Another excellent write-up as always Deemon! This is 99% the attachment bias speaking right now, but Link's Awakening is far and away my personal favourite Zelda game that I've played so far, for many of the reasons you've laid out here: traversal feels highly snappy, Koholint is a fantastic setting from start to finish and the sheer bizarreness of it all leaves one hell of an impression on me.

There is admittedly a certain irony to having LA as my favourite Zelda though, as I've actually rated Link to the past higher on here funnily enough. However, while I believe LttP is basically the pinnacle of 2D Zelda from a gameplay perspective, nothing has come even remotely close to matching the charm, heartbreak and overall memorability of LA to me. It really is one of those kinds of games where I can hop back in for another full playthrough and it'll still feel just as magical as the first time.

I've since played the original Link's Awakening in the three or so years since playing the 2019 remake thanks to NSO and loved it too, but my heart will forever lie with the dreamily cosy nature of modern-day Koholint (even if the Goponga Swamp haunts my thoughts like nobody's business XD).

Bit of a unorthodox suggestion but I think Miitopia would also fit this list pretty well :D