The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening Critic Reviews

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening is the quintessential 2D Zelda experience. The gameplay never feels repetitive, and solving each dungeon or beating each mini-boss is equally as satisfying as the first. The audio is crisp and matches perfectly to the gorgeous visuals that players will be treated to throughout their time on Koholint Island. It pays homage to the original in the greatest of ways, by introducing an entirely new generation of players to one of the best Zelda experiences out there. It is a must-have for any Zelda fan, and so should take its place as a console seller for the Nintendo Switch.

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening remake for the Switch improves most of the flaws from the original game while maintaining (or enhancing) everything that makes Link's Game Boy adventure a classic. Its shiny new coat of paint suits it well, even if slowdown issues pop up from time to time. A few hours of play is all it takes to remind you why Zelda fans love Link's Awakening so very much.

An excellent remake of an already faultless Zelda game. If you never played the Game Boy original, then you absolutely need to pick this up. If, like me, you grew up playing this game, then there is a lot of new content to keep you busy. While Breath of the Wild was the game many bought their Switch for, Link’s Awakening has only reinforced that decision for me. So buckle up and let a friendly owl show you what Koholint Island has to offer.

Anyone who has never played Link's Awakening before should absolutely play Link's Awakening. It's a damning reflection on the entire industry, in terms of the respect that it shows for the artistry of video games, that a remake, rather than a re-release, was ever even contemplated as the way to give people renewed access to this classic.

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening is everything a remake should be. It retains the nostalgia of the original game while celebrating it in an entirely new way. The map is small but dense, filled with side quests, interesting character designs, and a surprising moral dilemma. This charming, toy-like world is the perfect way to experience Koholint Island, regardless of it’s your first visit or your 50th time washing ashore.

I found playing through a modern imagining of this classic to be almost perfect. While it doesn’t reinvent the franchise or break convention, it never acts like it wants to. There’s something comforting about returning to a world like this: to know its every corner, to recognize its colorful cast, to feel truly lost in the experience.

This goes beyond nostalgia. Link's Awakening is a timeless masterpiece, and because of the beautiful, honorable way Nintendo modernized the game, this remake is the best way to experience this timeless masterpiece.

When I go to give Link's Awakening to someone else, would I recommend this version? Is this the game I want my kids to play? And yes. It is. Absolutely.

Link's Awakening does not expand the old formula, yet introduce the original into the modern era. It's a charming and simple Zelda experience we all need sometimes. You will not find anything new here, but if you are in a search for that old, nostalgic feeling of simple and sheer gaming joy - look no further. This is a Zelda title you need to play.

Link’s Awakening has always been a super-solid entry in the Zelda series, and it easily lives up to today’s standards. It’s also a love letter to some of Nintendo’s greatest in its purest form. To top it all off, it has an alluring soundtrack with familiar tunes — including Marin’s soothing voice — that instantly warm your heart.

Link’s Awakening is still, 26 years after its debut, an outstanding game. With brand new graphics, along all the elements that made the original one of the best games ever, this classic game lands on Nintedo Switch to remind us why we love The Legend of Zelda series.

An epic return of one of the most important video games of all time. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening is a classic that everyone should play.

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening is a masterpiece in remaking the original classic game. It perfectly brings back the old school gameplay of the 90s with modern tech. Even if you had played the original game a long time ago, this one will shock you again.

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.

Updating the look but never losing the feel of the original, Link’s Awakening is a masterclass in remaking a classic.

Link's Awakening is back in all it's timeless glory. The main game hasn't aged a day and doesn't need any new gameplay experiences to convince anyone. It does profit from its quality of life changes, beautiful artstyle and memorable soundtrack.

Link’s Awakening hasn’t aged a bit. It’s fantastic design with now beautiful graphics make it as enjoyable as when it came out. No matter if you played it a million times or if you hadn’t heard about it before, it’s an adventure you cannot miss.

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening is the definitive edition of a classic: a renewal and improvement in every way, but always respectful with the source material, that manages to evoke the same feelings we felt 26 years ago.

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening for Nintendo Switch is a remake that will delight both those who played the original version and those fans who are looking for a new adventure. It stands out in its story, its playability, its design and its soundtrack.

A clever reimagining of a classic title, that preserves what we loved in the original Gameboy game, but in a way that’s easier to appreciate for a modern player.