Link's Awakening is 26 years old and, like Twin Peaks, is absolutely a product of its time. Whereas David Lynch used his recent Twin Peaks revival to subvert expectations and create something new and striking , Link's Awakening on the Nintendo Switch is a remake in the traditional sense of the word: straight, by the book, pedestrian.
Which is a good thing Video game remakes are in vogue. Over the past few years we've gone from straight HD remasters, with improved resolutions and frame rates, to from-the-ground-up remakes. First came Shadow of the Colossus -- which was solid and workmanlike. Then came Resident Evil 2 , which was absolutely spectacular. Link's Awakening is not spectacular. It's solid and workmanlike. It's a capable remake that does little to make its game fit in a brand-new world, in a brand-new time, on a new console.
But it's not bad. Link's Awakening has the advantage of being a remake of one of the finest video games ever made, but the distinct disadvantage of being a remake of a video game designed for the Nintendo Game Boy -- a handheld console built using outdated technology when it was first released over 30 years ago. Part of the reason Link's Awakening was so revered upon release is the Game Boy connection.
It was the perfect example of constraints driving genius. Game Boy games were usually simple and basic, but Link's Awakening was neither. In it felt utterly insane to be playing a game of Link's Awakening's scale on a handheld like the Game Boy. It was the best video game on the console and it's not even close to being close.
Playing Link's Awakening today, on a console like the Nintendo Switch, is a different experience. After all, as you're told early on, the monsters only stirred when you appeared. The dangers that threaten the people of this world, including the possibility of utter oblivion upon your success, are entirely of your doing.
Calling into question bad heroic decisions is, again, not exactly original in videogames, but it's a wrinkle that feels especially provoking in such a traditionally light series. Zelda has only reached melancholic places anywhere near this on one other occasion, in Majora's Mask , which similarly subverts its counterpart title the way Link's Awakening subverts A Link to the Past , but even in Majora's Mask Link remains a savior.
Here, he's just a kid with a sword, stuck in a world that doesn't make sense, trying to find his way home. But the lesson to take from Link's Awakening isn't simply that the series is a surprisingly good fit for melancholy.
Instead, it's that The Legend of Zelda , as a set of ideas, is fungible on a core level. Link's Awakening is a lesson in the variety of stories the formula of the series can handle. There's a sword, a shield, and a young person on an adventure. There are items to collect, or allies to gather, or some set of barriers to conquer before facing, and defeating, a final dilemma.
The journey the hero goes on doesn't need to be a traditional hero's journey. It doesn't need to be heroic at all. This new version of the classic adventure includes many unique elements that appeared in the original Game Boy release, such as 2D platformer-style rooms and appearances from characters outside of The Legend of Zelda series.
Buy on. Play Sound. Please enter your birth date to watch this video:. January February March April May June July August September October November December 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Enter. Critic Reviews. Score distribution:. Positive: out of Mixed: 3 out of Negative: 0 out of The Daily Dot. I found playing through a modern imagining of this classic to be almost perfect. All this publication's reviews Read full review. When I go to give Link's Awakening to someone else, would I recommend this version?
Is this the game I want my kids to play? And yes. It is. Eurogamer Italy. With the exception of some minor slowdowns, we do not find drawbacks in a revival that pays tribute effectively, even today, to a historical chapter. The game is almost carbon copy of the original one but has that little touches to improve the experience. That is the kind of remake we always want to see.
Critical Hit. The graphical style does seem to employ some techniques that attempt to mimic tilt-shift photography, making everything look pint-sized with a narrow depth of field. This effect works well for the most part, but it can be inconsistent, appearing in some areas and not in others, which ruins some of the magic. But the game itself, sadly, does not run great. Super Mario Odyssey ran at a silky 60 frames per second, and while Breath of the Wild was limited to 30 fps, it always felt like a consistent, stable 30 … the Deku Shrine notwithstanding.
For a game so focused on capturing scenes filled with joy and character, the performance issues frequently took me out of the illusion. They never made the game unplayable, but they definitely hindered the visual experience. Classic themes from the original game have been recomposed with true affection, and the characters in the wide cast all offer various grunts and shouts of enthusiasm as you make their acquaintance.
Nintendo and Grezzo have made a handful of other changes from the original release, most of which further enhance the experience.
New hidden seashells are available, offering collectors a bit more to chase than existed in the original game, and a new seashell sensor can help you find them all without having to Google for a guide.
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