Jeremy Parish makes a wonderful series of books and videos chronicling the games that were released for Nintendo systems. Most recently he released coverage of The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening DX.
Link’s Awakening was the Game Boy game I played the most when I was a kid and it holds so much nostalgia for me but, as the video celebrates, the game is brimming with character and plays very well. I haven’t had a chance to dive into the remake for Nintendo Switch, but with such a solid game to build upon, it must be enjoyable.
We have yet another early Game Boy Color release that got its start in monochrome—but this one’s a little different. Rather than appearing as a late Game Boy release and hastily being reworked for color, The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening debuted back in 1993 and was given a comprehensive overhaul for the new handheld. While largely the same game as the original release, with few visual or mechanical changes outside of a more vivid palette, Link’s Awakening DX does add new material to Nintendo’s handheld classic: A new bonus dungeon, some new gear, and Game Boy Printer support. It ultimately amounts to a minor upgrade, yes, but the base game was so strong that it didn’t need much in the way of an overhaul. Here, as on Game Boy, it’s a genuine classic.
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening retrospective: A recurring dream | Game Boy Works Color #007