The dungeons (and the new "Rifts") are cleverly designed. While perhaps slightly easier than classics like A Link to the Past , they require you to think spatially. The boss battles are highlights, requiring you to use specific echoes to exploit weaknesses while dodging attacks.

In the end, both the NSP and the XCI did what all good Zelda stories do: they reminded us that wisdom is not in the vessel, but in how you use what you hold.