Summary
TheLegend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdomhas made waves ahead of its release by being one of the most distinctive titles in the series yet. The closer it gets to the game’s launch, the more is revealed about its unique blend of classic and modernZeldaelements, making it look more ambitious by the day. Along with featuring the titular princess as its protagonist for the first time in a mainline installment,Zelda: Echoes of Wisdomis innovating on the franchise’s past and present with unique features likeZelda’s Tri Rod, which can create copies of objects and monsters called “Echoes” for use in traversal and combat.
Until recently, it was assumed that Zelda’s only weapon inZelda: Echoes of Wisdomwould be her Tri Rod, as it can be used to create Echoes of monsters to assist her in battle. If this truly were the case, it would replace the series' traditional sword combat, and therefore the iconic Master Sword. However,Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom’s recent “Into the Still World, a Journey Continued” trailer unveiled Zelda’s Swordfighter Form, an alternate form for the princess that sees her temporarily transforming into a swordfighter reminiscent of Link himself. As it turns out, the mechanics of the Swordfighter Form may yet replace the Master SwordZeldafans have become accustomed to.
Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom’s Swordfighter Form May Effectively Replace the Master Sword
How the Swordfighter Form Works in Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
At some point during Zelda’s adventure inZelda: Echoes of Wisdom, she finds a mysterious sword that grants her the Swordfighter Form. Whether this sword is the Master Sword is unclear, especially since its appearance is unlike the Master Sword’s traditional design. However, it does happen to be the same sword Link is wielding before he gets pulled intothe Still Worldin what can only be assumed isZelda: Echoes of Wisdom’s prologue, so it’s entirely possible it is the iconic blade. Even so, that may all be irrelevant considering the new ability the mysterious sword grants Zelda.
As players traverse the Still World, they will be able to collect energy floating in the air that will fill Zelda’s Swordfighter Form gauge. Once the gauge has been filled enough, players can then activate Zelda’s Swordfighter Form and fight enemies directly, rather than needing to rely solely on herTri Rod’s Echoes of other monsters. That being said, it is possible to use the Swordfighter Form to fight enemies alongside Echoes.
Once the Swordfighter Form gauge has been depleted, Zelda will be returned to her normal state until players gather enough energy to transform again.
Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom’s Swordfighter Form Shares Some Similarities With the Master Sword
Thanks to the Swordfighter Form’s mechanics, players may find some semblance ofthe Master Swordto still be present inZelda: Echoes of Wisdom. Throughout the series, the Master Sword has featured a special ability that could be used for a short period, with the most recent example of that mechanic being found inZelda: Tears of the Kingdomand its predecessor. In those games, however, the Master Sword itself is, in a sense, a special ability, as the blade becomes unusable after it has dealt a certain amount of damage. It is a highly controversial feature, but it is the most accurate representation of Zelda’s Swordfighter Form inZelda: Echoes of Wisdom.
Based on what is revealed in the"Into the Still World, a Journey Continued" trailer forZelda: Echoes of Wisdom, it seems as though players will be able to upgrade either the form itself or the gauge to last longer, so perhaps this is how Nintendo has chosen to improve the previous iterations of the Master Sword. In any case, at least Zelda has been given the ability to wield a sword inZelda: Echoes of Wisdom, adding yet another valuable tool to her arsenal.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
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 may even make echoes of monsters to fight at your side in combat!
