Zelda: Echoes Of Wisdom's Cutest Echo Shouldn't Have Been Its Most Useless

What is arguably the cutest Echo that can be found in The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is unfortunately also the game’s most useless. Leveraging the numerous uses of Echoes is the foundation of EoW’s gameplay, with many individual Echoes functioning in a wide variety of situations. However, there is one Echo that is functionally useless for most of the game, despite being very visually appealing.

With so many different Echoes available, it is all but inevitable that some will be of more use than others. After all, while many are interchangeable to some extent, some of Echoes of Wisdom’s items can be unexpectedly powerful. Naturally, a large part of this depends on how versatile any given Echo is, and what useful tricks in Echoes of Wisdom can be accomplished with them. On the other hand, not every Echo has the same range of use, and some can essentially become obsolete as the game progresses.

Zelda: Echoes Of Wisdom’s Teddy Bear Echo Is Irrelevant

The Stuffed Toy Unfortunately Lacks Proper Gameplay Utility

The Stuffed Toy Echo, which takes the form of a teddy bear, can be found in a hidden cave beneath a grave in Hyrule’s graveyard. Moreover, it is arguably useless outside of that location. This is because the Stuffed Toy’s sole function is to draw the attention of Ghini, four of which can be found fascinated by the original toy in the same underground cave. However, such a niche specialization means that this teddy bear has little use outside of encounters with the graveyard’s ghosts. And even then, Ghini are relatively easy to defeat whether or not they are distracted.

Speaking to a woman in the graveyard reveals that the original Stuffed Toy was once stolen from her grandfather by a Ghini, demonstrating the item’s appeal to the ghosts. However, beyond the graveyard, the Stuffed Toy is easily forgotten, especially with so many other (and likely more prominent) Echoes that can be used as cheap platforms. Of course, those aiming to collect every Echo in the game will still want to find the Stuffed Toy, but the resulting sense of completion is arguably the only lasting benefit from doing so.

A Cute Idea Deserved To Be Fleshed Out

The Stuffed Toy Should Have Been Part Of A Side Quest

While its appearance is incredibly cute, the unique Ghost-attracting property of the Stuffed Toy is ultimately underused, and would have been perfect as the center of a sadly non-existent side quest in Echoes of Wisdom. For example, Zelda could have been tasked with presenting this Echo to the granddaughter of the original toy’s owner, or even used it to comfort an upset child. Alternatively, the teddy bear may have been necessary to assist somebody being plagued by Ghini, either near or far from the graveyard where it is found.

Zelda In Zelda Echoes Of Wisdom with Impa's Gift and Endless Stomach quests

10 Zelda: Echoes Of Wisdom Side Quests You’ll Definitely Want To Do ASAP

Not every side quest in The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom offers great rewards, but the ones that do definitely shouldn’t be missed for long.

The Stuffed Toy is the cutest Echo that Zelda can find in the course of her journey, but the fact that it is found hidden away and forgotten only reflects its lack of use in the wider game. Ghini are far from common in Hyrule, and so the Stuffed Toy may never be used again after leaving their graveyard home. Ultimately, it is disappointing that The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom did not incorporate this Echo further into its gameplay, such as through a side quest, and instead allowed it to quickly fade into obscurity.