The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdomgives the titular Princess her moment to shine, butan inventive fan has managed to make franchise staple Link playable. After nearly forty years, Nintendo finally provided diehardenthusiasts what they’ve been asking for by makingZelda the star of her own standalone adventureand while the move has been well-received, there’s something to be said about playing as everyone’s favorite hero. Doing so requires some complicated inputs and expert timing, so those who want to try it out will need to practice.
PerIGN, speedrunnerIkabozediscovereda glitch that allows users to play as Link even after beating the game’s prologue.
Doing so requires players to first complete the opening chapter to gain control of Zelda and her ability to create Echoes, or copies, of in-game items. Following this, the Sign Echo must be acquired before heading North of Hyrule Field into the Eternal Forest, a section of the game that should be inaccessible;Using precisely timed saves, loads, and quits, as well as an accurately placed Sign, it’s possible to trick the game into making Link playable again.
Speedrunners Are Having Fun With Echoes Of Wisdom
What Does This Mean For Echoes Of Wisdom
The complicated process, which will likely need to be attempted several times, allows users to explore Hyrule as Link once again but there are some catches. The iconic character does come equipped with plenty of hearts and his sword butit’s impossible to actually progress throughEchoes of Wisdomsince he can’t create Echoes, a core mechanicneeded to complete the game’s dungeonsand advance through the story. Additionally, Link doesn’t have access to a map of the world so navigating could be difficult for those who’ve yet to memorize Hyrule.
As for what it could mean for the speedrunning community, the glitch likely won’t have much of an impact on the scene. Unless players can discover a way to trickEchoes of Wisdominto allowing Link to copy objects,there’s no way the game can be beaten, so setting up a specific speedrunning category seems unlikely. Having said that, one should never underestimate those with such a deep knowledge of a game that they’re able to discover such an unlikely bug in the first place.
Zelda: Echoes Of Wisdom Finally Brought Back This Small Link Detail
The main cast in Zelda games have received various design changes depending on the setting for each game, and a small Link detail has returned.
Our Take On Bending The Expected In Gaming
It’s Certainly Fun But Is It Anything Deeper?
Finding these kinds of glitches is undoubtedly impressive and I’m constantly amazed by the kinds of tricks adept speedrunners can pull off, but at the end of the day, it’s an elaborate novelty. Nintendo had a clear vision forThe Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, one that doesn’t involve playingthe entire game as Link.It’s certainly fun to mess with the game’s boundaries and figure out the cracks that can be exploitedbut I doubt thatLink is essential to beating the gamein an especially quick time.
