Maybe one day, you’ll remember this place…

A Link to the Past starts on a stormy night...

I actually never have beaten any 2D Zelda games until now, for reasons that are a story for another time, but I have played an tried quiet a ton of them, some until the half-way point or even a bit after that, and the one thing they all share in common is how well they sell this larger than life epic, an adventure with its silly moments, but that it still feels consistently ‘’grand’’, and the menace of evil looming over the heads of everyone in Hyrule. This isn’t a complain, not in the slightest, and that isn’t the reasons I didn’t see any of those games to the finale, is just a part of their identity, like the dungeons, vast worlds opened by upgrades, and Octorocks…

Link’s Awakening begins on the quiet coast…

…But Koholint Island felt different. It still has the many dungeons with their bosses —some being not that great to be honest, at best they end too soon and at worst they are slow or overly simple—, it still has the usual items and upgrades, it has a TON of Octorocks ; in many ways, it still has the mark of 2D Zelda…only instead of feeling like an epic , at times it feels closer to a fairy tale.

Mist forest filled with secret passages and tricker raccoons, songs of fishes and frogs that give new life to what has been gone for a really long time, and what’s perhaps one of the funniest side quests in any game that’s essentially just an item-trade hunt, but it goes on and on across the entire island and your final reward is basically getting two items and scammed, it’s amazing!

There’s a joy to be found in the island, be it the in the little chats with the weird folk or the great search for the color dungeon; even when you aren’t at one of the incredible dungeons, which from a design perspective are the most fun I’ve had with 2D Zelda ever, I never felt like I was losing time or getting side-tracked. The little things like walking a Chomp-Chomp around and playing a crane machine feel just as important as getting the fabled legendary instruments, so mundane but at the same time so mysterious, so fun, so dream-like.

The diorama comparison was also completely on purpose, the toy-like feeling the remake offers is nothing short of amazing, everything feels made out of plastic and clay in such a purposeful way I got nothing but praise for it, and playing through this world reminded me of the tales I made while playing with my tales, distant memories flourishing amidst a world full of wonder and shells.

It sucks that it comes to a price; the game’s frames tank… a LOT, sometimes in the dungeons, but mostly out in the open, and it’s pretty noticeable. I understand that running a completely ‘’open’’ island with such wonderful visuals would have its consequences on performance but I would lie if I said it sometimes felt a lit too much, and I’m left wondering if maybe a bit more time in the oven or a patch or two would have helped things, ‘cause as it is it can feel jarring and take you out of the dream.

It's honestly a bit of a weird remake at times; the fact the jump item isn’t immediately binded to a button permanently boggles my mind considering just how essential jumping is for the whole adventure, especially the scroll sections; that plus how cryptic some enemies’ weaknesses can be compared to others which are pretty much clear as day and not being able to use the D-Pad in any way despite Link snapping into the eight set directions , I’m left wondering, more-so than after playing any other remake, how the original holds-up and if maybe it can feel more consistent. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still in love with the visuals, and things like the Telephone Hint Huts and are a godsend for people like me, but I feel like I’ve missed something by not playing the original… or maybe I’m just searching excuses to return to the island.

You have no idea the mental strength I’m putting in to not talk about every single interaction and moment, ‘cause Link’s Awakening feels special, like a dream, yes, but also like a pas memory, memories of spending summers at the beach and waling along hills, memories of thinking of adventure and meeting strange yet lovable folks, scattered memories from a distant past or even a completely different Goomba-infested reality, memories of songs so far away they are beginning to echo…

I feel like I’ve been missing something incredible by not playing this sooner, yet I’m happy to have finally clicked with one of Link’s adventures, and especially this one. It’s fun, it’s carefree, it’s exciting… and beautiful in its own particular, amazing way, to be honest…

…and then, it’ll become real.

Even playing this at 60FPS with the dogwater DOF removed, and all the little QOL touches, I can't help but feel I should have played DX instead. I like the renditions of the music in this for the most part, like I'm glad Nintendo acknowledged that bass wind instruments exist again, but I feel it was a horribly missed opportunity to flesh out the overworld with more than 4 themes, because unfortunately the game's soundtrack sounds a lot better in an album than in the game where half your time will be accompanied by 30-60 seconds of Overworld Theme a hundred times over. I'm also just really not a fan of how it looks, I've seen people beg Nintendo to give the Oracle of Ages/Seasons games and even A Link to the Past the same treatment and I think saying it looks "toy-like" is being extremely generous, as I would describe it as very sterile, albeit colorful in the most basic sense. It's not bad looking, but it feels very inconsistent in the look it's going for, too; I rarely looked at the dungeons and thought "toy-like", they just looked like a watered down version of A Link Between Worlds. I also just strongly detest the implication that retro graphics such as the NES, GB, or even SNES = "toys" or "childish", it's needlessly closed-minded about entire swaths of artistic direction. The more detailed look we get glimpes at by the photographer in DX looks so much better stylistically, it's sad to me they didn't go with that. Look how expressive they all are!! It's also ridiculous that the performance on actual hardware is weirdly terrible with constant frame dips despite being locked to 30FPS. The remake also weirdly draws out a lot of interactions and cutscenes, nearly every interaction with the owl takes 2X longer than it used to, as with every NPC interaction. I think this remake is "competent" at best, and I would generally encourage anyone to play DX instead.

inhale
ANYWAYS, enough about this remake specifically.

This easily has my favorite handling of "side"quests in any Zelda game and I deeply appreciate that this isn't yet another "FIND THA COOL RANCH DORITO OF MAKE GO AWAY". Another thing too is that everyone in this world seems genuinely so loving, in a very sincere way that doesn't reek of that usual quirky one-note Zelda stuff.

The dungeons themselves are probably the most complex and interwoven I've experienced in any Zelda game, though perhaps almost to a fault as I'd begun asking myself "alright, which of these 4 pairs of stairs are actually connected...". The game also expects you to use literally everything at one point or another, so even though the solutions at a couple points are a bit nonsensical I still also greatly appreciate they demanded that at all. It's something Tears of the Kingdom did horribly and I don't get why people aren't more bothered by it over there, to have the climax of the game be devoid of any meaningful statement about your progress because uhhh being able to say "erm you can finish it any time 🤓" somehow justifies how padded that game is with its unevolving, barely passable "temples" which don't build off of each other in any capacity.

Link's Awakening doesn't beg you to stop and smell the roses, it makes you, because goddammit they're romantic. It has my tied 2nd favorite ending in any Zelda game that touches on a thematic subject matter in a way I favor immensely, which I'll likely never forget, "or [her]"

Thank you /u/Nowhere for suggesting the game to me and referencing the photographer in DX.

Not much needs to be said about Zelda: Link’s Awakening. It’s a traditional Zelda experience with a healthy dose of quirkiness and a charming art style. It has satisfying puzzles and progression. Exploration and curiosity is constantly rewarded. It’s also got beautiful, classic Zelda music and sounds. The story is simple but really enjoyable. It was originally a Gameboy game but this kind of makes it even more impressive. They did a great job with this remake. It looks modern and has modern conveniences but feels and plays old school.

Maybe the price point is about $10 too much. There are some minor technical/performance issues. Also working out what to do or where to go can at times lean towards being a little too obtuse, especially if you gave this to a younger gamer. But it is mostly just a great time.

Zelda: Link’s Awakening is an easy recommendation. It is a must play for every Zelda fan and is a great entry point for newcomers.

9.0/10

I have a frustrated love for the Zelda series. Perhaps I love what it COULD be rather than what it is, and the gulf between the two creates discontent.

Unfair? Maybe. In any case, this remake is a mostly enjoyable return to the first portable Zelda title, but each tweak to the original is a two-edged sword, e.g.:

- The plasticine environment successfully demarcates the dream world from the “real” world of the animated cutscenes, yet its misleading veneer of cuteness clashes with its existential theme. "But the original Gameboy graphics were cute too!" you might protest. A little, yes, but more by limitation than design. The dot eyes and simple shapes were necessary due to tiny screens and monochrome palettes, but in the remake they're retained out of unthinking reverence, not with a mind toward the story's dark heart.

- Permanent buttons for sword and shield improve convenience, but they also destroy Awakening's unique mechanical voice among the Zelda pantheon; in the original GB release, no tool was so sacrosanct that it couldn't be tucked away. You could let the shield gather cobwebs in your pouch if you wished, and could even make a challenge of using the sword as little as possible. But now? On the Switch? They're permanently a button tap away. And there aren't enough additions to the sword-and-shield play (besides stunning the blade-brandishing rushers) to warrant its new front-and-center presence on the gamepad.

But back to undue reverence -- if the remakers were willing to tinker with the above elements, why didn't they add more to the plot as well? The existential story of LA demands a sidequest or two, enough to give players some agency (at least the possibility if not the actuality), some room to react to the dreadful truth of the island. This unwillingness to build on the legacy, to treat flaws as sacred as virtues, is the most frustrating aspect of Nintendo's remakes.

I'm torn because on one hand, this is a pretty straightforward and uninteresting remake of Link's Awakening. I don't dig the Rankin/Bass art style, the heavy use of bloom, or the plasticky look of the visuals. The extended fast travel system is also a bit too much, allowing you to teleport everywhere with ease and uncover the map at a much quicker pace.

But on the other hand, the Chamber Dungeons mini-game is so stupid and fun that it basically redeems the game for me. Chamber Dungeons are not as fully fledged as a Mario Maker title, but they're also a small component of a 20-hour Zelda game. The challenges you unlock for them as you play through the wider game are engaging and thoughtful, and you can even save your custom dungeons to amiibos to share with friends. Maybe I'm a schmuck, but it's nice to see one excursion elevate a Zelda game from an uninspired remake to a guilty pleasure.

I feel bad for not liking this as much as I do
the story left me untouched and I don't like the art direction
the dungeon design and the mechanics feel outdated, and might have needed a complete or at least partial rework
the more open structure is fun
the music is fantastic, the re-orchestration of the original's OST is wonderful work

Zeldinha sendo Zeldinha, vou separa essa avaliação em 3 categorias, visual, mundo e dungeons

Visual: Espetacular, esse estilo cabeçudinho é um dos grandes charmes desse jogo, os shaders, os efeitos, itens, tudo é muito bonitinho e marcante

Mundo: Não é labiríntico como alguns outros Zeldas 2d, é pequeno mas tudo ta no seu devido lugar, eu simplesmente adorei a quest de itens que tem aqui, mas tb é a única subquest, e eu ainda nn entendi oq aquelas lupas fazem

Dungeons: Um ótimo game designe se vc for pensa a época onde o jogo original foi lançado, mas infelizmente quase nenhuma dungeon aqui é memorável, tirando a penúltima que é genial, e a ultima que é bem prazerosa com vários mini boss, as outras dungeons são tediosas e esquissáveis, coisa que não podemos falar dos bosses, Zelda sempre vai mandar muito no quesito boss, o unico que eu achei meia boca foi o da ultima dungeon, tirando ele todas as batalhas foram extremamente satisfatórias

Dito isso, é mais um jogo de Zelda sendo um jogo de Zelda, simplesmente incrivel

This review will contain mild spoilers

I was originally going to play the DX version but remembered that I had a half finished save file of the remake so I decided to just finish that instead of playing the whole game through the switch Gameboy collection. Im going to be kinda combining two reviews in one here, talking a lot about the original game but referring to the remake when it comes to gameplay and visuals.

I was a big fan of Links Awakening having played the DX version on the 3ds years ago, but I put off getting this remake for quite a long time until it went down in price. I ended up getting it late last year after playing Tears of the Kingdom and being in a bit of a Zelda phase. Whilst the DX version has a lot of charm to it, this is the definitive way to play this game in the modern day.

Links Awakening is the first Zelda game in my opinion to really prioritize its story. It's the first game chronologically not set in Hyrule and not to feature Zelda or Ganon (Kind of). Instead Link is washed up on Koholint Island after a deadly storm, he is tasked with waking the mysterious wind fish with the eight instruments of the sirens in order to get back home. On the surface its very clean cut, but features a secret that is gradually revealed as Link progresses through the dungeons which really effects the atmosphere of the game. One thing I noticed was that this game makes it very obvious that it is set after A Link to the Past which I think is one of the only times that it is specified what order the games take place in outside of Ocarina/Majora and BoTW/ToTK. There are a lot of similarities in characters and locations but most obviously is that in the final boss fight, the entity takes the form of both Agahnim and Ganon from Alttp. This was a really cool detail that I never knew and thought it would be interesting to add here.

Gameplay wise the remake makes all the right changes. The Gameboy version was heavily restricted due to hardware but was great for its time, the remake removes a lot of the hindrances that the original version had. Most notably, making some items usable without having to equip them, this is done with the Pegasus boots and power bracelets and means you dont have to constantly be switching things out in the menu. Im not a huge fan of having some items only be obtainable through the shop instead of being in a dungeon, but im pretty sure the whole game is possible without buying anything so it isn't a massive issue. Link's awakening also is a lot easier to blindly play through with the addition of phone huts where you can get a small hint as to where you need to go next. In the remake you can replay NPC conversations to catch any info you missed. Unfortunately not everything is told to you and you can still be left wandering around without a clue but I played everything from dungeon 5 to the end of the game without following a guide and only had to check up on stuff twice so its already way better than all previous games. I'm not a huge fan of the map as it seemed that there is always one very specific way to get to each location and loads of paths seemed needlessly blocked off just to confuse you.

The dungeons in this game are on par with Alttp in terms of size but I found them way more confusing to get through. Im not sure how the remake compares to the original but most dungeons, especially the last three, are very confusing to get through, but still enjoyable enough where it doesnt get frustrating. Eagle Tower is my favourite one by far.

Visually I do like the remake art style but I much prefer the DX retro look over the more toy like style the remake has. One of my favourite parts of this game is its score. They really started to add more diversity in their music at this stage with most buildings having music, multiple overworld tracks and each dungeon has its own track as well. My favourite part however is that dungeons 1 to 5 all have these booming action pieces until the twist is revealed in the 6th dungeon and from then on all the dungeon tracks are much more creepy sounding, my favourite is the eagle tower track, I'd recommend checking it out, either the OG or remake. The remake does ditch the retro sounding score for a more modern one and it works really well with the new look. I do prefer the retro score a little bit but I would happily listen to either. I also liked the anime style cutscenes for the beginning and credits, a good improvement from the old versions

Graphics wise I noticed a lot of frame drop, most notably in the grassy plains areas beside the main village. Since the remake ditched the screen style the original had and has massive areas all loaded in at once, plus enemy sprites and destructible objects plus the fact the switch's hardware is very outdated, makes for a bit of frame drop. Nothing game breaking by any means but something to note.

A solid remake of a classic game. Falters in a couple places for me compared to the original but still makes for a fun experience.

sometime ago i played links awakening dx and i really wasnt impressed with it sure i had played a lot of zelda games and never finished them and truthfully i wasnt really enjoying them as much as i wanted to so i thought it was a really charming game but never finished it

boy did my fucking opinion change not only of the original but of this incredible remake daaaaaaaamn

links awakening feels true to the classic games and of course it is for a game that came right after the brilliant a link to the past a game too ahead of time for its own good and coming up with a rightful sequel to such a colossus of a game wouldve been really hard if it wasnt for nintendo fucking doing it again just constantly raising the bar its unreal

due to its predecessor being the game that it is you would think that they would exploit its success for this one but instead they cut every tie from what came before with a completely new world but with the same link

and what a fucking world

before going deep into the game i gotta say that this remake is jaw dropping i saw people not being a fan of the toylike art style but i honestly think this is such a great complementary style to the already incredible island of koholint it makes it feel like its a diorama in a snow globe a world sealed and confined in an alternate space and if you know the lore deets you know how much i loved this kind of style for this game in particular

every single character is brimming with details in its model every single part of the world is filled with hd gorgeous models that are both incredibly realistic and cartoonish the animations are splendid and really shine if you put a 60 fps patch like its just incredible art back to back to back and even though i really understand the complaints about the art style since its an important detour from the original ones art style but just leave nostalgia back and take this game at face value . its cute its really good im sorry theres no argument to be made here the enemies look so fucking amazing and the bosses are even better the overworld is beautiful and again the characters are great so whatever if you wanna be rude be rude to zelda II not to this

that being said other elements of the remake are some good QoL needed here and there and i think some stuff got tweaked and streamlined but im not really sure since i didnt finish the original lmao i also got stuck for days on the mushroom quest

that being said the remake is pretty good if you dont like it i dont care just play the original maybe i WILL be playing the entirety of the original someday so that i can really have a complete opinion of this game with the knowledge of both versions but for the very “first” complete experience i had with this story it was pretty incredible nothing to say about this

so enough of the remake the game itself

link gets on a shipwreck and finds himself in the island of koholint where theres people that never appeared in the game before nobody knows what hyrule is everyone talks like they know some things they dont want to say to link theres a giant bird fish god thing and everyone is scared of him apart from link and youre absolutely alone if it werent for the very first person to talk to you . cute girl marin my fucking BABYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

also theres super mario characters and enemies around and you can find kirby in a dungeon MMMMMMMMM THATS WEIRD

so whatever the prologue is basically this and as you might already realise this is just a story element to give you a motive to go in dungeons get the instruments and awaken the fish bird thing

the story is pretty straightforward but what really gives this game such a great personality are the characters and the little interactions they have with link first and foremost marin who is both the very first guide for link in this unknown world and also a place that feels like home for him

cute nothing terrible will ever happen amirite

characters are quirky funny and have some really great chemistry with both the other characters and the world itself koholint is brimming with joy and life and youre gonna fight to protect this peace

syke

gameplay is the usual zelda gist you get keys to dungeons with honestly pretty weird quests like the quests in links awakening are really out there with pacing and gameplay loop and shit like that you can go 5 hours with only side quests or only dungeons it has a strange sense of pace but i really like it nonetheless like alttp was just dungeons after dungeons so whatever

ok whatever dungeons are really cool even though maybe the main criticism for me will be that theyre kind of samey somehow ??? in progression and structure but again this is still a gameboy color game with a coat of paint on top of it so i wont demand too much stuff for it like even alttp dungeons were way more interesting but its FIIIIIIIIIIIINE its fine ok i love this game so whatever get in the dungeon take the dungeon item do puzzles and get the instrument rinse and repeat now yeah this is always the same in zelda game and yeah dungeons usually arents my fav part of these experiences and just so you know this game also has a bomb overworld filled with secrets here and there and its always such a great thing to get a new dungeon item and be able to traverse new parts of the overworld and get to places that were closed before so yeah this is great and also probably has one of my fav roster of items and rocs feather is peak i dont care

so yeah whatever this is classic zelda what the fuck do you want me to say

now the music here is incredible dont get me started the arrangements are absolutely top notch and theres not a single fucking bad this is one of the very first songs you will listen to just tell me you dont want to tear your hair out cmon i will wait and theres also something so beautiful about the town theme it has such a great sense of comfort of joy it just feels like home

also another fav one is tal tal heights absolutely gorgeous music i love videogames why are they so good i honestly dont even know anymore

so whatever after the meat of the game we need to get to the meat of the story

SPOILER ALERT

boy the ending got me . the fucking dread the enemies feel every time you say youre gonna awaken the bird fish thing has ground since theyre basically asking you to not destroy their world but you have to do it or else you cant go home and youre gonna get hints here and there that what youre gonna do is gonna destroy the whole world NPCs are already accepting their fate the owl is speaking in riddles but is trying to give you an explanation the writings you find in the overworld will tell you that the awakening of the big fishy fish whale is gonna bring a lot of grief and still you do it you go there play the instruments battle the ganon phantoms which is a staple now and talk with the big fish

he says its all a dream and now everything makes sense the way characters talked the out of context elements from other nintendo games the enemies trying to defend their existence it was all to let you know that what youre doing will delete everything

left with nothing else to do you just get to the ending scene while the island crumbles in front of you with marin and everyone else disappearing into nothingness just for you to remember them after everythings ended

the credits roll and youre left with a mental anguish and just cannot do anything else but cry i was OVERFLOWING OH GOD THIS GAMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE watching links sad face on the raft really got to me and then looking the seagull in the sky leaving place to the image of marin like she wished for the fish divinity thing like WHO THE FUCK UHGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH I HATE THIS GAME

like why would you make me suicidal im just asking that

links awakening is such a nice game and not only it is one of the most fun games in the franchise but also has a unique story to boot with an incredible existential crisis as soon as you finish the game and the fact that the developers could create such a gem of a game with this absolute banger of a storyline is pretty insane kudos to you and i said i hated the GBC but i think i need to rethink everything now

at the end of the day what remains of what we feel are the memories we take with us . marin i miss you every day

please dont forget this song - or me

It's obvious that as time goes on, more video game remakes will be released. The amount of games that exist is always increasing, and the more that exist, the more there are to remake. And with an ever expanding player base, there will always be a market for them; both for players that are wishing to play their old favorites on modern consoles, and for new players who want to experience the classics in the best way possible. But while it can be great to get these legacy titles on modern hardware, it's also an area that's ripe for nostalgia exploitation and disappointment. Obviously any resources spent on a remake could have instead been directed towards a new project, but even beyond that, many of them aim to do the bare minimum, offering barely any improvements dressed up with a $60 price tag. With this context, it's especially important to acknowledge when a remake actually does it right-by taking the core of a beloved game, fully repurposing it, giving it modern amenities and graphics-and competently recreates the feeling that the original gave players years ago. And if you're looking for an example, look no further than Grezzo's 2019 remake of Link's Awakening.

Link's Awakening was the 4th game in the Zelda series, first released for the Gameboy in 1993, so for a modern title, there was a lot to improve. The graphics were the first step, and beyond obvious advancements in tech, the 2019 effort's improvements suit the story as well. As the title implies, Link's Awakening takes place in a dream setting, and while hand-drawn animations bookend the game, all of the gameplay has a toylike, retro-modern design which is equal parts lovely and off-putting. It almost feels like the game takes place in a shoebox diorama, and it's a bold yet fitting aesthetic choice for a game that is defined by its subversion of norms. Both visually and sonically, Link's Awakening is respectful of its past without being a slave to it, and as a result, the music-box laden soundtrack and the tilt-shift layout help in successfully recreating the feeling of the original, while breathing new life into the title.

And, even more importantly, the gameplay is modernized right along with it. This was originally a Gameboy game, so simplicity was key. Link's Awakening did the best it could at the time, but what is a remake for if not to address the limitations of previous hardware? The sword and shield each have their own buttons now, many of the game's combat techniques feel far more natural to pull off, and you'll find yourself switching items in menus far less often. This isn't a complete redesign, so some of the dungeon bosses are still a bit simple, and this is still the Nintendo Switch, so it's customary to say that the game comes with some minor slowdowns and framedips. But it's emblematic of a game with no overworld loading screens that LA's menuing, just like its gameplay, feels as seamless as possible.

A lot of these elements would fit perfectly in any other 2D Zelda remake, but what sets Link's Awakening apart from the crowd is its utter commitment to a unique setting. After over 35 years, Koholint Island is still the series's most interesting; a curious and concise world that takes only a minute to venture across, but is filled with enough nooks and crannies and secrets to keep you engaged for hours. And while many point to this game as the one that was always a totally different Zelda experience, only time has revealed it to truly be so. There's the obvious things that stick out; no Zelda, no Hyrule, characters from other Nintendo franchises. But it's what just beneath the surface that makes LA such a jewel of the Zelda series. There's no conflict (at least, not immediately), and there's certainly no world-ending threat. Link acts only for his own preservation, and while the Wind Fish is saved by its awakening, the primary goal is always clear, just as the title states.

Perhaps that makes Link's Awakening the only Zelda game without a hero. As the game progresses, it becomes clear to Link that waking the Wind Fish will end the dream, and as a result, Koholint Island (and its inhabitants) will disappear. Of all the worlds you visit as Link, this is probably the most welcoming. Is their reward for their hospitality their own destruction? Did they ever exist at all? And if so, is Link responsible for their dissolution, or is the player? Beyond being an incredible game, LA is great because the memory of its themes persist like an oft-forgotten dream; carelessly floating in and out of our minds, directing our thoughts, guiding our actions. In a series of almost 20 games, Link's Awakening has no trouble remaining one-of-a-kind. Its seemingly simple premise is the springboard for an incredible amount of philosophical thought. And it's an incredibly fun game, updated with the modern charm and quality of life that it's deserved since 1993. This is one of Link's best adventures, and on the Switch, it's better than it's ever been.

This was my first ever 2D Zelda game and it was kind of a mixed bag. The positives come in the form of the visuals, soundtrack, and some of the gameplay. The negatives come in the surprising performance issues, lack of direction, middling to frustrating puzzle design, and, the biggest problem in my eyes, the lack of difficulty. Like I know it's a kids game but this might be one of the easiest games I have ever played. In the end, it was saved from a three star rating by way of the second to last dungeon and the ending.

Remakes in gaming are a really interesting subject, since gaming moreso than any other medium can actually benefit from revisiting, updating and remixing works from the past. A lot more than remasters (the almost exact opposite, usually a disaster & pointless cough cough GTA cough Last of Us), remakes can address a lot of issues or completely fix older games. While I think the price point of this might still be a bit high for what it is, I would say this is a great example of a remake that embodies & honors the original design of the game while still making it significantly different enough to allow the original to still exist.

For starters, the big change & selling point is the presentation. I for one love love love the plastic-y, hobby model look of this game partially for how well it coheres together but also even kind of working thematically to seem unreal & idealized. Same goes for the toybox/beep boop update to the soundtrack; in terms of audio/visual this game is pretty much pulling a 10/10.

When it comes to the gameplay, while I broadly speaking had a good time there were some little annoyances. The original game design is still present, and by that I mean the slightly more archaic structure of a game where some progression is not really clear or super intuitive (though I think some of this is more in dungeon or boss fights and things like the trading sequence, actually getting to new areas is usually pretty easy with lots of explaining markers). It's usually really satisfying to clear a dungeon, and every upgrade feels like a great hurdle cross. I do think the collectible side might actually have been made worse here, since the secret shell collecting was expanded & had absolutely no desire or need to go after all of them (ditto for the Dampe stuff or fishing, just blew all that off and had no desire to learn it). Difficulty-wise it is pretty easy, but this is very much a kid's game and I was not playing this as a challenge moreso to admire the aesthetic. Not even close to being my favorite Zelda game, but as an example of remakes it may be one of the best and I had a swell time with it.

Still my favorite Zelda game, both this and the original Game Boy version.

Link to the Past may have been where the series really built a foundation, but I always felt like this is where a lot of the heart of Zelda really began. Stuff like a bigger focus on story, a cast of quirky characters, wider variety of dungeon mechanics and puzzles, etc.

The remake as far as I'm concerned is basically just a better version of the original. There's way more content and the QOL changes are a godsend. As much as I love the original game, having to constantly swap around your items is a pain in the ass. Having dedicated buttons for certain items makes it difficult to go back to the original sometimes.

I never really understood the complaints about the remake's visuals. Sure the frame drops can be distracting, but the actual art style is fine. I do kind of prefer the Game Boy aesthetics, but that's purely a nostalgia thing.

I do find it weird that they put this whole dungeon maker thing in the game, then just never did anything else with the concept. I was kind of expecting that to be the testing grounds for a Zelda maker, yet here we are years later with nothing. I actually kind of found this part of the remake fun, but I would have preferred them to keep the photograph house from the GBC version.

Overall, still my personal favorite Zelda, even after the goliaths that were Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. I've always loved how quaint Link's Awakening was compared to the other games. Still wishing they eventually make more 2D Zelda games, or at least have Grezzo do more remakes.

where other zeldas go left or right, this game goes up, literally. adding a jump to the 2D zelda formula has gotta be one of the best ideas in this entire game. it adds such a degree of freedom and true openess to the world and it's puzzles, i'm so shocked by how much i enjoyed that aspect. now i will forever dream of a zelda game that really really leans into this game's 2D/3D platformer aspects.

the story to this one really sneaks up on you w

the dungeon design in this one is impeccable (apart from level 7 which sucked dick). the biggest flaw with this game easily comes when trying to go from one dungeon to the next. I flat out refused to believe any human has ever beaten this game without a guide. perhaps, if the worlds greatest scholars collaborated on it over a few years, they could get it done. whilst the puzzles involving the overworld are mostly horseshit, the world itself is so charming and colourful, with weirdo mario characters and an art style that puts this among the switch's best looking games. the characters and muisc are so great, you almost forget about how the next thing you had to do in the main quest was find the secret fisherman under the bridge in a part of a non-optional 30-step fetch quest. And the story, which is intertwined with this love for the world, really sneaks up on you with what is probably the strongest ending in any zelda game, and a message that really sticks with you.

an excellent zelda game, held back by some old game bullshit, but a lot less old game bullshit than every other zelda game.

For every Zelda fan, we have The One We Started With, The Good One, and The One We Irrationally Hate In Spite Of It Being Perfectly Good. My very first Zelda game was Link's Awakening DX, which is a funny entry point considering it kind of just has fuck all to do with any of the other games and even has Mario characters in it and other wild off-the-wall shit that has given Link's Awakening something of a reputation for being the goofball one.

Well, goofball one or not it was enough to ruin my brain and make me a Zelda freak 4 lyfe. It brought together all of the real magic of Zelda into a nice compact little game for car trips; a whimsical but dark world, a wide cast of fascinating characters, and a story that makes the game paradoxically linked to several others to make dweebs that think the timeline is real constantly fight about it.

The remake was, happily, exactly what a remake should be - a modernized but fully faithful adaptation of the original game. The newer interface makes it easier to work with the items and spend a little less time doing on-the-fly juggling of common-use gear, the music is beautiful as has become a standard for Zelda, and the graphics are a charming compromise between modern 3D and the classic gameboy Zelda graphics. It feels very much like a storybook brought to life, which is an appropriate take on something so integral to my childhood being brought forth into the 20th century, happily not kicking and screaming like so many others of its ilk.

Also the dungeon building minigame was fun. Took like 20 minutes to do all the missions that tie to in-game collectibles and the rest are optional so really don't see any merit to all the whining about that. You don't have to do everything in a game, man.

I understand this might be blasphemous but I think I like this game personally a little bit more than LTTP.

Link's Awakening was a surprising game for me cause I knew I loved the artstyle the minute they revealed the game but I didn't think I would actually enjoy it that much, however I am here to say now I blasted through this little diorama adventure so quick and had so much goddamn fun along the way.

It still has that sense of discovery that I love from LTTP but it felt a little bit more streamlined but with plenty of side secrets for those who wanna explore. All the items felt fun the charm of every character I spoke to was unmatched it was a great time.

My issues with this game arise with sometimes a puzzle in a dungeon will be move this block for some very obscure reason, as well as weaving what seemed to be a side quest to be very important for finishing the game with the trading quest which honestly wasn't a huge deal in retrospect.

Two things to note with my experience over this game is:
-I have no idea what the original was like mostly was told by friends in call what changed and what QoL shit was made.

-I emulated this on my pc and I had zero performance issues which I heard was a problem on the switch version