We were first shown The Legend of Zelda Echoes of Wisdom back in the middle of June, and now a month and a half later we have a proper overview with the new Traversing Hyrule trailer.
The first trailer already introduced so much new switching up the Legend of Zelda formula, but in this trailer, we see even more fresh features alongside some interesting returning elements from the series' 35-year-old history. While there are plenty of new features that the trailer , there are just as many parts that you might have missed, so what were the hidden details in this new Zelda trailer?
9 Collectible Ingredients
Foraging For Smoothies
There are usually a few sets of collectibles in every Zelda game, but it looks like Echoes of Wisdom is taking some clear inspiration from how cooking worked in Breath of the Wild with its ingredients system.
When Zelda goes to make a smoothie in the trailer, we get a quick look at some of the items she's collected, and the variety seems very similar to more recent Zelda games, with certain ingredients having different effects. Even though the smoothie system looks quite simple, there may be even more use for these ingredients elsewhere in the game.
8 Zora Subspecies
Each With Their Own Town
One of the best parts of the new trailer is getting to see all the different areas of this new Hyrule, one of which is Jabul Waters. This area stands out for a few reasons, but perhaps the most interesting is the multiple species of Zora that live there.
The designs of the Sea and the River Zoras are drastically different, but both take inspiration from previous incarnations of the iconic Zelda species. With both having their own town, it's almost an inevitability that Zelda will need to help solve a conflict between them.
7 Deku Scrubs Are Back In The Limelight
Hopefully Not As Depressing As Majora's Mask
Another species that gets some focus in the new trailer is the Deku Scrubs. We see Deku Scrubs often in Zelda, so it might be a surprise to hear that this species hasn't gotten much proper in-game attention since Majora's Mask.
The Scrubs in this entry seem to take inspiration from their Majora'a Mask design as well, so it's fantastic to see that Nintendo is treating this species properly for the first time in a couple of decades. They are local to the Faron Wetlands, so hopefully, we get plenty of time to interact with them.
6 The True Possibilities Of Reverse Bind
Zelda's Going Places
The highlight of the end of the new trailer is the unveiling of the new Bind ability, which works in unison with the primary Echo ability. However, there is also a secondary aspect of this Bind ability called Reverse Bind, and this seems arguably more exciting than the main aspect.
Zelda can use Reverse Bind to follow the movements of different objects or enemies. This means that if we can see something else moving in one direction, Zelda can follow it. This means that there are countless methods of traversal thanks to using the Echo ability to summon objects or creatures wherever you want!
5 Hold Back On Healing
Back To Old Limits
If you're familiar with older Zelda titles (not that old, just pre-Switch era), then you might remember healing wasn't always as easy as it is in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. Instead of being able to prepare countless meals for Link to feast on in the pause screen, we used to only have a finite number of bottles to store potions (or milk, or fairies, or various quest items), and that was it.
With Zelda's healing probably tied to these smoothies, it's likely that we could be returning to a more restricted healing system to make this 2D Zelda title a bit more of a challenge. It'll also be fun to get that rush of unlocking the most overpowered (if not slightly mundane) new item; an empty bottle.
4 Some Wild Inspiration
Combination Of New And Old
Echoes of Wisdom is the first new 2D Zelda we've seen since A Link Between Worlds on the 3DS, and since that title was a re-imagining of A Link to the Past, then you could argue it's the first truly new 2D Zelda since Spirit Tracks.
Because of this, it's interesting to see how a new 2D Zelda stands apart from the older entries since gaming has progressed so far since the last one, and we can recognize this in the more modern features we can see in this trailer. Taking clear inspiration from the Switch generation Zelda titles like Breath of the Wild, the side quest menu seems incredibly familiar, and even Castle Town being on a 'central plateau' means that this title could easily be a prequel to Breath of the Wild.
3 Brief Glimpse Of Our Map
And An Explanation Of Fast Travel
Perhaps a more standard feature compared to the more exciting additions in this trailer, when explaining how the fast travel system works, the trailer gives us a brief view of the map used in Echoes of Wisdom.
While it is partially obscured by areas Zelda has not yet explored, it hints at the size of the map, already looking a lot larger than the Link's Awakening remake from 2019, that this new title uses the same style as. Even though smaller maps like in Link's Awakening are fun to explore, it's nice to see that this Hyrule will likely give you more to do.
2 Unique Traversal Options
Jumping, Swimming, and Diving?
We only got a brief glimpse at the new accessory system in Echoes of Wisdom, but already this gives us an insight into the types of situations we might find ourselves in. While the hairpin has a pretty standard buff of increasing the frequency of hearts appearing, the other few look a little more unique.
With the Zora's Scale improving diving ability, the Zora's Flippers letting you swim faster, and the Frog Ring improving jump height, we can get an idea of just how active the princess is going to need to be in her adventure. And this is only what we see in the new trailer, who knows what other unique traversal abilities we'll see Zelda use throughout the rest of the game?
