Summary
It seems that a classic franchise mechanic will be returning inThe Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, having been absent from the franchise for the last decade. Of course, plenty of emphasis has been placed on the introduction of the Tri Rod and Echo mechanic, as well as on Princess Zelda being the protagonist. Nevertheless, while there arebig changes coming inEchoes of Wisdom, the new features aren’t the only ones worthy of note in the title.
WhileBOTWandTOTKcelebrate the entireZeldafranchise in many respects, they do not contain everything.TOTK’s Temples lack classic dungeon features, for example, in favor of more innovative features like the use of the various Sages’ unique abilities. As a result, many olderZeldafeatures, even ones that have had a recurring presence throughout the series, have been set aside in recent years. Now, however, at least one of these classic mechanics is evidently returning in the newestLegend of Zeldagame.
The Legend Of Zelda: Echoes Of Wisdom Release Date, Characters, & Gameplay Details
Here’s everything to know about The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, an upcoming game that gives Zelda the starring role for a change of pace.
Zelda: Echoes Of Wisdom Will See The Return Of Pieces Of Heart
Echoes of Wisdom Key Art Teease The Mechanic’s Return
The key art revealed forEchoes of Wisdomclearly shows a Piece of Heartperched atop a pillar in the background, indicating that the health bar-increasing items will once again be scattered across Hyrule. Pieces of Heart are featured in many classicZeldagames, includingOcarina of Time, and are valued for giving Link an extra Heart Container for every four collected. However, their last appearance was in 2013’sA Link Between Worlds.Breath of the WildandTears of the Kingdomhave since both excluded the item, although even then they did each have a comparable replacement.
ExcludingEchoes of Wisdom, Pieces of Heart have appeared in 11 mainLegend of Zeldatitles so far.
Notably,Breath of the Wild’s Spirit Orbs, and subsequentlyTears of the Kingdom’s Lights of Blessing, do clearly take inspiration from Pieces of Heart. Much like Pieces of Heart, a group of four of these items can be redeemed into a person’s choice of a newHeart Container or Stamina Vessel. The option of improving Link’s Stamina Wheel gives somebody an additional degree of control over the Hero’s growth, but in either case it should be noted that this does require the use of a Goddess Statue. In contrast, the effects of collecting four Pieces of Heart are immediate.
The reversion to a simpler mechanic matches the clear change in gameplay style between titles, but will also help to make improving Zelda’s health a much simpler process. Moreover, the fact that Pieces of Heart are present inEchoes of Wisdomalso appears to suggest that Zelda will not have an upgradable Stamina Wheel, or at least that any Stamina mechanic will be handled differently than inBOTWandTOTK. For example, it is possible that in addition to the Tri Rod, Zelda will eventually acquire various items which will expand her physical capabilities.
Pieces Of Heart Will Work Well With Echoes Of Wisdom’s Gameplay
Zelda Will Need To Collect Pieces of Heart For Health Upgrades
Typically, Pieces of Heart are treated as hidden collectibles, and as such, are often placed as the reward for completing an optional puzzle or minigame. Unlike the highly-visible Shrines ofBOTWandTOTKand their rewards, however, Pieces of Heart do not draw much attention to themselves, and so finding one is much more of a pleasant surprise. On the other hand, there is a strong parallel between Shrines and the design philosophy ofEchoes of Wisdom, which suggests that creative solutions to puzzles (in this case the use of Echoes) remain a prominent part ofThe Legend of Zelda.
The sheer potential of the Tri Rod and Echoes as the basis for puzzles is clearly similar to that of previous mechanics like Ultrahand, and sothere are countless inventive ways in which Pieces of Heart could be hidden around Hyrule. For example, from what has been shown in the trailer alone, the key art’s Piece of Art could be reached via a combination of platforms and trampolines. On the other hand, it is equally possible that Zelda could knock the Piece of Heart down by shaking the pillar with the help of an explosive echo.
In addition to the gameplay appeal, it is also worth noting that Pieces of Heart carry a certain level of nostalgia as well. For those familiar with older entries in the series, their return now will undoubtedly bring back fond memories, while people more familiar with exchanging Spirit Orbs and Lights of Blessing may enjoy the opportunity to interact with the mechanic in its original form. No matter whatnew traditions are followed byEchoes of Wisdom,the restoration of an older feature carries its own undeniable appealas well.
Hyrule Is Sure To Have Many Pieces Of Heart To Collect
How Many Pieces Of Heart Will Echoes of Wisdom Have?
It is unclear just how many Pieces of Heart will be available to collect inEchoes of Wisdom, but it seems safe to assume that there will be a large number of them. Hyrule seems to be incredibly big in the trailer, quite possibly making it the largest version of the kingdom in a top-down game ever. This means that there will be plenty of space for placing Pieces of Heart and other collectibles, and so Zelda could easily develop an enormous health bar over the course of the game.
Zelda: Echoes Of Wisdom Is Setting Up A Historic Moment For The Zora
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom promises to soon put the Zora of Hyrule into an intriguing situation that has never been seen before.
The precise number of Pieces of Heart has varied greatly, even between different versions of the same title. The originalLink’s Awakening, for example, has just 12, but the remake for Nintendo Switch contains 32. Meanwhile,A Link Between Worlds, arguably the most similar title toEchoes of Wisdomat this time, has 28 Pieces of Heart. It seems unlikely for there to be any less than this in what is almost certainly a larger game, giving a minimum of 7 extra Heart Containers for Zelda to obtain in addition to those gained elsewhere.
Pieces of Heart are a simple game mechanic with endless potentialas the reward for using Echoes creatively. Although Shrine rewards in modern titles have replicated them to some extent, they simply lack the same nostalgic appeal, which will help to ensure that the change is well-received.The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdommay continue to innovate and reimagine Hyrule, but its inclusion of Pieces of Heart proves that older ideas can still be a valuable addition to any game.
