What may be the Nintendo Switch’s finalZeldagame has arrived, and it is already impressing fans just like its predecessors. Straddling the line between aZeldaspin-off and a mainline game,The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdomstars Princess Zelda herself in an original top-down adventure. Using the titular Echoes alongside the player’s own wisdom, Zelda must save Hyrule from an encroaching void while its other heroes and authorities are indisposed.The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdomhas a lot going for it, and some of it feels rather familiar.
As early players have observed,Echoes of Wisdomfeels like the hybrid of a classicZeldagame and the recentTears of the Kingdom. Sporting the art style of theLink’s Awakeningremake, classic enemies and dungeons, and an open gameplay stylemirroringTotK’s Ultrahand and Fuse abilities,Echoes of Wisdomfeels like both a fitting send-off toZelda’s Switch era and a highlight reel of what made the series special in the first place. However, there is one particular understated mechanic that bothEchoes of WisdomandTears of the Kingdomshare, which may be a sign of things to come.
Tears of the Kingdom and Echoes of Wisdom Aren’t Just About Their Heroes
Many abilities inTears of the KingdomandEchoes of Wisdominvolve creating or manipulating various objects, but Link and Zelda also pick up some more animated powers.Tears of the Kingdomhas a rudimentary party systemthat grows as players meet new elemental Sages, gaining their Vows as toggleable NPC allies and special abilities after beating dungeons. Meanwhile, Zelda can make Echoes of enemies, which she can use in various ways, or simply unleash as an automated assault force. There are optional means to upgrade both systems, but they stand as core features that players will likely encounter and use.
How Modern Zelda Has Introduced Allies To Its Formula
NPC comrades inThe Legend of Zeldaare almost unheard of outside theHyrule Warriorsgames, and even there the most notable AI partners are typically other playable characters.BowWow inLink’s Awakeningis the next best example thatZeldahas. Yet, the two most recent games in the franchise both have them.Tears of the Kingdomeven extrapolated the player’s party into simple AI soldiers that could accompany players during certain side stories. It seems like there’s an intent to flesh this system out, which may point toward it appearing in the nextZeldagame as well, and possibly many more in the future.
The Legend of Zelda Can Do More With AI Partners
Link’s journeys through Hyrule are often lonely affairs, but the series has a tendency to give him at least one traveling companion on his adventures.Breath of the Wildbroke that tradition, butTears of the Kingdomrevisited it from a whole new angle, andEchoes of Wisdomtried yet another. Unplayable allies may become a regular sight from now on, joining Link in the place of dungeon items as useful tools or mobility options. Whether or not Zelda’s monster summons will also return is more uncertain, but it should still work in the mechanical ecosystem modernTLoZis developing.
How Future Zelda Games Can Implement NPC Companions
As occasional puzzle partners during restrictive dungeon sequences, or as part of a pal customization system akin to monster raising, there are plenty of ways for futureLegend of Zeldatitles to keep companions around as a new series staple. Balance would need to be struck between hands-off help in combat andZelda’s traditional puzzle solving, and the choice to go alone should also be kept, but this mechanic still holds multiple games worth of untapped potential. If Nintendo plays its cards right, then what started inTears of the KingdomandEchoes of Wisdomcould be enshrined as a newLegend of Zeldatradition.
