The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom was unfortunately not one of the six nominations for Game of the Year this year. The franchise has done well at the Game Awards in the past, winning in 2017 for Breath of the Wild and being nominated (and in my estimation, snubbed) in 2023 for Tears of the Kingdom. Echoes was always a long shot given the depth of the field this year, but it missed out nonetheless. However, it did secure a nomination in the Adventure category and one other category.
Echoes of Wisdom Lands Three Nominations
Given the fact that Zelda is almost a lock for some sort of nomination every time a new game comes out, it’s not surprising that Echoes of Wisdom landed in two categories this year. The Game Awards loves Nintendo and especially Zelda. While Echoes didn’t have the steam to get a Game of the Year nomination, it did land two nods that it has a strong chance of winning: Best Family Game and Best Action/Adventure Game.
Best Family Game
In the former category, it is up against Astro Bot, Princess Peach: Showtime, Super Mario Party Jamboree, and The Plucky Squire. This is a difficult one to envision it winning, notably because it’s not as much a family game as some of the others. Super Mario Party Jamboree is a big one for families, and Princess Peach: Showtime is as family-oriented as it gets. Astro Bot is likely to win Game of the Year, which means it is also likely to win everything else it’s nominated for.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom was a fantastic entry that did shift the audience a little bit. It was much more youth-oriented than previous entries, similar to 2019’s Link’s Awakening remake. However, that doesn’t mean it is a perfect fit in this category and it has an uphill battle against some of these titles. Nevertheless, it’s nice to see such a good game get a nomination, even if it’s most likely a losing effort.
Best Action/Adventure Game
In the Best Action/Adventure Game category, Zelda will have to defend its title. This is what Tears of the Kingdom won last year, and the franchise is back for a repeat. It stands a much better chance here if only because Zelda and adventure gaming are nearly synonymous at this point. No one does a quest quite like Link, or in this case, Princess Zelda. However, once again, Astro Bot is its chief competitor. It is also up against Silent Hill 2, Star Wars: Outlaws, and Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. The latter is a dark-horse candidate here, but the competition is stacked.
In my opinion, Echoes of Wisdom should take the Adventure Game win. It was one of the best games of the entire year, though The Game Awards didn’t quite agree. Nevertheless, it should take this one as a consolation prize. Astro Bot is probably the Game of the Year, so it doesn’t necessarily need to win this one. Plus, there’s a bit of a difference between a platformer and a true action/adventure game.
In Conclusion
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom was a brilliant addition to an excellent franchise. Unfortunately, it didn’t reach the heights that Tears of the Kingdom did, and so it’s not as much of a shoo-in for awards. It didn’t even land the coveted Game of the Year nomination, though I would have put it in over a DLC (a story for another time). Despite that, it’s got a chance at some awards, which is better than nothing and more than some games can say. 2024 has proven to be an excellent year for video games, and the sheer fact that there are snubs like this proves as much.
