Zelda Fans Call New Update a “Game Changer,” Even for Switch 1 Users

The arrival of Nintendo Switch 2 is nearly upon us, and that’s proving to be a big deal even for those that aren’t planning on upgrading right away. Nintendo is in the process of updating a massive number of games released on the original Switch, offering improvements like sharper graphics and stronger performance on the new system. However, the company is also taking this opportunity to incorporate other fixes that fans have been hoping to see. Such is the case for a game in the Legend of Zelda series, and it should make it a lot more enjoyable than it was at launch.

In The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, players control the franchise’s iconic princess for the first time in a mainline game. The 2024 release gave Zelda the unique ability to create “Echoes” of villains and items found throughout Hyrule. In my review for the game last year, I found that the Echo system was one of the better additions we’ve seen to the 2D Zelda series, and one that added a little more freedom. However, scrolling through the number of Echoes each time could be a huge chore. The game’s latest update finally fixes this problem by adding a new favorites list, where players can mark the Echoes that they use the most. The feature is unlocked in the game once players have learned 30 Echoes or more.

Already, fans are sharing their happiness with this update, and some are even calling it a “game changer.” It would have been an unforced error on Nintendo’s part to only release this quality of life change on Switch 2, so it’s nice that everyone gets to use this, rather than just those that upgrade to the new system. Switch 2 users can expect improved visuals, but Nintendo says that it has “fixed various issues to create a smoother gaming experience” across both versions. The update does not say anything about improvements to the game’s frame rate, so we’ll have to see if there are any changes in that regard.

For those that never played The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom on the original Switch, this might be the perfect excuse to see what the game has to offer. During the Switch era, several Zelda games were released on the system, including Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom, and Link’s Awakening. All of those games are similarly seeing changes on Nintendo Switch 2, from performance improvements to new features.

RELATED: How Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom Sets Up a Perfect Spin-Off Series

With so many games getting major improvements, it will be interesting to see what people decide to buy at launch for Nintendo Switch 2. Mario Kart World is easily the biggest draw for the new system when it comes to day one, but for those that are less interested in the rest of the launch lineup, it might be worth buying an original Switch game. Clearly a lot of work is being put into improving these games!

Are you happy about this change to Echoes of Wisdom? Do you plan on buying an existing Switch game to play on Nintendo Switch 2 at launch? Share your thoughts with me directly on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

[H/T: Stealth40k]