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  1. Originally released in 1993 as the first Zelda game on a handheld, The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening had some big shoes to fill. Just two years prior A Link to the Past was released on the SNES and brought some significant upgrades to Zelda's adventure formula, and now Link's Awakening tried to recreate that magic on the Game Boy's modest hardware while still establishing its own distinct sense of style. As most Zelda fans will attest to, the game was a complete success in that regard. Link's Awakening has stood the test of time as one of Link's most charming adventures, and this Switch remake has perfectly retained all of that personality while adding some invaluable quality of life changes. The adventure begins with Link's simple boat being destroyed in a storm, and the hero washes up on Koholint Island where he is quickly taken in by the kind-hearted girl Marin. From there Link's quest is to explore the island to uncover its secrets and find a way back to his original journey. This game may take place entirely on an island but that doesn't diminish the sense of adventure and exploration that the Zelda franchise is known for. More importantly, Koholint is just a delightful place to explore. Marin and the rest of the residents of Mabe Village are adorable, and the quiet charm that pervades the game is only improved by the Switch remake's updated visuals. There may not be a ton of text or dialogue in the game, but Link's Awakening does a great job of endearing you to the island's humble inhabitants, making Link's quest of departure all the more bittersweet. For anyone not familiar with Link's Awakening, the gameplay is pretty classic Zelda: explore the island to find dungeons, complete dungeons to earn new items, use items to explore Koholint further. It's an immensely satisfying gameplay loop and one that Link's Awakening does particularly well thanks to the relatively small size of Koholint. It's big enough that there are a lot of corners to poke around in and secrets to uncover, but small enough that it feels quite manageable and it's not too difficult to keep the map in your mind and remember what points of interest to return to. That makes this game particularly addictive and so easy to just lose yourself in. The Switch remake takes things one step further with a handy map system that allows you put down markers to remind yourself to come back later when you have more items at your disposal. Like other recent Zelda games this is a fantastic way of helping the player keep track of things without making it too easy. Arguably the most valuable addition to this version of the game though is simply having a controller with more than two buttons. The original Game Boy version required pretty frequent swapping of items—including Link's sword and shield—which was, granted, simply a limitation of the Game Boy's hardware, but could also really bog down the experience. Now, however, the sword, shield, pegasus boots, and power bracelet are permanently equipped, which is a huge boost to the game's sense of flow. Anyone that played the original will be delighted by this seemingly simple but invaluable change. The game features a handful of other minor improvements and touches, all of which add up to making Link's Awakening feel like a much smoother, modern adventure. None of this betrays the original game's sense of charm, nor the relatively low sense of difficulty—that's not a bad thing, as Link's Awakening is still an eminently enjoyable adventure, just don't expect anything too complex or challenging. The Switch remake has also boosted the length of the game a bit by adding more collectibles, such as heart pieces and secret seashells. Some of the shells can be tricky to find, but any excuse to spend more time on Koholint Island feels worthwhile. The other big addition to this new edition of Link's Awakening is Dampe the gravedigger and his Chamber Dungeon creator. Taking a page from Super Mario Maker, this feature allows players to make their own Zelda dungeons using pre-made rooms and arranging them in a tile grid. The rooms are taken from the dungeons you've already completed, so there's never anything too surprising at hand, but being able to rearrange these rooms as you see fit is a fun side venture. Sadly there isn't nearly as much creative freedom as Super Mario Maker, but given the fact that Zelda game design is far more complicated than a side-scrolling platformer, it makes sense that the game would have some limits on what you can do, and of course the game warns you if you've built too many locked doors with not enough treasure chests to hold keys. Chamber Dungeons aren't likely to hold your attention for too long compared to the main game, but they're still a neat addition to the world of Zelda, and may hopefully lead to a more robust system in the future. The visuals of Link's Awakening are almost entirely too adorable. Obviously a modern Switch game is a significant upgrade over the monochrome Game Boy original, and the toy box aesthetic is put to great use as every inch of Koholint is just utterly charming. Link's Awakening is already filled with some pretty cute critters (as well as transplants from the world of Mario) and this art style just makes them cuter. Link, Marin, and the rest of the cast are surprisingly expressive as well, which really layers on the adorable charm of the game. The technical side of things does leave something to be desired, though. There are noticeable frame rate drops when there is a lot happening on screen, i.e. parts of the overworld that are well populated by monsters, or when you transition from one area to another (there aren't strict screen breaks but the frame rate drop creates a sort of pseudo one). Did these frame rate issues ever inhibit my gameplay? No. But they're still bothersome to see, especially in a beloved core Nintendo franchise. For a game about collecting musical instruments, it's no surprise that Link's Awakening has a pretty phenomenal soundtrack. The original game's music has stood the test of time well—even the Game Boy's basic chiptune audio couldn't diminish the catchy melodies throughout the game. And like the visual design, the new audio style is just delightful. It's bright and cheery, perfect for the overall tone of Link's Awakening, and does a great job of remixing songs to feel both fresh and familiar. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening remains one of Link's most enjoyable adventures, and the adjustments made to this Switch version only improve the experience. Aside from the persistent but minor frame rate hiccups, this remake does a fantastic job of adding valuable modern touches while preserving the original gameplay and spirit of the Game Boy title, while the Chamber Dungeon feature provides a novel side adventure, one that may well see further expansion in future Zelda titles. In a franchise filled with one incredible game after another, Link's Awakening continues to shine as a uniquely heartfelt and accessible entry, one that no Zelda fan can miss. Rating: 9 out of 10 Secret Seashells
  2. So a fan/modder is attempting to remake Link's Awakening though hacking Ocarina of Time, and he just released the first teaser trailer: Ocarina of Time is my favorite 3D Zelda and Link's Awakening is my favorite 2D Zelda, so on the surface this would seem like a dream come true for me. The cinematic tone of the trailer, the amount of original content being added, and the idea of a "deeper, darker, original, dynamic, more inspired storyline" almost completely killed my interest in the project, though. Part of what makes Link's Awakening so brilliant is its goofy, silly charm with a steadily building undercurrent of melancholy and the questions it raises as you continue your quest. It isn't particularly deep or dark, but it strikes a delicate balance where its more serious themes are presented with enough subtlety that they take a while to sink in, and when they finally do, it has so much impact because the overall look and tone of the game is bright and colorful. I think the game is pretty near perfect the way it is, and would much rather see them do a faithful recreation than a reimagining with a new story. What are your thoughts?
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