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Video Game The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening Review
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (1999) is an adventure-puzzle game in the Zelda series and universe. A remake of the 1993 Game Boy game of the same name, this one is set on Koholint Island and follows Link after he is stranded and must find a way back to the land of Hyrule. Its unique combination of puzzles and combat and exploration, together with a surprisingly deep story make it an intriguing game to play.

Our examiner, Ben Kendall, first checked The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening 2 years ago. It was re-examined by Jo Robertson and updated 7 weeks ago.

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Play OverviewPlay Overview

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening is an adventure-puzzle game in the Zelda series and universe. A remake of the 1993 Game Boy game of the same name, this one is set on Koholint Island and follows Link after he is stranded and must find a way back to the land of Hyrule. Its unique combination of puzzles and combat and exploration, together with a surprisingly deep story make it an intriguing game to play.

Link's Awakening's unique cartoon art style paired with the shallow depth-of-field effect makes playing the game feel like playing with physical toys and is a noticeable departure from other Zelda games such as Breath of the Wild. You traverse through the open world and battle enemies using your sword and protect yourself with your armour, as well as completing the sometimes quite difficult puzzle-based dungeons which can be based on colour puzzles, locating keys and much more.

You can throw heavy objects like bounders to clear your path, grapple across gorges and dash into enemies to defeat them, and you can find and upgrade your gear as you go. Using your abilities, you explore the island on a quest to collect eight instruments and awaken the island's legendary Wind Fish in order to escape. Unlike many other Zelda games, Link can also jump and there are also several platforming sections in the game.
 

BenefitsBenefits

This game is good if you want to:

This game has helped players develop their Knowledge as part of the following pathways:

This game has been the inspiration for the following activities:
Design A Maze
MAKING AND DESIGNING

Play StylePlay Style

This is an Adventure and Fighting game with Action, Platform, Puzzle, Role-Play and Traversal elements. This is a single-player game.

DurationDuration

Play Time: This game will take between 13 hours and 18 hours to complete. Some of the missions, like delivering a long series of items to different people, can take a long time to figure out unless you use a guide.

Age RatingsAge Ratings

Content Rating

Rated PEGI 7 for Violence. This game has received a PEGI 7 because it features non-realistic violence in a child-friendly setting or context and violence that lacks any apparent harm or injury to fantasy or mythical beings and creatures. Not suitable for persons under 7 of age. This game features combat between a human protagonist and fantasy monsters, but the visual style of this game makes the violence found in combat less disturbing. The violence and reactions to it are unrealistic and comical.

Rated for younger players in the US. Rated ESRB EVERYONE for Mild Fantasy Violence. Players use a sword, arrows, and magic attacks to strike enemies (e.g., turtles, slimes, bats, birds) that usually burst into clouds of smoke when defeated.

Skill Level

8+ year-olds usually have the required skill to enjoy this game.

Our Game Pathways reveal how 17-year-olds play this game:

CostsCosts

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening usually costs £49.99.
 
You can only play this on older systems (Game Boy) but can usually find it second hand on eBay.

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening

Switch Store Switch £49.99
There are no additional in-game purchases, loot boxes, adverts or subscription costs.

DetailsGame Details

Release Date: 01/01/1999, updated in 2019

Out Now: Game Boy and Switch

Content Rating: PEGI 7

Skill Rating: 8+ year-olds

Players: 1

Genres: Adventure, Fighting (Action, Platform, Puzzle, Role-Play and Traversal)

Accessibility: 17 features

Components: 2D Overhead, Hand-Made and Open World

Developer: Nintendo (@Nintendo)


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Taming Gaming Book Written by parents for parents, the database complements the in-depth discussion about video game addiction, violence, spending and online safety in the Taming Gaming book. We are an editorially independent, free resource without adverts that is supported by partnerships.

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