The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is a surprisingly complex game, filled with a variety of traversal and environmental puzzles that require deep thinking to solve. Some of these can be worked through with common sense and quick thinking, but there are some parts of the game that are more obtuse than others. If you’re struggling with your personal quest, you might need some tips and tricks to help you along the way.
To that end, read on. Here’s everything you need to know (spoiler-free) to make the most of your time in The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom.
Table of Contents
1. Always have at least five smoothies on you
As you travel into Gerudo territory in The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, you’ll stumble upon a smoothie merchant. You should make time to get to know them, complete their quest, and concoct your first smoothies – because eventually, you will rely on them.
To start with, just play around with combining everything in your pockets. Apples and Grapes combined with Milk and other goodies will usually produce a healing smoothie, and you can also get special smoothies by combining certain hot/cold ingredients with monster parts.
Once you’ve found healing smoothies, you should consider stocking up on these. You may not need them in the early stages of your journey, but they will come in handy eventually.
2. Unlock horse riding early by visiting Hyrule Ranch
After you’ve taken your first steps into The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, you’ll be allowed to venture forth, wherever you like. As long as you’re clever about your Echoes, you can even venture into later-game territories to unlock certain features early.
Your first stop after the game’s intro should be to Hyrule Ranch – which is above the Gerudo hometown, and to the left of the map’s centre. Here, a farmer will give you a quest to rescue his beloved horse. Head over to the ponds on the left of the Ranch, and you’ll find the horse stranded. Build a bed ramp, ride it back to the ranch, and you’ll then be able to ride any horse, streamlining your adventure.
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3. Large rocks are the most useful Echo
Large rocks are the most useful Echo you’ll encounter. Drop them from a high place, and they’ll smash crates below, or squish enemies. They can also block winds, letting you cross ravines without the fear of being blown away, or act as a stepping stone. They can even seal enemies away. When in doubt, conjure a rock.
4. Get an army of Spear Moblins to do your dirty business
The best way to tackle difficult enemies is to summon an army of Spear Moblins to fight on your behalf. You will improve Tri’s Echo ability as you advance in the game, and eventually, you’ll be able to summon plenty of these Moblins to your side. They’re not extremely powerful and will get wiped out by powerful attacks, but they attack from a distance, and frequently, meaning they will eventually chip away an enemy’s health.
5. Don’t activate Swordfighter Mode unless you need it
Swordfighter Mode is a great addition to The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, but it shouldn’t be relied on. Your spirit metre runs low very quickly, and there are boss fights where you’ll need a full, carefully-used bar to survive. The best way to utilise the mode is to only activate it in brief blasts, where you’re near an enemy, and you know you can hit them. Stick to this fleeting use, and you’ll be able to save your extra power for when you need it most.
6. Explore widely before taking on quests
Once you’re out in the world of The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, you can pretty much travel anywhere – and you should. While it might be procrastinating to avoid the main quest, travelling far and wide will let you gather a range of side quests, which can give you extra, early rewards.
There’s also no better feeling than getting a new quest and being able to fulfil it immediately, because you took the time to explore far caverns around your location.
7. The trampoline, snake statue, and tree will get you anywhere
The easiest way to climb upwards in The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is to create two stacks of items, in a particular order. Each item you stack should be a precise height, and you should try to create taller stacks of fewer items as you make your way up your custom towers.
It takes some time to wrap your head around this system – but let’s break it down further. A trampoline will get you up to a large box. A large box will get you up to a snake statue (once you unlock it). Place a trampoline on the box, and you can then jump up to another snake statue, when the trampoline at the bottom crumbles. In each jump, you should be able to clear a box length, and you should then be able to replace the snake statues with trees, climbing higher by creating little steps between each item.
Once you understand this system, the world is your oyster.
8. Don’t forget about Bind and Reverse Bond
In addition to Echo abilities, Princess Zelda is able to Bind / Bond herself to items, to cross greater distances. This essentially means you can attach yourself to moving objects, and take advantage of their trajectory. If you’re struggling to make your way through a particular puzzle, consider placing an object and binding yourself to it, or looking around the environment for ways to use this ability.
Also consider Bind / Bond when you come across particular puzzles in the overworld – it can prove very handy for clearing pathways and completing certain quests.
9. The waypoints mark clues, not where to go
This is a fun one you’ll realise over time. In The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, you’ll be given waypoints that indicate where quests are taking place – but they won’t actually show you where to go. Instead, you’ll usually find a character that gives you hints as to what’s next. They might give you a direction or a vague statement, and it’s your job to follow this to your next destination.
Don’t keep wandering around waypoints if you don’t know where to go. Find a character to talk to, listen to them, and then act accordingly.
10. Equip different items for different terrains and challenges
As you travel in The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, you’ll gain a range of equippable items that will be helpful in certain circumstances. If you’re travelling through a desert, you might want to equip an item that lets you avoid sinking into quicksand. If you’re travelling through water, you should equip an item that lets you swim faster. Consider your environment, and then equip your items based on your next steps.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom launches for Nintendo Switch on 26 September 2024. This general tips guide was prepared with a review code provided by Nintendo.
