as of late following a friend finishing Skyward Sword for me over discord, brainworms have been revitalised regarding the Zelda franchise and i'm finding myself in a fixated race to play entries i can get my hands on. like others i was a kid who didn't have many opportunities to buy new games and would often replay the ones i did own to absolute mind-numbing ultradeath, with my usual suspect being Phantom Hourglass for the DS. along with The Sims 2 for PSP it was one of my first experiences with the Tetris Effect and i harbour a lot of nostalgia for this sequel to a game i had never even heard of, and in 2024 i'm visiting another in A Link Between Worlds.
i was an impatient and petty-minded teen when i was taught emulation by my brother and quickly grew frustrated with A Link to the Past for entirely minor reasons (2d, grid based movement and combat, the dark world confused me, link's hair was purple (seriously?)). i couldn't believe this was the same series as the toon link i knew and loved and promptly discarded it after trying to restart any interest in it over and over, my favourite Zelda song ironically being the Hyrule Castle theme; probably due to my repeated experiences of the game's prologue.
it's this background that has me feeling guilty about how much i adored ALBW. featuring 1:1 cast members of its predecessor, a light/dark world transition, a new creative gimmick in the wall merge, and an incredible supporting character found in Ravio, what i see many refer to as the best 2d Zelda game delighted me over the few days i spent playing through it. coming from my background of PH and now SS, ALBW boasts snappy and engaging puzzle design in comparison within and without the dungeons spotting the kingdom with a sprinkling of platforming, highlighted within Death Mountain. on top of it all, the wall merge remains thrilling all the way to the very last second of gameplay, its use within the final boss encounter cementing ALBW's grasp on Zelda as a whole.
the score, art direction, overall worldfeel, dungeon design, and the narrative of manipulation vs ultimate charity is enchanting. it was just such a sweet experience, shoutout to Skull Woods and the Thieves' Hideout.
i was an impatient and petty-minded teen when i was taught emulation by my brother and quickly grew frustrated with A Link to the Past for entirely minor reasons (2d, grid based movement and combat, the dark world confused me, link's hair was purple (seriously?)). i couldn't believe this was the same series as the toon link i knew and loved and promptly discarded it after trying to restart any interest in it over and over, my favourite Zelda song ironically being the Hyrule Castle theme; probably due to my repeated experiences of the game's prologue.
it's this background that has me feeling guilty about how much i adored ALBW. featuring 1:1 cast members of its predecessor, a light/dark world transition, a new creative gimmick in the wall merge, and an incredible supporting character found in Ravio, what i see many refer to as the best 2d Zelda game delighted me over the few days i spent playing through it. coming from my background of PH and now SS, ALBW boasts snappy and engaging puzzle design in comparison within and without the dungeons spotting the kingdom with a sprinkling of platforming, highlighted within Death Mountain. on top of it all, the wall merge remains thrilling all the way to the very last second of gameplay, its use within the final boss encounter cementing ALBW's grasp on Zelda as a whole.
the score, art direction, overall worldfeel, dungeon design, and the narrative of manipulation vs ultimate charity is enchanting. it was just such a sweet experience, shoutout to Skull Woods and the Thieves' Hideout.
Perfect top down zelda, feels great to play
My biggest gripe with this game was the fact that if a dungeons tells you you need to get that one specific item all the others are lowkey unnecessary. But I guess it comes with concept they were going for Idunno. Still fun
The Legend of Zelda series is amazing and this is a great entry in the series. It's a spiritual successor to A Link to the Past and brings back some of that game's great gameplay and story. This is one of the best Zelad games using the classic overhead format and is definitely worth playing if you're interested in the series.
The best 2D Zelda game ever made, easily. It takes everything great from A Link to the Past, in a more modernized format, that expands on the story of the world even more.
This is the best 2D Zelda no contest. I fucking love crawling on walls and shields and shit
The phrase “10/10, no notes” springs to mind after my playthrough of The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds. However it is more of a “9/10, some notes” scenario. When I play games I will take notes of my opinions and criticisms however with this game I had very few notes as I had very little to critique about this game.
A Link Between Worlds is technically a sequel to 1991’s The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past however it doesn’t rely on players' knowledge of the previous game. People lucky enough to have played A Link to the Past will enjoy this game a lot more as it’s a faithful upgrade to the retro classic.
The story is relatively simple and unsurprising to seasoned Zelda fans. Link wakes up, Princess Zelda is in trouble, Link must get the triforce to save Hyrule and Zelda. There aren’t any extensive dialogue scenes. All dialogue is kept short and concise so as not to lose the player’s interest as they probably just want to get back out onto the fields and swipe away at enemies and explore the many secrets hidden away.
Right from the title screen the visuals and music burst out of the device in the players’ hands instantly captivating them. All the classic songs are there including Hyrule theme getting you pumped for setting off on an adventure. Zelda’s lullaby and the fairy fountain theme are also featured in the game and all sound absolutely incredible. Often I would just sit the device down and enjoy the music before picking it back up and carrying on. The game’s graphics are gorgeous, friendly and very welcoming. With a similar art style used for the remake of Link’s Awakening. I would like to hope one day Nintendo remake this game using the Link’s Awakening remake engine.
Zelda games typically show off the console’s gimmicks or performance capabilities. Being released on Nintendo’s 3DS, A Link Between Worlds utilises the handheld’s 3D screen by having layered floors above and below Link. The same technique was used for A Link to the Past to show off the SNES’ new graphical capabilities. Gamers may enjoy the 3D used in this game but what is typically the case is that it gets switched off within 10 minutes. As long playtimes with 3D enabled can put a strain on the player’s eyes.
Every Zelda game also has its unique trait or mechanic, this time around Link can turn into a painting and merge with walls allowing him to traverse areas like never before. To get their heads around it, players need to think out of the box, or inside of the wall if you will, when it comes to solving the many puzzles scattered around Hyrule and beyond.
A Link Between Worlds is a very accessible Zelda and one I would highly recommend to newcomers to the series. It serves as a ‘best of’ of the 2D Zelda games. It has all the best mechanics featured in the various games combined into one. The game itself is shorter than other games in the series and a bit easier to beat. Some fans complained online about how short the dungeons are and how easy the bosses were. I understand where they are coming from as often bosses would go down with minimal tactics and rapid sword swipes. I wouldn’t change this game in that respect though as it keeps the game easy for newcomers and the veterans can use Hero mode (hard mode) to keep them happy. Players accuse the game of being too easy, but like other Zelda games, the final dungeons and bosses will leave them shouting and screaming at their devices, using enough profanity to fill a swear jar.
The dungeon puzzles are not too hard but are still satisfying to solve. If you do need to refer to an online guide on how to solve a puzzle you’ll only blame yourself for not figuring it out and not the game. Series veterans will recognise, and newcomers will hopefully quickly realise, that the item required to complete a dungeon is also crucial for defeating the dungeon boss.
The game uses a stamina system rather than consumables like arrows. While this prevents players from being caught out in the middle of a dungeon short on resources, the item rental system could be considered a significant downside of this game. Typically in Zelda games you obtain items as you traverse the many dungeons. In A Link Between Worlds all items are available from the get-go. You can either rent them cheaply or buy them for a significant sum of money. If you chose to rent and Link dies, you need to trek back to Ravio’s shop and rent them again. This encourages players to grind for rupees, which, are much more frequent in this game to help buy the items.
A Link Between Worlds has the usual heart pieces but this time another collectable, Maiamais. The shell, octopus-like creatures spread around the field; if Link finds enough of them, he can upgrade his items. Heart pieces and Maiamai are typically encountered during Link's travels, rarely requiring the player to go out of their way to find or obtain them. For me I really liked how all collectables are within arm reach. Certain heart pieces are accessible only through completing the game's minigames. Minigames like Cucco Rush can be difficult to beat on hard mode. This means players might not find getting all heart pieces easy.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds is definitely up there in my top 5 Zelda games. It’s easy to get a hang of, the graphics look delightful and the game doesn’t make things too hard for the player. This has probably beat Wind Waker as my most anticipated Zelda remaster/remake that I hope that Nintendo releases. It was such a wonderful experience in many ways but I’m also glad the game wasn’t too long. Averaged around 23 hours according to howlongtobeat.com the game focuses on quality over quantity which I always appreciate. If you have never played this game before and you own a 2DS/3DS then give this a go.
A Link Between Worlds is technically a sequel to 1991’s The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past however it doesn’t rely on players' knowledge of the previous game. People lucky enough to have played A Link to the Past will enjoy this game a lot more as it’s a faithful upgrade to the retro classic.
The story is relatively simple and unsurprising to seasoned Zelda fans. Link wakes up, Princess Zelda is in trouble, Link must get the triforce to save Hyrule and Zelda. There aren’t any extensive dialogue scenes. All dialogue is kept short and concise so as not to lose the player’s interest as they probably just want to get back out onto the fields and swipe away at enemies and explore the many secrets hidden away.
Right from the title screen the visuals and music burst out of the device in the players’ hands instantly captivating them. All the classic songs are there including Hyrule theme getting you pumped for setting off on an adventure. Zelda’s lullaby and the fairy fountain theme are also featured in the game and all sound absolutely incredible. Often I would just sit the device down and enjoy the music before picking it back up and carrying on. The game’s graphics are gorgeous, friendly and very welcoming. With a similar art style used for the remake of Link’s Awakening. I would like to hope one day Nintendo remake this game using the Link’s Awakening remake engine.
Zelda games typically show off the console’s gimmicks or performance capabilities. Being released on Nintendo’s 3DS, A Link Between Worlds utilises the handheld’s 3D screen by having layered floors above and below Link. The same technique was used for A Link to the Past to show off the SNES’ new graphical capabilities. Gamers may enjoy the 3D used in this game but what is typically the case is that it gets switched off within 10 minutes. As long playtimes with 3D enabled can put a strain on the player’s eyes.
Every Zelda game also has its unique trait or mechanic, this time around Link can turn into a painting and merge with walls allowing him to traverse areas like never before. To get their heads around it, players need to think out of the box, or inside of the wall if you will, when it comes to solving the many puzzles scattered around Hyrule and beyond.
A Link Between Worlds is a very accessible Zelda and one I would highly recommend to newcomers to the series. It serves as a ‘best of’ of the 2D Zelda games. It has all the best mechanics featured in the various games combined into one. The game itself is shorter than other games in the series and a bit easier to beat. Some fans complained online about how short the dungeons are and how easy the bosses were. I understand where they are coming from as often bosses would go down with minimal tactics and rapid sword swipes. I wouldn’t change this game in that respect though as it keeps the game easy for newcomers and the veterans can use Hero mode (hard mode) to keep them happy. Players accuse the game of being too easy, but like other Zelda games, the final dungeons and bosses will leave them shouting and screaming at their devices, using enough profanity to fill a swear jar.
The dungeon puzzles are not too hard but are still satisfying to solve. If you do need to refer to an online guide on how to solve a puzzle you’ll only blame yourself for not figuring it out and not the game. Series veterans will recognise, and newcomers will hopefully quickly realise, that the item required to complete a dungeon is also crucial for defeating the dungeon boss.
The game uses a stamina system rather than consumables like arrows. While this prevents players from being caught out in the middle of a dungeon short on resources, the item rental system could be considered a significant downside of this game. Typically in Zelda games you obtain items as you traverse the many dungeons. In A Link Between Worlds all items are available from the get-go. You can either rent them cheaply or buy them for a significant sum of money. If you chose to rent and Link dies, you need to trek back to Ravio’s shop and rent them again. This encourages players to grind for rupees, which, are much more frequent in this game to help buy the items.
A Link Between Worlds has the usual heart pieces but this time another collectable, Maiamais. The shell, octopus-like creatures spread around the field; if Link finds enough of them, he can upgrade his items. Heart pieces and Maiamai are typically encountered during Link's travels, rarely requiring the player to go out of their way to find or obtain them. For me I really liked how all collectables are within arm reach. Certain heart pieces are accessible only through completing the game's minigames. Minigames like Cucco Rush can be difficult to beat on hard mode. This means players might not find getting all heart pieces easy.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds is definitely up there in my top 5 Zelda games. It’s easy to get a hang of, the graphics look delightful and the game doesn’t make things too hard for the player. This has probably beat Wind Waker as my most anticipated Zelda remaster/remake that I hope that Nintendo releases. It was such a wonderful experience in many ways but I’m also glad the game wasn’t too long. Averaged around 23 hours according to howlongtobeat.com the game focuses on quality over quantity which I always appreciate. If you have never played this game before and you own a 2DS/3DS then give this a go.
adoro esse sistema de tu se transformar numa pintura e andar pelas paredes, jogo legalzinho
This is peak
I've played this game as a kid and my memory is so faint that I can't say a lot about it. What I do remember however is, and that might be due to nostalgia, that this game was amazing. I loved the mechanic of going into the wall. And I destincly remember how young me's brain was not equipped to handle such a complicated mechanic. Even better is the way how the mechanic always feels fresh and exiting because of how it is implemented and reiterated upon. Items can help you to create walls, so that you can go into the walls and traverse a pit. One boss has a shield that serves as a wall that you can go into. The boss then gets confused and drops his guard, which is your chance to attack this otherwise invincible boss. They never ran out of ideas with this game I feel like.
Another thing I remember is how this game felt destinctly more cartoonish. Altough it had it's "serious" moments, you basically had a world that felt very not-serious and kinda laid back. This is until you reach the shadow world, that was outright terrifying to me.
I can't remember much else and I don't particularly feel the need to replay it. From what I can see it seems to be well received among those who have played it, though the smaller number of people who have is noticable if you look at the number of reviews compared to some of it's peers.
10/10. I'm not a Zelda stan. But to those who are, you gotta give this a shot. You'll like it.
Another thing I remember is how this game felt destinctly more cartoonish. Altough it had it's "serious" moments, you basically had a world that felt very not-serious and kinda laid back. This is until you reach the shadow world, that was outright terrifying to me.
I can't remember much else and I don't particularly feel the need to replay it. From what I can see it seems to be well received among those who have played it, though the smaller number of people who have is noticable if you look at the number of reviews compared to some of it's peers.
10/10. I'm not a Zelda stan. But to those who are, you gotta give this a shot. You'll like it.
I remember being really invested this game back in 2013, and made a few save files in hopes of beating this game. As you can see, and from what I can remember is I only reached the Ice Ruins and peaced out, not sure what I did with those save files either.
So fun
second best 2D title
Mi Zelda favorito y un upgrade a ALTTP.
Visualmente es una actualización del juego de SNES, pero la historia, personajes y demás son diferentes, aunque con claras referencias.
Lo único de lo que me puedo quejar es que si quieres hacer una mazmorra en específico tienes que ir de antes con el objeto temático de la mazmorra, y para eso tienes que ir a tu casa y comprárselo a Ravio, perdiendo tiempo.
Tiene bastantes coleccionables, unas caracolas que sirven para upgradear los objetos, se sienten mejoras como tal y no tonterías inservibles que quitan 1'5 más de vida, nono, aquí son útiles.
Se le saca mucho juego a la mecánica de la pintura, en combates como en puzzles, dándole bastante utilidad, aunque siendo la gimmick principal pues es normal xd.
Visualmente es una actualización del juego de SNES, pero la historia, personajes y demás son diferentes, aunque con claras referencias.
Lo único de lo que me puedo quejar es que si quieres hacer una mazmorra en específico tienes que ir de antes con el objeto temático de la mazmorra, y para eso tienes que ir a tu casa y comprárselo a Ravio, perdiendo tiempo.
Tiene bastantes coleccionables, unas caracolas que sirven para upgradear los objetos, se sienten mejoras como tal y no tonterías inservibles que quitan 1'5 más de vida, nono, aquí son útiles.
Se le saca mucho juego a la mecánica de la pintura, en combates como en puzzles, dándole bastante utilidad, aunque siendo la gimmick principal pues es normal xd.
Fue muchisimo mas divertido? de lo que esperaba, no esperaba divertirme lo mucho que me divertí con el juego. Todas las dungeons fueron super geniales de pasarse, cada puzzle cada mecanica rara y nueva que te enseñaban eran divertidas y estoy orgulloso de decir que solamente 1 vez busque en internet ayuda para completar algo
Finalmente entendi "what's the deal with those zelda games anyways"
Finalmente entendi "what's the deal with those zelda games anyways"
Até então, eu nunca tinha jogado A Link Between Worlds, e me arrependo amargamente de não ter feito isso antes. Esse é, definitivamente, o melhor Zelda 2D/isométrico já feito. Claro que A Link to the Past sempre vai ter uma marca especial e inigualável no meu coração, até pelo fator nostalgia que mexe bastante comigo, mas ALBW é a perfeita evolução de tudo que o seu antecessor fez de bom. Algo que o remake do Link's Awakening conseguiu resgatar de certa forma, mas que poderia ter sido melhor traduzido dentro de seu próprio contexto.
Pra mim, o maior diferencial que esse jogo tem é o fato de que, finalmente, a liberdade de exploração e de escolha do que e como você vai fazer retorna para a franquia. E, apesar de inicialmente eu ter estranhado a lojinha de aluguel de itens, depois de um certo tempo pensando sobre ela, cheguei à conclusão que foi uma ideia genial, e perfeitamente alinhada com a história do jogo (vou me conter para evitar spoilers). E por falar em história, essa possivelmente deve ser a melhor e mais fechadinha história de todos os jogos dessa franquia!
A mecânica nova que possibilita o Link de se transformar em uma pintura para se mover pelas paredes foi um acerto absurdo! Essa adição, juntamente com mais perspectivas tridimensionais, trouxe mais opções de level design para a resolução de quebra-cabeças e calabouços e aprimorou ainda mais a experiência de resolvê-las. Além de todos os benefícios que essas possibilidades trouxeram para a exploração do mundo, e é claro que a Nintendo, com toda sua maestria em fazer experiências memoráveis em video-games, iria saber aproveitar bem.
São pouquíssimos os pontos negativos, mas se eu fosse citar alguma coisa, seria que eu ainda prefiro a trilha sonora do ALTTP em comparação a essa, mas essa trilha sonora definitivamente não é ruim. Longe disso, é sensacional! Acho que é muito mais uma questão de como eu me acostumei com a acústica do SNES para as músicas e efeitos sonoros de Zelda. Mas quando falamos de todas as demais evoluções, esse jogo realmente beira a perfeição!
Pra mim, o maior diferencial que esse jogo tem é o fato de que, finalmente, a liberdade de exploração e de escolha do que e como você vai fazer retorna para a franquia. E, apesar de inicialmente eu ter estranhado a lojinha de aluguel de itens, depois de um certo tempo pensando sobre ela, cheguei à conclusão que foi uma ideia genial, e perfeitamente alinhada com a história do jogo (vou me conter para evitar spoilers). E por falar em história, essa possivelmente deve ser a melhor e mais fechadinha história de todos os jogos dessa franquia!
A mecânica nova que possibilita o Link de se transformar em uma pintura para se mover pelas paredes foi um acerto absurdo! Essa adição, juntamente com mais perspectivas tridimensionais, trouxe mais opções de level design para a resolução de quebra-cabeças e calabouços e aprimorou ainda mais a experiência de resolvê-las. Além de todos os benefícios que essas possibilidades trouxeram para a exploração do mundo, e é claro que a Nintendo, com toda sua maestria em fazer experiências memoráveis em video-games, iria saber aproveitar bem.
São pouquíssimos os pontos negativos, mas se eu fosse citar alguma coisa, seria que eu ainda prefiro a trilha sonora do ALTTP em comparação a essa, mas essa trilha sonora definitivamente não é ruim. Longe disso, é sensacional! Acho que é muito mais uma questão de como eu me acostumei com a acústica do SNES para as músicas e efeitos sonoros de Zelda. Mas quando falamos de todas as demais evoluções, esse jogo realmente beira a perfeição!
It's Link to the Past but better
Eu sempre preferi Zelda em 2D. Acho que tem mais charme, apesar de gostar dos combates 3D que me soam como uma "dança". É um jogo muito divertido, como sempre, e acho que as mecânicas funcionaram muito bem também. Ótimo jogo
Una secuela espiritual de "A Link To The Past". Creo que fue un gran acierto de Nintendo inspirarse en el estilo, pero crear una idea divertida e innovadora para la jugabilidad con la capacidad de convertir a Link en pintura y que se pueda mover entre los muros. Idea que no he visto a nadie más fuera de Nintendo repetir.
La historia es súper bonita, los personajes carismáticos y el soundtrack aunque repite muchos temas de ALTP, el estilo de instrumentos medievales hace que se sienta épico y hogareño.
Es un juego que no veo error alguno, el primero donde implementaron "tu eliges el orden de la aventura" y que les funcionó de maravilla. Uno de los mejores Zeldas que se han hecho y creo que lo mejor que salió del Nintendo 3DS.
La historia es súper bonita, los personajes carismáticos y el soundtrack aunque repite muchos temas de ALTP, el estilo de instrumentos medievales hace que se sienta épico y hogareño.
Es un juego que no veo error alguno, el primero donde implementaron "tu eliges el orden de la aventura" y que les funcionó de maravilla. Uno de los mejores Zeldas que se han hecho y creo que lo mejor que salió del Nintendo 3DS.
My personal Favorite Zelda game. Incredible design and all dungeons are amazing.
I think this is one of the best games ever made for a handheld!
10/10
Fantastic
Not for me…
Um dos melhores Zeldas de todos os tempos, e superior, inclusive, ao seu clássico antecessor, A Link to the Past.
Não consigo pensar nenhum defeito nesse jogo, sinceramente.
Não consigo pensar nenhum defeito nesse jogo, sinceramente.
Tres bon jeu, j'aime bien le concept d'entre 2 worlds, le fait de devoir faire des aller retour au meme endroit pour pouvoir résoudre des énigmes. Bien que parfois c'est redondant
Why does no one talk about this entry? It's so good?!
Uh, I actually was not expecting this game to be this good. I kinda have a track record of not liking Zelda games but this one is unironically amazing. This game is shorter than other Zelda games, but the reason for that is that it cuts out all the bullshit that other games have. No unnecessarily long start like twilight princess, or boring boat segments/triforce hunt in wind waker. The blatant obtuseness of the older games has evaporated. It is just back to back great dungeons, with minimal overworld segments that complement the dungeons. I always had the thought that Zelda games would be a lot better if it was just the dungeons, and this is it. Thats not to say there is no story, but it's mostly minimal and serves the purpose of explaining the hero's journey. The wall merge gimmick is also amazing because it is used in every dungeon, and very well. It's also used with items to give them new uses. The dungeons here are also some of the best I have experienced with 2 exceptions. The only reason this doesn't get a 10 is because I did not like the dark palace, and the thieves hideout is a bit below average.
В целом, игра хорошая, но для себя отметил, что ее нужно проходить "залпом". Так, как играл с перерывами, то впечатление не такое яркое. Также немного задушился из-за головоломок, было бы их поменьше, играл бы охотнее. Хорошая игра, рекомендую.
best 2d zelda probably