Nintendo isn’t doing a live press conference at this year’s E3. However, they do have a booth on the show floor and will be streaming previews of new games. One of these titles is Link’s Awakening, a remake of the Game Boy Legend of Zelda title from 1993.
Link’s Awakening — What We Know
We first heard of the Link’s Awakening remake back in February, when Nintendo announced it via Nintendo Direct. The game is a remake of Link’s first outing on a portable console, which departed from many of the series’ conventions to tell a story closer to a David Lynch joint than a typical Zelda game. Link finds himself shipwrecked on Koholint Island, surrounded by mysterious yet familiar characters. He sets out on a quest to wake the Wind Fish and return home. Adventure ensues!
Aside from the unconventional setting and story for a Zelda game, Link’s Awakening incorporated some new gameplay elements as well. It gave Link the ability to jump using a certain item, mixed in side-scrolling segments, and added mini-games that became mainstays of the series, like fishing.
The updated Switch release revises the game’s original presentation with distinctive, plastic-looking polygonal graphics. This new look makes the game visually distinct from both the previous Link Between Worlds and the Wind Waker-inspired appearance of top-down titles like Four Swords Adventures. Honestly? I’m here for it. Putting a toy-like gloss complete with a tilt-shift on the weird world of Koholint is the perfect way to graphically update the game for a modern console.
Link’s Awakening will be released this year, both on the Switch eShop and as a game card. We don’t have an exact date yet, but Nintendo may disclose it during their presentation.
Link’s Awakening — Hands-On Impressions
Link’s Awakening is going to be playable at E3, so we’ll update with our impressions after we’ve gotten our hands on it.
