Princess Zelda steps into the spotlight in The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, a fresh top-down adventure that invites players to save Hyrule from mysterious rifts threatening its people. But how much time will it take to conquer this new quest? Whether you’re racing through the main story or aiming for 100% completion, expect a journey that can range from a swift 15-20 hours to a more immersive 30-40 hours, offering a bite-sized yet richly rewarding Zelda experience on Nintendo Switch.
Well, the answer is that it’s kind of both (but to be clear, it’s not nearly as long as Tears of the Kingdom). Below, we detail how long it took us to beat The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, along with how much optional content we did along the way.
How long does it take to beat Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom?
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom typically takes around 15 to 20 hours to complete the main story, including exploring dungeons and some side quests. For players aiming to fully experience the game by collecting all Heart Pieces, Echoes, and completing every side quest, the playtime extends to approximately 30 to 40 hours. This makes it a relatively shorter and more manageable Zelda adventure compared to recent 3D titles, while still offering a rich and engaging experience for both casual players and completionists.
It took me personally around 16 hours to clear the whole story for Echoes of Wisdom, but that is to say I a left a lot of content uncompleted before heading off to the point of no return in the final dungeon. I had 13 hearts total and each of my Swordfighter form’s skills were at level two or higher, though none of them were maxed out. I was about 10 short from having all the echoes in the game as well. I was also missing a ton of side items, like outfits and accessories. I didn’t even unlock automatons, which come from a side quest. (Whoops.)
On the other hand, it took fellow guides writer Jeffrey Parkin roughly 25 hours, and he had completed quite a few more side quests and filled out extra pieces of content, though he also didn’t have the game 100% completed.
That said, if you’re going for a fuller completion of the game, it’ll probably take an additional 10-15 hours or so beyond my total hour count, depending on your pacing. For a more detailed birds-eye view of the game, see our full Echoes of Wisdom main story walkthrough.
Is there more content after beating Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom?
After beating The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, players can continue exploring a rich post-game world filled with numerous side quests, collectible hunts, and challenges. While there is no traditional post-game story or epilogue, the game allows you to pick up right before the final boss fight to complete any missed content such as side quests, collecting all Heart Pieces, Might Crystals, Echoes, and Stamp Rally stands. The game also provides helpful features like the Echoes notebook and the Deku Tree NPC, who can guide you on what collectibles remain and where to find them. This post-game content offers a substantial amount of gameplay for those aiming for 100% completion, making it a rewarding experience beyond the main story.
Not really! There will be a way to help track your missing collectables and echoes, but outside of that, there are no major changes added in the post game (that we noticed, at least). Usually Zelda games lock the difficult “master mode” behind beating the game, but Echoes of Wisdom lets you start with it, though it’s called “hero” difficulty in this game.
How quickly can I finish Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom if I focus only on the main story
If you focus solely on the main story of The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, you can expect to complete it in approximately 15 to 17 hours, with some estimates suggesting as low as 12 hours if you go straight from quest marker to quest marker without detours. This main quest includes completing the seven main dungeons and the core narrative objectives, offering a relatively streamlined experience compared to more expansive Zelda titles.
How does focusing only on main quests affect my overall gameplay time
Focusing only on the main quests in a game like Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom significantly shortens your overall gameplay time by streamlining your experience to the core narrative and essential challenges. This approach allows you to progress efficiently through the story, unlocking key gameplay features and reaching the ending faster without getting sidetracked by side content. However, it may also mean missing out on additional world-building, character development, and unique rewards that side quests provide, which can enrich the game’s atmosphere and depth. Prioritizing main quests keeps the gameplay more focused and immersive, often preventing over-leveling and maintaining a balanced challenge, but it can reduce the total playtime and exploration opportunities.
