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
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. PiperoDeCorazon
    Sep 20, 2019
    10
    Siendo un super-fanático-enférmo de PlayStation, debo reconocer el gran trabajo de Nintendo creando este Remaster, sin duda una gran obra.
  2. FacelessAngel7
    Sep 22, 2019
    9
    TL;DR at bottom

    Full disclosure, Link's Awakening is my favorite Zelda game; not the "best" Zelda game per se but it's my personal favorite. The remake of Link's Awakening is an excellent homage to the original game. The changes, very small though they are, are welcome, bringing what was once a bland color palette with sprites that we had to use our imagination to flesh out the    TL;DR at bottom

    Full disclosure, Link's Awakening is my favorite Zelda game; not the "best" Zelda game per se but it's my personal favorite.

    The remake of Link's Awakening is an excellent homage to the original game. The changes, very small though they are, are welcome, bringing what was once a bland color palette with sprites that we had to use our imagination to flesh out the world into a vibrant, colorful, detailed world.

    The story and most of the dialogue are unchanged from the original/GBC re-release. It's a strange game with characters from several other Nintendo franchises making appearances. The overworld is now one continuous open world to explore but nothing in the layout has been changed right down to each blade of grass. The dungeons still follow the one screen per room design of the original game which is used to create the new mode, Dungeon Maker. Some of the dungeons have been tweaked to be more user friendly in 2019 but nothing of any significance is lost.

    Some of the changes include dedicated buttons for sword and shield, as well as the Pegasus Boots and not having to equip the Power Bracelet to life objects, similar to how the Power Glove worked in A Link to the Past. These are very welcome changes, one of my biggest complaints of the original game was opening up the menu every few seconds to swap items. This change helps eliminate a LOT of menu swapping. There are also fairy bottles now which allow you to store a fairy for later similar to the rest of the games in the series. Small changes to the dungeons were made to bring the game into the modern era, very minor changes to increase quality of life. Some heart piece locations have been moved as well.

    The most major change is obviously the graphics. The toy/toon style might not be for everyone but it is perfect for the most obscure of the Zelda titles. I've played exclusively in handheld mode so far and noticed a few hiccups in the frame rate when in the overworld, the dungeons hold a consistent frame rate. My only, ONLY complaint about the game is that the edges of the screen in the overworld are blurred. I understand the reason for the design decision given the games story but it makes the screen feel a lot smaller and feels unnecessary. It wouldn't even be an issue if there was an option to turn it off but alas there is not. This is a minor complaint and the only thing that's keeping me from giving this game a perfect 10. Maybe I'll feel different when I play it in docked mode. I'll update if that's the case.

    It's not an incredibly long game but it is a fun one and one that any fan of the Zelda series should try. The puzzles are unique and the original spawned a lot of the Zelda series staples, such as fishing, the trading sequence and Kaepora Gabora (sp?) the owl.

    I honestly haven't messed with the dungeon maker at this point, I've been too busy reliving my childhood. The game definitely feels like it belongs in 2019 with a retro twist, similar to Bloodstained.

    TL;DR
    A great remake of a classic game with welcome quality of life improvements. Definitely worth playing if you're a fan of top down Zelda games    … Expand
  3. 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
  4. KevWen
    Sep 23, 2019
    9
    Pretty good looking and tons of fun to play. However some irrational design due to its age.
  5. sitebender
    Oct 10, 2019
    8
    Link's Awakening's remake is a good game with a lot of interesting tweaks to set it apart from the original. I just don't feel it is as great as it once was. Like I'd rather be playing A Link to the Past than this. Link's Awakening was a fantastic game for its system, I just didn't need a remake of it for $60, the same price that I can get better games for the same price.
  6. GreenMenace
    Oct 8, 2019
    8
    Great game! I enjoyed every minute of it.

    Pros: Cute graphics Great soundtrack The game does a good job of grabbing your attention Cons The dungeon arranging is not what it could be and adds nothing to the game. It needs to be expanded. Not too much new--this is an old game remade and in my opinion that means it can't take full advantage of the new features designed to    Great game! I enjoyed every minute of it.

    Pros:

    Cute graphics
    Great soundtrack
    The game does a good job of grabbing your attention

    Cons
    The dungeon arranging is not what it could be and adds nothing to the game. It needs to be expanded.
    Not too much new--this is an old game remade and in my opinion that means it can't take full advantage of the new features designed to enhance gameplay.

    Yes, the overworld's edges are blurry, but after the first five minutes of play, I stopped noticing it. Yes it's a short game (I beat it in fifteen hours and it was my first time playing the game), but it's meant to be a separate experience from BOTW. It compliments BOTW well. While it doesn't have the depth in gameplay or customization as BOTW, it has a memorable soundtrack and compelling characters that BOTW lacks. The sounds in Link's awakening are surprisingly satisfying--I don't recall ever enjoying hitting moblins as much as I did in this game.

    I would not want more games like this even though I'm a huge Zelda fan. I enjoyed Grezzo's work, but I've heard people asking for Game Boy Color games to be remade into these graphics. While I wouldn't be averse to having ports of those games to the Switch, I'd sooner have a new handheld-based Zelda game because of the price of the game.

    Again, it's a fun game and I would recommend it.    … Expand
  7. michaelwallace
    Oct 29, 2019
    8
    Remember playing this when i was 8 and it's lots of fun to go back! World looks great and the nostalgia is 10/10.

    Small changes make a big improvement (dear lord the fast travel is a plus) and i like not being led by the nose to each objective.

    It's obviously nothing new and Zelda games have moved on; but, an enjoyable few weeks of travel to work for anyone buying this.
  8. vspvitor
    Nov 22, 2020
    8
    A lovely remake with all its glory - make me want a remake for a link to the past too - i dont give a 10 because of the frame drops and the dungeon creator that is not online and could have been great..
  9. 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.
  10. 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
  11. plato1123
    Jun 8, 2020
    5
    Cute graphics and fun nastalgia but wayyyy too much backtracking. Kind of a meh RPG in this day and age. Too bad because I find the graphics to be fun and quirky.
  12. patinete92
    Oct 9, 2019
    8
    Buen juego aunque deberían mejorar la caída de los FPS y el difuminado de bordes es algo exagerado. Por lo demás, juego increíble y muy recomendado.
  13. Breno92
    Oct 10, 2019
    8
    Never played the originals but always enjoy any Zelda game I do play. Loved this one, was a great filler game to fill in time while I waited for dq11 to release
  14. piff2000
    Dec 29, 2020
    7
    As someone who played the original, this is a lovely remake that captures the spirit of the original! It is a little expensive for what you’re getting and there are occasional frame rate issues, but it’s still a great addition to any switch library.
  15. thaesino
    Mar 24, 2020
    9
    Whoever had the (possibly nutty sounding) idea of super deforming Link’s Awakening for the Switch remake, had a moment of genius. Yes, while it’s true the original was already basically “chino,” that was only because it was following in suit with the current style - both the old NES original and the one being worked on for the SNES (A Link to the Past). But think about it. NintendoWhoever had the (possibly nutty sounding) idea of super deforming Link’s Awakening for the Switch remake, had a moment of genius. Yes, while it’s true the original was already basically “chino,” that was only because it was following in suit with the current style - both the old NES original and the one being worked on for the SNES (A Link to the Past). But think about it. Nintendo could’ve gone full “Link Between Worlds” style with this, and they chose not to. By doing so, it makes this Zelda game stand aside from all other top-down “Legends,” as it should be. In the end, this Zelda game is completely detached, for reasons I won’t state so as not to spoil the game, from all the other Zelda games. You understand this if you’ve played it before.

    As for the game:

    • Story: 8/10 (mostly due to the tropey ending, which I still love anyway, but understand “it’s nothing new”)
    • Music: 10/10 (there’s a whole YouTube video dedicated to what is specifically incredible about this Zelda soundtrack, and the remade version is so much nicer)
    • Sound: 10/10 (everything sounds great this time around)
    • Controls: 10/10 (nothing new, just smoother now)
    • Gameplay: 10/10 (Hero Mode is Hero Mode; great job)
    • Visuals: 8/10 (little FPS drops when exiting/entering locations which CAN be a slight issue if you don’t adjust quickly enough when enemies abound)


    All in all, a wonderful remake that should actually cost $40-$50 instead of full game price.

    That being said... Take note, SquEnix: This is how you remake a game (looking at you, “Mana” series).    … Expand
  16. Dubeau
    Mar 16, 2021
    8
    LA was a fun game. The story was kind of a classic in it's genre. All the cute top down 3d is great to look at. I still think that the particles effects seems to affect the framerate somehow. It plays like a Zelda for sure. Most the boss fight are easy. The dungeons are fines except the horrible Eagle tower dungeon that was excessively complicated. No way a kid can do this on his own,LA was a fun game. The story was kind of a classic in it's genre. All the cute top down 3d is great to look at. I still think that the particles effects seems to affect the framerate somehow. It plays like a Zelda for sure. Most the boss fight are easy. The dungeons are fines except the horrible Eagle tower dungeon that was excessively complicated. No way a kid can do this on his own, without a walk through. The music is one of the best aspect of the game. There is some 2D Mario references in the game. Nice. I give it 82%. Wonderful game. However Link was left alone on the ocean in the end, and died an atrocious death. His corps was never found. Not serious but they could have closed that ending in a better way.… Expand
  17. 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
  18. 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
  19. BlooperTanooki
    Mar 20, 2020
    8
    An excellent remake, pulsing with charm and innovation in sound engineering and art style, leaving almost everything else intact. The only but, is the new dungeon maker mode, which is surprisingly unpolished. Nothing game breaker of course. A must buy for any Zelda fan or anyone who played and liked the original.
  20. Daevio
    Feb 17, 2020
    9
    Great game! I need more remakes like this one especially of other games from The Legend of Zelda Series!
  21. Justjoined83
    Nov 1, 2019
    8
    I enjoyed this game but it has several minor issues. For one, I’m not entirely sure why they decided to interrupt gameplay everytime you collect a power up. Mario doesn’t halt his momentum whenever he grabs a mushroom or star power. I like the idea behind the power ups but I found myself avoiding them most of the time for this reason. Another problem was the jumping felt very clunky.I enjoyed this game but it has several minor issues. For one, I’m not entirely sure why they decided to interrupt gameplay everytime you collect a power up. Mario doesn’t halt his momentum whenever he grabs a mushroom or star power. I like the idea behind the power ups but I found myself avoiding them most of the time for this reason. Another problem was the jumping felt very clunky. There was a point in the game after acquiring the Pegasus boots where I jumped onto an island and couldn’t get back! Thankfully I found a YouTube video to get me back on land but that is not something I ever experienced in a Zelda game before. I also noticed the frame rate would dip whenever I left a house.

    On a positive note, I really enjoyed the game’s dungeons. Eagles tower in particular was a really fun dungeon to solve and the puzzles in Turtle Rock left me scratching my head a few times as well. The game looks and feels very charming just like the Zelda franchise is known for. The dungeon creation tool was a neat concept that added an extra layer of gameplay to an otherwise pretty short game.

    So in conclusion, I would suggest waiting a few months for the game to come on sale before buying it and perhaps Nintendo will fix some of the issues between now and then. Thanks for reading.    … Expand
  22. 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
  23. 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
  24. 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.
  25. 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.
  26. byAEG7
    Nov 2, 2019
    9
    Great game with a beautiful art style having one of the nicest color pallets of the whole switch library. Has a great map with many hidden paths and secrets, honestly one of the best game maps i´ve ever played in. Great dungeon design with many varied objects and enemies .However one thing that sticks out to me hindering itself to not get a 10 is the boss fights, its just one step underGreat game with a beautiful art style having one of the nicest color pallets of the whole switch library. Has a great map with many hidden paths and secrets, honestly one of the best game maps i´ve ever played in. Great dungeon design with many varied objects and enemies .However one thing that sticks out to me hindering itself to not get a 10 is the boss fights, its just one step under the rest of the game.… Expand
  27. yetimand
    Nov 11, 2019
    8
    it was a amazing game but some of the puzzles was harder. The art-style was great
  28. tom974
    Nov 12, 2019
    8
    The quality of this game is evident. Cute graphics, great musics, well built dungeons and so on. I did not finish the game on the GameBoy 26 years ago so it was a fantastic way to terminate it. And here is the point, I think it's a 8/10 for those who don't know the original game or did not finish it, but the remake is a bit too light for those who already killed the game by 1993.
  29. ToRu12
    Oct 26, 2019
    9
    Destaco lo hermoso que es el juego, tiene una muy buena jugabilidad, termina enganchandote con la historia
  30. Capitan_Cesar
    Oct 25, 2019
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Juegazo impresionante, todo un clásico para poder disfrutarlo de nuevo, imprescindible.… Expand
prev
Page:

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 »