Unraveling the Mystery: Why Nintendo Replaced Link as The Legend of Zelda’s New Protagonist in Echoes of Wisdom

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The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom – A Fresh Twist for the Beloved Protagonist

For centuries, Link has been the hero of the Legend of Zelda series. However, in the latest installment, Echoes of Wisdom, Nintendo has taken a bold step by making Zelda the protagonist. But what made the developers choose Zelda instead of Link? Series producer Eiji Aonuma and director Tomomi Sano shared the behind-the-scenes story in a recent blog post.

Initially, Link was set to reprise his role in Echoes of Wisdom, but the developers realized that introducing echoes, the game’s new concept, wouldn’t work well with his classic sword and shield combination.

A New Era for Zelda

According to Terada, the variety of echoes in the game wasn’t compatible with the addition of a sword and shield. This led them to focus on echoes alone. Aonuma saw this as an opportunity to experiment with a new protagonist – Princess Zelda.

"With Echoes plus a sword and shield, they just didn’t work well together. We decided to stick with echoes only," Aonuma explained.

The concept of Zelda as the protagonist wasn’t new to fans, but it presented an exciting challenge for the development team. Aonuma reflected on the numerous occasions when fans asked to play as Zelda, stating that as long as it made sense for the game, they would consider it. When the team struggled to identify the ideal protagonist for Echoes of Wisdom, Aonuma believed it was the perfect time for Zelda to take the helm.

Crafting an Adventure Fit for Zelda

However, the development process wasn’t without its obstacles. The team needed to come up with a convincing story to send Zelda on an adventure. After all, she’s a princess, not a warrior! They brainstormed various scenarios to motivate her to fight monsters, but eventually found inspiration in a nine-day boot camp last summer.

Honoring the Franchise’s Legacy

Delving into the history of the Legend of Zelda series, Aonuma and the team faced a new challenge – balancing innovation with reverence for the series’ timeline. They needed to create a new story without contradicting the established lore. Aonuma revealed that even they, the developers, found it daunting to touch on the lore, considering the rich history of the series.

"Our fans are interested in the history and lore, and we realized that if the game plot didn’t fit within the series, our fans might interpret it incorrectly," Aonuma added.

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is set to release this week on Nintendo Switch. With Zelda at the helm, fans can expect a fresh take on the iconic series.