For years, Princess Zelda has been one of Nintendo’s most iconic characters, yet she never had a game of her own—until now.
Although the Legend of Zelda series bears her name, Zelda has traditionally taken a supporting role, while the player follows the journey of Link, the series’ hero.
But that all changed with the recent release of Echoes of Wisdom, which launched just a few weeks ago and has captivated fans worldwide.
BBC Newsbeat recently spoke with the minds behind the game—series producer Eiji Aonuma and co-directors Tomomi Sano and Satoshi Terada—to uncover the creative journey and the team’s reactions to the game’s reception.
When Echoes of Wisdom was unveiled at the Nintendo Direct showcase in June, it was an unexpected surprise for fans.
The announcement electrified the gaming community, as Zelda was revealed to be the game’s main character for the first time.
But the game didn’t just shift the protagonist; it introduced an entirely new play style.
Unlike previous games where players would use a sword and shield, Echoes of Wisdom lets players harness Zelda’s unique “echo” abilities.
These echoes allow her to copy items and enemies encountered during her journey, which can then be “pasted” into the environment to solve puzzles.
For example, players might stack objects like beds and boxes to scale a wall, or summon multiple enemies to aid in a battle against a boss.
Series producer Aonuma anticipated that fans would focus heavily on Zelda’s role as the protagonist.
However, his primary concern was whether the new gameplay mechanics would resonate with players.
“A lot of the focus of the topic of conversation was going to be on Zelda being the main protagonist,” Aonuma acknowledged. “But a bigger concern for me was whether or not the unique gameplay of the echoes was going to be conveyed properly and understood properly by the viewers.”
Directors Sano and Terada shared similar sentiments.
“Whether or not the Zelda fans would accept these new elements was something I was watching over nervously,” explained Terada, the head of third-party co-developer Grezzo.
Sano added that she closely monitored fan reactions on her smartphone the day after launch, relieved to see positive responses to the fresh gameplay.
Since its release, players have shared mixed reactions to the new echo mechanics.
Some found it took time to adapt to the system, a sentiment that Aonuma himself experienced during development.
“From the second time through, I started to realize there were various ways to approach the challenges,” he said, describing how the flexibility of the gameplay changed his perspective.
He believes that discovering different methods to solve puzzles becomes a turning point for players in understanding the game.
Nintendo’s recent Zelda games have increasingly encouraged creative freedom, as seen in last year’s Tears of the Kingdom, where players could craft inventive contraptions.
In Echoes of Wisdom, the development team invested substantial time testing echo combinations, but even they were astonished by the imaginative solutions players discovered.
One standout example widely shared online involves players combining a bed and a tornado to launch Zelda high into the air—an interaction that the team had not anticipated.
Terada expressed his amazement at players’ ingenuity, and Sano was especially impressed by their resourcefulness in using the combination to scale mountains.
In this historic installment, Zelda has finally stepped out of the shadows, not only as the lead character but also with a dynamic playstyle that invites players to experiment and explore in unprecedented ways.
With Echoes of Wisdom, Nintendo has given Zelda her own legend to lead—and fans are here for the adventure.
Also read: Janelle Brown Warns Meri About Family Finances
