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.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds pleasantly surprised me in more ways than one. At first, I was a bit skeptical when I realized that the map was the same as "A Link to the Past." However, as I delved deeper into the game, I found myself drawn into its charm and innovation. The weapon renting system felt a bit strange at first, but I appreciated the added tension of potentially losing all my gear upon death. Unfortunately, the abundance of rupees and ease of acquiring them diminished this aspect's impact, I wonder if Nintendo was a bit too money-focused during the 3DS era (right New Super Mario Bros. 2? 👀).

However, it was in the second half of the game where A Link Between Worlds truly shined. Without spoiling anything, the dungeon design was nothing short of perfection, providing some of the most enjoyable experiences I've had in a 2D Zelda game. The use of the 3D screen added an extra layer of immersion, although it ultimately felt like a gimmick. The non-linear nature of the dungeons in the latter half was a refreshing change from the numbered structure of "A Link to the Past."

While the story may be basic, it was very cute, with a particularly satisfying ending. My main gripe with the game was its difficulty curve, which felt off as everything seemed too easy before the final two dungeons. However, the inclusion of Hero Mode provides an extra challenge for those seeking it.

Overall, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds earns a solid 5/5 rating from me. Despite its minor flaws, its engaging gameplay, captivating dungeons, and charming story make it a must-play for any Zelda fan.

Beating every Zelda in timeline order 15/20:

A Link Between Worlds works remarkably well as a direct sequel to A Link to the Past and provides a Zelda experience that's entirely unique. Once you reach Lorule, the game just shrugs and says "yeah, go wherever you want, I'm not a cop." Being free to tackle the dungeons in any order you choose and having the items be unlocked through a shop rather than in dungeons does wonders for the dungeon design. In my opinion, having the items and dungeons work this way allows for the most free-form, puzzley, fun dungeons to explore. In a way, it reminds me of Breath of the Wild's design in that "every direction is the right direction." Even though each dungeon isn't necessarily tied to an item, the dungeons still have strong identities and fantastic theming, even if they're nearly all borrowing from A Link to the Past. Puzzling out these dungeons is absolutely the best part of this game. Not having dungeons to rely on, the items themselves lack a bit of identity, I think. For example, beyond the house of gales, I used the tornado rod maybe once? I didn't feel much incentive to use my entire arsenal like I did in ALttP. While part of me enjoys how much of A Link Between World's identity is owed to A Link to the Past, it also lacks some identity because of it, which is probably why I forget about this game a lot. The music is great, the story is great and the wall merging mechanic is wonderful. It's over pretty quick but it's so much fun to blast through I don't care.

I love A Link Between Worlds and how its non-linear structure lends to engaging dungeon design even if it feels a bit lopsided at points.

A safe return to form with a real off the wall gimmick.

After the frustrations of 2011’s Skyward Sword on the Wii, you could not hear a discussion on Zelda games without the words “linear” or “hand-holdy” popping up. It would seem that being unable to explore the world of a Zelda game at your own pace is something that can really hurt the experience. The children yearned for adventure.

So two years later, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds dropped and gave the children what they wanted. It also gave the geezers like me what they wanted too. Everyone was happy.

A sequel to 1991’s A Link to the Past, A Link Between Worlds takes you back to the Hyrule of old with a few new changes. The music and visuals are fresh but don't stray too far from the source material. The soundtrack ironically is one of the more interesting choices, rather than using unique instrumentation, A Link Between Worlds feels more rustic European than anything that's come before. The flutes and strings in the minigame theme especially sound like something straight out of Bilbo Baggin's 111th birthday vibes. Link looks phenomenal in this game. His hair isn't pink though lmao, so as much as we can say it's a nostalgia driven game, they weren't brave enough to be that adherent to the past. But enough about the sights and sounds, let's get to the real meat of the game, what sets it apart from its peers.

A Link Between Worlds allows you to take on whichever dungeon you want, by making the items you usually get in those dungeons available from the start, but only through renting them. If you die, you lose it, and if you have enough money, you can permanently own it. The Item Rental System makes dangerous enemies more threatening and collecting rupees more important than ever. It’s pretty cool.

A flaw in the Item Rental System is the threat of dangerous enemies and the value of rupees disappears once you gather enough cash to permanently own the items. The game is quite generous with rupees and ways to get more rupees, so you’ll be owning those items a few hours in. A few more hours in you’ll have upgraded your items and cleared all the mini games so enemies will be a joke, and the rupees they drop won’t matter.

I’ll tell you something though, the enemies are pretty easy even without permanently owning the items. I recently did a Green Tunic Only, Rented Items Only playthrough and only died once the entire time in the late game challenge tower. The main game couldn’t touch me. But I guess that’s what hero mode is for.

Ah but the item rental isn’t the only gimmick in the game, is it? The Wall Merging mechanic is what was advertised the most before A Link Between Worlds was released. It’s a cute little thing that flattens you up against the wall, but what shouldn’t be ignored is how much it changes the way dungeons are approached from both the developer and player points of view. Instead of just being a string of rooms with puzzles, the very structure of the dungeon can be included with the puzzle. Structures you normally wouldn’t see the back side of can now hide secrets if you wall-crawl around them. You have to pay attention to every wall. I only wish they pushed this further, it’s a really neat gimmick.

The wall merging is also the means to go to the dark world, hilariously named Lorule. A Link Between Worlds treats Lorule less like a cursed evil world and more like a parallel Hyrule that fell on hard times. Instead of the unsettling creature-like npcs from A Link to the Past, Lorule’s inhabitants are (most of the time) color-swapped reflections of Hyrule’s npcs. These reflections can inform things about each other, and make both worlds feel a little richer. Yet another reason why the purple haired anti-Zelda, Princess Hilda, is one of my favorite Zelda characters ever.

I’ve beaten The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds three times and 100%-ed it two of those times. Each time was a blast and I’m probably going to play it many more times. It looks and sounds and plays great, it’s a treat all around. I love it. You should play it.

I am more of a Mario player than playing as Link. But have to say, this game proves me wrong! This game is amazing! The idea of merging into walls to have a slight side scrolling aspect freshens up the game play. The mechanics, the dudgeon's, the gameplay.. it's next level anything I have ever played. This is for me THE best top down 'Zelda' or 'Zelda-like' game I have ever played (yes I'm a minority and think its better than link to the past) due to the modernisation.
The game is not perfect though, I would of found it more rewarding if you discover your items than buying, but that is nit-pic really. If you could buy only one game on the 3DS, this would be the one to get as it's my fav I have ever played on the system