The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening was only the fourth game in the series. It was packed with references to other Nintendo games, which seemed bold at the time. One of the first ones players saw was the Chain Chomp from the Mario series, and the game had plenty of great cameos.
6 Things To Do First In The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is another expansive Nintendo Switch adventure, and players will want to do a few things as soon as possible.
Unfortunately, the latest adventure, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, does not have a bunch of Nintendo cameos. Still, there are quite a few Easter Eggs that will titillate fans of the Zelda series. Some of them may be a bit spoiler-filled too, so let’s keep that in mind before moving on.
6 Pols Voice
A Nod To One Of The Franchise’s First Monsters
- Location: Hyrule Castle Town
The Pols Voice is a monster that appeared in the first Zelda game on the NES. North American players fought it like all other monsters, with a sword, but Japanese players had a unique way of disposing of them. Built into their NES equivalent, the Famicom, was a microphone. Thanks to their long ears, the Pols Voice would die if Japanese players spoke or made noise into their microphones.
While North American players couldn’t do this, the music weakness persisted throughout the series, including Link's Awakening, which allowed all users to dispose of the monster using an instrument. History aside, players can’t make an Echo out of a Pols Voice in The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, but they can see a stuffed animal of one within an NPC’s house in Hyrule Castle Town.
5 Wart Lives On Through Echoes
A Hidden Connection To Mario
- Location: Faron Wetlands
As stated in the intro, The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening is filled with Easter Eggs via cameos. One of those cameos was from Wart, a toad-like villain who was the final boss of Super Mario Bros. 2. He appeared in The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening to sing a song for Link to progress an overarching side quest.
Wart is not in The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, but he has inspired cousins within it. In the Faron Wetlands, players can find Ribbitune and Drippitune, who are toad monsters that can sing. Ribbitune’s song can attract enemies towards it, while Drippitune’s vocals will make it rain so long as it is alive and singing. While not a 1:1 reference, it’s possible the developers at Grezzo created these monsters for The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom as an homage to Wart.
4 Attack The Cuccos
A Classic Kakariko Guardian
- Location: Kakariko Village
Fans of A Link to the Past will remember that ONE moment when they discovered Cuccos can fight back. These chicken-like birds will come from out of nowhere and flood the screen if players hit them enough with their swords in Kakariko Village. It’s a trope that keeps happening in the series, and it even happens to this seemingly peaceful princess.
In The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, there’s a side quest called Cuccos on the Loose in Kakariko Village. Once players gather this NPC’s missing Cuccos, she will present them with a Fairy Bottle as a reward. After that, players can transform into the Swordfighter form and give these birds a few good whacks before the Cucco storm erupts.
3 Further Links To The Past
Where Does This Game Take Place In The Timeline?
- Locations (In Order of Images Left to Right): Eastern Temple, Desert Palace, Hyrule Field
Besides the Cucco revenge streak, there are a lot of other nods to A Link to the Past. It seems like the two maps are very similar, almost like this either takes place before that game or after. For example, players can discover the ruins of the Desert Palace in the Gerudo Desert.
There is also the Eastern Temple, which isn’t even tied to the main story, so players can easily miss it, along with the related side quest that dishes out a pretty good Echoes of Wisdom accessory as a reward. Finally, players can discover the lot of land that Link and his uncle use in A Link to the Past; in Echoes of Wisdom, though, he lives alone in Suthorn Village.
2 The Cow Goes Moo
Grezzo Showcases Its Nosey Changes
- Location: Lueburry's House
For whatever reason, Nintendo decided to call their chickens Cuccos but other animals, like cows, are just that, cows. For example, they appear in Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask, which makes sense given that the two share so much of the same engine. Grezzo has worked on several other Zelda games, including the 3DS ports of the aforementioned N64 classics.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom – 6 Hardest Bosses, Ranked
These Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom bosses can be taken down if players help Zelda out with these strategies.
In those ports, Grezzo added a septum piercing to those cows for whatever reason. That change can be seen in the basement of Lueburry, the game’s weapon smith, who has a figure of a cow with a nose ring attached on his shelf. It’s an Easter Egg inside another Easter Egg, which is fun.
1 Hyrule Castle Secrets
From Windows To Statues
- Locations (In Order of Images Left to Right): Hyrule Castle (Dungeon), Hyrule Castle (Entrance)
There are two major references players can spot in Hyrule Castle other than the typical Hyrule crest with the Triforce that appears in most Zelda entries. First, in the dungeon of the castle, players can see a broken Goddess Statue as it appears in Breath of the Wild. For those unaware, players can pray to these statues to give Link upgrades for stamina or health.
The other mod is given to the Loftwings of Skyward Sword. The inside windows of the castle are decorated with birds that look a lot like Loftwings. Loftwings were giant birds that flew players around sky islands, taking over the role of classic horses like Epona.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
- Released
- September 26, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo, Grezzo
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Engine
- Havok
- Franchise
- The Legend of Zelda
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch
- Genre(s)
- Adventure
- How Long To Beat
- 20 Hours
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
