Now that The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Knowledge is out, an increasing number of gamers are totally exploring its top-down, toy-like, open world. They usually’ve regularly been discovering a fairly cool secret about its map: it “hyperlinks” up nearly completely with the map from A Hyperlink to the Previous.
Increasingly more gamers have been sharing posts on social media evaluating the maps of Echoes of Knowledge and A Hyperlink to the Previous, and have discovered that Echoes of Knowledge principally makes use of the identical map from A Hyperlink to the Previous… simply expanded. Numerous main landmarks can nonetheless be present in the identical spots as in Hyperlink to the Previous, although they’ve modified or aged seemingly with the passage of time.
What’s extra, most of Echoes of Knowledge’s model new areas exist exterior the boundaries the place Hyperlink to the Previous’s map stopped, implying that civilizations just like the Goron and Gerudo may have all the time existed in Hyperlink to the Previous, they only weren’t accessible in that specific sport.
It’s really superb how Grezzo made the Echoes of Knowledge map with such care. It traces up with A Hyperlink to the Previous’s Hyrule in a approach that perhaps the Gorons, Gerudo, Zora, and Dekus DID dwell there, simply exterior the place we may discover. And it explains why they don’t know Zelda/Hyrule. https://t.co/MANVHl5S97
— Rebecca Stone (Taylor’s Model) (@forestminish) October 4, 2024
We chatted with our personal reviewer, Tom Marks, about this phenomenon, who agreed with the parallels. He identified to us that landmarks particularly round Hyrule Fort might be acquainted to Zelda veterans. The graveyard and church are in the precise spots, and the hill the place Hyperlink’s home was in Hyperlink to the Previous remains to be there too, despite the fact that the Echoes of Knowledge Hyperlink lives in Suthorn Village.
There are different comparability factors followers are discovering. Japanese Palace, as an illustration, remains to be current in the identical spot and even features a sidequest. The place Kakariko Village was once, Echoes of Knowledge has ruins, implying it was moved sooner or later. There are additionally Desert Palace ruins, Swamp Ruins is in the precise place, and a lot extra.
There’s A Hyperlink to the Previous DNA scattered all through the overworld in Echoes of Knowledge and it makes me really feel heat inside. Let’s take a fast tour, beginning with the destroyed ruins of the Desert Palace. pic.twitter.com/CCP1eifuRF
— Metroid Mike 64 (@MetroidMike64) October 4, 2024
Echoes of Knowledge is way from the primary Zelda sport that is concerned intelligent, if refined, map methods. A Hyperlink to the Previous itself famously included each a Gentle and Darkish variation on the identical world. And when Tears of the Kingdom got here out, we wrote about how its Depths was primarily an underground mirror of the floor.
What’s most curious for Zelda lore buffs might be whether or not or not this solutions significant questions on Echoes of Knowledge’s place on the Zelda timeline. Might this in actual fact put Echoes of Knowledge within the timeline post-Hyperlink to the Previous and Hyperlink Between Worlds? Or is that this some alternate universe scenario? We’ll want Zelda students to type this one out.
As you search for these parallels in your personal playthrough, try our wiki guides and our personal interactive map whether or not you are exploring the similarities your self, or simply searching for extra coronary heart containers.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Received a narrative tip? Ship it to rvalentine@ign.com.