Hyrule Really Needs To Take A Look At Its Prison System

Getting Out of Hyrule’s Prisons

After playing The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, one thing stands out – Hyrule’s prisons are not the most secure places.

From the very start, the experience of being locked up in the game’s dungeons made me realize how easily escapable they are. With a massive hole above a bench, it’s like an invitation to climb out!

While the simplicity is appreciated in the beginning, it sets a trend for all of Hyrule’s jails. If the kingdom wants to keep the Demon King locked up, they need to step up their game.

Alone again, naturally — Image: Nintendo Life

The Flawed Prisons of Hyrule

One major oversight in Hyrule’s prisons is the existence of holes in the walls that make escapes too easy. From Hole-in-the-Wall to Hole-in-the-Floor prisons, they all have their weaknesses.

For example, in A Link Between Worlds, the Thieve’s Hideout manages to keep criminals behind bars with a barred entry but falls short with a switch in plain sight that controls a crucial cell door. It’s like leaving the keys out for the prisoners to find!

Additionally, hiding switches behind suspicious objects would prevent obvious escapes. When Tingle is found locked up in Wind Waker, a hidden button could add more challenge to the escape.

Tingle Jail
Image: Arglefumph: The Nancy Drew Dude / Nintendo

Improving Hyrule’s Prisons

In Ocarina of Time, the Gerudo have a more secure prison with high walls and no escape routes – until you spot the open window with a wooden overhang! It’s a classic oversight that could have been easily prevented.

While easy solutions can be fun in games, Hyrule’s prisons could use some upgrades to make them more secure. With more challenging puzzles and hidden mechanisms, the excitement of escaping would be even greater.

As players progress through Echoes of Wisdom, the flaws in Hyrule’s prisons continue to be evident. It’s clear that a reevaluation of the kingdom’s prison system is long overdue.