While the arrivalThe Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdomis just weeks away, there is still plenty of time to complete an iconicZeldagame. While new trailers and reveals build up excitement, the final days before a major release like this can feel particularly long. But in addition to being an excellent way to pass this time, playing oneZeldagame in particular would be a perfect way to prepare forEchoes of Wisdom’s release date.
Echoes of Wisdomdoes clearly follow on from its open-world predecessors in some ways, to the point of continuing at least onetradition started inBreath of the Wildin giving Link and Zelda a blue cloak. However,Echoes of Wisdomalso returns to a more traditional top-down gameplay style, and in the same vein evenrevives a classicZeldamechanicalongside the many innovations shown through trailers so far. Moreover, the same trailers also show that there is oneZeldagame that would make for perfect preparation for this newest adventure.
Link’s Awakening Is The Perfect Warm-Up To Echoes Of Wisdom
2019 Nintendo Switch Remake
It is clear thatEchoes of Wisdomhas the same general aesthetic as the Nintendo Switch remake ofThe Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening. Both games use the same style of simplified graphics, utilize top-down perspectives, and likely share much of the same basic control scheme as well. As a result, it is clear that playingLink’s Awakeningwill help people to familiarize themselves with the fundamental game engine behindEchoes of Wisdom. This may be especially useful for those more used to playingTOTKandBOTW, allowing for a longer adjustment period to the different style of gameplay.
In addition to this, it cannot be denied thatLink’s Awakeningis a unique experienceamongZeldagames. This alone makes it well worth playing for anybody interested in the franchise. Despite being a much smaller game than a title likeTOTK, it places a large emphasis on its characters and story. Furthermore, considering thatEchoes of Wisdomhas itself radically altered the standardZeldaformula to have Princess Zelda as its protagonist, it would be interesting to compare and contrast this to anotherZeldagame often seen as unusual (to the point of beingconsidered a series parody by its developers).
It is also important to note thatLink’s Awakeningis a relatively shortZeldagame. According toHowLongToBeat, a playthrough of the game can take between 14 and 21 hours, depending on how thoroughly one wishes to explore Koholint Island. Because of this, it is far from unreasonable for somebody to expect to complete the game beforeEchoes of Wisdomreleases. Being a Switch game, it is also currently one of the most accessible top-downZeldagames, more so than other titles with a similar aesthetic, like the 3DS-nativeA Link Between Worlds.
Do You NEED To Play Link’s Awakening Before Echoes Of Wisdom?
Zelda Games Are Rarely Connected Directly
AlthoughLink’s Awakeninghas a unique appeal, and an average playtime perfect for spending the last days beforeEchoes of Wisdom,playing it beforeEchoes of Wisdomis far from being a necessity. Although it is unclear how closely the story ofEchoes of Wisdomwill connect to otherZeldagames amid the franchise’s nebulous timeline,Link’s Awakeningitself is very much a self-contained narrative, and there is no indication thatEchoes of Wisdomis itself a direct sequel to any previousZeldagame. As such, narratively speaking, any detailed knowledge ofLink’s Awakeningis presumably unnecessary to enjoyEchoes of Wisdom.
In addition to this, if one does not already own the latest version ofLink’s Awakening, then it could be quite expensive to obtain a copy, especially alongside purchasingEchoes of Wisdomitself. Moreover, although the similar aesthetic has created a sense of unity between the two titles,Echoes of Wisdomis still its own game. While there may be references to other games,it would be unthinkable forEchoes of Wisdomto be unintuitive or unenjoyable without prior experience ofLink’s Awakening,or indeed any otherZeldatitle.
Although familiarity with typicalZeldaconventions can help newcomers to the franchise understand just how muchEchoes of Wisdomplays with them, the decidedly atypical nature ofLink’s Awakening(including neither taking place in Hyrule nor placing Zelda in need of rescue) is arguably actually a fairly poor choice for learning these.
PlayingLink’s Awakeningfor the Nintendo Switch prior toEchoes of Wisdomoffers an interesting opportunity to playZeldagames featuring Link and Zelda in the same art style. At the same time, however, doing so is not actually a necessity, and could even be prohibitively expensive. Ultimately, whileLink’s Awakeningoffers a unique diversion to pass the remaining time untilThe Legend of Zelda:Echoes of Wisdom’s release date, it is perfectly reasonable to simply await the newest entry in the franchise instead.
Source:HowLongToBeat
The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda franchise follows the adventures of Link, an elf-like Hylian, and Princess Zelda as they protect the land of Hyrule from the evil warlord-turned-demon king Ganon. The series is known for its mix of action, adventure, and puzzle-solving elements, often revolving around the collection of the Triforce, a powerful relic left by the goddesses who created Hyrule. Each game features different incarnations of Link and Zelda, maintaining core elements while introducing new characters and settings.
