The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening Review (Switch)

Released on the Game Boy two years after the Super Nintendo masterpiece that was ‘A Link to the past’, ‘Link's Awakening’ was the first time our intrepid hero had dared to cross onto the handheld games scene. With the Game Boy not being able to able to handle anything the size of ‘A Link to Past’ Nintendo set Link in a whole new world, far away from Hyrule.

The story goes that while Link is sailing back to Hyrule from a far off land his ship encounters a huge storm. During the storm Link is thrown overboard, awakening on the beach of Koholint island. He soon learns he must find the eight instruments of the ‘Sirens’ in order to wake up the legendary ‘Wind Fish’ in order to return to his homeland. Well, it was obvious wasn’t it!

Surprisingly enough these eight instruments are located around the island in eight dungeons, all of which must be searched and explored to succeed in your task. Then once the eight instruments have been collected they must be played in front of a big spotted egg on a hill where the ‘Wind Fish’ resides in order to wake it. The dungeon featured in the Gameboy Colour version of the game is also included for completeness and there is also a dungeon designer included for added longevity. The designer allows any rooms visited from the various dungeons to be collected and used to create custom maps. It’s a nice idea and a welcome addition.

Graphically the game has changed a lot from its routes. Now everything is bright and cartoony and the characters have an almost toy-like appearance. It’s something that we never really got used to when playing as it seems a bit out of place when looking back at the original design. A lot of the little touches and details seem to be glossed over with the new approach and as such it does lose some of the character that made the original such an impressive achievement. When you consider how good the Wind Waker remake was a keeping the original games style it’s a little surprising to see something so different in the transition from Gameboy to Switch.

Like all Zelda games though the gameplay is where the game really shines. As always the dungeons are excellently laid out needing clever thinking and good swordsmanship to complete. Also two things have been added since ‘A Link to the Past’, the ‘Roc’s feather’ and a new way of using the shield in order to block attacks. This shows that while the game couldn’t hope to match the scale of its Super Nintendo counterpart there is still some progression and development in terms of gameplay.

If there was one problem apparent with the original it’s the difficulty of the game. This has been toned down dramatically in the remake. Save points are more generous and the fact many items are now assigned to specific buttons makes enemies at lot more straight forward to deal with. Some puzzles remain truly bizarre but at least there are helpful hints on hand in terms of phone rooms spread around the map. As a result the game becomes a much faster paced and breezy affair.

However, there are a few issues we can’t ignore. The game often drops its frame rate when the screen gets busy which is simply bizarre. We’re all for mimicking older systems but slowdown is really something we can do without and hopefully it’ll be patched out in the future. The focus effect on Link is also odd. Link moves as if under a magnifying class with the areas on the periphery of the screen blurry. This seems to us like a way to mimic the idea of having to move between screens (like with the original game), but it can be really annoying when you are trying to see what’s ahead of you. Also, not having an on screen map that’s easily accessible is an oversight.

When all is said and done though it’s clear to see ‘Link's Awakening’ can still stand up as an quest worth undertaking. There are some obscure puzzles but on the whole it’s an excellent and consistent adventure that makes clever use of a limited number of ‘screens’. It’s also a little bit of a shame that the Gameboy and Colour version of the game weren’t included to give a ‘complete’ feel to the package. That said, the dungeon design is strong throughout and it serves as a great introduction to new players, a nostalgia trip for long term fans and an example of how remakes can be done in creative ways to fit new systems.

Overall 8/10

The Legend of Zelda: Links Awakening Review (Game Boy)

Released on the Game Boy two years after the Super Nintendo masterpiece that was ‘A Link to the past’, ‘Links Awakening’ was the first time our intrepid hero had dared to cross onto the handheld games scene. With the Game Boy not being able to able to handle anything the size of ‘A Link to Past’ Nintendo set Link in a whole new world, far away from Hyrule.

The story goes that while Link is sailing back to Hyrule from a far off land his ship encounters a huge storm. During the storm Link is thrown overboard, awakening on the beach of Koholint island. He soon learns he must find the eight instruments of the ‘Sirens’ in order to wake up the legendary ‘Wind Fish’ in order to return to his homeland. Well, it was obvious wasn’t it!

Surprisingly enough these eight instruments are located around the island in eight dungeons, all of which must be searched and explored to succeed in your task. Then once the eight instruments have been collected they must be played in front of a big spotted egg on a hill where the ‘Wind Fish’ resides in order to wake it.

Graphically the game is excellent, especially considering the limitations of the Game Boy with great detail to found, such as small cracks in the floor and well-animated characters throughout. Though the game is not in colour everything is crystal clear and large on the screen meaning you never get hit by a monster you could not see, or fall down a hole you did not know was their until the last minute. Different areas of the game also succeed in looking different enough from other areas with mountains, woods, swamps and graveyards all meaning you never get bored with your surroundings

Like all Zelda games though the gameplay is where the game really shines. As always the dungeons are excellently laid out needing clever thinking and good swordsmanship to complete. Also two things have been added since ‘A Link to the Past’, the ‘Roc’s feather’ and a new way of using the shield in order to block attacks. Showing while the game cannot hope for the scale of its Super Nintendo counterpart there is some progression and development in terms of gameplay.

If there is one problem apparent it is with the difficulty of the game. While Zelda fans will no doubt not struggle very often with the enemies and puzzles they come across, any newcomer to the series may well find it well beyond their gaming skills. Some puzzles truly are bizarre and require lateral thinking to a ridiculous extreme. And while early dungeons are fairly balanced, by the time you reach the later ones even getting through the first few rooms requires heroic effort.

This however is only a minor gripe, as the game has clearly been thought about and developed by people who care about what they are doing. This coupled with the odd reference to other Nintendo games such as the Yoshi doll and the pet chomp on a chain all help to add just a little more magic each time you encounter something.

When all is said and done its clear to see ‘Links Awakening’ has quality coming out of all areas. It dose not live up to ‘A Link to the Past’ but a gold bar with a fly on it is still a gold bar at the end of the day. An excellent adventure for Link and one every Game Boy owner should be hunting around trying to find, just don’t expect it to be easy to finish.

Overall 9/10

The Legend of Zelda - Oracle of Seasons (Gameboy Colour)

 

One day our hero Link is drawn to the Triforce of Wisdom held within Hyrule castle. Suddenly it emits a blinding flash of light, Link  awakens in a forest in a far off land. The next thing he knows Onox, the General of Darkness, has swept away a young girl named Din, who just so happens to be the Oracle of Seasons. So yet again Link must save the day, how you ask? By searching dungeons of course!

Being linked with Oracle Ages Nintendo have licensed out the Zelda franchise to the masters of making almost identical games, Capcom. With much hesitation I approached the game fearing the magic of previous instalments would be lost. What I found however, was one of the most charming Zelda games of them all.

The idea of the game is to solve puzzles by changing the seasons. Need to get across a lake? Then change the season to winter and watch it freeze over. Or maybe the lake won’t freeze? Then change the season to summer and watch the water evaporate. A great idea that works brilliantly.

All the familiar Zelda elements are present; bombs, shield and boomerang to name just a few. Being a game about the seasons, unsurprisingly, nature is very important. Tying in with this theme it is possible to collect different types of magic seeds from trees, some cause fire while others act like the old Pegasus boots and give you a sudden burst of speed.

Dungeons wise the levels do not really offer anything dramatically different from what has gone before. However, that does not stop them from being as excellently designed as ever, with fiendish puzzles needing to be solved throughout. Unfortunately, it does share some of the faults of its predecessor Links Awakening. For instance the difficulty level is still set way too high from the start and a better learning curve for the sake of newcomers would have been nice. Also, some puzzles are as bizarre as ever which can lead to a lot of frustration. Saying this though they are only minor faults that only detract a little from the magic of the game.

Size wise, Oracle of Seasons is absolutely huge. As well as dungeons and overland areas the game is filled with little underground tunnels and even an entire subterranean civilisation that trades with their very own currency. A great achievement for the Gameboy Colour, something made all the more impressive when you consider the quality of graphics. Much improved from Links Awakening, everything is truly lovely. More importantly each of the four seasons is easily distinguishable from each other.

Overall, Oracle of Seasons is an absolute joy to play. So much magic has been put into the cartridge you feel it right from the start. This coupled with the fact that it includes a link up feature with Oracle of Ages where characters and items can be transferred across makes the game almost reach the dizzy heights of A Link to the Past. Unfortunately, the lack of a learning curve and a few obscure puzzles mean the game just falls short. A shame, but none the less Oracle of seasons is an exceptional game and one of the better Zelda adventures.

Overall 9/10

Retro 101's Top Ten Game Boy Games

Nintendo's classic system has a whole host of games worth your attention. Below are the ten games (in no particular order), we feel are the ones that every Game Boy owner should add to their collection.

Donkey Kong 94

  

Arguably the best game on the system is this reboot of Donkey Kong. Designed to make the most of the Super Game Boy add on it still plays brilliantly on the hand held. Tons of high quality levels await as Mario must make his way to a key needed to unlock the exit door in each level. Each area adds something new and it remains fun and inventive throughout.

Kirby’s Block Ball

Taking a simple block and ball game and adding Kirby shouldn’t have been anything special.   However, inventive level design and clever use of power ups end up creating one of the most enjoyable games on the system. Themed areas and the inclusion of enemies add another layer of fun as you fling Kirby around the screen to clear the blocks.

Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure

Essentially a Manic Miner clone, this offers some of the best reflex based platforming action on the system. Simply make your way around the single screen levels picking up all the objects while avoiding the enemies. Once all the objects have been collected you need to make it back to your time machine to move onto the next level. Some levels can be completed in seconds which makes it perfect for gaming on the move.

Super Mario Land

It may be a little basic and short but the original Mario game will have you playing through again and again. The graphics are small but still clear and the level design remains strong throughout. This game also sees our hero taking to a submarine and plane for some side scrolling shoot’em up action.

Zelda: Link’s Awakening

Though a colour version is available the original still holds its charm. Link’s Awakening is many people’s favourite Zelda game and it’s easy to see why. The dungeons are among some of the best in the series and the small island hides more magic than most bigger games can manage. Filled with great moments and characters this remains as essential now as it was upon release.

Killer Instinct

It should be terrible but against all the odds Killer Instinct is an essential title. The graphics and speed still do a good job in getting the ethos of the game across and it is surprisingly easy to control. Holding down the kick or punch buttons for different amounts of time decide whether attacks are weak, medium or strong and even the fatalities are included. This is an amazingly ambitious conversation that remains a great portable fighting game.

Pokemon Blue/Red

The first Pokemon game that started it all is still potentially one of the best in the series. It’s hard to beat the simplicity of the combat system mixed with the charm and collecting game mechanic. Building your team and taking on the gym leaders is an epic quest still worth undertaking.

Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3

The first time Nintendo’s antihero takes centre stage is well worth the visit. Superior in many ways to Mario Land 2, the game adds new game mechanics and the ability to put on different hats to power up. There’s a ton of courses to get through and it represents a decent challenge for retro gaming fans. Good level design and inventive bosses help to keep the Mario magic going.

Tetris

The first and still the best version of Tetris you can play. The repetitive tune will get into your brain and you’ll be rotating blocks in your sleep. Simply create lines of four out of different shaped blocks as they fall from the top of the screen. As the speed picks up the panic of needing a ‘long block’ intensifies to unbearable levels. As a pure gaming experience it can’t be beaten and goes to show that simplicity and a good concept is sometimes all you need.

Castlevania 2:Belmont's Revenge

The other two Castlevania Game Boy games could do with some improvement but Castlevania 2 offers up some classic platforming action. It runs smoothly and each of the initial castles can be attempted in any order with passwords also available. It may be a little basic when compared to later Castlevania games but it’s certainly up there with the first NES title.