With a franchise as long-running as prolific as The Legend of Zelda, it is hard to believe there is anything they haven’t done yet. But Nintendo and developer Grezzo have found one new thing to make this entry stand out from the many other Zelda titles: you actually play as Zelda.
With Link and large portions of Hyrule are pulled into massive rifts around the kingdom, Zelda must find a way to save her kingdom with the help of the mysterious fairy Tri who provides her with a Tri Wand which allows her to make Echoes, copies of objects and enemies.
The Koalaty Critics were generally positive about Echoes of Wisdom, with them finding a lot of fun using the Echoes creatively to tackle the familiar surroundings and situations that Link would handle. The art style, which is heavily influenced by the 2019 remake of The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, was also universally praised while most critics did suffer performance issues and found the UI and menu system, particularly regarding selecting Echoes, a real hassle to deal with. One element there was division on was the Swordfighter mode which allows Zelda to embody Link and use his usual array of skills. Some critics found this to be at odds with the theme of the game and Zelda’s own skill set while others found it just be another skill at Zelda’s disposal.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is available now on Nintendo Switch
KOALATY CRITICS – AUSTRALIAN CRITICS
Here’s what Australian critics are saying about the game.
Checkpoint Gaming – 9/10 (David McNamara)
“With Echoes of Wisdom, Grezzo and Nintendo demonstrate a deep understanding and respect for Zelda as a character, acknowledging her series’ expansive history and finding meaningful connections with her established traits that inform the title’s unique gameplay and narrative. Zelda plays differently from Link not because “she’s a girl!” but because she is different: she’s always been a scholar, a sorceress, a leader, and it feels genuine that her in-game abilities reflect this.”
GamesHub – 4/5 (Leah J. Williams)
“The stakes are high in this journey, as Zelda is at the mercy of a Hyrule being torn apart by a mysterious darkness, but it’s hard not to get swept up in joy of this game, as you traverse a toy-like Hyrule filled with dancing critters, funny little faces, and light drama. Sure, the River and Ocean Zora are fighting a war – but they’re oh so itty-bitty and cutesy. I want to put them in my pocket.“
Maxi-Geek – 8/10 (Luke Henderson)
“There is a lot of variety with the echoes that you can obtain, but apart from single use cases where it was something for a puzzle, I rarely strayed from the dozen or so that I used. The problem with giving people unlimited items and quote unquote unlimited freedom, in how they use those items is that it removes a sense of exploration because you got a new item.”
Player2 – A+ (Jess Zammit)
“It’s a perfect blend of old and new, which is really the best way I can sum up Echoes of Wisdom in its entirety. It’s everything I expected it to be, along with some welcome surprises, and a coziness that only the Zelda games can provide. I love knowing what I’m going to get from a game, and knowing that there are also things I won’t expect – and trusting in the game to provide them. I’ve always trusted this series to provide that, and Echoes of Wisdom is no different.”
Press Start – 9.5/10 (James Berich)
“While Echoes of Wisdom borrows its art style from the 2019 remake of Link’s Awakening, there is so much new in Echoes of Wisdom that it’s hard to complain. The game is brimming with charm and whimsy, with the same plastic miniature toybox look to all the characters. It’s a cute art style that’s only complemented by the fantastically realised dungeons and environments, which all look great owing to some solid lighting and particle effects.”
Stevivor – 9/10 (Matt Gosper)
“Echoes of Wisdom’s version of Hyrule is a curious new twist. This is the first 2D-style Zelda game to really lean into the aesthetics and regions established in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, while still honouring mainstays like Kakariko Village. From Link’s iconic hooded cape, regions like the Faron Wetlands or Gerudo Town, and even enemy types introduced (or revamped) in the recent open-world titles, Echoes feels like a companion piece to those newer games.”
Vooks – 4.5/5 (Oliver Brandt)
“It’s a wonderful story, with some absolutely fantastic twists and turns. I won’t spoil too much here, but there’s a lovely cast of core characters and plenty more to meet along the way. Just about every character you’re forced to interact with throughout your journey is interesting and incredible, and the optional ones you seek out for yourself are just as fun. “
Well-Played – 9/10 (Nathan Hennessy)
“Platforming puzzles are a huge part of the experience too, baked into the very assets of the game. Trees that border zones from one another become little more than terraced roofing for you to skirt around the bounds of the game’s map. I felt like a menace, breaking everything sacred that functionally framed the traditional top-down Legend of Zelda experience. The game knows you’ll go out of your way to break it, and much in the same way as Switch’s big 3D Link duology, the game weaves and flows in concert with your crafty whims. “
Koalaty Critics
Aggregator Score
