Daily Debate: Does Having a Hero/Master Mode Complete Your Zelda Game Experience?

Posted on September 14 2024 by Julia Wilson

Following the demonstrations at PAX West this year, it is now confirmed that Echoes of Wisdom will contain the option for Hero Mode. At the time of writing, we don’t know if this will be available from the first playthrough; however, we do know that this mode increases the difficulty, causing Princess Zelda to take more damage and eliminate heart drops.

My biggest disappointment with Tears of the Kingdom was the lack of Hero/Master Mode, which would have made the replay so much more fun! I was fully expecting this to be available, given the legacy of Zelda games with increased difficulty, which are generally unlocked after beating the game. The Second Quest option, which makes particular changes to the playthrough, was included with The Legend of Zelda; it also features in later games, like The Adventure of Link and The Wind Waker. Ocarina of Time got its hard mode on the Master Quest bonus disk, with dungeons rearranged for increased difficulty. Hero Mode, which usually involves taking extra damage and reducing heart drops, made its debut in Skyward Sword and has been seen in many subsequent games, like The Wind Waker HD and Twilight Princess HD, while Master Mode was introduced in Breath of the Wild via the DLC, offering more challenges and including all the enemies levelling up one tier; however, unlike Second Quest and Hero Mode, this option is available from the first playthrough. So I’m delighted to hear Hero Mode will be reinstated once more and be part of Echoes of Wisdom, which releases on September 26th, 2024.

For me, being able to replay a game at a different level of difficulty enhances the depth of the game. The first playthrough is fantastic, as you get accustomed to the abilities and get more creative with them, combined with the exploring and puzzle solving. The second playthrough, while enjoyable, is generally much quicker as you understand the intricacies of this incarnation of Hyrule, along with the best use of the abilities and weapons available. Having the option to increase the difficulty raises the challenge, offering a different experience of a previously explored world.

Although all gamers are different and some players are perfectly content to play at the standard level, other players may not replay games. Having the Hero/Master Mode available means that the game caters for all levels of players.

How do you like to play your Zelda games? Do you play once, then move on? Do you enjoy replaying them? Do you enjoy replaying them even more on an increased difficulty level? Are you disappointed if you can’t increase the challenge? Finally, are you looking forward to playing Echoes of Wisdom in Hero Mode? Let us know in the comments below!