Zelda: Link's Awakening gets full remake for Nintendo Switch
The Hero of Time's original Game Boy adventure is being fully remastered for the Nintendo Switch, and it looks glorious.
Though many modern gamers may not have been alive at the time of its release, tunic-sporting protagonist Link hit the original Game Boy way back in 1993. In a time when full-color graphics were completely unheard-of in portable gaming, Link's adventure across Koholint Island provided a remarkably deep action RPG experience with a delightful amount of Nintendo-themed references and jokes. While it would later arrive in "full color" years later on the Game Boy Color, Link's journey to awaken the Wind Fish is finally getting the proper HD treatment on the Nintendo Switch.
Revealed during the recent February 2019 Nintendo Direct, the remake of The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening gives longtime gamers and fresh-faced Zelda enthusiasts a chance to relive one of Link's most iconic adventures. Judging by the game's teaser video, nearly everything players will remember about the experience — including several series staples first made popular through 1991 SNES release Link to the Past — will be present in the latest release.
While many gamers may balk at the idea of purchasing yet-another game that's already been re-released, it's hard not to get excited about a return to Koholint Island. Link's first portable adventure might seem small-scale in retrospect, but for many gamers, it was the first chance to explore a proper Zelda world without being tethered to a home console. It also had some of the series' most catchy tunes, spawning videos like this ten-hour cut of the Mabe Village theme.
There's no specific release date for the Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening remake just yet, but Nintendo says the game will launch in 2019. Series followers can likely expect it to release sometime around the holiday season, if we had to hazard a guess. There's also no word on whether or not new mechanics will be introduced, meaning players who expect to be able to do simple things like jump at will could be in for a bit of a surprise. We'll be sure to learn more in the coming months, so keep it tuned right here to Shacknews for future updates.
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replyKevin Tucker posted a new article, Zelda: Link's Awakening gets full remake for Nintendo Switch
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Huh, neat. I wonder if adding modern mechanics would benefit it? I feel restrained when I can’t jump in a game, but if it’s designed to be fun and enjoyable I can distract myself from the desire to mash on a jump button every other moment. I never had this title for my gameboy as a kid.
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Links Awakening has Rock's feather, so yeah, jumping shows up. It's seriously my favorite top down Zelda ever. A condensed version of ALttP in a lot of ways.
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Hot damn this looks good! I love the art direction for this.
Link to the past next plz!-
Divisive art direction again, people seem to love or hate it, I'm going to see how I feel after I get used to it (as it is my favorite top down Zelda).
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