Legend Of Zelda: Links Awakening is out this week but what do we know about the upcoming remake?
A new Zelda game is out this year and it couldnt be more different than the award-winning Breath Of The World. Its being handled by Japanese developer Grezzo, who helped port Zelda: Ocarina Of Time and Majoras Mask to 3DS, and is the very first Zelda to be an exclusive title for the Nintendo Switch (Breath Of The Wild was also on Wii U).
The graphical style is far from realistic and instead has a toy-like aesthetic, as if everyone is a little plastic or clay model. Although theres a good reason for that if you know the games origins and its story…
Ahead of its release, heres everything we know about the remake.
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What is The Legend Of Zelda: Links Awakening?
Back in 1993 Nintendo released a new action adventure game for the Game Boy called The Legend Of Zelda: Links Awakening – the first Zelda game to be released on a handheld console. It actually began life as a port of Zelda: A Link To The Past, but it quickly branched off and eventually became what we know today as Links Awakening.
An updated re-release titled Zelda: Links Awakening DX came to Nintendos upgraded handheld, the Game Boy Color, in 1998, featuring colour graphics for the first time and an exclusive colour-based dungeon.
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Is Links Awakening only available on Switch?
The 2019 remake of the Game Boy classic is only on Nintendo Switch; it retains the same top-down perspective and gameplay that fans love from the original and while the graphics have been updated theyre still very reminiscent of the original.
What is the story of Zelda: Links Awakening for Nintendo Switch?
The hero Link is returning home after exploring lands unknown, following the defeat of the evil Ganon and restoring peace to the Kingdom of Hyrule. Suddenly, a storm appears, a lightning bolt strikes his ship, and he washes up on a faraway island shore.
Upon awakening, he finds out he has washed up on Koholint Island and makes preparations to leave. However, a strange owl approaches and tells Link that the only way he can leave is to recover numerous mysterious instruments in order to wake up the Wind Fish, who slumbers within an egg at the top of the highest mountain peak.
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What is the gameplay like in Links Awakening for Nintendo Switch?
Zelda: Links Awakening is a top-down action adventure title were you have to navigate maze-like dungeons room-by-room solving tricky puzzles, using your special items to outwit traps and battle the fearsome monsters that dwells within.
You can find new equipment on your travels to fully explore the Island of Koholint and unearth all of its secrets, while at the same time fending off the monsters that inhabit the land.
A notable quality of life improvement for the remake is that Links shield no longer takes up one of your two item slots, which makes a world of difference after unlocking multiple items.
If you are after a closer look, we have an exclusive preview here.
What has been added to Zelda: Links Awakening for Nintendo Switch?
Dungeon Builder
The most significant addition to Zelda: Links Awakening is the Dungeon Builder, which allows you to create dungeons from those you have already completed. The official name is Chamber Dungeons and its hosted by a familiar face: Dampé the gravedigger from Zelda: Ocarina Of Time. With this, you can create a mix of all your favourite dungeon rooms in your own custom-made dungeon.
Link amiibo
If you have bought the Zelda: Links Awakening amiibo, this unlocks the use of Shadow Link for use in dungeons, adding another level of difficulty.
Save your Chamber Dungeons to compatible #amiibo from The Legend of #Zelda series to share them with friends!
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening and the Link amiibo arrive on 20/09. pic.twitter.com/p0J7vRfPYA
— Nintendo UK (@NintendoUK) September 8, 2019
With the new Link #amiibo, you can add Shadow Link to your Chamber Dungeons in The Legend of #Zelda: Link's Awakening. This malevolent shadow chases Link through dungeons, so get ready to put up a fight…or run! pic.twitter.com/zwohR6wYCy
— Nintendo of Europe (@NintendoEurope) September 2, 2019
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Mark the map
The Game Boy Zelda has a pretty big overworld, which rarely tells you where to go, so you can quickly find yourself becoming lost. The Switch remake has a far more detailed map, which allows you to place markers using special icons, allowing you to remember where suspicious areas are or perhaps a heart piece that you cant quite reach just yet.
Fairy bottles
Fairy bottles have returned to the remake, to make your life a tiny bit easier, so go catch those innocent fairies and have them save Links life when certain doom strikes.
Seashells
In the original version, there are 26 hidden seashells to find, and something fantastic happens once you have collected 20. However, in the remake, that number has been changed to something higher, so when 20 are found you instead acquire the Seashell Sensor to help you find the rest.
Da-da-da-daaa! Earn €6.00 back in Gold Points when you purchase The Legend of #Zelda: Link's Awakening from #NintendoSwitch #eShop before 22/09! #NintendoGC
Preload now: https://t.co/653oABlYsH pic.twitter.com/TInRead More – Source
