Summary
The recently announcedLegend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdomgave audiences quite a surprise when it was revealed that its protagonist wouldn’t be Link, but Zelda herself. This issomething thatZeldafans have been hoping to experiencefor quite some time, so the news has been received quite well.
Even better is the fact thatZelda:Echoes of Wisdomdoesn’t look like a mere reskin of the classicZeldaexperience, swapping Link’s character model out for Zelda’s and calling it a day. Instead, Zelda will have her own unique set of skills, tackling exploration, puzzle-solving, and combat in a manner that is fundamentally different from Link’s hack-and-slash, traditionally heroic approach. It will certainly be interesting to see how the tried-and-true Zelda formula adapts to such a radically distinct set of factors, but there’s a strong chance thatEchoes of Wisdomwon’t be done with Link, full stop.
Why Link Might Player a Bigger Role In Echoes of Wisdom Than Players Expect
There’s Reason to Believe Link Could Be Playable in Echoes of Wisdom
TheEchoes of Wisdomannouncement trailerkicks off with a familiar scene: Zelda is trapped, and Link is coming to save her. Of course, this is quickly subverted when Link gets trapped in one of the mysterious, dark rifts that sit at the heart of the game’s plot. This renders him immobile, and presumably out of the picture until Zelda is able to save him.
But it looks like these early moments of the trailer are comprised of gameplay footage, not in-game cinematics. This would mean that, whileEchoes of Wisdomwill have radically different combatfrom otherZeldagames, it would still include some traditional, sword-and-shield Link gameplay. Assuming this is indeed gameplay footage, it would be a bit surprising if the game were only to allow players to control Link for a few minutes; designing and implementing a completely different combat framework for another character requires effort and resources that Nintendo would probably prefer not to waste by only having him available in such a limited capacity. Instead, it would likely want to get the most mileage out of Link’s gameplay mechanics as possible.
Link’s theoretical gameplay mechanics could be carried over from2019’sLink’s Awakeningremake, requiring less time, effort, and resources. Even so, Nintendo would probably not relegate his gameplay to a single encounter.
What Role Link Could Play In Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
Even if Link appears as a playable character inEchoes of the Kingdom, it’s safe to assume that it will still beZelda’s show through-and-through. She’s the star of this adventure, positioned as the center of its narrative and novel gameplay systems. Thus,Echoes of the Kingdom’s version of Linkwill almost certainly take a back seat, whether he is playable or not.
That said, Link may be utlized as a sort of window into the nature of the game’s mysterious antagonistic force. Perhaps the rifts that he and so many other Hyrulians have been sucked into lead to some sort of alternate dimension, and players will be able to explore this dimension from Link’s perspective. This would allow Link to still fill some sort of heroic role, potentially aiding others who have been trapped like him.
Alternatively,Link could join Zeldain the final battle ofEchoes of Wisdom, and the game could take on a multi-character gameplay structure, letting players switch between the pair at will or as part of a scripted setpiece. An approach of this kind would certainly be an interesting way to include such an important character, and it would allow Nintendo to make good use of him without overshadowing Zelda as the protagonist.
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 can even make echoes of monsters to fight at your side in combat!
