The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
For alternate box art, see the game's gallery.
Developer	Nintendo EAD Grezzo (Nintendo Switch remake)
Publisher	Nintendo
Platform(s)	Game Boy Game Boy Color Virtual Console (3DS) Nintendo Switch
Release date	Game Boy: Template:Release The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX (Game Boy Color): Template:Release The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX (3DS Virtual Console): Template:Release Nintendo Switch (remake): Template:Release[?]
Genre	Adventure
Rating(s)	Game Boy and Game Boy Color: ESRB: - Everyone PEGI: - Seven years and older ACB: - Eight years and older USK: - All ages Nintendo Switch: ESRB: - Everyone PEGI: - Seven years and older CERO: - Twelve years and older ACB: - Parental Guidance Gmedia: - Seven years and older NMC: - Seven years and older
Mode(s)	Single player
Input	Nintendo Switch: Joy-Con Nintendo Switch Pro Controller Game Boy: Gamepad Game Boy Color: Gamepad Nintendo 3DS: Gamepad

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening is an adventure game in The Legend of Zelda series released in 1993 on the Game Boy. The game follows Link as he escapes on a mysterious island known as Koholint Island after he is shipwrecked and left stranded. The game features various elements from the Super Mario series, such as Goombas and Thwomps.

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening had two remakes. The first remake, The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX, was released for the Game Boy Color in 1998. The second remake, also titled The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, was released for the Nintendo Switch in 2019.

Gameplay

The player controls Link as he ventures across Koholint Island and its eight dungeons. Link has three hearts at the start, which Link can increase with Heart Containers and four Piece of Hearts. Whenever Link moves at the corner end of a map, it moves along with Link to reveal more of Koholint Island. Link is able to use a variety of items that he can switch at whim, including the Roc's Feather for the ability to jump across gaps, and the Power Bracelet to hold objects. In certain parts of the game, Link will need to have another character following them, such as when Link asks Marin to tag along in order to wake up a Walrus by singing the Ballad of the Wind Fish.

Mario-related cameos

Mamu in The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening

• Tarin resembles Mario. He even transforms into a raccoon (or rather, a tanuki) reminiscent of Tanooki Mario by eating a toadstool. Likewise, the Henhouse Keeper resembles Luigi.
• There are many enemies from the Mario franchise, though some of them were named differently in English guides. There are Goombas, Piranha Plants, Podoboos, Spinies (called Spiked Beetles), Cheep Cheeps (called Cheep-Sheeps), Bloobers, Thwomps (called Spiked Thwomps), Thwimps (called Thwomps), Pokeys, Boos, Shy Guys (called Mask-Mimics), and Sparks. Also, the Bombite enemy bears a striking resemblance to Bob-omb.
• A Chain Chomp, under the name BowWow, is featured in the game and "befriends" Link as it actually helps him access the second dungeon, Bottle Grotto. Mini Bow-Wows named ChowChow and CiaoCiao also appear, and the latter is a speech-capable female that helps in a trading sequence.
• A Yoshi Doll is found at the Trendy Game in Mabe Village. Link can win the Yoshi Doll by controlling the crane and hovering over it. When the doll is received, the text box states that Yoshi has appeared in many games recently, another reference to the Mario games. In the Nintendo Switch remake of the game, the text is changed to state that the player cannot count how many games it has appeared in now.
• When Mr. Write shows the player the picture sent to him by Christine, a goat living in Animal Village, the picture of "Christine" is actually one of Princess Toadstool. In the Nintendo Switch remake, promotional artwork of Princess Peach with her parasol is shown.
• The character Wart reappears in this game under his original Japanese name Mamu and acts as an ally to Link by teaching him the Frog's Song of Soul.
• In Link's Awakening DX, green, red, and blue color variants of the Boo Blah enemy from Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island appear in the Color Dungeon. They were initially localized as Camo Goblins, but later became known as Goo Specters in the Nintendo Switch remake.
• In the Nintendo Switch remake, figures of BowWow, CiaoCiao, a Goomba, Spiny, Boo, Cheep Cheep, Blooper, Shy Guy, Piranha Plant, and Pokey can be acquired in the Trendy Game. With the exception of the Chain Chomp characters, all of the aforementioned enemies are referred to by their Mario franchise names.
• Also in the Nintendo Switch remake, Cheep Cheeps and Bloopers can be caught in the Fishing Pond.

Gallery

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  The Yoshi doll

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  The Trendy Game

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  The photo of "Christine"

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  BowWow, trapped in the Moblin Cave

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  Piranha Plants and Goombas

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  BowWow in the Nintendo Switch remake

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  Goombas in an early version of the Nintendo Switch remake

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  Goombas in the final version of the Nintendo Switch remake

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  Artwork of BowWow and its owner Madam MeowMeow in the Nintendo Switch remake

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  Spinies in the Nintendo Switch remake

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  Boos in the Nintendo Switch remake

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  Cheep Cheeps in the Nintendo Switch remake

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  Bloopers in the Nintendo Switch remake

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  A Shy Guy in the Nintendo Switch remake

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  Piranha Plants in the Nintendo Switch remake

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  Lava Bubbles in the Nintendo Switch remake

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  A Pokey in the Nintendo Switch remake

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  Mamu in the Nintendo Switch remake

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  Banner used for a topic informing the release of the Nintendo Switch remake of the game, from the official Japanese website for Super Mario Maker 2

External links

• The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening on Zelda Dungeon Wiki
• The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening on Triforce Wiki