Nintendo introduced The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom right now, and what meaning: timeline hypothesis. X/Twitter and Reddit are lighting up with hypothesis about the place, precisely, Echoes of Wisdom falls in Zelda’s sophisticated historical past.
On r/Zelda, a thread titled “[EOW] Idk if this was obvious, bu the game uses the map from ALTTP/ALBW” popped up virtually instantly. The thread identified that, primarily based on what we have seen to this point, a number of elements of Hyrule line up properly with the map from A Link to the Past and A Link Between Worlds. However, the map is not a 1:1: Death Mountain, as thread creator u/FelipeKits factors out, is within the unsuitable place. We additionally noticed a Gerudo within the trailer, who don’t seem within the Fallen Hero/Downfall timeline, which kicks off if Link loses to Ganondorf throughout their last encounter in Ocarina of Time.
In addition, u/scdsco factors out that most of the issues we noticed merely aren’t in A Link to the Past: “There had been a lot of areas within the trailer and official artwork that don’t exist in alttp, like a rainforest space, a volcano, a gerudo city and an icy mountain.”
In one other thread titled “[EoW] Echoes of Wisdom & A Link to the Past Maps,” u/Ryon21_ posted a extra detailed comparability between the A Link to the Past and Echoes of Wisdom maps, theorizing that Echoes of the Wind’s map is an growth of A Link to the Past’s, with new areas to the west and northwest of the unique.
One of probably the most attention-grabbing tidbits, nonetheless, is that Echoes of Wisdom consists of each of the collection’ Zora designs, which marks the primary time each have appeared in a single sport. The choice to incorporate each varieties of Zoras (ahem) echoes the merging of a number of parts that had beforehand been unique to a single department of the timeline, one thing we additionally noticed in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, which occur lengthy, lengthy after some other sport presently on the timeline.
At this second, indicators appear to level to Echoes of Wisdom happening someplace within the Fallen Hero/Downfall timeline. Some followers, like u/ZeldaExpert74, theorize that it is truly the beginning of the Fallen Hero/Downfall timeline, happening between Ocarina of Time and A Link to the Past. Other theories place Echoes of Wisdom between A Link to the Past and Link’s Awakening, or after A Link Between Worlds and Tri Force Heroes. These connections make sense: Echoes of Wisdom’s artwork model is actually the identical because the Link’s Awakening remake on Switch. If nothing else, everybody appears to agree on one factor: it isn’t a part of the Wind Waker department of the timeline.
While hypothesis is enjoyable, it is also price noting that Nintendo appears somewhat… disinterested within the Zelda timeline of late. The writer hasn’t formally positioned a brand new sport on the timeline in almost a decade, although collection producer Eiji Anouma did affirm that the Link from A Link Between Worlds is identical one which seems in Tri Force Heroes. Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom function parts from each timeline, so maybe issues merge sooner or later. Perhaps Echoes of Wisdom takes place nearer to them than it does some other earlier sport? So far, Nintendo is not saying. Maybe they are not even desirous about the timeline anymore. Who is aware of?
While timeline hypothesis may be enjoyable, it is essential to keep in mind that Zelda is a fantasy, or maybe, extra precisely, a legend retold over and over, handed down throughout generations. While there is definitely continuity to be discovered, the timeline is not as essential because the collection’ anthology mindset and enduring spirit. You needn’t play a earlier Zelda to know a brand new one, and you will not want to know the place Echoes of Wisdom falls within the collection’ historical past to get pleasure from taking part in a Zelda for the primary time. So by all means, speculate, however do not be shocked if Nintendo by no means give us an official reply as to the place it falls on the timeline.
Will Borger is an IGN freelancer. You can discover him on Twitter @bywillborger.
