The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening | Switch Review

December 28, 2019 Scott Clark

It’s no secret that I’m a massive fan of The Legend of Zelda series of video games. Ever since I was a kid, I was enamored with the adventures that Shigeru Miyamoto and Nintendo crafted. They’re the first games I experienced that made me feel smart, and like a hero. Link’s Awakening was the first Zelda game to appear on the GameBoy back in 1993. Although I didn’t adore it quite as much as Link to the Past, it’s still one of my all-time favorites. I was very excited to get my hands on the remake this year, and I’m happy to report that it far exceeded my expectations.

A Tale As Old As Time

For those not familiar with the story of Link’s Awakening, it’s quite a departure from the first three games. It’s one of the rare instances of our hero not rescuing Princess Zelda, or even exploring the land of Hyrule. Link finds himself shipwrecked on the mysterious island called Koholint. Your goal is to gather eight magical instruments in order to awaken the legendary Wind Fish from his slumber in order to be able to return home.

The formula may be very familiar, but the novelty of the plot manages to feel fresh even to this day. I was reminded of the brilliance of Link’s Awakening‘s storytelling, which gets shockingly emotional by the ending credits. We even get a glimpse of a potential love interest for our hero, which makes the finale even sadder than I remembered. There’s no doubt in my mind that this experience is one well worth experiencing again. I’m hopeful that, twenty-six years later, a new audience will appreciate it as much as I have.

The Epitome of “A Fresh Coat of Paint”

Resident Evil 2 released this year, which was a game built from the ground up with new mechanics and a brand new experience. Link’s Awakening isn’t that kind of remake, however. At its core, it plays nearly identical to the original game. The map is exactly the same, but puzzles haven’t changed, and even the dialogue hasn’t had a word updated. That’s not to say that this update isn’t worth the price of admission. It’s difficult to improve on near-perfection, but Nintendo has pulled it off. They’ve managed to find any minor complaint I had with the original and capitalize on it. And I couldn’t be happier.

Most of the issues I had with Link’s first handheld game were due to the limitations of the hardware. Seeing how the GameBoy only had two face buttons, it made for a somewhat maddening experience selecting items via its pause screen over and over again. Since the Switch has far more buttons at its disposal, Link’s Awakening works exquisitely well. Simple abilities like swinging the Master Sword, jumping, and dashing now have dedicated buttons, providing a much more enjoyable experience. The puzzles are no longer a frustrating task of jumping between menus, since you’ll be able to stay within the world of Koholint Island for the majority of the game.

The Reason to Visit Koholint Island Again

Outside of updated mechanics, Link’s Awakening also has brand new visuals and music. Nintendo didn’t go for realism here, but they didn’t need to. The sprites are now vibrantly full-colored with character models that border on cute (in a good way) that give definition to the familiar faces of the original. It’s delightful coming across creatures I haven’t seen in years and immediately recognizing them despite their new appearances. On top of that, the musical score has been updated from its chip tune set to a fully-orchestrated soundtrack that is worthy of a listen on its own. From an artistic standpoint, this is exactly what I wanted in a remake of one of the best Zelda games out there.

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening Final Verdict

It’s almost difficult to express how much I adore the remake of Link’s Awakening. As a kid, I found the original to be a masterpiece, but Nintendo has managed to create perfection out of near-perfection. It’s truly a reminder of the brilliance of this series and why I love it so much, why I collect anything I can get my hands on that bears the Triforce. The game has aged beautifully and is even more accessible than it was over two decades ago. I have absolutely no complaints on this gem of an experience. I hope this remake will encourage more people to experience this and other titles in the series. Here’s to hoping that we get more remakes of Zelda games in the future.

To hear me talking more about The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, be sure to listen to Episode 263 of The Gaming Outsider. My coverage begins at the 1:02:09 time stamp.

This review is based on a purchased Nintendo Switch copy of The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening. It is exclusive to this platform.