The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
| The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening | |||||||||||||||||||||
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 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 Game Boy - Nintendo Switch Online | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Release date | Game Boy: Template:Release Game Boy Color: Template:Release 3DS Virtual Console (Game Boy Color): Template:Release Nintendo Switch (remake): Template:Release Game Boy - Nintendo Switch Online (Game Boy Color): Template:Release[?] | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Genre | Adventure | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Rating(s) | Game Boy and Game Boy Color:
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| Mode(s) | Single player | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Format | Nintendo Switch:  Game Card Digital downloadGame Boy:
 Game PakGame Boy Color:
 Game PakNintendo 3DS: Digital download | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Input | Nintendo Switch: Game Boy:
Game Boy Color:
Nintendo 3DS:
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- Everyone
- Seven years and older
- Eight years and older
- All ages
- Twelve years and older
- Parental Guidance
- Seven years and older
- Seven years and older
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 franchise, such as Goombas and Thwomps.
An enhanced port titled The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX was released for the Game Boy Color in 1998. A 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 Pieces of Heart. 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.
Super Mario content
- Tarin resembles Mario. He even transforms into a raccoon (or rather, a tanuki) reminiscent of Tanooki Mario by eating a toadstool. Similarly, the Henhouse Keeper resembles Luigi.
- There are many enemies from the Super 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 Super 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 Peach. In the Nintendo Switch remake, promotional artwork of 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 Super Mario franchise names.
- Also, Cheep Cheeps and Bloopers can be caught in the Fishing Pond.
Gallery
The Yoshi Doll
The Trendy Game
The photo of "Christine"
BowWow, trapped in the Moblin Cave
Piranha Plants and Goombas
BowWow in the Nintendo Switch remake
Goombas in an early version of the Nintendo Switch remake
Goombas in the final version of the Nintendo Switch remake
Artwork of BowWow and its owner Madam MeowMeow in the Nintendo Switch remake
Spinies in the Nintendo Switch remake
Boos in the Nintendo Switch remake
Cheep Cheeps in the Nintendo Switch remake
Bloopers in the Nintendo Switch remake
A Shy Guy in the Nintendo Switch remake
Piranha Plants in the Nintendo Switch remake
Lava Bubbles in the Nintendo Switch remake
A Pokey in the Nintendo Switch remake
Mamu in the Nintendo Switch remake
Concept art of the group artwork for the Nintendo Switch remake, featuring BowWow
Concept art of the group artwork for the Nintendo Switch remake, featuring BowWow
The September 2019 LINE calendar, themed after the Nintendo Switch remake
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
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ゼルダの伝説 夢をみる島[?] Zeruda no Densetsu: Yume o Miru Shima |
The Legend of Zelda: Dreaming Island | |
| Italian | La leggenda di Zelda: Il risveglio di Link (in-game)[?] | The legend of Zelda: Link's awakening |
- The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ゼルダの伝説 夢をみる島DX[?] Zeruda no Densetsu: Yume o Miru Shima DX |
The Legend of Zelda: Dreaming Island DX |
External links
- The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening on Zelda Dungeon Wiki
- The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening on Triforce Wiki
| Game Boy games | |
|---|---|
| Super Mario franchise | Alleyway (1989) • Baseball (1989) • Super Mario Land (1989) • Golf (1989) • Dr. Mario (1990) • Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins (1992) • Donkey Kong (1994) • Mario's Picross (1995) • Picross 2 (1996) |
| Donkey Kong franchise | Donkey Kong (1994) • Donkey Kong Land (1995) • Donkey Kong Land 2 (1996) • Donkey Kong Land III (1997) |
| Yoshi franchise | Yoshi (1991) • Yoshi's Cookie (1992) • Tetris Attack (1996) |
| Wario franchise | Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 (1994) • Wario Blast: Featuring Bomberman! (1994) • Wario Land II (1998) |
| Miscellaneous | Tetris (1989) • The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (1993) • Game & Watch Gallery (1997) • Game & Watch Gallery 2 (1997) |
| Game Boy Color games | |
|---|---|
| Super Mario franchise | Super Mario Bros. Deluxe (1999) • Mario Golf (1999) • Mario Tennis (2000) • Mobile Golf (2001) • Mario Family (2001) |
| Donkey Kong franchise | Donkey Kong GB: Dinky Kong & Dixie Kong (2000) • Donkey Kong Country (2000) |
| Wario franchise | Wario Land II* (1998) • Wario Land 3 (2000) |
| Other | Game & Watch Gallery 2* (1998) • The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX* (1998) • Game & Watch Gallery 3* (1999) |
