Key Takeaways
- Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom’s latest trailer revealed the titular princess’ Swordfighter Form, which transforms her into a swordfighter reminiscent of Link.
- Players can collect energy to fill the Swordfighter Form gauge, then transform Zelda into a swordfighter to fight enemies directly.
- The Swordfighter Form may replace the iconic Master Sword, as its mechanics seem to imitate those of recent iterations of the blade.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom has made waves ahead of its release by being one of the most distinctive titles in the series yet. The closer it gets to the game’s launch, the more is revealed about its unique blend of classic and modern Zelda elements, making it look more ambitious by the day. Along with featuring the titular princess as its protagonist for the first time in a mainline installment, Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is innovating on the franchise’s past and present with unique features like Zelda’s Tri Rod, which can create copies of objects and monsters called “Echoes” for use in traversal and combat.
Until recently, it was assumed that Zelda’s only weapon in Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom would be her Tri Rod, as it can be used to create Echoes of monsters to assist her in battle. If this truly were the case, it would replace the series’ traditional sword combat, and therefore the iconic Master Sword. However, Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom‘s recent “Into the Still World, a Journey Continued” trailer unveiled Zelda’s Swordfighter Form, an alternate form for the princess that sees her temporarily transforming into a swordfighter reminiscent of Link himself. As it turns out, the mechanics of the Swordfighter Form may yet replace the Master Sword Zelda fans have become accustomed to.
Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom’s Swordfighter Form May Effectively Replace the Master Sword
How the Swordfighter Form Works in Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
At some point during Zelda’s adventure in Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, she finds a mysterious sword that grants her the Swordfighter Form. Whether this sword is the Master Sword is unclear, especially since its appearance is unlike the Master Sword’s traditional design. However, it does happen to be the same sword Link is wielding before he gets pulled into the Still World in what can only be assumed is Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom‘s prologue, so it’s entirely possible it is the iconic blade. Even so, that may all be irrelevant considering the new ability the mysterious sword grants Zelda.
As players traverse the Still World, they will be able to collect energy floating in the air that will fill Zelda’s Swordfighter Form gauge. Once the gauge has been filled enough, players can then activate Zelda’s Swordfighter Form and fight enemies directly, rather than needing to rely solely on her Tri Rod’s Echoes of other monsters. That being said, it is possible to use the Swordfighter Form to fight enemies alongside Echoes.
Once the Swordfighter Form gauge has been depleted, Zelda will be returned to her normal state until players gather enough energy to transform again.
Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom’s Swordfighter Form Shares Some Similarities With the Master Sword
Thanks to the Swordfighter Form’s mechanics, players may find some semblance of the Master Sword to still be present in Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. Throughout the series, the Master Sword has featured a special ability that could be used for a short period, with the most recent example of that mechanic being found in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and its predecessor. In those games, however, the Master Sword itself is, in a sense, a special ability, as the blade becomes unusable after it has dealt a certain amount of damage. It is a highly controversial feature, but it is the most accurate representation of Zelda’s Swordfighter Form in Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom.
Based on what is revealed in the “Into the Still World, a Journey Continued” trailer for Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, it seems as though players will be able to upgrade either the form itself or the gauge to last longer, so perhaps this is how Nintendo has chosen to improve the previous iterations of the Master Sword. In any case, at least Zelda has been given the ability to wield a sword in Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, adding yet another valuable tool to her arsenal.
