REVIEW | The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (Switch)
Written by Michael Richardson
Published 30 December 2019
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All trademarks are property of their respective owners.
Opinions expressed in this review are of the reviewer alone.
Game Copyright 2019 Nintendo Co., Ltd., Greezo
Available on GB, GBC, 3DS, NS
Reviewed on NS
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NOTE: Clicking the link to the Google Documents version (which is provided at the top of any post) provides a version with pictures and captions that enhance the review.
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Rest Easy
As somebody who prides himself on the care he takes in his actions, I concede that I have a weakness to accepting change, to the point where even the littlest difference causes apprehension; I have become vastly better and more patient over the past several years thanks to daily exercise, but the remnants of my struggles linger. Therefore, one can imagine my initial reaction to the reveal of the Switch version of one of my favorite Zelda games, The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening. While the gameplay appeared largely unaltered, I was utterly taken aback by the artstyle, coming to the momentary consensus that Nintendo and development partner Greezo had ruined an otherworldly gem. Emphasis on momentary, because the new diorama-like aesthetic quickly grew on me as the trailer went on, and by the end, I was sold on replaying one of my favorite Zelda games on Nintendo’s hybrid console. Having fully explored Koholint Island again and taken some time to sleep on the adventure, I cannot help but laugh at my initial hesitation to the game. Not only does Link’s Awakening’s fun gameplay, expert dungeon design, and charming narrative shine through, but the gorgeous artstyle stands as a testament to Nintendo’s creative prosperity.
*Note: While the discussion of what constitutes a remake or a remaster is deserving of its own argument, please be aware that I will be periodically referring to the Switch version of Link’s Awakening as a remaster for reasons that will hopefully become apparent throughout this review.
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Glowing Diorama
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Normally, I like to begin my reviews with a story synopsis, but the Switch version of Link’s Awakening deserves a change of pace due to its striking art direction. While Koholint now boasts a diorama, toy-like texture that was initially off putting, it quickly grew on me to the point where I would hail it alongside Nintendo’s other excellent experimental art styles such as Kirby’s Epic Yarn, Paper Mario: Color Splash (Say what you will about the game, but it's hard to deny that it had a tremendous artstyle), and Yoshi’s Crafted World. Indeed, the diorama-like aesthetic elevates the level of immersion far above that of the Game Boy original, which perfectly fits the otherworldly feel the developers were so keenly aspiring for several decades ago. Walking around the island is so much more fun with little details permeating every gorgeous frame, and a special mention should go towards the lighting artists, who seemingly managed to squeeze every dose of the Switch’s power to bring Koholint to life through realistic shadows and textures.
A similar effect has been created with the great sound effects, such as the satisfying clash every time Link swings his sword, the slight whirl of dust with every step taken on sandy terrain, and the ever-so-malevolent clatter that occurs when hitting a character on the head with a pot. I adore this art style so much that there were often times when I let go of the controller to take in the gorgeous scenery or reminisce on the wonderful adventure, and it was supremely difficult anytime I had to tear myself away from Koholint and squander my immersion. Furthermore, Awakening’s art style masterfully encapsulates the feel of the original while uniquely iterating on Zelda standards, and I not only look forward to whatever style Nintendo experiments with next, but to see this same style in another Zelda game (Oracles of Ages or Seasons, anyone?).
However, Awakening’s otherworldly visuals likely came at the cost of its performance. Oddly enough, the Switch version occasionally stutters when transitioning between frames, and while the frame rate dips are minor overall, they became impossible to ignore and served as an annoyance throughout the adventure. The only possible explanation I have for why the performance issues persist is if Nintendo precisely translated the original GameBoy version’s grid structure onto an HD template, which could cause issues in the source code, but that seems unlikely given how most modern remasters of decades-old software are built from scratch. Regardless, there is little excuse for how those frame rate dips were not patched out prior to launch, especially given how the original game is over twenty years old. Moreover, annoying performance issues serve as Switch version’s biggest weakness and detract from the grandeur of the artstyle.
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The music serves as a slight disappointment as well. While the Switch version’s remixes are not lackluster, a majority of the music comes of as lifeless and unmemorable, particularly when it comes to the dungeons. I also wish that there more overworld themes, because as much as I love exploring the world and the tracks are amazing by themselves, particularly that of Tal Tal Heights, hearing the same composition for hours on end gets old. When the music does succeed, however, such as with the marvelous ending theme, it stands out. Otherwise, the tracks serve as an afterthought to a game whose presentation is mostly anything but.
Given the otherworldly nature of the setting, it likely comes as no surprise that Awakening’s art style perfectly suits its narrative, which remains among my favorites of the Zelda franchise. After a lightning bolt strikes his ship, Link washes ashore on Koholint Island with the only method of returning home being to find the eight Instruments of the Sirens in order to awaken the Wind Fish, a mysterious being who resides inside the giant egg at the top of Tal Tal Mountain. For me, the overall small scale and personal nature of the story are what make it stand out. Because Koholint Island is sparsely populated and quick to traverse, it became impossible not to attach myself to most of the characters who show up repeatedly throughout the adventure and converse about their interesting backstories. While it's unlikely many players will not predict the overall sequence of events, Awakening’s story still succeeds in fostering many evocative questions that I still ponder weeks after the credits rolled. Moreover, the narrative more than serves its purpose of providing necessary exposition while tasking players with interpreting its broader themes, and I consistently enjoyed it throughout the adventure alongside the incredible art style and gameplay.
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It's Dangerous to Idle! Go Explore.
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Unlike Breath of the Wild’s open air structure, Link’s Awakening utilizes a much more linear approach to its gameplay design, which suits equally well. Where Awakening truly shines is in its impeccable world design; Exploring Koholint is simply a joy as Link backtracks through the many environments to receive numerous upgrades that augment his abilities. Each area has its own unique atmosphere that I similarly adored experiencing, although I wish some of them were expanded upon. To elaborate, while Koholint is incredibly dense, several parts of the map are one-time visits that would have benefited from a side quest or two to make those locations truly stand out. Additionally, the secret seashell collectables have received a change that ultimately feels unnecessary: increasing the amount in the world from twenty to fifty seashells feels like a way to pad content, and makes the ultimate reward feel less attainable and worthwhile. Nevertheless, I loved unearthing every single pixel of the world, and it felt supremely satisfying and motivating to uncover a new cave entrance, meaningful side quest, fast travel point, or listen to the satisfying jingle of obtaining a new heart piece.
A vast amount of time spent in Koholint will be inside the eight dungeons that each house an Instrument of the Sirens, and as one who is not particularly fond of dungeons in Zelda games since they distract from my love of exploring the world, I was pleased by the amount of value they added to the experience. While not every dungeon might be a home run, they are all incredibly unique and a vast majority of them boast intricate, well paced layouts alongside several intuitive puzzles that made uncovering their plethora of secrets unbelievably enjoyable. Truly, some of these dungeons rank among the best of the Zelda series, particularly the seventh dungeon, which ingeniously combines its theming with a dungeon-spanning puzzle that feels mind bendingly brilliant and satisfying. I especially loved traversing the 2D sections of dungeons, which place a nice twist on the traditional Zelda formula. Simply put, seeing Link jump on a Goomba in a mainline Zelda game never gets old, and it appears that Nintendo agrees if the recent Super Mario Maker 2 content is any indication. Speaking of the items themselves, Awakening utilizes Link’s arsenal to one of the best extents of the Zelda series, allowing almost every item to have its share of time in the spotlight, from the satisfying Roc’s feather to the traditional hookshot. I mean, I had to use Link’s shield in this game. What other Zelda games can say that?!
However, Awakening’s myriad of dungeons come at a cost. Most notably, the game suffers from a Twilight Princess-syndrome where the player finds themselves robotically moving from dungeon to dungeon, with little breathing room to explore the intricate landscape. Going back to my previous point, while this does not detract from the overall splendor of the world, pacing issues could have been remedied had areas been further fleshed out. Given the disproportionate amount of time relative to exploring the world Link spends inside the dungeons, it's also a shame that enemy variety is lacking, relying on smaller, easier fodder to fill dungeon layouts, where more designs could have increased my enjoyment. To add to the frustration, dungeons lack the convenience of a traditional map at the bottom left corner of the screen, which is a real shame considering the much larger screen estate compared to the Game Boy original, resulting in far too much time spent switching between menus to get an idea of my location inside the dungeons. This is less of an issue in the overworld where areas are simply more memorable, but the option would have been appreciated throughout the game. And speaking of switching between menus ad nauseam, while the Switch remaster allows more items to be mapped at the press of a button, it does not go far enough with the feature since both the left and right triggers do not permit specific items. By just allowing those two buttons to allow item mapping, or permanently attaching them with vital items such as the Roc’s Feather, a lot of time and frustration could have been saved switching between menus. Also, I wish that the items that required ammunition, such as arrows or bombs, adopted a regenerative system ala A Link Between Worlds, since having to backtrack for items to advance the story or defeat bosses grows tiresome.
Boss fights serve as yet another disappointment to the adventure. Comprising of minibosses and the standard baddies at the end of dungeons, only a few stand out with challenging, imaginative encounters. Simply put, Link’s Awakening includes some of the least memorable bosses in the series, where there were many times I stood dumbfounded that I had beaten a boss on my first try within a few seconds, not even able to recognize their unique patterns. Let me be clear, I really did enjoy the dungeons overall, but everything barring their designs or puzzles was a disappointment that I wish could have been improved.
Gravely Injured Relics
The biggest new addition to the Switch version of Link’s Awakening comes in the form of Dampé’s Shack, which serves as an optional distraction that becomes accessible early in the game. Inside, the iconic gravedigger Dampé tasks players with making their own dungeons out of chamber stones, with each stone being a single square of a previously explored dungeon. In its attempt to create a Mario Maker-style creation tool, Link’s Awakening completely falls flat with a counterintuitive user interface about as lifeless as the graves Dampé digs up. Every action, such as placing a tile, requires far too many button presses and the more advanced aspects of creation are poorly explained, and I was eager to finish the mode after the initial tutorial. Connecting ladders in particular is among the most dumbfounding examples of game design I have seen in some time that could have been remedied with a simple color coding option. But in the end, the state of the creation tool does not matter if the concept surrounding it lacks appeal, and unfortunately, the chamber dungeons themselves are incredibly disillusioned with what makes a Zelda dungeon tick: nonlinear cohesion. By having every room serve as a separate entity with no theme or puzzle to tie the dungeon together and backtrack, the chamber dungeons lack the atmosphere and splendor of even the worst Zelda dungeons, resulting in a repetitive feature that screams of missed potential.
For my fellow completionists, be forewarned that you must brave many of Dampe’s trials, which could very well result in a depressing evening. But even as bad as the chamber dungeons are, the fact that they are entirely optional allows the overall experience of Link’s Awakening to remain unhindered. If anything, the chamber dungeons prove that Awakening was not in dire need of new content, and while I certainly wish that Dampé polished the stones before handing them to Link, I am more than satisfied with the amount of content in the base game which is filled to the brim with fun. As a side note, considering the chamber dungeons are the only meaningful new content in the game and that they add nothing to the experience, the Switch version of Link’s Awakening therefore serves as a visual upgrade that is more deserving of being labeled a remaster
Verdict
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In a post Breath of the Wild world, Link’s Awakening’s Switch remaster proves that there is still a need for traditional 2D Zeldas. This is by far the most ambitious and successful effort by Nintendo and Greezo at revitalizing a beloved Zelda, which successfully transitions onto the big screen by mostly playing like a modern entry in the franchise, with a charming story and nearly unparalleled world and dungeon design that make Awakening an unforgettable experience. The Big N shattered my initial hesitation to the art style that over time has become one of my favorites in all of gaming, with impeccable lighting and sound effects that allow Koholint to breathe in ways few other games can, and I hope Nintendo continues to experiment with new styles that similarly whisk me away into their fantasy worlds. Although I wish frame rate issues were nonexistent, several quality of life enhancements were implemented to better the experience, the chamber dungeons were enjoyable, and more time was spent exploring the world between dungeons, Link’s Awakening still stands as one of my favorite Zelda games that consistently delivers fun above all, and I am thankful that I was able to walk around Koholint once again. Afterall, even the littlest of changes can be scary, but with some rest, one might just wake up in a vivid world yearning for exploration.
