The remake of this classic 1993 action-adventure game is back, and I dare say better. Developed by Grezzo and published by Nintendo, The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening was released in September 2019 and is played only on Nintendo Switch. It maintains the top-down perspective of the original game and mimics the map and gameplay. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening goes for $59.99. The goal of this version is to breathe new life into a game beloved by many.

Almost Identical Gameplay with The Original

The game is about Link, who is stranded on the Koholint Island after his ship was caught in a storm. He is rescued by a girl named Marin and wants to find his way home. To do this, he must embark on a journey to collect eight instruments of the siren to awaken the island’s legendary Wind Fish and escape the island. This quest takes him through dungeons scattered across the island, solving puzzles and fighting Chomps and Goombas. As Link, you are guided by an owl who instructs you on where to go next and what tasks to perform.

Unlike the 1993 version, Link’s sword, shield, and upgrades are permanently on him from the beginning of the game, and he does not have to drop them to battle. You also get a power bracelet and the Pegasus Boots, which all have dedicated buttons. However, you have to equip them individually on the Game Boy.

There are a number of minigames that are vital to the gameplay. When you complete a set of dungeons, you can use them to build your dungeons when you visit Dampe’s shack. In this Dungeon chamber, the process of building your dungeon is not as thrilling as you would expect. It is too simplistic, and you can assemble one in a few minutes; thus, you cannot craft a complex dungeon. Sharing of dungeons is also incredibly stressful as you first have to save the map on an amiibo and then swap the data with your friend. I don’t think anyone would want to endure all that stress for an average dungeon setup. Asides from this new dungeon matching, there is hardly any new addition content-wise. You gather collectibles, and the dungeons are now colored. The basic goal is to gather new items, learn new abilities, and start utilizing them in as many areas as possible. 

Brand New 3D Look

The best way to describe the graphics is a retro-modern art style. The game world has a toy-like character design with tilt-shift visuals that pay homage to the original presentation. The game comes with a fresh coat of paint and 3D graphics to replace the 2D models. The visual style is great to look at and is exemplified In little things like Link’s midair shuffle when he is about to run and the defensive stance he takes when he pulls out his shield. The dungeons are lit in a new way, giving detail and texture to the gaming atmosphere.

There is a certain attraction to the aesthetics, which is nice. The look is enhanced by the upgrade from the Gameboy to the Nintendo Switch, which solves some of the former’s issues. The tilt-shift photography style of the game narrows the depth of field and makes everything look alive. Certain enemies are also entirely redesigned compared to their predecessors.

The map contains more visual details than its pixelated predecessor, and you can place markers on it. You can denote specific parts of the maps, such as the fairy ponds and your dungeons. The ability to recall former dialogues for hints comes in handy when you forget the owl’s instructions.

Highly Improves Score And Soundtrack

There isn’t much to speak of sound-wise, apart from the somewhat cheeky plinky-plonk song of the old Gameboy. But this re-imagined Link’s Awakening version introduces a majestic, fully orchestral re-recording of the familiar sounds. This gives the game the scale that was missing from the previous versions. It also evokes nostalgic emotions in you as you visit familiar territories.

The score is appropriate for the game and keeps you going. The characters you run into make satisfactory grunts and shouts of enthusiasm as you introduce yourself. You will have a better audio experience with the volume up or with headphones. The audio does a decent job of situating you on the island. 

Still An Enjoyable Action-Adventure

It is nice that the game holds up through the engine. However, I noticed that it chugs in a few cases when the screen gets crowded with characters and the skin gets blurry. The game is quite stable during the boss fights in dungeons, which is the most important. Unlike the Nintendo fore franchise, the game generally runs at lower frames per second.

I remember Super Mario Odyssey ran at 60 frames per second, while Breath of the Wild went at 30, but Link’s Awakening lags at major transitions. As I said, this doesn’t affect the playability but the enjoyability. However, the battle with the bosses seems to be somewhat uneven. Some bosses require much effort to fight and defeat them, while over-simplistic gimmicks can kill others off. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, I think The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening tries too hard to replicate the original’s gameplay. This may be charming for some people, but I had hoped there would be a switch in the gameplay. It has been recreated to the point where it replicates some of its predecessor’s flaws. They try to infuse the self-help setup from Mario Maker, but Zelda falls short due to the toolset being far too limited.

Despite the minor issue of mirroring the past, The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening is one of the best Zelda games to date. It just needs a little innovation. I highly recommend it as a good addition to your action-adventure game collection.