Since 1986, the Zelda franchise has been one of Nintendo’s most reliable. Games like A Link to the Past, Ocarina of Time, and Twilight Princess have made the series a very big deal. In the Switch generation, the profile of the Legend of Zelda has greatly grown, thanks in large part to the success of Breath of the Wild. In the seven years Switch has been on the market, Zelda has seen near yearly releases, between 3D entries like Tears of the Kingdom, spin-offs like Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, and 2D games like Echoes of Wisdom. If Nintendo wants to continue finding ways to grow the series, that latter game might offer the perfect opportunity.ย
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One of the main hooks in Echoes of Wisdom is that Zelda rarely uses the traditional weapons seen in the series. Instead, she largely uses Echoes, which are basically copies of items and monsters found throughout Hyrule. It’s a compelling addition to the series, and it’s one that firmly puts the villains in the spotlight. Success in Echoes of Wisdom largely hinges on figuring out the best ways of using these villains, and players quickly gain an appreciation for their strengths and weaknesses. In essence, Echoes of Wisdom has a lot in common with monster taming games like Pokemon, or Monster Sanctuary, but with a Zelda twist. Not only is the mechanic enjoyable in Echoes of Wisdom, but it should open the door for a spin-off series, similar to what Square Enix has done with the Dragon Quest Monsters games.ย
On a personal level, I’ve never had much appreciation for the enemies in the Zelda series. While enemies like Deku Babas and Skulltulas are iconic, I’ve never liked the majority of the enemies I’ve fought in the games. Echoes of Wisdom changed that quite a bit. I quickly found myself leaning on some Echoes over others, learning the best ways to use them, and even managing to remember their names. A few hours into the game, I’d say things to myself like “Ignizol I choose you,” while doing my best Ash Ketchum impression. If one game can suddenly make these names and characters more memorable to someone like me that has been playing the series for years, it stands to reason they could do the same for a lot more players.ย
The Zelda series has had a lot of one-off mechanics over the years, from the clock control in Majora’s Mask, to the shrinking in The Minish Cap. Some of these mechanics have been better than others, but few have had the potential to grow the series like the Echo system. There aren’t a lot of franchises that have the kinds of enemies that would translate well to a monster taming spin-off, but Echoes of Wisdom has set the stage by getting much of the way there. We already have the way these monsters are “caught” (by defeating them and copying them), and a giant pool of options that could be carried over to a spin-off game. There are also a lot of past games that the developers could draw from.ย
That’s not to say there wouldn’t be some challenges to overcome. For one thing, the Echoes in Echoes of Wisdom are very expendable, and there’s little downside to sending them into battles they can’t win. That’s a stark contrast to most monster taming games, where players have to think a lot about the ways to keep their teams from getting knocked out, or even killed. That emotional investment is a key reason people have latched on to their digital monsters in so many different games. If Nintendo could raise the stakes a little bit, it would help endear players to their Echoes even more.ย
While the Zelda series has been around for nearly 40 years now, there are still a lot of opportunities to grow the series. With fans increasingly looking for new experiences to enjoy, and with development taking several years between mainline games, Nintendo has a tightrope to walk. The company has to offer new experiences to keep people invested, while maintaining the level of quality players have come to associate with the Zelda name. Building on something that clearly already works is the smart play, and the Echo system could be the perfect opportunity.ย
Would you play a Zelda-themed monster taming game? Do you think the concept makes sense as a spin-off? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter atย @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky atย @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram atย @Dachampgaming!
