While Zelda: Echoes of wisdom may be a first for the main series, it also seems to share a lot of similarities with what's come before. Of course, the basic concept is pretty much the same as any other The Legend of Zelda game, except this time it features Princess Zelda. Apart from that, players can also expect some throwback features Zelda games popping up here, including Stamp Rally. But perhaps the biggest surprise is the fact that an entire boss appears to have returned from the dead Zelda: Echoes of wisdom.
Introduced in Zelda: Ocarina of Timethe giant fire serpent Volvagia has made its grand return to wreak havoc on the hero of Hyrule after all these years. This time, it appears as an echo that resides within another fiery temple in the Still World and will test the player's mettle once again. However, while it may be the same boss, the actual fights couldn't be more different.
Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom and Ocarina of Time approach this boss very differently
Zelda: Ocarina of Time pitted players against the fiery Volvagia
Players are first introduced to Volvagia during their adventures in Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Long ago, the serpent lived in the depths of Death Mountain, and it was there that a legendary hero defeated him. But Ganondorf ends up relaunching it the moment Ocarina of time so that he can protect the Fire Temple. So it's up to Link to head towards that mountain to destroy it before it can escape and destroy Hyrule.
What ensues is a pretty tough boss fight that sees Volvagia flying across the battlefield while Link tries not to fall into holes in the ground. It basically plays like a Whac-A-Mole game, where the dragon will pop out of various holes filled with lava and players will have to hit its head while avoiding its attacks. After players successfully hit him, Volvagia will fly into the air and act intimidating, allowing players to hit him with arrows before he comes back for more Whac-A-Mole. Occasionally, giant rocks will also fall from the sky, and this process repeats until players manage to defeat them.
Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom brings back Volvagia better than ever
Volvagia makes its big return Zelda: Echoes of wisdombut this time the fight is very different. Players will encounter the dragon inside the Eldin Temple, where he serves as the main dungeon boss. Just like in Ocarina of timethe fight itself is filled with lava, and if the player isn't careful, they could burn to a crisp. However, the actual battlefield and mechanics are extremely different.
Since Princess Zelda cannot fight without using echoes, the battle is built around this rather than the standard The Legend of Zelda fighting of Ocarina of time. There are multiple platforms for players to navigate between, with Volvagia bouncing between them. Players will want to summon ranged or flying echoes to damage it, and use their bond ability to stun the dragon so it can't fly across the sky or between platforms. Once stunned, they can hit him with their sword, arrows, or echoes, causing immense damage.
Grezzo could have just copied and pasted Volvagia, but he went the extra mile by making the battles very distinct. The battlefield looks different, the dragon operates differently, and the moves required to defeat it are unique to the game in which they are set. Of course, players will likely debate which iteration is better for years to come. But the fact that they're able to do so is great to see, and hopefully the more forgotten bosses will get their time to shine. Zeldait's the future.
