I haven't posted much around here before, but after recently playing Twilight Princess and replaying Link to the Past, I had an urge to discuss my first, and probably favourite, Zelda - Link's Awakening.
The Wikipedia entry:
After training abroad, Link is sailing back to Hyrule, but is shipwrecked in a violent storm. He awakens on Koholint Island, and is taken to the house of a kind man named Tarin, and his daughter Marin (who bears a strong resemblance to Princess Zelda). A mysterious owl tells Link that to return home, he must awaken the Wind Fish by gathering and playing the eight Instruments of the Sirens. The bosses in Link’s Awakening, who guard the Sirens’ Instruments, are said to be the Nightmares of the Wind Fish. When Link plays the Ballad of the Wind Fish with all eight Instruments, he can enter the giant egg atop Mt. Tamaranch, where the Wind Fish slumbers.
I also love the world map, which I found a nice version in the Map Thread that was here a while back:
(Thumbnailed for hugeness).
Anyone else have a love affair with this fine portable adventure?
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Such a good goddamn game. Eagle's Tower.
And then so much time glitching up the game with that warping trick. Seriously broke it doing that.
One of the things I find most interesting is the beta History of this game. Seems it was the NES Zelda III for a while... then it kinda split in two. Half became LTTP and half became LA.
But...
Classic Hyrule Map!
Ahh, I spent ages reading about this game. Memories.
XBL/PSN/Steam: APZonerunner
Dungeons were awesome though, as always.
I think when I finally get through all the Zeldas I have, but haven't played it, I'll give this game another go.
Or I'll replay MM first, then LA.
I WILL NOT BE DOING 3DS FOR NWC THREAD. SOMEONE ELSE WILL HAVE TO TAKE OVER.
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So is that map a similar set-up to the one from a Link to the Past, but just as if it was made for the GB?
Well, the development history of LA and LTTP is rather shrouded in Mystery, and both are obviously connected to the started but never completed Zelda III for NES.
Clearly this map design featured - it got picked for LTTP, it seems, and dropped for LA. Maybe once upon a time LA was LTTP, or at least had the same setting and plot. It's difficult to say. It's clear it's a beta version, though - look how empty the map is. It'd be really interesting if one day a magazine could get some information on the making of this game, though, as it clearly went through a hell of a lot of changes.
XBL/PSN/Steam: APZonerunner
See I find the development history of games, especially ones that get chopped and changed around so much, absolutely fascinating.
Also, this game's ending is one of the best in the series. Probably right behind Twilight Princess and Majora's Mask.
Yeah the ending was sad how [spoiler:e359b96542]How the enemies are only fighting link because when the wind fish wakes up they'll dissapear and they just want to live[/spoiler:e359b96542].
I actually rank this as my favourite zelda. I remember boring it off a friend as a kid and playing it non stop until I finished it over the weekend, he was jealous as he hadn't finsihed it yet. I miss the roc's feather I thought that was cool.
Satans..... hints.....
But either way Seasons > Ages
[spoiler:d252376026]I was so sad when I watched everyone fade away. Especially Marin, watching her disappear was just heartbreaking.
Made the no deaths clear all the better, though. That alone was more valuable to me than any other sort of bonus they could have put in for a 1-life clear.[/spoiler:d252376026]
Best game in the series, if you ask me. Maybe even best game ever.
Well, yeah. The ending and the story leading up to it is a pretty big part of what makes this game so amazing.
any ideas?
Steam ID: Good Life
Not my favorite Zelda...probably 7th favorite. Still completely awesome.
It definitely had a unique feel to, different than other Zelda games. It really did feel like a dream, even before anything indicating such a thing was ever indicated. I really dug the mysterious vibe the whole game world gave off...hearing about the Windfish from those signs, listening to those owl statue things...I dunno.
I just really liked the atmosphere, and that's saying something on such a technologically limited game.
[spoiler:818bf2cf22]"The Wind Fish in name only, for it is neither"
"Music. The Fish stirs in the egg. You are there..."
"The Wind Fish slumbers long...The Hero's life gone..."[/spoiler:818bf2cf22]
I WILL NOT BE DOING 3DS FOR NWC THREAD. SOMEONE ELSE WILL HAVE TO TAKE OVER.
Spoiler contains Friend Codes. Won't you be my friend?
More Friend Codes!
Mario Kart Wii: 3136-6982-0286 Tetris Party: 2364 1569 4310
Guitar Hero: Metallica: 1032 7229 7191
TATSUNOKO VS CAPCOM: 1935-2070-9123
Nintendo DS:
Worms: Open Warfare 2: 1418-7870-1606 Space Bust-a-Move: 017398 403043
Scribblenauts: 1290-7509-5558
PSN: super_emu
Xbox360 Gamertag: Emuchop
Second one sounds like a premonition of the very end of the game, the music being the instruments, which opens the egg when you're there for them to play.
That last one...really is the most interesting. Since the game is alleged to be the Wind Fish's dream at the very end (if I remember right), does that imply that the shipwreck had left Link actually dead, and he was actually questing through some sort of afterlife, or limbo?[/spoiler:a6b3f086e1]
That screen was originally published in Nintendo Power magazine vol 44, January 1993.
Link's Awakening was made from most of the same staff from A Link to the Past, and I figured those maps were used to test out the engine. There's a few small references to A Link to the Past, including the The Eastern Palace above as the shrine where you learn the truth about the island.
I still play the original in black and white occassionally, its got one of the best endings in the series.
Also: I would kill and die for a remake in 3D. Anyone with me?
I got Link's Awakening DX, the one for gameboy colour, it was a lot of fun but some spots I would just get stuck in. I was stuck in the last dungeon for such a long time until I got the guide and found out there was a random breakable wall in a random room that you got the item of the dungeon in so you could proceed to the boss room. I loved it.
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It took me forever to beat the last boss though, because [spoiler:a35b58f6bc]I couldn't figure out that you could jump over the arms (tentacles?) of his last form.[/spoiler:a35b58f6bc]
I really wish Nintendo would release some kind of collection with this, the Oracle games and even The Minish Cap for the DS.
No.
Sorry, to me this game was perfect in it's 2D, black and white glory.
Though DX is ok, except [spoiler:39e2d07b4a]the no-deaths ending on the GB version is much better.[/spoiler:39e2d07b4a]
Also the color dungeon is cool but the tunics are pointlessly powerful. You don't need them, and the game is better with the challenge of the normal tunic. That's optional though so I won't complain.
I don't think I want them to really rework this game. The 2D just worked so well for it that I'm afraid of what might happen in a transition to 3D.
Though, come to think of it, I'd really kind of like to see those Marin scenes in 3D. But... What would Marin look like? I really don't want to see Marin look like Zelda, like the game claimed. She really looks more like Malon to me.
I would be crushed if she looked like Zelda. Marin's really what made the game for me.
I needed the blue tunic. 14 hearts max with no fairies to bring you back to full health (except for that other thing you buy)? Yikes.
And yes about Marin/Malon. Take Malon, give her the blue dress, give her longer and wider hair, BAM! You have Marin.
I WILL NOT BE DOING 3DS FOR NWC THREAD. SOMEONE ELSE WILL HAVE TO TAKE OVER.
Spoiler contains Friend Codes. Won't you be my friend?
More Friend Codes!
Mario Kart Wii: 3136-6982-0286 Tetris Party: 2364 1569 4310
Guitar Hero: Metallica: 1032 7229 7191
TATSUNOKO VS CAPCOM: 1935-2070-9123
Nintendo DS:
Worms: Open Warfare 2: 1418-7870-1606 Space Bust-a-Move: 017398 403043
Scribblenauts: 1290-7509-5558
She's a trophy in Super Smash Brothers Melee... which apparently everyone has forgotten.
best picture I could find. you get it from unlocking the sound test.
so, in short, Nintendo has already made her in 3D.
Yes, but I like to ignore that because it doesn't look quite right to me, and since it's just a trophy, I can.
Her hair should be redder and such. Even before Ocarina came out, and despite the pitcure of her in the manual, I always pictured her as looking pretty much exactly like Malon does.
And if I could beat the game, no deaths, without special tunics back in the classic, non-DX version of Link's Awakening, when I was 7 and had never owned another video game (not counting the Commodore 64 back at the early edges of my memory), then everyone else should be able to do it too.
Of course, I also never got confused by the Eagle's Tower and it was my favorite dungeon, so I guess I'm not really a fair measuring stick.