Nintendo's leading ladies get the shot they deserve
Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom Is SO Breath of the Wild
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Princess Zelda will be a playable main character in a main Legend of Zelda game in The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. Both in terms of the game design philosophy – Zelda doesn't use a sword but a wand that can replicate objects – and the choice to make the princess the main character, the game looks like it represents a bold next step for the Legend of Zelda franchise as a whole. Between that and the release of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom last year, it's an exciting time to be a Zelda fan.
However, Nintendo wasn't always so bold with its decision to include women in games, nor tactful in the way it portrayed these women when they got their big chance in the spotlight. Just look at Nintendo's other leading lady, Princess Peach. Her first major foray as a protagonist in a Mario game came with the 2005 Nintendo DS game Super Princess Peach. The game featured a "vibe" system where Peach could unleash her overwhelming emotions to perform special attacks. It stood out at the time for how it reinforced the stereotypes of women being overly emotional, despite featuring her as the main character.
