The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening Reviews
Check out The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening Review Scores from trusted Critics below. With 32 reviews on CriticDB, The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening has a score of:
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening is everything a remake should be. It retains the nostalgia of the original game while celebrating it in an entirely new way. The map is small but dense, filled with side quests, interesting character designs, and a surprising moral dilemma. This charming, toy-like world is the perfect way to experience Koholint Island, regardless of it’s your first visit or your 50th time washing ashore.
– Matt S.Editor-in-ChiefFind me on Twitter: @digitallydownldReview code provided by Nintendo
My most succinct recommendation for the 2019 remake of The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening would be this: a couple of weeks ago, having finished the original, I was actively hoping that this wouldn’t be a shot-for-shot remake. Entire decades after the fact, the dungeons felt a little underthought, the controls a bit archaic. Even slowly making your way through the overworld by way of set clues, rather than the kind of self-directed navigation we were allowed in A Link Between Worlds, felt old-fashioned. And yet, as I potter once again across Koholint, digging up its last remaining secrets to avoid turning it off again, I’m delighted to have been wrong. Link’s Awakening retains the style and feel of its 1993 self, but looks and controls like a game – albeit a retro-styled one – made in 2019. In doing so, this feels like it was made in some alternate present, where games remained in 2D, puzzle-focused and strange, but tech improved to support it all. You could, I guess, call it time travel.
“Link's Awakening is the best top-down Zelda to date.”
Link’s Awakening is happy to be history, and it defies you not to be, as well.
The Legend of Zelda Link’s Awakening brings a classic story from the Game Boy era to the Switch with great results. I’m thrilled to have gotten to play this game again, and I hope you’ll try it out too.
The Legend of Zelda series is known for its quality across both consoles and handhelds, with the latter often standing out for their uniqueness within the franchise as a whole. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening was a shining example of that on the Game Boy and once again proves why it deserves to be talked about among the best in the series with its remake on the Nintendo Switch.
This is the second in our pair of reviews for The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening. If you’re curious to see the thoughts of someone who played the original Game Boy title, this review is for you.
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening is another must-play Nintendo Switch game. It still stands the test of time and in no way feels outdated, which is impressive for a 20 year old game. Don't let performance issues and a high price point stop you from playing this absolute classic.
If you need a nostalgia trip or haven't played Link's Awakening before, then you won't be disappointed with this release. Just note that it is a bit more bite-sized when compared to more recent entries in the series.
Warning! Even though this is a reimagining of a game first released in 1993, this review of The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening will contain some spoilers tha
Link's Awakening takes everything excellent about the original release and adds a fantastic shine to it. This already might have been one of the best Zelda titles to date, and it's only improved here.
Pick up The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening if you have any affinity for the series and don't mind replaying a 26-year-old game. However, if you've played the Game Boy original to death, you won't find much new here.
Proof that traditional Zelda is just as essential now as it was back in 1993.
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening initially released on the Game Boy in 1993. The Hylian Hero’s first handheld adventure is focused and critically acclaimed. It quickly became a fan favourite by coupling A Link to the Past’s 2D gameplay with surprising cameos from other Nintendo games.
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening was one of the strangest games in a series filled with outliers. Its playful nature and cameos from other Nintendo franchises certainly helped cement that status, but that’s only part of the story. Strip away its playful veneer and you’re still left with one of the strongest entries in terms of dungeon design and boss battles. Now, 26 years after its original release, Nintendo has remade Link’s first portable adventure for the Switch. The result beautifully captures the essence of the Game Boy original while adding some quality-of-life upgrades to bring it up to contemporary standards.
In the end, though these complaints cannot weight down the gaming experience that is The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening. From the gorgeous visuals to the excellent puzzle design, this game offers a top-notch experience.
A remake of The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening isn't the Zelda game I wanted next, despite having massive love and nostalgia for the original. I thought it was too small, too short, too outdated to fare well against other games on the Nintendo Switch, even with a gorgeous new art direction. But I was wrong. I had no reason to worry because just like with their Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask remakes, Grezzo work wonders on every small, insignificant detail, and their games feel like new again. For all intents and purposes, despite how familiar it is at times, The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening feels like a brand new, original Zelda game.
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, despite its share of technical mishaps, remains one of the most wonderful entries in the series. The charm, gameplay and world building are wonderful to behold and deserve to be seen. The selection of smart fixes makes the game less of a grind and mostly an experience that keeps on trucking. While I don't think much of the Chamber Dungeons and other added trinkets, the refinements made to the overall flow make the journey worth it. For newcomers or Zelda veterans, Link's Awakening is a hoot from beginning to end.
Debuting for Game Boy way back in 1993, The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening now has a brand new remake so let's check it out.
An extremely faithful adaption of a true Nintendo classic from the company's early years, with some well-needed changes to justify the full price tagPerhaps one of the most ambitiously realized games back on the Nintendo GameBoy in 1993, The Legend of [...]
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening has been my gaming white whale since childhood. Dozens of AA batteries were churned through as I spent countless hours
In this modern The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening re-imagining, players travel to the mysterious island of Koholint to guide Link on a perilous adventure.
Link's Awakening was a massive hit when it was first released, and today it's still just as amazing as it was 26 years ago. With all the changes it's easily the best version to experience the adventure through. While the frame dips on the overworld are annoying, it's not enough to take away from the beautiful world this title brings back to life. Every little thing is recreated in such a beautiful setting that it's no surprise people would want to experience Koholint again, or perhaps for the first time. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening is an unforgettable adventure, and this remake does it justice by capturing exactly what made it one of the most popular in the series.
The definitive version of the beloved Game Boy classic arrives on Switch.
Let’s take a trip back to the 90s when I was cuddled up with my Game Boy and exploring the strange and quirky island of Koholint, collecting bananas from alligators and fighting classic Zelda enemies, but with a pet Chain Chomp. Yeah, Link’s Awakening feels like a fever dream but that’s what makes this game so special, the childlike wonder and hallucinogenic qualities.
With a gorgeous presentation and smart and minimalist tweaks, it's as charming and enjoyable now as it was in the nineties. Let down only by the lackluster dungeon creator and some uneven performance, the design of Link's Awakening nevertheless holds up brilliantly, which in turn makes the slavishly accurate recreation worthwhile. It's undeniable proof that the classic Zelda formula still works - and hopefully after Breath of the Wild 2 we can get yet another classic-style Zelda.
With a quirkiness to it that stands out from the rest of the series, Link's Awakening still holds up beautifully well as a modern 2D Zelda game. Outside of some nagging performance issues, Link's Awakening is a wonderful remake of a Game Boy classic.
When the last Legend of Zelda wound up shaking up the whole series – and all open-world games, for that matter – that’s a hard act to follow.
There’s no denying Link’s Awakening is a very enjoyable adventure, however. It hits you right in the nostalgia spot if you’ve played before, and even if you haven’t it stands up well against more modern titles. After all, games are still continually being made in the vein of classic Zelda adventures. It’s just a shame it’s let down by such troublesome graphical and performance issues. With an optimisation patch and a price cut, The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening would be a must-buy. Until then, it isn’t.
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening is a remake of a classic Game Boy adventure for the Nintendo Switch, and it updates the experience with new gameplay twists and adorable graphics to make it feel like a modern game.