As someone who never got to play any of the previous versions of this game, I’m glad I finally got to play it. While not the most complex Zelda game ever made by any means, it’s a good time pure and simple. The toy-like art style makes the game look gorgeous and it runs without any issues. There are eight dungeons to complete and a secret ninth one. None of them pose much of a challenge but they’re very enjoyable to go through. Each dungeon gives you three basic items (a map, compass and stone beak) as well as a different key item. There’s at least one mini boss in every dungeon and you obtain a musical instrument after defeating each final boss. These musical instruments are used to wake the legendary Wind Fish so you can leave the island, which brings me to the story.
Admittedly, the story is fairly simple. Link is stranded on the island of Koholint and the only way to leave is to wake the Wind Fish. That being said, there’s hints of emotion laced throughout. For example, while at first you feel good each time you kill a dungeon boss, you eventually start to feel sorry for them. Their last words explain to you that Koholint can only exist while the Wind Fish sleeps and it would disappear were he to wake meaning they’re really only trying to save the island. The main character besides Link is Marin and the few scenes with her are brilliant. She clearly likes Link and keeps telling him not to ever forget her. She’s also well-liked by the talking animals (because why wouldn’t there be) that populate one of the little towns, Animal Village. They especially love her singing. The ending is bittersweet. You wake the Wind Fish after defeating the final boss and the game pans across certain locations throughout the island before fading to white each time. For a game as cute looking as this, the end has a surprisingly large impact.
The gameplay is classic 2D-Zelda. You have a sword and a shield and multiple items (I found the boomerang and Roc’s feather to be the most useful but you’ll have to use every item at one point or another). There’s a couple of minigames scattered around too, including a raft one, a claw minigame that Marin’s apparently a pro at and the most intense fishing experience you’ll ever have. While not the biggest game, it’s slightly longer than I expected giving me over 10 hours of enjoyment. This included collecting all of the heart pieces and secret seashells. The only part of the game I didn’t complete was Dampé’s Shack. In one of the few new features to this game, Dampé allows you to create your own dungeons, however you are limited to using chambers from dungeons you’ve beaten or a few others that you can unlock through various methods. While kinda cool, and more customisation options could make this a game all by itself à la Mario Maker, it can become a little tedious and I only created enough dungeons to unlock the heart containers. When my biggest complaint about a game is an optional side game however, you know it’s a good game.
A minor detail that I liked was how, instead of going down one set of stairs and coming up the other automatically, you play a little side scrolling portion to get to the other side. These sections are filled with Mario enemies like goombas and bloopers too. These cameos are really fun and you even get a song for your ocarina from Wart from Super Mario Bros. 2 (so that’s where he’s been all this time). Speaking of music, the soundtrack is delightful as it usually is in Zelda games. Special mention to the Colour Dungeon’s theme.
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening is an exceptionally solid experience that any Zelda fan should love. At one point Marin tells you “Please, don’t ever forget this song… Or me…” I’m not likely to forget either anytime soon.
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