Throughout the Legend of Zelda franchise, Link has saved Princess Zelda from countless predicaments. Her entire identity was warped in Zelda: Wind Waker, she was petrified in Zelda: The Minish Cap, she was possessed in Zelda: Twilight Princess, and was even stuck fighting Calamity Ganon for 100 years in Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Whatever adventure Link goes on, Zelda is often in need of saving. But Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom has turned that upside down.
For the first time in the mainline series, Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom has put players in the shoes of Princess Zelda. This time, Link is the one in need of saving, and it is up to Zelda to help him alongside the powerful Tri. Because of that switch, players are in for a wildly different experience than what has come before. And through that, they may even see some twists to classic Zelda storylines. Specifically, Zelda: Spirit Tracks fans might be in for a treat when it comes to the franchise’s iconic Darknuts.
Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom and Spirit Tracks Share One Major Similarity
Zelda: Spirit Tracks Put Zelda at the Mercy of Phantoms
Much like every Legend of Zelda game before it, at the start of Zelda: Spirit Tracks, things go horribly wrong for the people of Hyrule. Princess Zelda’s soul is literally ripped from her body, and it is up to Link to help her reunite with it. Through this adventure, Zelda takes on a much more active role than she has previously, as her soul serves as a constant companion for Link. But she does far more than simply float alongside him, as she actually assists in her own special way by possessing the bodies of Phantoms.
Dubbed Phantom Zelda, Princess Zelda is able to possess the armor of Phantoms to assist Link throughout Zelda: Spirit Tracks‘ primary dungeon, the Tower of Spirits. Inside the armor, she can provide combat or puzzle-solving assistance, depending upon what type of Phantom she possesses. Additionally, she spends her time following Link around the dungeon and can actually be ordered around the map, essentially letting players actually play as Zelda well before Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom hit store shelves.
Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom Gives Zelda the Power to Control Darknuts
In Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, players can once again control Phantom-like beings. Although not technically Phantoms, Darknuts share a striking resemblance to them and operate much like them. So, many fans consider them one and the same. And through the game’s echo ability, Zelda can actually create her own little army of them to fight her way through the game’s many dungeons.
These Darknuts are hardly as interesting as Phantom Zelda was, yet the concept feels extremely similar. In Zelda: Spirit Tracks, Link gets to fight alongside a Phantom possessed by Zelda’s soul. In Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, Zelda is able to summon Darknuts on a whim to fight for her. Giving players that tool once more feels like a fantastic blast from the past, even if it works a bit differently here. Additionally, it also seems like a bit of justice for Zelda after she was forced to possess them and listen to Link’s orders years prior.
The Darknuts are just one of many Legend of Zelda enemies that are finally fighting for the heroes of Hyrule. Throughout Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, players will be able to acquire all sorts of different ones, including the iconic bokoblins. But, while that is all great to see, nothing compares to the control Zelda now has over Darknuts. And fans of Zelda: Spirit Tracks will likely love that they get to revisit a concept such as that all these years later.
