The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom offers longtime fans something different by finally letting players step into the role of the titular princess. However, once you complete Zelda’s Adventure, you may be wondering what you should dive into next. Here are nine other games that could fill the Zelda-sized hole in your gaming soul.
This one is a bit of a gimme, but it’s also the easiest to recommend. If you’re aren’t quite ready to move on from the aesthetic of Echoes of Wisdom and somehow missed the other 2D Zelda game on the Switch, there really isn’t a title that will satisfy you more than The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening. Developed by Grezzo, who also developed Echoes of Wisdom, Link’s Awakening is a remake of the beloved Game Boy game that was originally released in 1993. The 2019 title utilizes an art style that is nearly identical to the most recent entry, so players will feel right at home as they play as Link after he wakes up shipwrecked on a mysterious island.
Both of these games are similar in that they are fairly different from other Zelda titles. While Link’s Awakening still lets you control Link, meaning combat is pretty traditional, everything else about the game is distinct. With no Zelda that needs rescuing, the game is a little more personal, as Link’s only goal is to gather the tools that will get him home. Those looking for something different in the franchise can’t do much better than Link’s Awakening.
Zelda wasn’t the only Nintendo princess to get her chance to shine this year, as the publisher also released Princess Peach: Showtime! which gave players the chance to step into the slippers of Mushroom Kingdom royalty.
While Echoes of Wisdom shares a lot of DNA with other entries in the franchise, Showtime! has very little in common with most Mario games. The game sees Peach visit the Sparkle Theater to catch a show, only for a villainous band to take it over. While Mario would solve this problem by jumping on their heads, Peach goes about it her own way, showing off her versatility by dressing up into many different roles, all with their own unique mechanics. Not only is it a strong showing from Peach, but it also constantly switches things up for the player, ensuring they never get bored as they help the iconic princess save the day.
Most of Echoes of Wisdom’s combat revolves around creating “Echoes” that will get their hands dirty so you don’t have to. There is another group of Nintendo characters who are accustomed to this method of fighting, the many captains of the Pikmin franchise.
Much like Echoes of Wisdom, Pikmin 4 will have you go around gathering minions to help take down enemies and solve puzzles. A major difference between the two, howver, is that while the Echoes are a major point of the former, the Pikmin are almost the entire point of the latter. The player character in Pikmin 4 has no offensive moves to speak of, requiring them to most effectively target enemy weakness with the creatures they have in their arsenal. They also must use strong resource management to ensure they can defeat foes that come their way while maintaining enough manpower (or PikminPower) to overcome numerous obstacles, whether they’re carrying multiple items back to base or creating new pathways.
If you’re looking for a game that offers something similar to Zelda’s Echoes but pulls it off with more focus, Pikmin 4 is a strong candidate.
Probably the least popular title on this list, Minishoot’ Adventures is a game that needs a bit of an explanation. The indie released earlier this year sees you take on the role of a little spaceship in a world heavily inspired by the original The Legend of Zelda. Unsurprisingly, controlling a spaceship plays very differently than an elf boy with a sword, which makes Minishoot’ Adventures an exciting remix of the original NES title.
Part RPG, part Shoot Em’ Up, Minishoot’ Adventures is quite unlike anything else out there. You will literally start with no abilities before quickly picking up a weak gun that offers the smallest bit of protection. As you pick off enemies, you will slowly gain experience, which can then be used to power up everything from your movement speed to damage output. There are also new weapons and abilities that will be acquired as you take on the game’s dungeons, which can then help uncover more secrets scattered around the map.
It’s a fantastic game that scratches that Zelda itch while offering a completely different experience. The one caveat is that currently, it’s only available on Steam, but if you have access to a PC and are looking for something a little different after Echoes of Wisdom, Minishoot’ Adventures should be at the top of the list.
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In Zelda games, you usually spend just as much time physically fighting enemies as you do mentally trying to overcome the games’ many puzzles. This is a major part of the franchise’s appeal and key to its longevity, but after spending hours thinking through Echoes of Wisdom’s many in-game problems, you may want to give your brain a rest. Luckily, Nintendo has you covered with Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition.
As this is a Musuo Game, the only thinking you’re doing here is wondering what character you should mow down armies with. If you’re unfamiliar with the genre, Hyrule Warriors has you pick a hero (or villain) from Zelda history and take on countless mobs of enemies. There are no dungeons to explore, or secrets to uncover, only large-scale combat. After you most likely had countless echoes destroyed during your playthrough of Echoes of Wisdom, getting to destroy someone else’s minions will be a nice change of pace. As an added bonus, you can also play as Zelda herself, if her solo outing caused you to fall in love with the character even more.
There is a successor titled Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, but given its ties to the Breath of the Wild timeline, and the original’s focus on the entire series, it’s not quite as good of a fit.
The Zelda series has inspired many imitators of varying quality. While some of these games miss what people love about the iconic franchise, Death’s Door is not one of them. The indie title has you step into the talons of a crow who works as a grim reaper, gathering the souls of those whose time has come. On paper, it seems very different from Nintendo’s series which usually stars an elf-boy, but the gameplay loop is incredibly similar, making it a perfect fit for those who just wrapped up Echoes of Wisdom.
Death’s Door will have you explore dungeons, solve puzzles, and take on all manner of tough creatures, much like Echoes of Wisdom. However, Death’s Door doesn’t pull all its inspiration from one famous title, as it also incorporates elements from the wildly successful Souls games. While it is not as frustratingly difficult as FromSoft’s library, it does place a higher emphasis on combat than Zelda titles, allowing you to feel the rush of victory when you finally defeat a tough boss.
If Echoes of Wisdom left you wanting a bit more of a challenge, Death’s Door might have what you’re looking for.
One of the first things you might notice about Echoes of Wisdom is its creative art style. The clay-like animation is a feast for the eyes that has really only been seen in film and television. While few (if any games) provide an identical experience, The Plucky Squire’s is about as close as you can get.
The Devolver Digital-published title lets you play as characters from a storybook, and the 2D portions convey this fantasy world. As they transition into the real world, the graphics change from a cartoon design to a toy-like one, reminiscent of Zelda’s adventure. Outside of the visuals, the game doesn’t offer too much that hasn’t been seen before, but if your eyes are craving creativity, The Plucky Squire will make sure they get their fill.
One of the more interesting facets of Echoes of Wisdom is how it’s basically a creature collector in disguise. Every time you defeat an enemy for the first time, you gain access to its Echo, opening up new strategies to tackle the game’s many obstacles. While Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow is not focused on gathering monsters to summon during combat, it does have a fairly similar take on collecting and using enemy abilities.
Most enemies in Aria of Sorrow have a special move that the protagonist Soma can gather and equip by defeating them. Unlike Echoes, it’s slightly more difficult to obtain these moves, since Konami’s title randomizes whether the slain monster will drop its ability, but the feeling it evokes is incredibly similar. You can spend hours combing Dracula’s Castle just to encounter every foe and add its powers to your toolbox.
As a Metroidvania, it’d also give you a bit of a break if you’re tired of the standard adventure fare after wrapping up Echoes. Best of all, the game is part of the Castlevania: Advance Collection, giving you two other fantastic titles for one reasonable price.
Okay, hear me out on this one. Yes, on the surface FromSoft’s highly acclaimed title has little to nothing in common with Nintendo’s latest outing in Hyrule. Everything from the tone to the gameplay to the difficulty is the complete opposite of the blissful experience Echoes of Wisdom provides, which is what makes it the perfect palette cleanser.
There are also just enough minor similarities to help get you through the brutal gauntlet Elden Ring throws at you. You will have “Spirit Ashes” that you can obtain as you journey through the dreary, devastated Land Between to help you survive and defeat horrifying bosses. There’s also a familiar sense of exploration that includes finding secret dungeons scattered throughout the world, though Elden Ring’s is obviously much grander (and more dangerous).
Of course, this pick isn’t for everyone. But if you found the new Zelda a little too breezy and are looking for a completely different type of experience, Elden Ring will offer an experience unlike anything else. Also don’t be afraid to call on other players. It’s a feature of the game. It’s not cheating!
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