Games

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening

Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development

1993•Puzzle•ESRB E•About 12 hours

Taste attributes: actionadventurefantasymusicaldetectivemafia/gangstervehiclesfastlightimaginarylinearglossybig & variedall consuming questdeep rivalryfighting evilfish out of water/culture clashhuman spirit/resilience/survivalrescue/escape/jeopardysolving the riddle/not as it seemsunderdog triumphs

See which match your taste

Boxlist takeOtherworldly and glossy: a very fast puzzle game, big and varied rather than confined. Best if you like polish over grit.

Pace: very fast · Originality: balanced · Tone: balanced · Weight: balanced · Realism: imaginary world · Story: balanced · Structure: linear · Look: very glossy · Scale: big and varied · Emotional punch: balancedHow we score

IGDB rating

83 / 100

236 ratings

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Based on your film and TV taste: games are matched on the same ten characteristics, with your own match bands.

About This Game

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening is the first title in the series to be released on a handheld system and the only Zelda title on the original Game Boy. The gameplay is mostly similar to its predecessor with a top-down perspective, however there are short sections in dungeons where the game switches to a side-scrolling view with platforming elements. For this new adventure, Link must go onto each of the 7 temples to retrieve a musical instrument that will help awaken the Wind Fish. Along the way, he must search the land and uncover hidden treasures and items that will allow him to progress on his journey. Since its release, Link's Awakening has been popular among fans and critics.

Summary: IGDB

Story

After the events of A Link to the Past, the hero Link travels by ship to other countries to train for further threats. After being attacked at sea, Link's ship sinks and he finds himself stranded on Koholint Island. He awakens to see a beautiful woman looking down at him and soon learns the island has a giant egg on top of a mountain that the Wind Fish inhabits deep inside. Link is told to awaken the wind fish and all will be answered, so he sets out on another quest.

Characteristics

Where this game sits on each taste spectrum

SlowPACEFast

FamiliarORIGINALITYOriginal

DarkTONEWholesome

LightWEIGHTINESSHeavy

FantasyREALISMRealistic

SimpleINTRICACYIntricate

Non-LinearLINEARITYLinear

UnderstatedSTYLEStylised

IntimateSCALEEpic

RestrainedEMOTIONIntense

Genres and themes

ActionAdventureFantasyMusicalDetectiveMafia/gangsterVehiclesAll consuming questDeep rivalryFighting evilFish out of water/culture clashHuman spirit/resilience/survivalRescue/escape/jeopardySolving the riddle/not as it seemsUnderdog triumphs

Keywords

MagicMascotPrequelDeathMazeChickenAction-adventureBacktracking

Details

Developer: Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development
Publishers: Nintendo, Playtronic
Released: 6 June 1993
Series: The Legend of Zelda
Platforms: Game Boy
Modes: Single player
Perspective: Bird view / Isometric, Side view
Time to beat: 12h normally, 9h complete
Age rating: ESRB E
Taste scores: How we score
Source: IGDB

How game matches work

Games are scored on the same ten characteristics as films and matched with the same formula and your own match bands, from your film and TV taste. Game scores are estimates, made by fixed rules from IGDB genres, themes, keywords and descriptions.