Ever since the announcement of The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom by Nintendo, the gaming community has been actively discussing its place in the series’ timeline, examining trailer details, and sharing fan art.
Game Mechanics and New Features
Echoes of Wisdom marks the first mainline Zelda game featuring Princess Zelda as a playable character. Unlike Link, who traditionally wields a sword, Zelda will navigate Hyrule with a new item known as the Tri Rod. This unique tool allows her to copy and paste items she encounters, throw rocks at enemies, and even duplicate foes to fight on her behalf.
Speculations on the Timeline Placement
The placement of Echoes of Wisdom within Zelda’s extensive timeline has led to several theories among fans. While Nintendo has yet to make any definitive statements, comparisons to previous games, particularly A Link to the Past, suggest possible locations within the timeline.
Shortly after the trailer’s release, fans noted striking similarities between the map of Echoes of Wisdom and that of A Link to the Past. A post on the Zelda subreddit highlighted recurring landmarks, leading to theories that the map could be an expansion of A Link to the Past’s Hyrule.
Another user pointed out further map similarities in a separate reddit post. Some differences, however, led to speculation that the A Link to the Past map might be integrated into a broader Hyrule map in Echoes of Wisdom.
Community Theories and Expert Opinions
A well-known fan, ZeldaExpert74, proposed three possibilities for the game’s timeline placement: as the origin to the Downfall Timeline after Ocarina of Time but before A Link to the Past, between Link’s Awakening and A Link Between Worlds, or after A Link Between Worlds and Tri Force Heroes. This expert also noted differences in Link’s hat details as a clue.
[EoW] Echoes of Wisdom & A Link to the Past Maps
by u/Ryon21_ in zelda
The consensus within the fandom suggests that Echoes of Wisdom exists within the ‘fallen hero’ timeline, a scenario where Link fails to defeat Ganon in Ocarina of Time. The trailer also mingles classic and contemporary Zora designs, indicating a fusion of old and new elements in the game.
Community Artwork and Reactions
The introduction of Zelda as a protagonist has inspired a wealth of fan art, spanning emotional, humorous, and creative pieces. Examples include a depiction of Zelda using a chair as a weapon like a WWF champion and another featuring her using the infamous Cuccos against enemies.
One artwork labeled “The Legend of Link” portrays Zelda triumphantly stating, “It’s my turn.” Another humorous piece references Link’s Awakening, showing Zelda holding Link aloft as an item.
Another fan creation reverses roles from Tears of the Kingdom, with Zelda and Link swapping their usual positions.
Wrapping Up
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is scheduled for release on September 26th on Nintendo Switch.
