Zelda Echoes of Wisdom: Best dungeon order

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom doesn’t have a linear dungeon order, which you probably already know if you’re here. After clearing the first dungeon, two open up. After those two, another three become available. Nothing really indicates which you should do first.

That’s because there isn’t an order you need to do them in. You won’t hit any roadblocks regardless of which path you take, so you’re free to approach them however you want. You’re also required to clear them all for narrative purposes, so no route will get you to the end faster than the other. With that said, here’s the route I recommend for ease:

• Suthorn Ruins
• Gerudo Sanctum
• Jabul Ruins
• Eldin Temple
• Faron Temple
• Lanaryu Temple

Note that only the first dungeon in each set (Gerudo and Eldin) will be of effective help, so Faron and Lanaryu are pretty interchangeable. It’s also worth noting that this isn’t the route that I personally took. I’m telling you this after reflecting on it after I completed the game. I say this to again stress that doing it in a different order will not make a substantial difference. Whether or not you spend time doing side quests will be more impactful than the choice of route you take.

Screenshot by Destructoid

Why choosing Gerudo Sanctum first is best in Echoes of Wisdom

I recommend choosing Gerudo Sanctum for a couple of reasons. To sum it up quickly, you’ll gain access to a helpful tool and an even more helpful echo by going to this route, which will make taking on Jabul Ruins easier.

The helpful item is Link’s bow, which you get access to when you change into swordsman mode. It lets you directly attack distant targets, which is especially useful against flying enemies. Despite that, I didn’t find it especially useful until far later in the game, so you won’t necessarily miss it during Jabul Ruins.

On the other hand, the Flying Tile echo is an indispensable ability that allows you to quickly cross over horizontal distances. You conjure it, hop on, and can cross large gaps with ease. It never stops being useful and serves as a replacement to crossing gaps on a bed. The earlier you get it, the better.

Screenshot by Destructoid

Why choosing Eldin Temple first is best in Echoes of Wisdom

After clearing both of the initial dungeons, three more crop up. Of the three, Eldin Temple has the most useful skill to gain. Again, you don’t need this ability to clear the other dungeons. Personally, I did Eldin Temple last and wound up barely using the skill. However, if you’re looking for “the best way” this is what I recommend.

That’s because it’s where you get Link’s bombs. Like the bow, it gives you access to a new ability in swordsman mode, this time being, of course, the ability to throw bombs. Almost assuredly, you already have a fish that you can do this with, and you probably don’t want to waste swordsman mode just to lob a bomb, but it’s, like, something, right? As I said, you don’t need to think too hard about which dungeon you pick first. Side questing is the best way to get more echoes and health, so if you’re struggling, that’s what you should be doing.

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