The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

 Game Boy Advance
User Score
9.0

Universal acclaim- based on 727 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 651 out of 727
  2. Mixed: 47 out of 727
  3. Negative: 29 out of 727
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  1. JesseR
    Jan 18, 2010
    10
    Out of all of the pre-Ocarina Zelda games, A Link to the Past is definitely the best. The depth of the game, including both its Light and Dark world, as well as the many secrets and items found, make it one of the best Zelda titles there is. The sheer number of dungeons and difficulty of the game make it one of the longer Zelda games I
  2. davenbettridge
    Jun 28, 2011
    10
    One of greatest adventures I under took in my late childhood was playing The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past! Many claim that Zelda: Ocarina of Time is the best Zelda game, and while indeed it is excellent, the real masterpiece that Ocarina was built from is A Link to the Past. The gamed design, gameplay, art design, quest design, dungeon layout, themes, items, pacing, and story allOne of greatest adventures I under took in my late childhood was playing The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past! Many claim that Zelda: Ocarina of Time is the best Zelda game, and while indeed it is excellent, the real masterpiece that Ocarina was built from is A Link to the Past. The gamed design, gameplay, art design, quest design, dungeon layout, themes, items, pacing, and story all were set out here that Ocarina and the later Zelda titles would follow. When I finished this game over a summer while young I felt as if I had finished a great quest, an epic journey. There have been few games that brought this level and feeling of satisfaction. But this game is not a masterpiece because I enjoyed it as a child, Zelda: A Link to the Past is one of the best crafted and designed action/adventure video games of all time with or without nostalgia.… Expand
  3. Puddle
    Dec 12, 2002
    10
    I simply love this game!!!!!
  4. LukeH.
    Jan 7, 2003
    10
    This game is the greatest game ever made! It was tremendous on the SNES and i've played many many games on many many other systems since, and no game even comes close to a Link to the Past.
  5. M.B.
    Feb 15, 2003
    10
    Link to the past is the best Zelda game ever, but i don't know anyone else with a gameboy advance and the same game, so i can't play four swords...I just wish that they made something so that you could play Four Swords with computer players.
  6. Jeimz
    Jan 21, 2012
    10
    I cant decide on my favorite Zelda game, being an avid fan of the series, but this one seems to be leading the race right now, there's just nothing negative about this game. I enjoyed every dungeon and every boss battle, the old graphics don't inhibit it, if anything it makes the game better. I recommend this game to just about everyone.
  7. gameswipe42
    Sep 27, 2015
    9
    The best Zelda game, no doubt. Great story and characters. Hyrule has always been one of my favorite Nintendo settings. Definitely goes down as one of Nintendo's greatest. Link Between Worlds is a great successor to it.
  8. Barnes1987
    Mar 6, 2017
    10
    My favorite game of all time. This game came out on the Super Nintendo in 1991 and set the real standard for all future Zelda games. The very definition of MASTERPIECE!
  9. LordBaniTV
    Aug 5, 2020
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It's one of my favourite Zelda Games ever. Sometimes a little random and in the later half you're mostly just running from dungeon to dungeon but the dungeons and overall Gameplay are pretty fun regardless. If you haven't yet, you need to experience this game yourself, just give it a it's a classic!… Expand
  10. RZaga
    Jan 31, 2020
    10
    The very best game on the SNES and one of the best of the Zelda series. Getting new items felt immensely good and keeps the gameplay fresh and interesting. The dungeons had so many difficult puzzles and challenges but accomplishing them and figuring out the solutions brought out a great feeling of satisfaction. The world was fun to explore as well, with surprises and secrets lurking aroundThe very best game on the SNES and one of the best of the Zelda series. Getting new items felt immensely good and keeps the gameplay fresh and interesting. The dungeons had so many difficult puzzles and challenges but accomplishing them and figuring out the solutions brought out a great feeling of satisfaction. The world was fun to explore as well, with surprises and secrets lurking around every corner.

    It's a game you'll find yourself spending hours on at a time, and will give you a feeling of joy you can't experience on any other game.    … Expand
  11. illumi3602
    Jul 5, 2020
    9
    It's no surprise that this game has mostly positive reviews since this the game that first develop the legend of zelda formula. i spend 25 hours to finish the game and 100 percent it and it's quite a hard
    game right after you reach the dark world, enemies start doing double or triple the damage and bosses are way harder. i manged to die quite a lot in this game but i will still recommend    It's no surprise that this game has mostly positive reviews since this the game that first develop the legend of zelda formula. i spend 25 hours to finish the game and 100 percent it and it's quite a hard
    game right after you reach the dark world, enemies start doing double or triple the damage and bosses are way harder. i manged to die quite a lot in this game but i will still recommend it to play on the switch or wii shop, i don't know if it's on the wii u.    … Expand
  12. bergcamp101
    Oct 5, 2020
    9
    Even in 2020 it would be a masterpiece. And it was released in 1991! Should I say more...
  13. quizzyrascal
    Jul 1, 2014
    10
    THIS....IS.....THE.....BEST......ZELDA....GAME......EVER! Yes it is. ... it really is. Every Zelda game since this came out is based on it. Yes in Ocarina you can ride a horse, yes in twilight princess you can change into a wolf but essentially with all of those you're playing this game with better graphics.

    The graphics on this when it came out on the snes were superb, they've aged    THIS....IS.....THE.....BEST......ZELDA....GAME......EVER! Yes it is. ... it really is. Every Zelda game since this came out is based on it. Yes in Ocarina you can ride a horse, yes in twilight princess you can change into a wolf but essentially with all of those you're playing this game with better graphics.

    The graphics on this when it came out on the snes were superb, they've aged very well as has the gameplay as has the musc.

    If you like Zelda and haven't played this, PLAY IT.

    If you have played this before PLAY IT AGAIN

    If you've never played any Zelda game PLAY THIS ONE.

    Very few games deserve a score of 10 in fact I could count on the fingers of one hand those that do. This is one of them.    … Expand
  14. Focaccia
    Jun 12, 2017
    7
    A Link to the Past hasn't aged very well. This is still a good game, except that it is too outdated to compete with other newer Zelda games such as Skyward Sword and Breath of the Wild, or even Ocarina of Time. It's soundtrack although having some nice tracks, is hard to listen to due to the technical limitations of the SNES and GBA. There are also way too many caves, in which it is veryA Link to the Past hasn't aged very well. This is still a good game, except that it is too outdated to compete with other newer Zelda games such as Skyward Sword and Breath of the Wild, or even Ocarina of Time. It's soundtrack although having some nice tracks, is hard to listen to due to the technical limitations of the SNES and GBA. There are also way too many caves, in which it is very easy to get lost and can become tedious and frustrating. The overworld is good and has many hidden secrets. Most of the dungeons are still pretty good, such as Swamp Palace or Misery Mire. However some dungeons are just awful, such as the Ice Palace, I have raged so much while playing through this dungeon, there are enemies everywhere and the slippery floor doesn't help the game's controls, definitely in my top 3 worst Zelda dungeons of all time. Turtle Rock and Eastern Palace are also pretty tedious and outdated. Overall this game is still a good game and hasn't aged as bad as Super Mario Bros 3, but it is not one of the best games out there anymore unfortunately. This is a game I can only recommend to hardcore Zelda or Retro gaming fans. I also recommend playing this game casually rather than intensely.… Expand
  15. evanbiddulph
    Jan 4, 2011
    10
    Here's my Top 50 games of all time:

    The Legend of Zelda a Link to the Past
    Super Metroid
    The Legend of Zelda
    Metroid Prime (Trilogy)
    Banjo-Kazooie
    Resident Evil 4
    Tetris DS
    Words with Friends (Scrabble)
    Super Mario Galaxy
    Mike Tysonâ
  16. ConnKon
    Nov 24, 2013
    9
    Perhaps the best GBA game? It's a very good port. I played it on my GBPlayer on the GameCube and this review is for A Link to the Past.

    ALttP is considdered one of the best games OF ALL TIME. Now I first played it in 2002 on the GBA which is also amazing. It has aged really well: the graphics, music and gameplay. Yet it doesn't feel like the full thing after playing Ocarina of Time and    Perhaps the best GBA game? It's a very good port. I played it on my GBPlayer on the GameCube and this review is for A Link to the Past.

    ALttP is considdered one of the best games OF ALL TIME. Now I first played it in 2002 on the GBA which is also amazing. It has aged really well: the graphics, music and gameplay. Yet it doesn't feel like the full thing after playing Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask. You can't ask for a better handheld Zelda though! 9.5/10    … Expand
  17. BlazikenGod
    Jun 4, 2014
    5
    The most overrated game ever made after the greatness of Zelda 1 and 2 I don't get why this game is so loved by the fans sure, it brought in great graphics for it's time the master sword and various other staples but I don't understand why this game so loved 5.3/10
  18. AnonY.Mous
    Jun 11, 2009
    6
    Okay, this is an overrated, but still pretty good, game. It was probably the best thing out there in the SNES era, but let's face it: it doesn't hold up well enough to be considered a timeless classic. These days, there are games that do the same thing, but better, which nobody seems to understand due to nostalgia. A remake should have fixed this by adding major gameplay changes Okay, this is an overrated, but still pretty good, game. It was probably the best thing out there in the SNES era, but let's face it: it doesn't hold up well enough to be considered a timeless classic. These days, there are games that do the same thing, but better, which nobody seems to understand due to nostalgia. A remake should have fixed this by adding major gameplay changes and not just parroting the original, and that's where it truly falls: it needs more added to keep up with the rest of the gaming world.… Expand
  19. Linkfan
    Mar 12, 2017
    0
    Overrated AF. try playing this game after Ocarina of time. Good luck. Why do people love this game so much? It's unbearable, after finishing the opening in Hyrule castle I was so bored.
  20. phoamsw0rd13
    Jul 5, 2018
    2
    The first game I ever truly hated. This delayed my becoming a Zelda fan for over a decade. I will never forgive it for that.
  21. ColeB.
    Mar 6, 2004
    7
    I couldn't figure out where to go...
  22. Babydoll
    Apr 17, 2005
    5
    I voted 5 because i think you could of done a whole lot better on the gameboy advance zelda games like cmon mario cart has heaps better graphics and in the game cube for the legend of zelda the four swords is like a cartoon character.
  23. MichaelP.
    Dec 30, 2002
    2
    This game is exactly the same as the Zelda on Super Nintendo. Nothing changed. I am also disappointed that the only way to play Four Swords is if you have at least two players, which means: Another person with a GBA, the Zelda Game, and link cables. Very Upsetting!
  24. SteveP.
    Nov 19, 2005
    5
    OK sorry to all the Zelda fans out there but I don't like this game. It was good for about 2 maybe 3 weeks, then it got hard, to hard. I understand makeing a game challenging but I hated killing 500 whatevers then being killed by some boss, that i didn't even know why i was fighting it, then start all over again. And when i finallly bet it, it gives me so dum ring, or sword, or OK sorry to all the Zelda fans out there but I don't like this game. It was good for about 2 maybe 3 weeks, then it got hard, to hard. I understand makeing a game challenging but I hated killing 500 whatevers then being killed by some boss, that i didn't even know why i was fighting it, then start all over again. And when i finallly bet it, it gives me so dum ring, or sword, or par of underware, that gives me some lame power I never use. Oh and the story is real creative, a princes gets kidnapped by an evil wizard who wants to take over the world. That kinda sound like the story to ever Cheap Excuse For An RPG. But if your a Hard Core RPG fan this game will be fantastic.… Expand
  25. KendylKlownfish
    May 3, 2011
    10
    Another excellent port of another masterful SNES classic in the palm of your hands. Pros: Fantastic graphics and audio; legendary single-player mode; the additional Four Swords is one of the funnest multi-player adventures on the GBA. Cons: The control is a bit touchy; finding two to four friends with a GBA, cartridge, and link is a bit uncommon.
  26. smahlt
    Jan 26, 2022
    3
    I hadn't played this game in over 15 years so figured I'd give it a go. I recall not liking it as much as other Zelda games, but figured ****

    I now remember why I've never replayed it. It's a mess. The sword's animation and hitbox are rarely on the same page, and are also inconsistently off. The same exact attack timing, distance, and enemy location and animation status will sometimes    I hadn't played this game in over 15 years so figured I'd give it a go. I recall not liking it as much as other Zelda games, but figured ****

    I now remember why I've never replayed it. It's a mess. The sword's animation and hitbox are rarely on the same page, and are also inconsistently off. The same exact attack timing, distance, and enemy location and animation status will sometimes result in a hit but also sometimes not. It makes the game extremely frustrating to play when you're taking hits you shouldn't be taking, especially when hearts are so rare and enemies often do 2-3 hearts of damage. Every other 2D zelda plays much better. Even when playing the NES ones, if you get hit, it'll feel like you deserved it.

    Positives: Graphics, world and dungeon design and themes, and music is pretty good, though only having one dungeon theme hurts it    … Expand
  27. SonicT22
    Mar 27, 2017
    7
    I say the GBA Remake of Link To The Past is one huge improvement over the SNES Version and here is why i think that: The Legend Of Zelda A Link To The Past is not a game i say is 10/10 best game ever because every game has its flaws Sonic 06 is well Sonic 06 or how Metroid Fusion suffers from long intro the SNES original has more than a few it has around a dozen i will only name a coupleI say the GBA Remake of Link To The Past is one huge improvement over the SNES Version and here is why i think that: The Legend Of Zelda A Link To The Past is not a game i say is 10/10 best game ever because every game has its flaws Sonic 06 is well Sonic 06 or how Metroid Fusion suffers from long intro the SNES original has more than a few it has around a dozen i will only name a couple so this doesn't drag on and on but i do think i should get on with it so first off one major problem is, Music the music on the original is good but adding sound effects of link talking is not needed it makes the game harder to play if your ears are THAT sensitive it doesn't affect the gameplay just wanted to point that out but i always see lots of people bashing this Remake for that reason its been in the series SINCE OCARINA OF TIME BUT NO ONE SAID THAT WAS A BAD THING just blah blah blah this isn't as grand as every makes it out to be… Expand
  28. Siul19
    Jan 14, 2019
    10
    A link to the past, the perfect 2D Zelda, amazing controls, story, gameplay, ítems you have everything it can be considered the best game ever but Ocarina of time is as good so i dont know which one is better, but what i know is that is a masterpiece and a must play 10/10 obviously
  29. celderon
    May 17, 2023
    10
    It is easily the best Zelda game, great dungeons good pacing, great exploration, good story and timeless graphics. No modern Zelda game can reach this Masterpiece
  30. ZiggyStardust
    May 6, 2003
    10
    If you haven't played the Super Nintendo version, this is totally the best game you could buy on the gba. It hasn't changed from the Snes version (which is a good thing). The only thing added is a multiplayer game - but it's not usually handy to have 2+ gbas and 2+ carts.
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Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best Game Boy Advance Game of 2002
1
#1 Most Discussed Game Boy Advance Game of 2002
2
#2 Most Shared Game Boy Advance Game of 2002

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
95

Universal acclaim - based on 30 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 30
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 30
  3. Negative: 0 out of 30
  1. Eurogamer
    100
    An indispensable game, combining arguably the finest RPG/adventure the 16-bit era ever produced (even compared to the likes of Secret of Mana and Final Fantasy VI) with an expertly realised multiplayer rendition of Zelda.
    Read full review
  2. GBA Central
    100
    The adventure is long, involving, challenging and presented to perfection with beautiful graphics and a stunning soundtrack.
    Read full review
  3. GMR Magazine
    90
    Not having to dig out the SNES and clean out the cartridge port is nice enough, but to play this classic game on the bus? Pure Nirvana. [Feb 2003, p.74]
See all critic reviews »