The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom Elevates Grass-Cutting Gameplay

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom Reimagines Gameplay

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom contains plenty of twists from other games. Players assume the role of Princess Zelda, instead of the green-clad hero Link. As they play, Zelda doesn’t wield the iconic Master Sword, but a magical rod that allows her to copy and paste items and creatures. However, there’s at least one key aspect that hasn’t changed: grass cutting. And now, I’m in love with the way you mow lawns in Echoes of Wisdom.

Grass Cutting: A Zelda Tradition

Grass hasn’t just been a way to decorate the scenery in The Legend of Zelda games. Many entries in the series have a special type of grass that Link — and now Zelda — can cut to collect items like rupees, bombs, and hearts. According to the dedicated “grass” page on the Zelda fan wiki, the object has been a part of the series as far back as A Link to the Past, which Nintendo released in 1991.

Innovative Grass-Cutting Mechanics in Echoes of Wisdom

Throughout the Zelda ages, there have been loads of ways to cut the grass. You can toss a bomb to clear a spot or, if you’re playing a game like Tears of the Kingdom, you can just set it on fire with a torch or fire arrow. But slashing it with a sword has been a go-to way to cut grass; you can unleash Link’s normal combo, or you can clear out a whole area by using a spin dash. And now, I’m happy to report that the development team behind Echoes of Wisdom has preserved the time-honored Zelda gameplay.

• Hit the R button and Zelda will unleash a twirl that cuts the grass.
• No charge is needed, and you continue moving seamlessly.
• This movement feels phenomenal, allowing for collecting items as you mow.

All and all, it’s some of the best grass-cutting gameplay in a Zelda game to date. The only thing better than what Echoes of Wisdom delivers would be a copy-paste for an actual lawn mower — get on that Nintendo!