Is Zelda: Echoes Of Wisdom A Sequel Or A Standalone Game?

comes out on September 26, and many long-time fans and newcomers alike are very excited about it. This latest upcoming entry in the franchise promises to bring some new, intriguing puzzle mechanics in the form of creating Echoes, rather than the usual sword-swinging combat found in games prior. What makes this upcoming game especially noteworthy is that it is the first time in over 35 years that players can adventure as Zelda, rather than the iconic protagonist Link.

With the latest iteration of the timeline revealing where and fit in (on a new, separate branch), many have wondered if is a standalone title or a sequel to a prior game in the franchise. With a collection of titles that spans nearly 40 years, the franchise has numerous exciting adventures to choose from. Fortunately, newcomers to the series do not have to worry about needing to play dozens of previous games before picking up .

Despite the vast array of titles to choose from, only a few games in the franchise can be considered direct sequels. is a sequel to, while the more recent is a sequel to . Even with these games being considered sequels, however, they can still be enjoyed by all without needing to play the entries that came before them.

The other direct sequels are, a successor to the 1986 original; and the duology, which all feature 's Link;, which follows; and, which has ' Link venturing to Hytopia.

Many games feature different versions of Link and Zelda thanks to different timelines and reincarnation, meaning that one version of these characters has endured completely different trials and tribulations than the other. With all this in mind, this makes the events of each game largely standalone. Although playing prior games in the franchise might help players understand the lore better, it is not a necessity to enjoy the overall experience.

Despite sharing a similar art style with the Switch remake of , is not actually a sequel to any previous game. This new entry is a completely standalone