The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening

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The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
North American box art of The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening for Game Boy
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:
Japan June 6, 1993
USA August 6, 1993
Europe December 1, 1993
Game Boy Color:
Japan December 12, 1998
USA December 15, 1998
Europe January 1999
3DS Virtual Console (Game Boy Color):
Japan June 8, 2011
USA June 7, 2011
Europe June 8, 2011
Nintendo Switch (remake):
Japan September 20, 2019
USA September 20, 2019
Europe September 20, 2019
Game Boy - Nintendo Switch Online (Game Boy Color):
USA February 8, 2023
Japan February 9, 2023
Europe February 9, 2023
Australia February 9, 2023
South Korea February 9, 2023
HK February 9, 2023
Genre Adventure
Rating(s) Game Boy and Game Boy Color:
ESRB:E - Everyone
PEGI:7 - Seven years and older
ACB:G8+ - Eight years and older
USK:0 - All ages
Nintendo Switch:
ESRB:E - Everyone
PEGI:7 - Seven years and older
CERO:B - Twelve years and older
ACB:PG - Parental Guidance
GCAM:7 - Seven years and older
NMC:7 - Seven years and older
Mode(s) Single player
Media
Nintendo Switch:
Game Card
Digital download
Game Boy:
Game Pak
Game Boy Color:
Game Pak
Nintendo 3DS:
Digital download
Input
Nintendo Switch:
Game Boy:
Game Boy Color:
Nintendo 3DS:

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 series, 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[edit]

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 Piece of Hearts. 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[edit]

Mamu and his frog choir performing the Frog's Song of Soul for Link.
Mamu in The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX
  • Tarin resembles Mario. He even transforms into a raccoon (or rather, a tanuki) reminiscent of Tanooki Mario by eating a toadstool. Likewise, 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 Toadstool. In the Nintendo Switch remake, promotional artwork of Princess 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 in the Nintendo Switch remake, Cheep Cheeps and Bloopers can be caught in the Fishing Pond.

Gallery[edit]

Names in other languages[edit]

Language Name Meaning
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
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[edit]