Nintendo announced a new installment in the Legend of Zelda series, titled The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, during its latest Nintendo Direct showcase. This upcoming game will feature Princess Zelda as the main protagonist and is set to be released for the Nintendo Switch on September 26.
Echoes of Wisdom visually resembles the 2019 remake of The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, but it promises a unique gameplay experience. According to Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma, the game will introduce “a new gameplay style that breaks conventions.” Zelda will utilize a magical rod and the power of wisdom to create and duplicate objects, aiding her in overcoming various enemies and challenges.
This release marks the first time Nintendo has developed a game where Princess Zelda is explicitly the lead character. Traditionally, Link has been the hero of the series, and fans have long awaited a game where Zelda takes on a more prominent role.
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Over the past three decades, Princess Zelda has been a playable character in several games, though often not in the mainline series. She has appeared in spinoffs such as the Hyrule Warriors action games and the Super Smash Bros. series. In The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks in 2009, players could control a spirit form of Zelda during certain parts of the game.
However, there are two less-celebrated Zelda-starring games that Nintendo might prefer to forget: Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon (1993) and Zelda’s Adventure (1996). Both were developed for the Philips CD-i multimedia player and did not receive the same acclaim as other titles in the series.
Fans of the franchise can look forward to experiencing Princess Zelda’s adventure when The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom launches on September 26.