Developer – Nintendo Publisher – Nintendo Platforms – Nintendo Switch (reviewed) Review copy given by publisher After the massively successful Tears of the Kingdom, Nintendo is ready to take a different focus with their next The Legend of Zelda title. This time, the spotlight is on the princess herself, in The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. After all, you’re always playing as Link, so it’s nice to step into Zelda’s boots for once! This groundbreaking entry seamlessly blends classic top-down Zelda gameplay with modern mechanics, creating a unique and engaging experience that honors the series’ roots and pushes it in exciting new directions. The premise revolves around a dire threat to Hyrule, where dark rifts are engulfing the land and trapping its inhabitants, including our usual hero Link, in a state of frozen time. With him imprisoned, Zelda must embark on a quest to eliminate these rifts and save the realm herself. She is accompanied by a fairy-like partner named Tri, and she gains the unique ability to create “echoes,” which are duplicates of items and enemies she encounters throughout the world. This mechanic encourages creative problem-solving and experimentation, reminiscent of the freedom found in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, but within a more traditional 2D Zelda framework. Note that Zelda does not have a sword like Link usually does! Because you spend so much time with Zelda, you can see the narrative taking a refreshing turn by giving her character more depth and agency than ever before. Zelda’s journey to seal the mysterious purple rifts forming across the kingdom is a breathtaking one. With her Tri-rod, you can create over 100 different echoes, ranging from everyday objects like beds and tables to enemies like Moblins. These echoes serve multiple purposes: for traversal and puzzle-solving, as tools in combat by summoning enemy echoes to fight for you, and for creative problem-solving throughout the game world. For example, you might use a combo of a tree and trampoline to reach otherwise inaccessible areas. I love that the game has open-ended solutions to puzzles and challenges, much like how it is in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. However, there is a limited “swordsman mode” where Zelda can temporarily use a sword, shoot arrows, and throw bombs – abilities typically associated with Link. But this mode has a limited duration based on an energy meter. While the Echoes system offers new ways to interact with the world, I do appreciate the developers sneaking in a classic combat mode that fans are used to as well because the overall combat can feel less engaging than in previous titles. After all, Zelda’s abilities are more related to manipulation of the environment rather than direct close-quarters combat. Hyrule in this game is a reimagined version of the map from A Link to the Past, with significant expansions and alterations. Level design encourages creative traversal using Zelda’s newfound echo abilities and you can overcome traditional barriers such as trees and canyons. The world is also filled with optional rifts to clear that lead to hidden items and secrets. A single playthrough should take you around 20-25 hours, depending on how much exploration you do, and like all other Zelda titles, this one isn’t too difficult. If you want to up the ante, you can toggle Hero Mode, which makes you take twice as much damage and prevents hearts from dropping from pots, grass, or enemies. When you’re not too busy pushing through the main quest, there are a plethora of side quests to partake in, offering various rewards like ingredients, accessories, and heart fragments. Though they aren’t the most innovative, some of them are quite engaging, like the ones in Kakariko Village and Goron City. In terms of visuals, Echoes of Wisdom adopts the same distinctive visual style laid by the remake of Link’s Awakening back in 2019. This charming, toy-like aesthetic gives the world and characters a miniature, diorama-like appearance and is a clever bridge between classic old-school Zelda games and the more modern 3D entries. The game world is a delightful blend of nostalgia and innovation, with areas that pay homage to classic Zelda maps while introducing new elements that reflect the series’ evolution. I’m always a sucker for music, especially in video games, and Echoes of Wisdom features a brilliant ensemble of woodwind instruments. This approach creates a distinct sound that sets it apart from the more heroic, brass-heavy compositions typically associated with Link’s adventures. The game also incorporates familiar iconic Zelda themes but in remixed forms, such as the Hyrule Field theme song, which I absolutely adore. The biggest point of criticism is the game’s poor technical performance. The target frame rate is actually 60 fps, but the game frequently dips to 30 fps in the overworld, which is just absolutely jarring. In fact, the performance is worse in this game than in 2019’s Link’s Awakening! The resolution should target 1080p when played in docked mode but can dip to 720p in outdoor areas. In terms of load times, it takes around 7 seconds to load from the main menu, which isn’t too bad. Lastly, Echoes of Wisdom takes up 5.4 GB on your Nintendo Switch, which is a bit less than Link’s Awakening. The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is a bold and largely successful experiment in evolving the 2D Zelda formula in a charming and refreshing way. Here’s to hoping we get more entries with our titular heroine in the limelight!