Bringing back one of the most original The Legend of Zelda games isn’t an easy task. Link’s Awakening marked the start of portable Zelda adventures and the uniqueness of the story is rarely found in the franchise. There’s something about the original game that captivates you from the first second and never lets go until the very end. Replaying this classic on Nintendo Switch is like a dream coming true, although the game does come with some innovations.
Wake up Link
Like many other Zelda games, our game kicks off with Link waking up. He finds himself on a mysterious island where the Wind Fish is in control. Waking up this mysterious flying whale who is said to have to power to control winds will be your main task in Link’s Awakening. Your journey isn’t without any danger however, you’ll face a lot of enemies along the way and only if you prove yourself to be brave enough will you be able to acquire all mystic instruments needed to wake the Wind Fish. It’s a unique plot and thanks to the strange scenery and uncommon Super Mario enemies mixed in a Zelda universe, this is a game you’ll remember for a very long time to come. This isn’t like the modern Zelda games you’ve played and even compared to the other 2D adventures, Link’s Awakening certainly offers something you haven’t seen before. Without spoiling the story, you’ll better prepare for some surprising and breathtaking situations during your quest.
A complete overhaul
When it comes to the story, this version remained untouched. What did change a lot are the graphics, and those truly are something completely different. The team created an entirely new style for this adventure, combining the classic 2D visuals with a modern 3D touch. This results in a clay-like world featuring the most adorable Link to date. Running around in this colorful and gorgeous world is incredibly fun thanks to the adorable visuals. It’s a bit weird controlling Link at first since the original was played in 2D, but after a while, this feels like the perfect classic Zelda adventure. Everything about the new graphics just clicks, from the adorable characters to the whimsical enemies, it all just fits in the atmosphere of Link’s Awakening. The graphics truly are the beating heart of the remake and it’s good to know that it never gets boring. Until the very end I found myself smiling when I located new dungeons or enemies. Everything just looks incredibly good, in both handheld and television mode.
Find your own path
So we have a classic Zelda story in some new visuals but how does the gameplay? Well, if you only played The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild on your Nintendo Switch, this is a completely different game. Where Breath of the Wild innovated the formula, Link’s Awakening sticks to the old formula. This means it’s both more straightforward and complex than you’re used to in modern Zelda games. First things first, you’ll move from one dungeon to the other, always finding a useful new item that you’ll use to eventually defeat the boss (or Nightmare as they are called). Once you cleared a new dungeon, you can discover new paths on the map by using your new item. For example, you find a certain ring that will enable you to lift heavy rocks, opening up tons of new paths leading to another dungeon. It’s far more straightforward and structured but since you have access to the entire map right from the start, it’s easy to get lost too.
The game doesn’t invest a lot of time in learning you the ropes. You have a sword and shield so you need to find your own path. Getting stuck? Well, that’s perhaps not the way you were meant to go in the first place. Paying attention to clues and hints of your new location is crucial and if you skip the dialogues, you’ll never know where to go next. At first, this was something to get used to again since a lot of modern games like to throw tutorials at you for every little move you make. After a while, I appreciated this freedom a lot, it really results in an adventure that you’ll make your own instantly. Finding your way in an overworld filled with enemies, finally arriving at the new dungeons, and discovering new objects, it’s a fun pattern and it never gets boring. I’m pretty sure you’ll love this way of playing a Zelda game if you never played the classic before.
What’s new?
So, this is a one on one remake? Well, not exactly. The Switch version does come with some important changes. Most of those consists of giving the player extra comfort. You won’t spend as much time in the menus as before, you have extra buttons on your Switch to map important items, the dialogues are sped up… All small changes which you probably wouldn’t even notice at first but result in a better and more modern experience. The biggest innovation, however, is the Chamber Dungeon.
This is a completely new building where you can create your own Dungeon, using your ‘Chambers’, special stones you’ll unlock during your adventure. In the Chamber Dungeon, you can arrange the Chambers just like you want in order to create the dungeon of your dreams. It’s not possible to change the content of the Chambers since those are pulled from in-game dungeons, but being able to change the order and create a new challenging dungeon without the main game is a great new feature. If you have access to a Link amiibo, you can even add a bonus Chamber to the fun, and you’re able to compete against Shadow Link too! Not impressed? We’ll, with the amiibo, you can also save your newly created dungeon. It’s a fun new mode that made me dream of a Super Zelda Dungeon Maker, something I hope we’ll see in the future.
Conclusion:
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening is a great fit on Nintendo Switch. It marks the return of one of the most iconic and original Zelda games, remade to perfection. The new visuals, the addition of the Dungeon Chambers and the overall journey result in a game that you’ll remember for a very long time to come. If you’re a fan of the franchise or never played a Zelda game before, this is one you should try on your Nintendo Switch for sure!
