Princess Zelda has never been one to sit idly by.
From the very first entry in this franchise in 1989, she has been actively involved saving her kingdom—even if that meant enlisting the help of a hero who could swing a sword on her behalf. Zelda’s a powerful regent, and the green-clad Link is her loyal knight.
Well, the newest game in the lot, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, puts Zelda right there on the front lines to stand in Link’s place. However, her heroic duties may not be exactly what you’re expecting.
Things start out with Zelda once more at odds with a muscular baddy named Ganon. And, of course, the goodly Link comes running to her rescue. But in the course of Link’s valiant battle, the bested Ganon disappears, opening a magical rift that swallows up Link and begins spreading across the kingdom of Hyrule.
Zelda scurries back to her castle for help but discovers that the spreading rifts are capturing Hyrule’s citizenry by the score. And if those people show up once more, they are corrupted versions of themselves. That number includes her father the King, who locks Zelda up in the castle prison.
Fortunately, Zelda meets a floating imp named Tri who gives her a magical rod with which she can find her way forward. This rod can make copies of objects and creatures and help Zelda get past obstacles and enemies. With Tri by her side, she sets out on a quest to cure the magical rifts, find Link, help others, defeat evil and save the kingdom.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom plays out much like other Zelda games before it: There are baddies to best, treasures to uncover and environmental puzzles to solve. The big difference here is that Zelda isn’t a sword-swinging battler like Link. She has to figure out other ways to reach her goals and finish her quests.
To that end, she uses her wand’s “echo” duplicating power. She might conjure up a thorny plant or a spear-wielding Moblin that she’s crossed paths with in the recent past. And they will stop the approaching enemies. Or she might distract beasty foes with a summoned cut of meat. It’s up to players to puzzle out what crates, chairs, constructs or critters will be best to solve the problems that Zelda will face.
Finally, we should note that The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is a single-player game that does not require an online connection.
The game is nicely balanced for almost any age. And it challenges young gamers to always think through the duplicating and levitating abilities that Zelda has at her disposal as a way to problem solve. Zelda generally ends up with some 50 to 60 echoes at her beck and call.
In a way, the absence of constant sword-swinging battles can be seen as a positive in this Zelda version. But even when Link is a part of the struggles, that battling is mess free. That’s especially true in light of this game’s toy-like characters.
Saving and helping others through personal effort and self-sacrifice is at the core of Zelda’s actions.
Battles are mess free, but they can be rather frenetic at times. Link uses a sword, a bow and arrows, while Zelda magically conjures up attacking beasts, spiders, pig-soldiers, burning objects, etc. Fallen foes dissolve into mist.
Some may find that the magical aspect of Zelda’s fantasy land is a little problematic. A dark magical force lurks behind the corrupting rifts, for instance, as well as a corrupted world within those rifts. But nothing here is too scary for younger players. And it’s Zelda’s goal to defeat that evil magic and return her land to its pristine state.
There’s no foul language in the game mix. But we sometimes hear mildly rude exclamations from characters, such as, “You can stuff your plan!” Another says, “Shut up already.” And so on.
Some puzzles may require an adult’s help. The only real limitation for young players, though, is that the dialogue is mostly printed out and requires someone who can read.
This newest Zelda game takes a more Zelda-focused tack. And that opens the door to some fresh problem-solving play that might appeal to a new generation that’s just discovering this vintage Nintendo heroine and her longtime protector.
After spending more than two decades touring, directing, writing and producing for Christian theater and radio (most recently for Adventures in Odyssey, which he still contributes to), Bob joined the Plugged In staff to help us focus more heavily on video games. He is also one of our primary movie reviewers.
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