Summary
- The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom takes place between Tri Force Heroes and the original Legend of Zelda.
- The game is part of the "Hero is defeated" timeline, which follows a universe in which Link failed to defeat Ganon in Ocarina of Time.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom finally has a place in the official Zelda timeline, landing between Tri Force Heroes and the original Legend of Zelda. While the latest Zelda title takes plenty of inspiration from the Link's Awakening remake in terms of its art direction, it's not a direct sequel. Echoes of Wisdom is in the same branch of the timeline, but it comes much later.
Every time a new Zelda game comes out, its place in the series canon is one of the first things fans speculate about. Nintendo does maintain an official timeline, though even this can be controversial, with plenty of players arguing that it doesn't line up as well as other fan theories. Even Zelda's director has said he prioritized gameplay over story, so Nintendo likely doesn't put as much thought into the order of the games as much as its audience does. Even so, the official timeline is a big deal to fans of the franchise, and now it's clear where Echoes of Wisdom falls.
While Echoes of Wisdom came out on September 26, its place in the Zelda canon was unclear for a while after its release. Now that Nintendo has updated its official Zelda history page, fans have an official answer. Echoes of Wisdom is part of the "Hero is defeated" timeline, which follows a universe where Link failed to defeat Ganon in Ocarina of Time. More specifically, it takes place after Tri Force Heroes, putting three entire games between it and Link's Awakening, which inspired its art style.
Echoes of Wisdom Is a Distant Prequel to the Original Legend of Zelda
This position places Echoes of Wisdom as a prequel to 1986's Legend of Zelda but not a close one. The official timeline lists the "decline of Hyrule" in between the two, suggesting there's an extended period of non-game activity that takes place after Echoes but before the original Zelda. This era of decline was already a core part of the series lore, and previous signs suggested that Echoes of Wisdom fits into the downfall timeline, but now it's clear exactly where it falls in relation to that period — right before Hyrule's downfall, as it turns out.
Echoes of Wisdom's official place in the timeline probably won't surprise many fans, considering how it lines up with earlier speculation. It's not a perfect fit, though. The way it treats the Triforce as a mysterious, little-known power makes more sense for the adult timeline than the downfall line. Still, that kind of contradiction isn't unique to Echoes. There are many confusing aspects of the Zelda timeline, likely because Nintendo is less concerned about an overarching story and more concerned with making fun games. At least fans don't have to argue about the title's canon placement anymore.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 85 /100 Critics Rec: 93%
- Released
- September 26, 2024
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo, Grezzo
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Engine
- Havok
- Franchise
- The Legend of Zelda
WHERE TO PLAY
Save Hyrule—this time with the wisdom of Princess Zelda!
The people of Hyrule are being stolen away by strange rifts—and with a certain swordsman among the missing, it’s up to Princess Zelda to save her kingdom in the latest adventure in The Legend of Zelda™ series!
Team up with the ethereal creature Tri and use the Tri Rod to create “echoes,” which are imitations of things you find in the environment—then recreate those echoes whenever you like to solve puzzles and defeat enemies. Use echoes like water blocks to reach new heights, make bridges out of old beds, throw rocks at foes, or find your own combination of echoes to do things your way. You can even make echoes of monsters to fight at your side in combat!
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch
- Genre(s)
- Adventure
- How Long To Beat
- 20 Hours
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
