The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom could be described as Link’s Awakening by way of Tears of the Kingdom, bringing a suite of creative abilities to a cutesy map. Still, as ever, Hyrule remains full of difficult puzzles and tough bosses, so you’ll really need to rub those brain cells together to surmount its greatest challenges.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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)
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.
With that, you’re ready to embark on your quest to save Hyrule! For help on your journey, consult our full Echoes of Wisdom story walkthrough or peruse our Echoes of Wisdom interactive map.
