Developers Discuss Princess Zelda’s Lead Role in *Echoes of Wisdom*

Princess Zelda, a prominent character from Nintendo, had not taken a leading role in one of its games until the current year. Although the *Legend of Zelda* series bears her name, she consistently served in a supporting capacity to the recurring protagonist, Link. This dynamic shifted with the launch of *Echoes of Wisdom* several weeks prior. BBC Newsbeat interviewed series producer Eiji Aonuma and the game’s directors, Tomomi Sano and Satoshi Terada, to learn about the game’s development and their response to its release. The announcement of *Echoes of Wisdom* at the Nintendo Direct showcase in June came as a complete surprise. Enthusiasts quickly recognized the importance of a game featuring the princess as the central character. The title also brought a novel gameplay style to the franchise. Instead of wielding a sword and shield, typical of prior *Legend of Zelda* installments, the protagonist possesses the power to duplicate items and adversaries encountered during their journey. These duplicated elements, termed “echoes,” can then be generated or “pasted” into the environment, enabling players to devise solutions for challenges and puzzles. For instance, players could stack beds and boxes to ascend a wall, or deploy multiple enemies to confront one of the game’s bosses. Series producer Aonuma acknowledged that “a lot of the focus of the topic of conversation was going to be on Zelda being the main protagonist.” However, he stated that a greater concern for him was “whether or not the unique gameplay of the echoes was going to be conveyed properly and understood properly by the viewers.” Directors Terada and Sano shared this sentiment. “Whether or not the Zelda fans would accept these new elements was something I was watching over nervously,” remarked Terada, who is chief of third-party co-developer Grezzo. Sano expressed her relief “to see that it was being accepted positively, and was really watching closely over my smartphone to see people’s reactions the following day as well.” Upon experiencing the new game, some players have reported needing time to fully grasp the new system. Aonuma, who mentioned completing *Echoes of Wisdom* eight times during its development, conceded that he had similar initial feelings during his first playthrough. “From the second time through I sort of realised that there’s various ways and methods of overcoming these puzzles and overcoming the challenges,” he explained. Aonuma noted that experimenting with diverse approaches helped alter his experience. He added, “And so I think that realisation that you can do various things and there are various ways to overcome and solve these puzzles is sort of a turning point of whether you become used to using the echoes in the new game system.” Recent Zelda titles have provided players with increased freedom for creativity and testing boundaries, with many sharing their discoveries online. Last year’s *Tears of the Kingdom*, for example, allowed players to construct unusual contraptions, leading to memorable creations such as a giant robotic Godzilla. Terada indicated that the development team dedicated considerable time to testing *Echoes of Wisdom*’s various combinations, yet they were still astonished by player ingenuity once the game was released. “Seeing how players are using it, I was really amazed at people’s imaginations,” he commented. The developers admitted their admiration for a widely shared trick where players combined a bed with a tornado to launch Zelda into the air. “That was one that we hadn’t thought of,” Terada confessed. Sano further elaborated: “Players were using the tornado and the bed to actually climb and go over mountains. And this was something that I was amazed by, something that I probably wouldn’t be able to do.” *Echoes of Wisdom* garnered positive reviews upon its release, with most critics commending the game for the sense of freedom it offered players. Nevertheless, a few common criticisms emerged. A primary concern involved the game’s performance on the Switch console, which was initially released in 2017. Many players observed that the game’s frame rate, which dictates the fluidity of on-screen animations, was unstable. Sano confirmed that *Echoes of Wisdom* utilizes a variable frame rate, and that the developers considered this the “best option” available. Players and reviewers also voiced complaints regarding the menu system used for selecting echoes during gameplay. By the game’s conclusion, it is possible to have collected a total of 127 echoes, and the main selection method involves scrolling horizontally through an extensive row of icons. While filtering options like “most used” and “newest” are available, many still felt the system could have been more streamlined. Terada informed Newsbeat that the developers aimed to encourage player experimentation. “One of the essences of this game is being able to figure out different ways of using each of these echoes,” he stated. “And so in that sense we wanted players to fall upon and see the echoes that they may not have noticed or have been using while they’re sorting through all the echoes that they have.” He also highlighted an alternative notebook method that allows players quicker access to their collected echoes. Zelda will mark its 40th anniversary in 2026, and Aonuma noted that *Echoes of Wisdom* shares some genetic material with the series’ original game. Aonuma expressed that he initially believed it “might be close to impossible” to create a new entry that added fresh elements to the top-down style of earlier Zelda titles. However, he reflected: “I think through this game we were able to satisfy a lot of players. And so this game made me realise that there’s still a lot of possibility for these top-down Zelda games as well.” The future of Nintendo is currently a subject of fan speculation, with enthusiasts awaiting news on the successor to the Switch. Aonuma did not disclose any information on that front but did share his vision for upcoming Zelda installments. “And so we will also have those dynamic 3D Zeldas as well,” he affirmed. “But in addition to that, we’re also hoping that we can continue with these 2D top-down Zeldas.” Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays – or listen back here. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.