In the early 90’s, a small team of developers at Nintendo began working on a Zelda game for the original Gameboy. They originally wanted to port The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past for the portable console. However, they eventually began to play around with some new ideas, and the game became its own thing. In 1993, The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening was released, first in Japan, and then around the rest of the world. The game received a complete remake for Nintendo Switch in 2019. This remake is a far better way to experience the game than the original.
Exploring Koholint Island
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening uses the typical Zelda formula. Things begin with exploring the overworld until you find a dungeon. Inside, you will find an item that is used to solve many of the dungeon’s puzzles and fight the boss. After the dungeon, you will be able to use the item you found to open up a new area and locate the next dungeon.
Link has a wide selection of items to use on his adventure including plenty of classic items like the Hookshot and boomerang from previous titles return. There are also some new items like the Roc’s Feather, which gives Link the ability to jump for the first time ever. Some dungeon puzzles will actually require a specific combination of items. For example, the Roc’s Feather can be combined with the Pegasus Boots to jump over large distances. Elements like this make Link’s Awakening feel on par with the console Zelda games of its time.
The Tale of Link’s Awakening
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening begins with Link traveling the seas after his fight with Ganon. His ship is caught up in a storm and Link is thrown overboard. He wakes up to find himself on Koholint Island and goes on a journey to return to Hyrule and Princess Zelda. During his journey, Link will discover that Koholint Island holds a secret much darker than initially perceived.
Even though the game’s art style may suggest otherwise, this is one of the darker stories in the Legend of Zelda series. Koholint Island is full of NPCs that Link will meet throughout his journey. Each one has a personality that comes out with their visual design as much as it does through their words and actions. The fate of this island and these people is an existential tragedy that has some interesting implications.
Side Quests in Link’s Awakening
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening has some good side quests that serve as a fun distraction from the main quest. The two main side quests are gathering pieces of heart for more life and collecting secret shells. It isn’t necessary to collect all of these; however, players who go off the beaten path will be happy with the rewards.
The 2019 remake of the game adds a dungeon maker. With this, you’ll be able to mix and match rooms from dungeons you’ve completed to your heart’s content. There is some real potential in this mode, and it is a lot of fun to play around with. However, it’s held back by a lack of an easy way to share dungeons with friends. If a friend wants to try and take on your dungeon, you will have to use an Amibo figure to transfer your dungeon to their console. It was initially suspected that this mode could lead to a Zelda Maker game, similar to Super Mario Maker. Nintendo has said nothing about a Zelda Maker since then, so that doesn’t seem to be very likely.
VIBE Score 9/10
There is a reason why The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening is often considered a timeless classic. The remake keeps all the aspects of the game that have aged well like the dungeon designs and the story. It also updates all of the things that haven’t aged well like the controls and music. Regardless of whether or not you’re familiar with the original version of the game, the remake is a must-play for any Zelda fan.
32, living in Arizona with a passion for video games, music and movies.
