The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds is the seventeenth Zelda game, developed for the Nintendo 3DS. It is the first Zelda title made specifically for the 3DS. Aside from gameplay elements that use 3DS-exclusive hardware, A Link Between Worlds marks a deliberate return to the Zelda series' 2D roots, as seen in games like The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, and it serves as a sequel to the latter game; thus it features a similar overworld system, gameplay, and music. It was released on November 22 in North America and Europe, and was released on November 24 in Australia. It will be released on December 26 in Japan, and opened to critical acclaim.

Overview
A Link Between Worlds uses traditional 2D gameplay as featured in the early Zelda games, unlike the Nintendo DS games (Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks), which used an unorthodox touch-screen control system, and the 3D games, which started with Ocarina of Time.

The top screen shows the main game, while the bottom one shows the map, Rupee count, item buttons (X and Y), and a button labeled "Collect," which allows players to access a twenty-slot inventory. The touch screen is comparable to that of the 3DS remake of Ocarina of Time. The A button controls basic actions like transforming, the B button is dedicated to the sword, and X and Y use items. The 3D capabilities of the console enhance gameplay in several ways. For example, some dungeons allow the player to see below beyond the current floor they are on. A Stamina Gauge that regenerates over time also appears, this time used for every item in the game, even replacing collectible bombs and arrows.

Item Renting
A Link Between Worlds is non-linear compared to other recent Zelda games, almost to the extent of the original, allowing Link freedom in choosing dungeons or areas to explore. This was accomplished with a new item rental system, which allows Link to temporarily use any item in the game, provided he has enough Rupees.

Item renting is done through Ravio's shop, which carries all key items- they are no longer found in dungeons. Link can either rent or buy items, the difference being that renting is temporary and costs fewer Rupees. If Link loses all of his hearts while renting items, they will be taken from him and returned to the shop, forcing him to trek all the way back to re-rent them. This was a conscious decision on the part of the developers to make the game more challenging. Purchasing items, on the other hand, is far more expensive, but allows Link to keep the items and also allows him to upgrade them with Mother Maiamai.

Becoming a Drawing
A major new ability in the game, tied to both the gameplay and the plot, is the ability for Link to transform himself into a drawing. This ability is used to cling to (and move along) walls, fit through tight crevices, and access Lorule, among other functions, allowing it to be an integral part of puzzles. Other characters in the game, such as the Sages, also become drawings in a similar fashion as a plot device. This ability depletes the Stamina meter, so it cannot be used indefinitely. Link resembles a hieroglyphic sketch in this mode, as do others who have been transformed.

Development
Confirmed by Eiji Aonuma on November 3, 2011, this new installment takes elements from previous console Zelda games. Aonuma also stated that it is not a direct sequel to any of the other titles released on the Nintendo DS. Shigeru Miyamoto publicly stated he wished to create something "new, based on, or starting from" in an April 2012 interview. The game was officially revealed on April 17, 2013 during a Nintendo Direct. A playable demo was made available to the press shortly afterwards, showcasing the dungeon from the trailer.

Upon the game's release, an official Iwata's Ask feature was released, an interview conducted by Satoru Iwata to the game's developers, regarding the game's conception and creation. They revealed that the project involved a rocky development cycle, being put on hold after various members of the team were drafted to other 3DS/Wii U projects. At first, the game was meant to be a sequel to the Nintendo DS games, and a prototype was made in 2010 that featured the same cel-shaded Link as seen in Spirit Tracks, with a simple flattening ability that allowed Link to blend into the wall.

This prototype approved by Shigeru Miyamoto (who had dismissed previous ideas for the game as "20 years old"), the team was ready to develop the game, but they were drafted to various Wii U titles and SS undefined; the team effectively disbanded. Aonuma quietly resumed work on the game along with a few other people before the rest of the team began returning. Miyamoto then proposed that the game be based directly on, and development started "in earnest". Elements that the team focused on were achieving a framerate of 60FPS, which allowed the action on-screen to flow smoother and also allow drag-and-drop item rearrangement on the Touch Screen, use of stereoscopic 3D, and new gameplay elements that built on A Link to the Past.

Timeline Placement
A Link Between Worlds is an indirect follow-up to A Link to the Past and its direct sequels, set in the same world as the SNES classic, but features a new storyline and new dungeons. In various interviews, Eiji Aonuma said that the game shows what happened to characters from A Link to the Past after the events of that game, but features different incarnations of Link and Zelda than those of A Link to the Past. The Hero and Princess of Link to the Past are mentioned repeatedly, and their story is even narrated through a series of paintings in Hyrule Castle.

A Link Between Worlds takes place centuries after the events of but before  in the "Downfall" split timeline after Ganon successfully defeated Link in Ocarina of Time. It features different incarnations of Link and Zelda, including the descendants of most the characters from Ocarina of Time and A Link to the Past, such as the sages.

The final cutscene of the game reveals that it is most likely set immediately before Hyrule's Golden Age, which was when the Royal Family of Hyrule gained possession of the unified Triforce, and peace ruled the land. The main story of the game ultimately concerns how all three parts of the Triforce were unified and enshrined again in the Sacred Realm. The game ends with Link and Zelda touching the Triforce together and wishing Lorule, along with it's own Triforce, be restored to it's former state. Both worlds are restored to lasting peace, having learned to respect the power of the Triforce.

Setting
A Link Between Worlds takes place in both Hyrule from A Link to the Past and an alternate, corrupted version of Hyrule, called Lorule. Lorule houses a dark counterpart to the Triforce of Hyrule, with similar powers and history. However, the wars fought over Lorule's Triforce caused it to split and fail to protect the kingdom, resulting in Lorule's corruption. As a direct counterpart to Hyrule, Lorule features many counterparts to Hyrule's citizens, like Princess Hilda to Princess Zelda.

Audio
The game features re-arranged music from A Link to the Past. The sound effects are also carried over from A Link to the Past. In addition to this, the "StreetPass Battle Theme" and "StreetPass Victory Theme", are rearrangements of the famous "Temple Theme" from The Adventure of Link, marking the first time that a music theme from that game has appeared in a subsequent Zelda game. This is because in StreetPass mode, the player is Link and the opponent is 'Shadow' Link, inspired by the final boss fight from A Link to the Past.

Trivia

 * While experimenting with a strict top-down view with 3D graphics, the team ran into a unique issue: the game "looked boring" because only the tops of characters' heads and buildings could be seen. In order to emulate the older, 2D, pseudo-3D graphics, all non-environmental models are skewed in their placement, to slightly face up at the camera.
 * A Link Between Worlds Hero Mode is the only one in the series to include hearts. Despite this, some enemies do quadruple the normal damage.
 * This is the first Zelda game where the highlighted text is blue rather than the traditional red.