Link's Awakening is another classic brought back to life on the 3DS eStore. It was 1998 when I last played this game, and it has aged gracefully. One thing that sticks out to me in this game vs other Zelda titles is the humor and Nintendo in-references.
The game takes place soon after the events of A Link to the Past. Our hero is on board a ship during a turbulent thunderstorm, and becomes shipwrecked on an island. Upon awakening, he discovers that in order to leave the island he must wake the the Wind Fish, who can neither fly nor is a fish. The adventure takes him on a journey to discover the 8 magical instruments which will wake the Wind Fish. This is the first game where music plays a pivotal role, and is also the first appearance of the ocarina, which plays a bigger role in future stories.
The game takes place soon after the events of A Link to the Past. Our hero is on board a ship during a turbulent thunderstorm, and becomes shipwrecked on an island. Upon awakening, he discovers that in order to leave the island he must wake the the Wind Fish, who can neither fly nor is a fish. The adventure takes him on a journey to discover the 8 magical instruments which will wake the Wind Fish. This is the first game where music plays a pivotal role, and is also the first appearance of the ocarina, which plays a bigger role in future stories.
This game is funny. It never felt like a chore to speak to the NPCs, because they always had something humorous to say. "Why are you asking me, I'm just a kid?", was a common response when speaking to youngsters. The boss monologues were often funny as well, adding a bit of personality to each level. This is also the only game in the series, as far as I can tell, where all the bosses have something to say.
The Mario references in this game were particularly brilliant. This game, like Mario 2, takes place in a dream, and some of the characters are brought over, like the Mario 2 end boss, Wart. Mario also makes an appearance, in all but name only. Marin is obviously Mario, as he's a plump mustached man, who eats a mushroom and turns into a raccoon. Luigi, Peach, Kirby, and goombas all show up as well. The game goes as far to include Mario-like underground areas, complete with trippy music.
Like many old school games, this one is hard. Lord help you if you miss the Yoshi doll at the beginning. Some of the enemies later in the game hit hard too, zapping 4 hearts with a single hit. Upon completing the "Color Dungeon," I chose the offense tunic, but regretted that choice in the later dungeons. The seashells are quite well hidden, as I only found 14 out of the 28. There were a few occasions that I had to google where to go next.
Verdict: This classic handheld stands up today. It's a unique Zelda adventure, made in a time before Nintendo solidified what a Zelda game was. For around $5 on the 3DS eStore, it's a worthy investment. 9/10
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