ series, I have some qualms with... But I have noticed that he blunders heavily with story. Skyward Sword, Breath of the Wild, and Tears of the Kingdom. Breath of the Wild was more or less just a weak story tbh, but the other two I would say that in some ways he dropped the ball. Just my two cents

I'm saving Echoes of Wisdom for late November and December so I won't have much to share until that time. So many solid games right now that I can't keep up at all anymore lol. I dub this year, the year of the JOOXED

 

[Hardensoul]

So I jumped back into this and finished the first dungeon (my God so much damn talking from the NPCs, let me get back to the game damnit)

I am starting to just really enjoy having a bunch of minions that I can attack enemies with. I got a Peahat and it was fun watching him wreck that dark version of Link in the first dungeon. At one point he just sort of backed Link into a wall and just kept spinning into him LOL

There is one thing I'm not sure I like, that Link mode that you activate with the sword. It feels like a cop out. Like we couldn't just make a Zelda game where you don't play as Link so they put this into the game. I don't like it. I want to play through the game just summoning stuff. This is Zelda's game, not Link's. I fought the dungeon boss using summoned creatures, but it seemed like it just wouldn't die until I finally activated Link mode, which made me roll my eyes a bit.

Aside from that though, I will probably stick with this and finish it along with Mario & Luigi: Brothership, which I've also been playing.

The game didn't stat out as Zelda being playable. The game was actually Link with summoning powers. But some had the idea to actually turn it into Zelda and the sword mode stayed but with limited time.

 

[Hardensoul]

I finished Echoes a couple weeks ago. I played Zelda like a necromancer from Diablo 2. I forced myself to rarely use sword mode. Found some really strong Echos. But you can't have too strong of an Echo, because you are held back by the level requirements. I got Lynel Echo early and and couldn't use it until level 7 or 9 basically near the end of game.

There were some really fun Echos like flying tiles, birds or flyers that can carry you. Love the crow armies farming rupees!

Good exploration of world for a small game. The dungeons were good but the last dungeon was great! Really liked/enjoyed the change of pace playing as Zelda.