Zelda: Link's Awakening

Zelda: Link's Awakening - Playthrough / Walkthrough Video

Here is a full playthroug of the game from Retro Game Stream on Youtube:

Here is another walkthrough by Cloud Dan on Youtube:

Original - 1993

DX Version - 1998

About The Game

Need to go back to the early 90’s, for nostalgia’s sake, or to remember a more traditional time in gaming? Are you in the notion for some retro? And do you love Nintendo games like Zelda? Then you ought to give Link’s Awakening a try... you may just get hooked.

In Link’s Awakening, Link (the main character) crashes on a strange island and is shipwrecked. His mission, after waking up from some gruesome nightmares, is to found out where he is, put a new ship together, and find his way home….or to wherever he was headed. He does not like the island he is at and finds that he must fight his way through many of its dungeons in order to procure his only way of escape off the island. To do so, he must collect 8 unique wind instruments that, when played together in unison, will awaken the sleeping Wind Fish, and get him away.

The game boasts of many spectacular dungeons and foes, like the Color Dungeon, the Tail Cave, the Bottle Grotto, the Key Cavern, the Angler’s Tunnel, the Face Shrine, the Catfish’s Maw, the Moblin Cave, the Eagle’s Tower, the Southern Face Shrine, and the Kanalet Castle, respectively. Some of the enemies you’ll face are the King Moblin, the Armos Knight, the Lanmola and several more. These are classic bosses still remembered today, especially for classic Gameboy lovers.

Speaking of which, the game was originally released for the first Gameboy, by Nintendo. But later, a remastered edition was released for the Gameboy Color. And since then, Wii downloads and even online ROM emulators, and other consoles, have featured this classic game….which still takes many players into its world. People love Link’s Awakening. But more on the dungeons….. 

Then there's also the Turtle Rock, one of the toughest dungeons ever in earlier games.... It reputably hails from among the legendary 1993 game’s “top dungeons” and is the very last one you will encounter as Link,  before rising to take your final stand against the evil Shadow Nightmares. This dungeon, for its depth and intricately leveled floors and challenges, is so easy to get lost in or lose progress in, so remember to hit your save points often and save your progress. 

The Temple area is made of multiple layers and rooms, both in the air and in the ground, and it all happens inside a stonelike structure, as a dungeon of this caliber would no less imply. You can jump, float, crawl, shoot, get shot at, fall, move into other forms, and more. Multi - tasking is at its best with this game, and you'll need to do lots of it if you wish to survive. 

This game somehow strangely reminds of me of the Majora’s Mask Zelda game released a few years later (where Ganon is also not the main villain this time), in which the final resurrected skull - king - like villain you face at the end is truly horrifying, or at least that's how I remember him when I was younger. You have to take him on, along with his many backup minions,  all at the same time.... 

As you enter his lair for your challenge, you'll find he closes his blinds and curtains, so as to not let any more sunlight in (humorously, the only means by which he can be defeated) making the room both darker and scarier altogether, not to mention reducing your overall visibility and aim. Here, your goal is to aim for the blinds near the window and remove the coverings, then use your special shield to deflect the incoming rays of light onto his body, and strike like mad with your sword. Do the same to his little minions as they approach you, remembering their goal is to stand in the way of you and him. 

Ooh,  and I almost forgot to mention that this is the one central dungeon in the entire game in which you get to magically morph into all 4 of your Link forms in order to get through the dungeon. You get to put on your 4 masks and play as yourself,  then as either: Goron Link, Zora Link,  Deku Link, or even Fierce Deity Link. Engage the enemies head on!     

But all this goes to say that this game bears a few weird similarities and “hidden Easter eggs” that can correlate with Majora’s Mask. I could go on and on pointing out cross references and so much more. Both games were amazing, to say the least, and that’s my point. But more on Link’s Awakening….. 

The outdoor and indoor garden and room sceneries in this game’s dungeons are also a true delight to behold, adding to the visual spectacularity of the game as a whole. And what I especially like is how you have to use your hookshot,  boomerang, sword and a whole host of other weapons to turn the rooms upside down, sideways and in other vertical or horizontal - diagonal directions, as needed, in order to simply get across and keep moving forward. It's a mental challenge the likes of no other,  especially so for its time (the game was originally released in the USA at the end of the millennium,  like from 1992 - 1993, respectively). 

So if you want to transport yourself back to the golden days of gaming, especially for handheld devices like what the Gameboy could offer, then you need to go with something like Link’s Awakening. Play it in its traditional black and white or in its new color form. You’ll remember those good ‘ol days…..and be reunited with your long - lost fantasy addiction. 

Use your cunning wit to get you through those many dungeons and their vicious foes, and get Link off the island once and for all. Find some new weapons along the way. You’ll love every step of the adventure as countless gamers already have. Play on to your heart’s content. It’s time for action! 

Stealing from the Shopkeeper

You can actually get items from the shop for free in this game. If you do this, everyone will start calling you "Theif">

New Link's Awakening for the Switch - 2019

Here is a video from GameXplain showing the difference between the Gameboy Color version and the Switch version.