During the June 2024 Nintendo Direct, the gaming giant surprised fans with a huge announcement – a new Zelda game. Not only that, but this newest installment in The Legend of Zelda series will finally let you play as the titular female character Zelda, who is the lead in the upcoming game titled The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. Additionally, the Switch title releases tomorrow, Sept. 26, and fans won’t have to wait the usual several years between games to head back to Hyrule.

The trailer unveiled in the latest Nintendo Direct transports us back to a nostalgic setting, featuring a familiar foe that echoes the iconic 1991 entry in the Legend of Zelda series, A Link to the Past.

In a stunning moment, Princess Zelda finds herself trapped in a pink gem perched atop a stone, while our brave hero, Link, removes his hood to confront a looming foe. Suddenly, the ground beneath him begins to crumble away. Thinking fast, Link grabs his bow and arrow, shattering the gem and freeing Princess Zelda just as he is engulfed by the abyss below. Alone and determined, Zelda dashes away from the expanding rift, emerging into the familiar land of Hyrule, where she gazes towards Hyrule Castle. As the title graces the screen, fans can hardly contain their excitement: we’re finally getting the long-awaited Zelda-led chapter in The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. 

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There are SO many things to be excited about as a long-time fan of the Legend of Zelda games. How often will we get to hear Zelda’s Lullaby? Will she have additional, new theme songs? Is this game set in the same overworld as A Link to The Past? The list goes on.

Much like Link had his trusty fairy companion in Ocarina of Time, Zelda will now be aided by a new fairy friend named Tri. Furthermore, her primary “weapon” will be the Tri Rod, a magical tool that allows her to capture “Echoes” of objects and even monsters – duplicating them whenever necessary. What’s more, these monster echoes will join the fray, fighting alongside her in battles. 

Reach new heights in The Legend of #Zelda: #EchoesofWisdom!

Stack, climb, and combine different echoes to overcome obstacles and solve puzzles in creative ways. How you solve each puzzle is entirely up to you! pic.twitter.com/Czu0DlID5W

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) July 17, 2024

A big part of the fun in the latest Legend of Zelda game, Tears of the Kingdom, comes from the endless possibilities for experimenting with the new Zonai devices. Players have come up with countless creative and often hilarious ways to use these devices – like launching the poor Koroks as far as possible or crafting inventive solutions to Shrine puzzles. The developers really encouraged players to explore and play the game however they wanted. It makes you wonder what players will create with the new echoes. We can’t wait to see.

At Fandom Daily, we're not just curious about the music and gameplay possibilities in the upcoming Legend of Zelda game; we're also eager to hear what sounds Zelda will make! In the trailer, we catch a glimpse of her jumping and saying a quick “whoop,” but we can't wait to discover what other iconic sounds she might create, reminiscent of Link’s legendary “Hiyah!” Additionally, we're wondering about Tri's voice. Could it have a catchy phrase like Navi's memorable “Hey, listen!”? The anticipation is building!

From the little we’ve seen, the map seems to echo A Link to the Past, however it appears Zelda has an encounter with The Great Deku Tree, who did not appear until Ocarina of Time. The trailer also shows a brief bit of the world below the rift, implying Zelda will venture there, likely in search of Link. 

Fan of View: I [Liz Maupin] grew up immersed in the world of Nintendo games, with my first console being the Super Nintendo. My family initially bought a bundle that included the SNES and a Super Mario game. Unfortunately, either the cartridge or the console had issues – it's hard to say which since I was just a little girl at the time. We returned the bundle and, in exchange, received one that included The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. To me, this felt like fate. I instantly fell in love with the game – the story, the journey, the thrilling boss fights, the expansive world, and the captivating music. While the graphics were nothing compared to today’s standards, they completely immersed me as a young girl in 1992. A Link to the Past became my favorite game –at least until Ocarina of Time was released for the N64!

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I also really enjoyed Donkey Kong Country in the same way, but not as intensely. I loved the music and would leave the game running all day just to continue listening to the soundtrack. I liked the game so much that it gave me an idea: Nintendo should include a playable “girl” Kong.

So, for the first time in my life, I wrote a letter to a company. They needed to know! I penned Nintendo, telling them that I loved their games, but as a little girl, I would really also like to play as a girl character. They wrote back, saying something along the lines of appreciating that I was a fan (my parents sadly did not hang onto the letter) and that they had things in the works. And then, to my absolute surprise, Nintendo released Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest, which featured Dixie Kong: she wore a pink hat, pink shirt, and her signature move, the Helicopter Spin, allowed her to fly using her long hair.

She had long hair! Just like me! This meant the world to me as a child. In no way do I take credit for Dixie Kong (but probably wouldn’t deny it if you asked me…) however I loved that early representation. And now, some thirty odd years later, I can play as the heroine in my absolute favorite video game series of all time, The Legend of Zelda.

Photo Credit: @nintendoamerica on Instagram and X.