The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening

 Switch
User Score
8.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1698 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,413 out of 1698
  2. Mixed: 178 out of 1698
  3. Negative: 107 out of 1698
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  1. crazymurdock
    Oct 21, 2019
    9
    A beautiful game that has a wonderful old-school simplicity, where the only survival mechanic is how many hearts you have. Feels a bit over-priced at £50, but hey ho, it's Nintendo, they have a habit of being the most expensive games on the market.
  2. weskergamer
    Mar 30, 2023
    9
    This is an amazing experience that makes you believe that you actually are in a dream like in the story thanks to the art style, the music, the enemies and the dungeons. I never played the original game in Game Boy, so it was great for Nintendo to remake it this way
  3. ZeoN
    Sep 7, 2022
    9
    Uno de los mejores remakes que podemos encontrar en el sistema a pesar de ser 1:1. Una aventura mágica recomendada a cualquier fan de la saga
  4. RatingYoda
    Sep 22, 2019
    9
    Beautiful art style and music. Keeps the classic feel of Zelda while introducing new game features. Few frame rate drops and sometimes a bit too confusing for me. Overall a great game and recommend.
  5. CamyVero
    Feb 20, 2022
    9
    Juego de desarrollo clásico de los zelda de toda la vida. Una carta de amor a la mejor entrega de la saga 'A Link to the past' en forma de remake con muchos añadidos de un título que salió originalmente de Game Boy con un renovado aspecto gráfico que le sienta a la saga como un guante.

    Debemos explorar, encontrar los objetos o habilidades que nos permitan ir abriendo el mapa y resolver    Juego de desarrollo clásico de los zelda de toda la vida. Una carta de amor a la mejor entrega de la saga 'A Link to the past' en forma de remake con muchos añadidos de un título que salió originalmente de Game Boy con un renovado aspecto gráfico que le sienta a la saga como un guante.

    Debemos explorar, encontrar los objetos o habilidades que nos permitan ir abriendo el mapa y resolver mazmorras derrotando enemigos y superando puzzles con una dificultad que va subiendo a medida que avanzamos, para al final enfrentarnos a un jefazo final que no nos va a poner las cosas fáciles. La historia no es su punto fuerte, pero en este caso no es más que una excusa, un hilo conductor, para que lo que hacemos en el juego tenga sentido.

    Un juego caro (como todo lo de la marca Nintendo), que nos ha costado completar unas 15 horas, pero bastante más que recomendable. Si tienes una switch debes jugarlo.    … Expand
  6. Miguel22
    Sep 28, 2019
    9
    EL VIDEOJUEGO ES PRECIOSO, Así si que se hace un buen remake, la única queja que tengo es el minijuego de crear mazmorras, simplemente es eso, un minijuego para conseguir piezas de corazón entre otras cosas, es más bien una beta de lo que sería un zelda maker
  7. EdwardG
    Nov 3, 2019
    9
    Link's Awakening is the cutest game I've ever played. The art style is just adorable, and it hides a story that's actually quite morally grey. This is a really fun Zelda game that's a blast to play all the way through. Thanks to its relative brevity and overall structure, I was always engaged and never bored. Some of the dungeons are a little forgettable but they're all undoubtedly a goodLink's Awakening is the cutest game I've ever played. The art style is just adorable, and it hides a story that's actually quite morally grey. This is a really fun Zelda game that's a blast to play all the way through. Thanks to its relative brevity and overall structure, I was always engaged and never bored. Some of the dungeons are a little forgettable but they're all undoubtedly a good time with puzzles that present a decent level of challenge.

    The music, as with most Zelda games, is fantastic, and the presentation of Link's Awakening just oozes charm, so it ends up being one of the best looking games I've played in a long time.

    The only drawbacks are that there are noticeable frame rate drops, and that the new dungeon maker mode could have been fleshed out a bit more. It could've done with more features and online functionality to let you share your dungeons, but even as it stands it's still nice to have. In the end, it was hard not to love Link's Awakening. This is another excellent Zelda game and one that I thoroughly enjoyed.    … Expand
  8. UnknownMight
    Mar 2, 2020
    9
    This game is no longer up to the current standards, for anyone who wants to appreciate a good classic this is the chance
  9. TheHambro
    Sep 30, 2019
    9
    The last time I played Link’s Awakening was on my Gameboy Pocket when I was a little kid some 20+ years ago. Even though I hardly remember the original, this remake was able to instill that sense of nostalgia in me almost immediately. The game exudes charm from the graphics, music, and characters. The inclusion of Hero Mode from the get go is good for those who want that little extraThe last time I played Link’s Awakening was on my Gameboy Pocket when I was a little kid some 20+ years ago. Even though I hardly remember the original, this remake was able to instill that sense of nostalgia in me almost immediately. The game exudes charm from the graphics, music, and characters. The inclusion of Hero Mode from the get go is good for those who want that little extra challenge. The Dungeon Maker is also a very nice touch (although not very robust), and adds some extra content and playtime to those who want it; however, it is a bit disappointing that you can’t share or download dungeons online. There are some frame rate issues when transitioning from screen to screen, but I feel that doesn’t greatly impact the experience. There isn’t a whole lot that can be said about the remake that can’t be said about the original: this is pure Zelda, and it’s just pure fun. Make sure to get this!… Expand
  10. RevanDLS
    Oct 29, 2019
    9
    Soy fan de la saga desde Nintendo 64, así que agradezco mucho a Nintendo este remake y poder jugar a esta maravilla a día de hoy. Este juego demuestra que importa más un apartado visual bonito y bien trabajado antes que unos gráficos hiperrealistas. (Al menos para mí.)

    Al principio, el juego me pareció demasiado sencillo y muy “paseo”. Que equivocado estaba… Creo que es el Zelda en el    Soy fan de la saga desde Nintendo 64, así que agradezco mucho a Nintendo este remake y poder jugar a esta maravilla a día de hoy. Este juego demuestra que importa más un apartado visual bonito y bien trabajado antes que unos gráficos hiperrealistas. (Al menos para mí.)

    Al principio, el juego me pareció demasiado sencillo y muy “paseo”. Que equivocado estaba… Creo que es el Zelda en el que más me he perdido y he pasado ratos dando vueltas buscando como seguir… Sobre todo porque me he negado a buscar guías en internet y así intentar tener una experiencia lo más parecida a la GameBoy en su día.

    ¡La única pega que le tengo que poner es que me ha sabido a demasiado poco!    … Expand
  11. maxtor27
    Sep 22, 2019
    9
    Graphically one of the most stunning looking games on the switch. It does suffer performance hiccups here and there, but personally it isn't that bothersome for me. Gameplay wise, it's another top down Zelda. If you're not into that, you might not enjoy this game. Story and world wise, one of the best in the series. The world is filled with such strange yet charming characters, and theGraphically one of the most stunning looking games on the switch. It does suffer performance hiccups here and there, but personally it isn't that bothersome for me. Gameplay wise, it's another top down Zelda. If you're not into that, you might not enjoy this game. Story and world wise, one of the best in the series. The world is filled with such strange yet charming characters, and the island's small scale means you get attached to characters more heavily. The story, specifically the ending, leaves a heavy impact on anyone that goes through it.
    It's a must-have game for any Zelda/Nintendo fan, and anyone interested in it in the slightest.    … Expand
  12. dash383535
    Jun 23, 2020
    9
    #DashReviews

    One of the most famous and well-received games on the Gameboy is back with a complete remake on Nintendo Switch. From updated graphics to the new quality of life changes to the gameplay, does Link’s Awakening (2019) live up to the original or does it take too many missteps along the way? Link is sailing across uncharted waters when suddenly his raft is struck by    #DashReviews

    One of the most famous and well-received games on the Gameboy is back with a complete remake on Nintendo Switch. From updated graphics to the new quality of life changes to the gameplay, does Link’s Awakening (2019) live up to the original or does it take too many missteps along the way?

    Link is sailing across uncharted waters when suddenly his raft is struck by lightning and he wakes up on a mysterious island with a giant egg in the center of it. He meets Marin, a young girl who lives on the island tells Link about the legend of the Wind Fish and how awakening this creature might help him escape the island. Much like the original game, the story is simple and to the point. The new setting that Link finds himself in is very different and almost dream-like compared to other games in the franchise While most of the story is told at the beginning and end of the adventure, there are many small interactions between well-written characters and even touching moments within these interactions. Don’t expect this to be a grand adventure like in previous titles since its story is more like a peaceful and calm dream, which ties heavily into the game’s theme and atmosphere. The story is a fun, bite-sized adventure in the world of The Legend of Zelda.

    The gameplay is very similar to past entries that deal with the top-down perspective approach. You go through the world, trying to find dungeons and then solving the mysterious within to get one step closer to your goal of awakening the Wind Fish. This game truly harkens back to the Gameboy days, since you are not given many hints when solving puzzles and I got stumped at least once or twice throughout my 15-hour playthrough. It feels satisfying solving the puzzles and getting to the next part of the game. There was never a time I felt frustrated at any point in the game. The whole experience was nothing but fun from beginning to end. With that said, veterans that played the original might not find much challenge if they remember the solutions due to all puzzles being the same. If I had any nitpick it would be that switching items can be a bit of a pain since you have to contently swap items in a pause menu. It would be nice if they gave the option to swap items using the d-pad instead. A slight annoyance but nothing too major. The only new addition to the game is a dungeon creator but this mode is a little bare bones. You have to collect room pieces throughout the campaign and these pieces can be arranged in any order to make a dungeon. With very limited tools to create with and a lack of online sharing, I could see this being nothing more than a fun little distraction from the main story that you might fiddle with once and never again. Despite these flaws, this does not take away from the incredible light-hearted adventure.

    This is not one of the most technically impressive games on the Switch but it does not try to be. The game tries to capture the feeling of playing a Gameboy game with modern HD graphics that we would expect from this console. It runs at a consistent 30 FPS but due to the simple graphics, I’m surprised it does not run at a full 60 FPS. This is combined with the fact that the open world does not look as good as it should due to weird draw distances that make the bottom of the screen blurry when traversing any open landscape. The rest of the game does not have this issue so it’s weird to see such a thing on a simplistic game. The soundtrack is amazing and perfectly captures the essence of a small game like this. I think this game needs a bit of polish on the technical side of things but these small flaws are something you will get used to throughout the course of the game.

    The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (2019) reminds me why the original Zelda games are such classics and why there is still a place for them next to bigger endeavors like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The game has minor presentation issues and some more quality of life mechanics could have been added but this is still a solid game. This game is worth 60 dollars despite its short run time due to the time and effort that was put in this remake. If you’re not a huge Zelda fan, you could wait for a discount but I would recommend a purchase as soon as you get the chance.

    Pros:
    +Simple and Fun Story
    +Great Exploration and Puzzles
    +Great Soundtrack

    Con
    -Minor Technical Issues    … Expand
  13. Jacknew
    Sep 23, 2019
    9
    This game have the essence of the original TLOZ Links Awakening released on the GameBoy, it is basically the same game with a new look, it don't have much innovations in comparison of the original but the 2 action buttons and the possibility of mark your objectives in the map
    The new chibi style make them look like toys, it look beautiful, all the game looks like a set of toys
    If you    This game have the essence of the original TLOZ Links Awakening released on the GameBoy, it is basically the same game with a new look, it don't have much innovations in comparison of the original but the 2 action buttons and the possibility of mark your objectives in the map
    The new chibi style make them look like toys, it look beautiful, all the game looks like a set of toys
    If you played a TLOZ before you actually know that the game is very simple and easy at the beginning, but it gets harder and harder while you advance in the game
    The remixes of the 8 bit songs and all the sound in general are pretty good
    If the game actually have a frame rate drop, i didn't notice it, so for me its not a big deal    … Expand
  14. Daevio
    Feb 17, 2020
    9
    Great game! I need more remakes like this one especially of other games from The Legend of Zelda Series!
  15. cogdotnet
    Oct 16, 2019
    9
    Circling back around, I ask again, what makes for a good remake of a classic game? Honestly, I don’t think there is a single correct response. But what I do believe is The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (2019) serves as a prime example of one way to do it: treat the source material as irreverent as possible and stick to a script that worked before. While the game doesn’t necessarily doCircling back around, I ask again, what makes for a good remake of a classic game? Honestly, I don’t think there is a single correct response. But what I do believe is The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (2019) serves as a prime example of one way to do it: treat the source material as irreverent as possible and stick to a script that worked before. While the game doesn’t necessarily do anything especially risky in this remake, I don’t think it needs to because it excels by sticking to the formula that made it work so well on the Gameboy. Link’s Awakening is a bizarre game with some incredible ideas and an unexpectedly emotional plot. It was well deserving of a remake, and I’m very excited that a new generation can experience this gem in the Zelda series. Even though the experience as a whole is marred by some truly unfortunate performance issues and an extra dungeon creator, I can say without a doubt this is the definitive way to play The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening in 2019.… Expand
  16. XV_
    Sep 29, 2019
    9
    My first real impression with Link's Awakening was 8 or 7 years ago in a videogame music podcast, I like a lot and even love some Zelda games but I'm not the biggest fan but there remain a few that I haven't played yet, mostly the 2D ones, so when I heard about this game I didn't give it much thought, only the fact that someone in that podcast spoiled to me ending and some "characterMy first real impression with Link's Awakening was 8 or 7 years ago in a videogame music podcast, I like a lot and even love some Zelda games but I'm not the biggest fan but there remain a few that I haven't played yet, mostly the 2D ones, so when I heard about this game I didn't give it much thought, only the fact that someone in that podcast spoiled to me ending and some "character arcs". Back to 2019, I played the game with the knowledge of what will come, so at first, I wasn't that into, but when I rapidly advanced through the world map I surely was immersed in this Koholint Island world.

    Link's Awakening smells a lot like classic Zelda, after beating BOTW it was a little hard and sometimes annoying get back into the classic style puzzles and linear story structure, but that cynicism disappeared the more I played, because there is a lot of heart and craft to this game that it's hard to imagine someone, not liking it. The music is spot on, with some orchestral feel or 8 bit sound or even a mix of both. The art style and graphics are so charming that it makes you feel you're a 5-year-old kid playing with your toys.

    It has a good sensation of nostalgia, and I don't mean it because it's a remake (of a game that I've never played, mind you), but because the themes in the story and the mood of the ambient, to me it felt like a coming of age story or like a summer trip to a new place where you make new friends but you never see again, that kind of nostalgia.

    There are some issues with this game, the majority are minor, things like uneven framerates here and there or passing issues, but my biggest complaint may be the dungeon design; the difficulty is pretty horizontal at least for the first dungeons but things go really vertical at the 4th onwards, and mostly its because you have to do a lot of backtracking, maybe it would be a lower issue (but still an issue) if not for the hero difficulty (it's the hard mode for the ones that are not familiar), which more than challenging I think it's annoying, the enemies do double damage but the combat is not polished enough so at times it was so frustrating to go back from point Z to point A and go around every room in the dungeon and dodge every hazard on the way, sometimes it was better to just die and start in the dungeon's entrance, but I'm not dying and neither Link so we breakthrough just because is our duty and we're heroes. Aside from that, I have a great time uncovering every puzzle in there.

    The appeal of this remake aside from the obvious graphic overhaul it's that is allegedly a well-crafted emulation true to the original game (mostly the game boy color version which came after) and for that, its easy to see how this is a timeless game and I will never forget the beauty of its simple yet likable design, choices and characters, and most likely I will never forget Marin.    … Expand
  17. isaac7007
    Sep 22, 2019
    9
    The frame rate can be a little choppy, but as far as gameplay, story, and aesthetic goes, it’s fantastic.
  18. JamesDaBest
    Mar 24, 2020
    9
    I really love this game, the cartoony art style is great for a rather wacky game like this and the map itself is not that big so it's easy to traverse it, and yet there are a lot of stuff condensed into it, with 32 heart pieces and 50 secret seashells. Even then there are 9 warp points you can find on places of the map and about halfway in the game you can learn Manbo's Song on yourI really love this game, the cartoony art style is great for a rather wacky game like this and the map itself is not that big so it's easy to traverse it, and yet there are a lot of stuff condensed into it, with 32 heart pieces and 50 secret seashells. Even then there are 9 warp points you can find on places of the map and about halfway in the game you can learn Manbo's Song on your ocarina which can warp you to a warp point. Another thing is that you really feel connected to the characters throughout the game, which makes the ending that more impactful when you have to leave them behind. My only problems with this game is that the loading screens are a tad long and sometimes when you enter a new area the frame rate drops for a few seconds. In the future if Nintendo's next console has backwards compatibitly with the switch then this would be a 10/10 game.… Expand
  19. ianhsieh2008
    Oct 30, 2019
    9
    I did not play the original because of the control limitation, so I really looking forward to this remake. It's a grand adventure in a not-so-grand island. One disappointment I have with this is that the game leave some button on the Switch unused. It would have been better if I can equip more than 2 items at a time. The dungeon builder is disappointing too, the lack there of manualI did not play the original because of the control limitation, so I really looking forward to this remake. It's a grand adventure in a not-so-grand island. One disappointment I have with this is that the game leave some button on the Switch unused. It would have been better if I can equip more than 2 items at a time. The dungeon builder is disappointing too, the lack there of manual connection of the stairs make it a pain to build a dungeon.… Expand
  20. FluffySpartan
    Sep 24, 2019
    9
    Its a Master Piece. Only Thing im sad about is that the original Game isnt implemented like in Dragon quest wehre u can switch between classic graphics and new one
  21. SSCheetah
    Sep 22, 2019
    9
    Really solid title, extremely well-presented and fun to play. The dungeon maker minigame is actually a lot of fun; it's basically a puzzle-solving game that you beat by using rooms from dungeons you've already cleared plus a few specially-made ones. I was suprised by how much I liked this aspect of it. Overall cute characters, fun minigames, a well-presented world with fun combat andReally solid title, extremely well-presented and fun to play. The dungeon maker minigame is actually a lot of fun; it's basically a puzzle-solving game that you beat by using rooms from dungeons you've already cleared plus a few specially-made ones. I was suprised by how much I liked this aspect of it. Overall cute characters, fun minigames, a well-presented world with fun combat and exciting exploration; it's got everything I like in an adventure game.

    You can tell it's a third-party remake though; sometimes it's a bit rough around the edges (slow frame rate when first entering an area, no antialiasing, sometimes weird animations, motion isn't truly analogue with only 8 directions you can move). I got over that pretty quickly though and just settled in for the ride.

    Just don't compare it to Breath of the Wild (which is the best game I've ever played), since it's totally different. If you take it for what it is—a remake of a game from nearly 30 years ago—it's great. If you're not sure about the classic Zelda games as compared to BotW, check out A Link to the Past on SNES, which is now available for free on Switch if you are a Nintendo Switch Online subscriber. A Link to the Past is REALLY similar to this one. (Both games are of the same generation.)

    Overall a great experience of a classic game with all the bells and whistles of modern games (including markers the player can place on the map to help you remember to go back for things—a really really good addition!!!). Not quite perfect, but cute, fun and well worth the purchase.    … Expand
  22. Lewonski
    Sep 20, 2019
    9
    Jogo fantástico. Apesar de ter um gráfico simples, é um simples bonito de se ver. Mesmo aparentando ser um jogo infantil o link's awakening é um jogo muito mais desafiador do que aparenta, exigindo que o jogador tenha que pensar muito para resolver certos puzzles. O único problema que encontrei no jogo foram as quedas de fps, mas acho que futuramente irão resolver com uma atualização.
  23. RJD2
    Sep 20, 2019
    9
    Impressive remake, the art style grew on me since the announcement, it really fits the tone of the game for some reason. Highly recommend it.
  24. withard
    Sep 29, 2019
    9
    seria de 10 si no fuese que tiene bajadas de fps notables, pero aun asi es muy adictivo
  25. iMustang
    Sep 27, 2019
    9
    This was an absolutely adorable and fun game. Lots of cool environments to explore, side quests to do, and funny and quirky moments to join them. While I never played the original, I can tell this was a very faithful remake down to classic Zelda frustrations like always running around in circles to see what you’re missing or where to go next. The joys of this game definitely outweigh theThis was an absolutely adorable and fun game. Lots of cool environments to explore, side quests to do, and funny and quirky moments to join them. While I never played the original, I can tell this was a very faithful remake down to classic Zelda frustrations like always running around in circles to see what you’re missing or where to go next. The joys of this game definitely outweigh the headaches though, as the NPCs and side quests were super fun and added to the allure of the mysterious island. I’ll definitely be going for a 100% file on this one!… Expand
  26. swerzylicious
    Jan 11, 2022
    9
    Моя первая Зельда и, наверное, до самого конца останется самой любимой и эталоном, с которым буду сравнивать остальные «классические» 2D-игры серии.
  27. JumpCut_Online
    Oct 20, 2019
    9
    Overall, despite my occasional frustrations, I did love this game, it was visually stunning and adorable, the gameplay was a lot of fun (aside from some minor hiccups) and it truly feels like I got the Link’s Awakening experience. One thing that it has done is make me want to play the original, which I think makes a remake a roaring success.
  28. C4rn4ge
    Sep 26, 2019
    9
    Would be perfect but can´t give it a 10 because the fram rate is too choppy. If it would just go down to 40 it wouldn´t mind me but sometimes it drops below 30 which is really anoying and destroys the atmosphere for the moment.
  29. K02M03
    Sep 20, 2019
    9
    Fantastic game, beautiful art style. This game brings back so much memories. The only downfall is the framerate drops but it doesn't effect the game.
  30. Thantris
    Oct 29, 2019
    9
    Un juego maravilloso, quizás algunos puzles no están demasiado bien definidos y en contadas ocasiones baja un poco el framerate, por lo demás, perfecto.
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Awards & Rankings

10
#10 Best Switch Game of 2019
5
#5 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2019

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
87

Generally favorable reviews - based on 111 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 108 out of 111
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 111
  3. Negative: 0 out of 111
  1. Nintendo Force Magazine
    Apr 29, 2020
    95
    I can only hope that its sales success will lead to a patch that fixes the framerate dips, and more importantly, the development of more Zelda games in this style. [Issue #43 – November/December 2019, p. 10SH]
  2. Gamers Heroes
    Jan 2, 2020
    85
    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.
    Read full review
  3. Game World Navigator Magazine
    Dec 6, 2019
    86
    Awakening’s world is much smaller than Breath of the Wild’s Hyrule. But within the island’s depths lies something that was missing from the last game – eight difficult, multi-layered dungeons, each with its own theme, traps and puzzles. [Issue#241, p.66]
See all critic reviews »