After just 8 days, Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom players have already found a way to play as Link instead of the titular princess

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The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom screenshot showing princess Zelda, a blonde woman with elf-like ears, trapped in a sheer magenta crystal
(Image credit: Nintendo)

Legend of Zelda speedrunners have discovered a glitch in Echoes of Wisdom that allows you to play the game as Link instead of its titular princess - and it's genius.

Speedrunners have been hard at work discovering exploits and glitches since Nintendo's big Echoes of Wisdom launch just eight days ago. They've already managed to beat the game in under an hour with only four hearts - but that's not all. They've also figured out how to play through the new action-adventure gem as Link rather than Zelda, but actually getting to that point is quite a challenging feat.

If you want to try your hand at playing as Link, you'll first need to start a new game. Save while you're still controlling Link at the start of the game in the Suthorn Ruins, then proceed on through until you've completed the first dungeon. Head into Kakariko Village and make sure to obtain the Sign echo, go past the east gate beside the Eternal Forest, and hop up onto the trees there to enter the fog.

How to Play as Link in Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom (NEW GLITCH) - YouTube How to Play as Link in Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom (NEW GLITCH) - YouTube
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Once you gauge how far you can walk before the game resets, place a Sign and read it while attempting to simultaneously open the menu. If everything goes smoothly, you'll be able to move Zelda while your menu is glitched and get her killed. When the "Game Over" text pops up, load your Suthorn Ruins save from the beginning while pressing the A and Up buttons. It's a lot - and as a longtime Zelda stan myself, I don't think I could pull it off.

YouTuber "ZeldaMaster" has uploaded a more in-depth video guide on how to get the glitch working properly, for anyone looking to dip their toes into the chaotic yet incredible world of speedrunning - or alternatively, for anyone who just really likes Link. The Echoes of Wisdom speedrunners' Discord server is also a great place to sift through for further advice. As for myself, I'm going to go and play the game the normal, far less impressive way.

Watch this Tears of the Kingdom speedrunner waste absolutely no time breaking Echoes of Wisdom into little pieces.

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Anna Koselke
Anna Koselke
Staff Writer

After spending years with her head in various fantastical realms' clouds, Anna studied English Literature and then Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh, going on to specialize in narrative design and video game journalism as a writer. She has written for various publications since her postgraduate studies, including Dexerto, Fanbyte, GameSpot, IGN, PCGamesN, and more. When she's not frantically trying to form words into coherent sentences, she's probably daydreaming about becoming a fairy druid and befriending every animal or she's spending a thousand (more) hours traversing the Underdark in Baldur's Gate 3. If you spot her away from her PC, you'll always find Anna with a fantasy book, a handheld video game console of some sort, and a Tamagotchi or two on hand.

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