Daily Debate: Does Playable Zelda in Echoes of Wisdom Signal More Departures From Tradition in Future Titles?
Posted on September 21 2024 by Alexis S. Anderson
The Zelda series has gone through formula-breaking (and at times polarizing) changes in recent years. Making Zelda the player character in The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is another bold step from Nintendo. Does it signal even more gutsy changes to come? I for one wouldn’t be surprised if we see Nintendo taking more big swings in the future, like changing up the series’ art style, delving into new genres, or reimagining characters we know and love.
New Art Style
Our beloved series likes to switch things up art-wise. The fanbase was a little shocked when Toon Link entered the chat, but I think we’re overdue for another surprise. I’d love to see a hand-painted look, similar to Braid or modeled after Renaissance/Baroque paintings. A 50s cartoon style a la Cuphead would be fun, too. And while I personally like our stylized, cell-shaded aesthetic, it would be cool to see more realistic graphics like in modern Final Fantasy games (I don’t need a whole game in this style, but maybe during a dream sequence or something along those lines).
New Genres
Nintendo pays attention to what Zelda fans want. Since they’ve been asking for JRPG elements like skill trees and weapon upgrades to be further integrated into Zelda games, what if we get a full on Zelda RPG? And while it isn’t my cup-of-tea, a spin-off game with a Fire Emblem style grid gameplay system is another possibility (how cool would a crossover game with the Fire Emblem crew be!?). I can also see Nintendo implementing co-op into the next main series open world game, perhaps similar to the way it works in Eldin Ring with evidence of what others players did and messages like Miiverse posts/Splatoon Plaza drawings using pre-set elements, or maybe players can leave gifts in certain spots like items or cooked food. I also like the idea of there being an off chance you see someone out on their adventure, though that approach would only work if we played as customized player characters.
Reimagined Characters
There are so many notable Zelda characters who we haven’t seen in awhile and are ripe for reinvention. I want to see Sheik again, but he doesn’t necessarily have to be Zelda in disguise. I’m always pulling for Vaati to make a reappearance as well, but I want him to be our buddy (or go from enemy to friend). And then of course Ghirahim– he could come back as an expert swordsman who trains Link or as some kind of artist or dancer (Ghirahim in leg warmers!!). I’d also love to see our Link-Zelda-Ganondorf trio get shaken up a bit, like see Zelda embody the Triforce of power, Ganondorf courage, and Link wisdom. How would each piece manifest in these characters if they retained some aspects of their usual personalities or life circumstances?
Change can be scary, but in the end it’s what helps keep Zelda at the top of its game year over year. The more adventurous the developers get, the more material the series will have to pull from going forward and the greater chance that nearly every gamer will end up with that one Zelda title that is their perfect match. That said, cheers to Echoes of Wisdom and cheers to Nintendo for always taking us on these new and wonderful journeys.
Do you think Nintendo will keep taking big swings with the Zelda series or will it pull back for a little awhile? What gutsy moves are you most hoping Nintendo will make? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Alexis S. Anderson is a Senior Editor at Zelda Dungeon who joined the writing team in November, 2014. She has a JD from the UCLA School of Law and is pursuing a career in Entertainment and Intellectual Property Law. She grew up in the New Jersey suburbs with her parents, twin brother, and family shih-tzu.
