Key things
- Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom breaks with tradition by putting Zelda at the helm, but still offers fans nostalgic callbacks.
- Cutting grass has been a long-standing tradition in Zelda, but in Echoes of Wisdom it has been improved somewhat.
- Zelda's Spin ability in Echoes of Wisdom reinforces the grass cutting tradition and provides a valuable upgrade.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom definitely broke mainstream tradition with his choice of protagonist, putting Zelda at the helm rather than Link, who has held the role in every major installment since the series' inception in 1987. But that doesn't mean Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom abandoned all franchise traditions.
actually Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom it does a thorough job and includes plenty of nostalgic callbacks to the series' past for the benefit of longtime fans. One in particular The Legend of Zelda tradition prevailed Zelda: Echoes of Wisdombut with a satisfying twist that somehow makes it better. The Zelda tradition is to cut the grass.
Zelda's Spin easily cuts grass in Echoes of Wisdom
Cutting grass has long been a tradition in The Legend of Zelda
There can be many methods in The Legend of Zelda universe to get useful items like rupees and hearts – like smashing pots and boxes – but none of these methods are as satisfying as mowing grass. Throughout The Legend of Zelda series, players could use Link's sword to cut down the grass scattered around Hyrule, often revealing hearts, rupees, and crafting materials. It is one of the easiest methods The Legend of Zelda for growing said items, especially since Link basically carries his own lawnmower in his iconic blade.
IN ZeldaIn the early days, the feeling of being able to use Link's spin attack in the middle of a clump of grass was unmatched. There was something quite cathartic about it, especially when the spiral of Link's sword made a perfect circle on the ground. It has become even more beneficial in recent games Zelda: Breath of the Wild and its continuation, Tears of the Kingdomdue to the plethora of items that could be collected just by mowing the grass.
Players then regularly took their discoveries to online forums, pointing out the grassiest areas in Hyrule and what could be grown from them.
Cutting the grass inside The Legend of Zeldaalthough it may seem trivial, it was never necessary to necessarily improve. That being said, once something is improved, all the flaws of the previous form are exposed, making those improvements even more prominent and discouraging of any kind. This is the case with Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom's grass-cutting approach that highlights one key flaw that has always been present in the show's lore, despite the fact that it's probably flown under the radar until now.
Zelda's Spin is an improvement on the franchise's grass-cutting tradition
Somehow, Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is improving The Legend of Zelda's grass-cutting tradition by giving its titular protagonist a skill that Link never had because he has his sword. As Nintendo stated during Ask the Developer Vol. 13, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom — Part 3: “Originally we thought Link would be the main character. But when we focused on the game with echoes and had Link copy and paste things into the game field, the sword and shield stood in the way.” The same way that Link's sword interfered with him creating an echo Echoes of wisdomhis sword also “defends” with possible grass cutting upgrades.
With her Spin ability, Zelda can instantly spin through grass, chopping it down along the way. Instead of having to pause for a moment to swing her blade or charge it for a spin attack, Zelda can use her spin ability an unlimited number of times with a very unnoticeable cooldown between each one. It's a very subtle way to improve one of the longest traditions The Legend of Zelda franchise, but it's still a very valuable addition to the latest game that will hopefully set off a chain reaction in future installments.
