About the New Zelda Director

You may not be familiar with Tomomi Sano, but she has recently made history as the first female director in The Legend of Zelda series. Sano played a key role in the development of The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, set to launch in just a few days.

Nintendo announced this milestone for Sano in a recent Ask the Developer segment that focused on Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. As a member of Nintendo’s Entertainment Planning and Development Department with Production Group 3, Sano had previously worked on Zelda remakes like Ocarina of Time 3D, Majora’s Mask 3D, and Link’s Awakening alongside Grezzo. It’s finally confirmed that Grezzo is the developer behind the new Switch exclusive.

Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom Video Preview

Watch the video below to get a sneak peek at Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom and see how it plays like a mini Tears of the Kingdom.

Behind the Scenes of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

Nintendo and Grezzo shared insights into the development of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, revealing that the project initially had elements reminiscent of a Zelda Maker concept. Satoshi Terada from Grezzo, who co-directed the game with Sano, mentioned the team’s early ideas for the game.

“We were exploring a few different ways to play the game in parallel. In one approach, Link could copy and paste various objects, such as doors and candlesticks, to create original dungeons,” Terada explained. This concept was initially known as an “edit dungeon,” allowing players to craft their Legend of Zelda experiences.

Producer Eiji Aonuma highlighted the shift in gameplay focus from dungeon creation to utilizing copied objects as tools for adventure. Sano supported this shift, emphasizing the enjoyment of using various objects in different ways.

Game Release and Previews

With the Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom ROM reportedly leaking earlier this month, fans are advised to be cautious of spoilers as the game officially launches on September 26. For more details, be sure to read GameSpot’s comprehensive preview of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, highlighting its similarities to Tears of the Kingdom.