The Legend of Zelda Link’s Awakening

The Legend of Zelda Link’s Awakening

As Link, you awaken in a strange land away from Hyrule, where animals talk and monsters roam. To uncover the truth behind your whereabouts and rouse the legendary Wind Fish, explore Koholint Island and all its trap-ridden dungeons, reimagined in stunning detail for this new release of one of the most beloved The Legend of Zelda games. Along the way, you’ll meet a hilarious assortment of charming characters to which you’ll never want to say goodbye. In this new version of the game, the classic soundtrack has been reborn with new arrangements, and now you can equip more items at once, review key conversations, and navigate the map in new ways.

Try your hand at the renovated mini-games to earn dolls based on the Super Mario series…or Chamber Stones. These unusual stones can be used to arrange your own Chamber Dungeons; each one is a puzzle in and of itself! Place chambers from dungeons found throughout the game on a series of objective-based grids… Where should the bosses go? How do you get from the entrance to the stairwell? They’re your dungeons, so arrange them however you see fit. To earn more Chamber Stones, you must conquer the main adventure’s dungeons and mini-games or tap any amiibo featuring a The Legend of Zelda character to unlock Chambers exclusive to amiibo.

The Legend of Zelda Link’s Awakening Review

Link’s Awakening is a much more traditional Zelda game in regards to the pacing of the exploration and how it guides you through the story. Whereas Breath of the Wild gives you the basic tools to play the game in the first few hours of the game before leaving you to brave the world on your own terms, the structure of Link’s Awakening is much more rigid. Your ability to move through the world is constantly limited by the items you don’t yet have, similar to Metroidvania-style games.

Dungeons and boss fights in this game are good, with clever puzzles and gameplay elements that are somewhat unique in the franchise. The 2D side-scrolling sections felt like something of a gimmick at first, but seeing them used for some boss fights was actually surprising and it kept the game feeling fresh, while also making it stand out from other games in the franchise.

Koholint Island is a fairly small game world, but there’s something to do or collect at almost every turn in the game. There isn’t a lot that isn’t part of the main story, though, and even things that feel optional at first end up being required to complete the game. In fact, I often felt lost in this game because I wasn’t sure where the plot continued and where I had side quests to do. I felt like the game didn’t do a great job of explaining itself and making it clear what things are relevant to the plot and what’s just world-building.

For the most part, Link’s Awakening on the Switch is incredibly faithful to the original title on the GameBoy, from the plot to the world’s design, and the dialogue. It’s a near-perfect match, with a couple of exceptions.

I’d recommend this game especially to those who are familiar with the original title, since it will allow them to enjoy the game with a fresh coat of paint and big improvements to item management. Even if you haven’t played the original, this version is likely to be enjoyable, so long as you aren’t as prone to getting lost as I am.

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Summary
Link’s Awakening retains the style and feel of its 1993 self, but looks and controls like a game – albeit a retro-styled one – made in 2019. In doing so, this feels like it was made in some alternate present, where games remained in 2D, puzzle-focused and strange, but tech improved to support it all. You could, I guess, call it time travel.
Good
  • A captivating visual overhaul revives the decades-old handheld game
  • Fun in the sun and perilous puzzle-solving adds up to a delightful Zelda adventure
  • The expertly designed map packs a lot of challenges and secrets despite its small size
Bad
  • Making and playing dungeons never manages to feel like an impactful addition
9.2
Amazing
Gameplay - 9.1
Graphics - 9.2
Audio - 9.1
Longevity - 9.3

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