The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom will whisk players back to the enchanted pastures of Hyrule when it arrives on the Nintendo Switch next month.
As the first game to star the long-running series’ titular princess, the mirthful adventure treads new ground.
It could also very well be the last hurrah for Nintendo’s seven-year-old Switch console ahead of the release of its successor.
Will it be worth your time? Here’s what we know about Echoes of Wisdom, including its release date, gameplay, price, and more.
Where’s Link?
Despite her abundance of charm, Zelda has been reduced to the role of damsel in distress in the franchise that bears her name.
It’s usually up to her protector, and fellow Elf, Link to rescue her from the monstrous clutches of the archvillain Ganon.
But with her blonde-haired guardian succumbing to the portals that have ripped through Hyrule, it’s now up to Zelda to save the day.
Does that mean Link is completely out of action? Not quite.
A recent listing for Echoes revealed that the baby-faced warrior will be a playable character in the game. We’d wager that will probably be at the start of the adventure, before he gets transported to the netherworld.
A powerful hybrid
Like the superpowered smoothies you can concoct in the new entry, Echoes is a blend of several excellent Zelda games.
The top-down view and colourful toy box graphics recall Link’s Awakening, the 2019 remake of the black-and-white Game Boy classic.
Meanwhile, Zelda’s magical and magnetic new abilities (more on those below) channel the back-to-back, open-world masterpieces, Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.
Move, switch, get out of the way
Although Link’s Awakening was a charming romp, you can only slice and dice so many enemies and ferns before it gets repetitive.
To mix things up, Nintendo is adding a dose of chaos to the new instalment.
Thanks to a trio of new powers, Zelda can create and summon clones of enemies and objects (the Echoes in the title); use a phantom leash to reposition stuff, including monsters and unreachable loot (much like the Ultrahand perk from Tears); and attach herself to moving creatures and scenery (Reverse Bond).
Together, these new skills can help you traverse Hyrule’s diverse terrain, shove and torture enemies, and solve puzzles. Using them will require you to whip out your new Tri-Rod, a nifty wand gifted to you by your fairy companion, Tri.
Zelda is a horse girl
The best games have virtual horses, so it’s great to see Echoes embrace them, too. We’ve spotted a couple of different coloured ones in the clips we’ve seen so far. You’ll be able to gallop around on them and even trample weaker enemies under-hoof.
Yes, fast travel exists in Echoes, but who needs it when riding a horse looks like so much fun?
The gang’s all here
Echoes is bursting with miniaturised versions of Hyrule’s diverse inhabitants. During your journey, you’ll bump into the fierce female fighters of the Gerudo tribe, who dwell in a desert enclave that’s off-limits to men.
Further afield, there’s the stout Gorons who live in the shadows of the fiery Eldin Volcano. A familiar sight from Breath of the Wild, the aquatic beings known as the Zora are also back, along with plant-like Deku scrubs and plenty of demonic pigs.
Sticking with its playful theme, Echoes will let you try on their garb for additional powers (or blend in with the locals). The outfits and accessories span Zora Flippers and a Zora Scale to help you swim faster and hold your breath for longer underwater. Elsewhere, a gold hairpin will make health-boosting hearts appear more frequently.
At one point, Zelda even goes full Princess Jasmine by slipping into the belly-dancer-style dresses worn by Gerudo women.
When is it coming out?
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is out on September 26 and available to pre-order now for £50.
If you purchase it in advance from Nintendo and other retailers, you’ll snag a free keyring featuring the game’s heroine.
Alas, no special edition bundle has been announced yet, but Nintendo is releasing a Hyrule-themed version of its Switch Lite handheld (£210) on the same day as the game.
What do the trailers show?
Nintendo has served up two trailers for Echoes so far. The first, revealed at the company’s Direct event in June, sets the stage for the epic adventure. We see Link get zapped into a purple gateway and Zelda ostensibly taking over his mantle as the protagonist.
Then, in August, a longer clip took viewers on a grand tour of Hyrule, offering a more detailed look at the different areas in the game.
