Step into a reimagined Hyrule where Princess Zelda, not Link, wields the power of the Tri Rod to summon mystical Echoes-creatures, objects, and even enemies-to solve puzzles, battle foes, and explore every corner of this vast kingdom. Before you embark on this enchanting adventure in The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, master these 8 essential beginner’s tips to harness the full potential of your Echoes, navigate the terrain creatively, and survive the challenges that await in this innovative top-down Zelda experience.
The possibilities are endless in Echoes of Wisdom, but there are some key things you should keep your eyes out for and do along the way. Below, we list some beginner’s tips we wish we knew before diving into Echoes of Wisdom.
You will never be too good for a staircase made of beds
You will never be too good for a staircase made of beds. Early in Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, you’ll learn to summon Old Bed echoes, and this simple trick quickly becomes one of the most versatile tools in your arsenal. Stacking beds to make makeshift staircases isn’t just a quirky solution for tutorial puzzles-it’s a reliable method for reaching high ledges, crossing gaps, or escaping danger throughout your entire adventure. Even as you discover fancier echoes and more elaborate traversal options, never underestimate the humble bed stack; sometimes the most basic solution is the best way forward in Hyrule, and a pile of beds can get you out of more jams than you’d expect.
Making a staircase out of beds is one of the earliest things you’ll master in the tutorial levels, Hyrule Castle Underground and Suthorn Ruins, but you never have to outgrow this elegant simplicity. You’ll get some tools later that will help you get over gaps and up cliffs, but the bed staircase remains reliable throughout the game, so don’t forget to return to your roots if you need to.
Speaking of beds.
Beds heal you for free
Beds are one of the most reliable and cost-effective ways to heal in Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. Early in your adventure, you’ll unlock the Old Bed Echo, which allows Zelda to summon a bed anywhere and rest to gradually restore lost hearts-completely free of charge. Unlike potions or smoothies, resting in a bed doesn’t consume any items or resources. There are three types of beds, each with different healing speeds, but even the basic Old Bed is a lifesaver after tough battles or before boss fights. For faster recovery, you can get up as soon as you heal a portion of your hearts and lie back down again, speeding up the process. Whenever you find a safe spot, take advantage of this mechanic to top off your health without spending a rupee.
Bed echoes – like the Old Bed or, later, the Soft Bed and Zelda’s Bed Echoes – let you take a nap no matter where you are. Better yet, you recover hearts for free so you don’t have to waste your smoothies when you can just take a nap (evergreen life advice, really). Just don’t try to do it when enemies are nearby since they’ll destroy your bed.
When you’re in the middle of a fight, you’ll have to stick to smoothies.
Make yourself some smoothies
In Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, making smoothies is a simple yet strategic way to boost Zelda’s health and grant special effects. You can find Smoothie Stands operated by Business Scrubs scattered across Hyrule, where you combine two ingredients to create a smoothie. Experimenting with different combinations can yield healing effects, energy boosts, or elemental resistances. Once you learn a recipe, you can easily reorder smoothies even without the ingredients, though purchasing them can be costly. Keeping a stock of smoothies is especially helpful as you progress, providing valuable support during tougher challenges.
Smoothies are for more than just restoring health, so don’t ignore them in lieu of “Well, I can just rest in my bed.” Smoothies restore health instantly, making them great for boss fights, and they also have extra effects depending on the ingredients you use. Some can help you hold your breath underwater longer or glow in the dark. Some smoothies will also restore your Swordfighter energy, allowing you to get yourself out of a pinch when you’re out.
Our guide on smoothie recipes and ingredients can help you know what to make.
Peculiar rock or bush? Move it for a Might Crystal
When exploring Hyrule in Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, always keep an eye out for rocks or bushes that seem oddly placed or stand out from their surroundings. These peculiar objects often hide valuable rewards-if you spot a lone boulder or a suspicious cluster of bushes, try moving the rock with Bind or destroying the bush with Zelda’s spin attack. Many Might Crystals, which are essential for upgrading your abilities, are hidden this way: for example, lifting a boulder or clearing a bush can reveal a Might Crystal underneath. Whenever something looks out of place, take a moment to interact with it-you might uncover a hidden treasure that will help you on your adventure.
While exploring Hyrule, you might encounter a lone bush on a small cliff or maybe a rock in the center of a circle of rocks. Pick up the rock and swipe through that bush for a Might Crystal or maybe even a Piece of Heart. It’s giving a little bit of a “Ya ha ha! You found me!” vibe.
Your solution is likely around you
In The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, your solution to puzzles and challenges is often right around you, hidden in the environment or within the Echoes you have at your disposal. Experiment with summoning and manipulating Echoes-objects, creatures, and even enemies-to interact with the world in creative ways. For example, you can push boxes, lift pots, or even hide in them to evade enemies. Using the Bed Echo to rest and recover hearts anywhere is another handy trick. Exploring thoroughly and revisiting old areas can reveal useful Echoes and items that help you progress. The game encourages you to use your surroundings and the Echoes creatively rather than relying solely on traditional combat, making your immediate environment a key part of your strategy.
If you’re stressing out about how to solve a specific puzzle, you very likely have the tools to do so already or you probably got them recently. While this is more true for dungeons and Stilled areas, you should still take a look around and try using your recently-obtained tools to help you out.
Your own echoes can’t hurt you
In Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, your own summoned Echoes cannot directly harm you, allowing you to use them creatively without fear of self-injury. However, be cautious of indirect harm-such as fire Echoes that can spread and damage Zelda if she walks through the flames. This mechanic encourages experimentation with Echoes for combat and puzzle-solving while keeping Zelda safe from friendly fire.
Don’t worry too much about that bombfish you summoned blowing up and hurting you, as your own echoes won’t cause friendly fire. The only exception to this is fire that’s created from your echoes, which can and will still hurt you. Other than that, summon those bokoblins and bombfish freely without worry.
On that note.
Pick your favorites
When starting out in The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, it’s essential to pick your favorite Echoes wisely. With 127 Echoes available, each offering unique abilities for combat, exploration, and puzzle-solving, selecting those that complement your playstyle can make your journey through Hyrule smoother and more enjoyable. Experiment with different Echoes early on to discover which ones help you most, whether it’s the healing Bed Echo, the powerful stacked Octorok Echoes for ranged attacks, or utility Echoes that assist in traversal and puzzle mechanics. Prioritizing your favorites will streamline your gameplay and enhance your strategic options as you progress.
Old, reliable standbys are old and reliable for a reason – they just work. And in a game where you have dozens of options for any given problem, it gets overwhelming fast to try and find the exact right echo for each situation. But you don’t have to – and you shouldn’t.
Find your favorite echo and use it as much as you want. There’s no reward for using every echo you find, so stick what works. Even as Tri levels up and you can summon more echoes, several cheap, low-level echoes will be just as effective as one, high-level one (if not more so).
Accessories matter (sometimes)
Accessories in Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom can significantly enhance your gameplay by providing various buffs and status effects, though their impact varies depending on the situation. With 28 different accessories available, you can equip up to five at a time initially, with more slots unlockable through the Great Fairy by spending rupees. These accessories can boost attributes like damage reduction, climbing speed, energy regeneration, and even increase the drop rate of hearts and rupees, making them valuable for overcoming difficult enemies or environmental challenges. While not all accessories are equally useful, choosing the right combination for your current challenges can sometimes make a noticeable difference in your adventure.
Making sure you’re wearing the right accessory isn’t really a high priority in Echoes of Wisdom, but in some circumstances, the right accessory can make a huge difference. Specifically, the Goron’s Climbing Band, the Gerudo’s Gerudo Sandals, the Ice Spikes in the frozen Hebra Mountains, and the Zora’s Zora Scale and Zora Flippers. Each of the region-themed accessories help with navigating that region and are usually for sale in that region’s shop.
What unexpected tricks can I use to master exploration in Echoes of Wisdom
To master exploration in Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, use these unexpected tricks:
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Push and manipulate summoned Echoes like wooden boxes or pots to uncover hidden paths or solve puzzles; Zelda can even lift certain monsters to reposition them strategically.
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Use beds as portable resting spots anywhere safe to heal gradually, which is crucial during long exploration sessions.
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Hide inside pots to evade enemies and sneak through hostile areas undetected.
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Utilize the trampoline early on to jump onto treetops and access otherwise unreachable areas, allowing you to bypass traditional paths and discover secrets.
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Bind to Crawltula Echoes to climb almost any vertical surface, opening up new exploration routes.
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Experiment with different Echo types creatively: for example, wooden Echoes float on water, while stone Echoes can float on lava, enabling traversal over hazardous terrain.
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Move the camera around with the Right Stick to scout ahead for enemies or hidden drops, improving your situational awareness as you explore.
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Use the Water Block Echo to create platforms extending sideways or upwards from solid ground, facilitating access to new areas.
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Combine Echoes like Hawks and tables to build makeshift staircases or platforms to cross large gaps or ascend vertical spaces more easily.
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Don’t hesitate to stray from the main path; off-route exploration often yields useful Echoes, items, and side quests that enhance your journey.
These tactics encourage inventive use of the Echo system and environmental interaction, making exploration both dynamic and rewarding.
How can limiting echoes enhance your problem-solving skills in Echoes of Wisdom
Limiting the number of echoes you use in Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom enhances your problem-solving skills by forcing you to think more creatively and strategically about each echo’s unique abilities rather than relying on a single overpowered echo repeatedly. The developers intentionally balanced echoes so none become overwhelmingly useful, encouraging players to experiment with a variety of echoes to overcome challenges in different ways. By restricting yourself to fewer echoes, you engage more deeply with the game’s mechanics, discovering alternative solutions and combinations that might otherwise be overlooked.
This approach prevents gameplay from becoming passive or monotonous, as players must actively use Zelda’s binding ability and other skills to manipulate echoes and the environment effectively, rather than standing idle and waiting for echoes to attack. It also mirrors the design philosophy seen in recent Zelda titles, where success depends on creativity and adaptability rather than brute force or repetitive tactics. In essence, limiting echoes transforms puzzle-solving and combat into a more thoughtful, engaging experience that rewards ingenuity.
