Summary
The latter will be a particular point of compare , asEchoes of Wisdomuses the same nontextual matter style as the2019 Switch remake ofLink ’s Awakening , a game that originally secrete for the Game Boy in 1993 . At the time , Link ’s Awakeningwas quite a novelty , being the series ' first accounting entry to have asetting other than Hyrule . Historically , it ’s still an anomaly – the game exists almost entirely within a dreaming , and enemies from theSuper Mariofranchise make an appearing , perhaps a effect of theLink ’s Awakeningdevelopers see it something of aZeldaparody . It did , however , usher in a quest case that became a series staple fibre , one which I hope makes a triumphant payoff inEchoes of Wisdom .
Link’s Awakening Had The First Trade Quest In The Zelda Series
Trading Sequences Reappeared In 6 More Zelda Games
Link ’s Awakeninghas a trading quest that is practically required . If role player regain the Yoshi Doll from the Trendy Game early on in Mabe Village , the quest cleverly lead across the full plot . Link brings the Yoshi Doll to Mamasha , who gives Link a Ribbon , which is eventually trade to CiaoCiao , and so on through 14 unlike token . finally , Link receives a Magnifying Glass that countenance him to read theDark Secrets and Mysteries of Koholintbook , which reveals the proper sequence for navigating the labyrinth inside the Wind Fish ’s Egg , the last dungeon inLink ’s Awakening .
I will let in to having not played through this foundational quest until theLAremake on Switch amount out . I was deport a duet of geezerhood after the game was first release , and when I playedLink ’s Awakening DXon the Game Boy Color , I still was n’t old enough to make any genuine advancement . The trading pursuit construct reappeared inOcarina of Time , though , and my womb-to-tomb obsession with it – the first picture game I ever act , also unsuccessfully due to my very youthful years – means I have a very inviolable philia for both of its trading sequences .
The side quest raises some serious ethical quandaries regarding child labour laws in Hyrule kingdom .

Custom image by Katarina Cimbaljevic
One does n’t necessarily pursue the traditional formatting – vernal Link becomes a center man forOcarina of Time ’s Happy Mask Salesman , grease one’s palms masks at a tighten rate in ordering to sell them at a sucker - up when a buyer is found . The side pursuance conjure some serious ethical quandaries regarding child working class laws in Hyrule land and the power for occupation owner to rope jack into a pyramid dodge , rather than give mediocre remuneration , but I digress . Despite the little difference in trading products for Rupees , the core is still the same : actor get an detail that matches with a specific NPC somewhere in the biz .
The Mask of Truth is a fun reward for becoming the Happy Mask Shop Employee of the Month , rent you chit - chat with Gossip Stones , and the Gerudo , Goron , and Zora Masks provide sufficient amusement for the unique reactions they educe from NPCs , butOcarina ’s 2d trading quest has understandably become much more iconic , partly because of its reinforcement : the Biggoron ’s Sword . It ’s one of those quest feel Brobdingnagian prior to the ubiquity of the net in gaming discourse , spurred by the freshness of 3D art at the clock time .
First , its setup is bright ; find and talking to Medigoron as child Link has him promising a " really coolheaded " point will be useable in " five or six class . " The hilarious satire is thatLink returns after spending seven years in the Sacred Realm , pays 200 Rupees for the Giant ’s Knife , and it breaks shortly after , becoming worse than even the Kokiri Sword . The quest to in reality get a Goron - forged sword is much more complicated , ask Link to ferry detail across Hyrule , sometimes on a tight deadline .

Strange rifts are tearing Hyrule apart, and with Link missing, it’s up to Princess Zelda to save the kingdom. Armed with the Tri Rod and aided by a mysterious fairy, she must solve puzzles, create environmental “echoes,” and battle enemies while navigating new regions and uncovering hidden secrets.
It may be nostalgia painting my memories of first attempting to get the Biggoron ’s Sword , but locomote all over the ( at the sentence ) huge landscape of Hyrule to deliver disparate items to folks instill a sort of marvel I still associate with the serial ' trading quests . Being pedestrian in comparison to the world - shatter stakes of the principal quest should make them feel quaint , butthe trading sequences heighten the legerdemain of Hyrule being fill up with populate people who necessarily barter items to carry on hold out in defiance of Ganondorf ’s rule .
There Hasn’t Been A New Zelda Trading Quest In 17 Years
Since 2007’s Phantom Hourglass
Despite once having prominence in the series , trading sequences have n’t have in aZeldatitle sincePhantom Hourglasson the DS in 2007 , and they arguably never recaptured theheights ofOcarina ’s Biggoron ’s Sword pursuit . It ’s middling understandable that trading chronological sequence were n’t included inBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdom , consider the scale of their game world , but it ’s also a shame . TOTKfeels especially well - suited for such a quest , perhaps requiring Link to build vehicles that can acquit fragile payload . Ultimately , the pursuance log , minimap , and quest markers inBOTWandTOTKtake away some of the allure .
This could conceivably acquire problem forEchoes of Wisdomas well , since it has inherit an Adventure Log and marks quest destinations on a minimap . A swop sequence ’s comprehension inEchoes of Wisdommay also partly depend on whether it has its predecessor ' vast inventories and point list . Such a side quest would n’t have made much sentiency inBOTWandTOTKbecause Link is ordinarily carrying an exceptional turn of item in both . Sure , there ’s a Key Items tab in the inventory menu for special thing , butacquiring a prescription medicine for oculus drops like inOcarinafeels out of place in the most recent plot ' sandbox purpose .
A trade quest could be made all the more meaningful by the Princess herself helping out Hyrule ’s indweller collect their eclectic detail .

Strange rifts are tearing Hyrule apart, and with Link missing, it’s up to Princess Zelda to save the kingdom. Armed with the Tri Rod and aided by a mysterious fairy, she must solve puzzles, create environmental “echoes,” and battle enemies while navigating new regions and uncovering hidden secrets.
echo of Wisdomfeels like an important 2D releasefor the long - running series , the first top - down game since its volatile success go to the full open - world . Princess Zelda and her ability bear witness it wo n’t be a rehash of older titles , but I ’m still hoping it list on older tropes like a trade pursuance . It ’s a fun way to engage with Nonproliferation Center , and can even be a clever through agate line for the primary story , like inLink ’s Awakening . It ’s taken a long metre for a mainlineZeldagame to star its eponymic part , and while I require her to lead a priming coat - stop title , it would also be nice to see the Princess make up some of that suffer time by engaging with series cornerstones .
There ’s a certain spell to Link run around Hyrule on such errands , but a craft quest could be made all the more meaningful by the Princess herself helping out Hyrule ’s denizen collect their eclectic items . The Legend of Zeldahas come so far , but still manages to hold onto some signature features ( TOTKstill uses the zed - targeting pioneer byOcarina of Time ) . There has n’t been a trade successiveness in a longsighted time , but it ’s something I alwasy keep an eye out for in each newfangled plot , and I ’m hoping for its takings inThe Legend of Zelda : replication of Wisdom .
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Strange rifts are tearing Hyrule asunder , and with Link missing , it ’s up to Princess Zelda to salve the kingdom . Armed with the Tri Rod and aided by a secret fairy , she must solve puzzles , create environmental “ echoes , ” and fight foeman while navigating newfangled region and uncovering hidden closed book .

