The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (Nintendo Switch)


 * This article is about the remake of the original . For other uses, see Link's Awakening (Disambiguation).

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening is a Nintendo Switch remake of the Game Boy game,. It was officially announced during a Nintendo Direct on February 13, 2019, and was released on September 20, 2019.

Graphics

 * The game features HD, 3D graphics with a fully modeled world rather than a sprite based one. The game also features a new diorama-like art style.
 * On a similar note, Link is now depicted as having blond hair throughout the game. In the original and DX versions, the blond hair was only apparent in the opening and ending cutscenes (and in the case of the latter, during the photograph quests), with his sprite depicting him with dark hair due to a limited color pallette.
 * The game's introduction and ending cutscenes are fully animated.
 * Enemy models resemble their and  counterparts.
 * Doors that require a pot to be thrown at to open show a picture of a pot on it.

Gameplay

 * The overworld no longer has screen transitions as areas are loaded in their entirety.
 * Many dungeon and caves that have big rooms no longer have separate screens in each zone; instead, the screen scrolls with Link continuously within the big room.
 * The LANS: is available at the beginning of the game and can be selected upon the creation of a new save file.
 * LANS: can slash his Sword in eight directions instead of the four directions of the Game Boy's D-Pad.
 * Link now swings his sword with his left hand all the time; in the original, when facing east, he would use his right hand due to his sprite being flipped. The only exception is on sidescrolling sections where Link always swing his sword downwards when facing left or right.
 * The maximum amount of NaN Heart Containers LANS: can have has been increased from 14 to 20.
 * After defeating bosses, the doors leading to the NaN Instrument of the Sirenss open before collecting the LANS:, making a Three Heart Challenge possible.
 * LANS: can now receive a quarter heart of damage (most damages at minimum is half-heart, but quarter damage can be done via Guardian Acorn).
 * NaN Markers and NaN Pins can be placed on the LANS:.
 * A new screen called Memories can be accessed from the Map, which shows previous conversations with characters, such as the LANS: and LANS:, and the location of already obtained NaN Piece of Hearts and NaN Secret Seashells.
 * New NaN Warp Points have been added, and Link can choose where to warp instead of there being a preset sequence.
 * There is a new dungeon creator in LANS: called the LANS:.
 * The LANS:, LANS:, LANS:, and LANS: are always equipped and have their own dedicated buttons.
 * amiibo functionality has been added, with amiibo unlocking content for the Chamber Dungeon.
 * Doors in dungeons that require all enemies in the room to be killed will permanently be open even when they respawn, no longer requiring Link to re-kill enemies when backtracking.
 * DethI's number of arrow hits has been reduced from 16 to 10 in order to defeat.

Locations

 * The interior of houses are much more decorated and feature tropical styled furniture, such as palm trees and hammocks.
 * Some of them also have stands where figures based on characters and enemies can be placed.
 * The size of the patch of grass near BowWow has been reduced.
 * The LANS: sells six items instead of four.
 * The LANS: has been completely revamped, having still items and small platforms moving from left to right.
 * Items grabbed by the LANS: are subject to physics.
 * NaN Piece of Hearts, NaN Secret Seashells, and Figures can also be obtained as rewards.
 * There are more Trees and Bushes outside of LANS:.
 * The LANS: features a new green variation of the big LANS:, NaN Bloobers, and NaN Cheep-Cheeps. A LANS: can also be found in the bottom of the pond.
 * The entrance to the LANS: has more NaN Trees but less grass.
 * A LANS: has been added near the entrance of LANS:.
 * One of the plants around the entrance to the Bottle Grotto has been replaced with a rock, allowing access to it even without the Magic Rod after BowWow is taken home.
 * The size of the island where a bush with a Secret Seashell is located in LANS: has been reduced.
 * The spot where a LANS: is buried on top of the LANS: has been moved up.
 * LANS: replaces the LANS: from.
 * LANS:'s second floor has ledges where Link can drop off.
 * Some NaN Rocks have been replaced by wooden crates in the LANS:.
 * The LANS: has been altered.
 * One of the skulls in the LANS: has been moved slightly upward.
 * There is a new LANS: north of LANS:, with a LANS: beneath it.

Characters

 * The name of a character appears when talked to.
 * Some previously unnamed characters are given names.
 * The LANS: has been moved to the left of the grass.
 * LANS: appears in the game, running the LANS: in his LANS:.
 * Christine's photo no longer has her name on it when it is shown to Mr. Wright, and the photo itself has been altered to utilize of Princess Peach with a parasol.
 * When returning to the Town Tool Shop after stealing from it, the shopkeeper now has a furious facial expression when saying "Now you will pay the ultimate price!" and promptly killing Link, only returning to his default facial expression after Link dies.

Enemies

 * Enemies with shields can now be staggered to make them vulnerable by blocking their attacks first.
 * NaN Moblins appear as pigs instead of dogs, making them less distinct from NaN Pig Warriors.
 * NaN Cukemans no longer shock Link when slashed with the Sword.
 * LANS:'s room is now squared and there are less holes for LANS: to fall in.
 * LANS:'s battle has been changed.
 * It will throw fireballs, which LANS: can stand under, while circling around the room instead of flying from left to right.
 * Visible cracks are now displayed every time Genie's bottle is thrown, indicating how much more damage Link has to inflict until it breaks.
 * The room is squared instead of having corners.
 * The rooms where LANS: is fought no longer feature blocks showing the fight number; instead, tiles on the floor are colored to reflect this.
 * In addition to Hardhit Beetle changing colors to indicate health, cracks are displayed on its shell.
 * Many bosses are now able to face in any direction instead of just south, removing such limitations like Master Stalfos unable to use his shield if Link is on the right side of the boss.
 * LANS: now moves from side to side of the room.
 * The pre-fight scene for the NaN Shadow Nightmares now has them emerging from within Link. Originally, they appeared beneath Link immediately after the boss fight started.
 * Contact with and fighting against enemies that can fly now operate on the Z-Axis as well as X- and Y-Axes, with enemies not on Link's plane only hurting him through contact if they are low enough to the ground.

Items

 * New NaN Piece of Hearts and NaN Heart Containers have been added.
 * The number of NaN Secret Seashells was increased to 50.
 * All Secret Seashell are no longer Permanently Missable Items:
 * The LANS: near the entrance of LANS: has a LANS: that LANS: can LANS: to, no longer requiring the LANS: to cross. Additionally there is now an opening on the railing that LANS: can use to escape into the moat.
 * The Seashell Mansion now awards Link if he has a certain amount of Secret Seashells at minimum; in the original and DX version, he must have exactly five or 10 Secret Seashells to obtain the additional two Secret Seashells.
 * The maximum Rupee count was increased from 999 to 9,999.
 * The values and locations of NaN Green Rupees and NaN Blue Rupees have been swapped.
 * The regular LANS: takes the appearances of the Series:.
 * The LANS: can grapple from NaN Trees.
 * The item traded to the Item Trader such as the LANS: or LANS: can now be bought for 300 NaN Rupees after obtaining the LANS:.
 * "LANS:" can now be played to warp LANS: to any LANS:.
 * The LANS: is now modeled after a cream bottle.
 * Three NaN Fairy Bottles have been added, which can hold NaN Fairies.
 * A LANS: has been added to help LANS: find NaN Secret Seashells
 * A LANS: can be obtained when reeling a big LANS: in the LANS:. It allows LANS: to cast into deep water.
 * A LANS: can obtained when reeling a Blooper in the Fishing Pond. It drops much more quickly than the other two lures.
 * Figures of  enemies can be collected and placed on stands inside houses.
 * Red and green NaN Apples can fall down when dashing into NaN Trees. These can be collected and eaten by LANS:.
 * Items in the inventory remain fixed at all times, with the Boomerang obtained through the Item Trader occupying the remaining slot, while the item used to trade for it disappearing from its respective slot.
 * The item to give the Mermaid is now the Necklace across all versions rather than outside Japan (and in the case of the DX version, within Europe).

Miscellaneous

 * The soundtrack has been re-arranged, using a mixture of live instruments, synthesised and electronic instruments, and samples from the original Game Boy soundtrack.
 * DethI is given a new musical theme when it is fought. Originally, it reused the Sub-Boss theme music.
 * Angler's Tunnel has a new original melody for the majority of the song, incorporating the original theme into the background of the track. This is was likely done to give the dungeon a more unique piece of music, as the original song was almost identical to the regular cave theme music.
 * In addition to re-arrangements of the secret file select screen songs that play when the player enters their name as "Zelda" or "Totakeke" respectively, a third, new song has been added for when the player enters their name as "Marin".
 * The Overworld, Mysterious Forest and Tal Tal Heights themes recieve an additional re-arrangement for when Marin is following Link.
 * The Tal Tal Heights theme recieves an additional re-arrangement that plays in the Tal Tal Mountain Range area after Marin has been rescued from the bridge.
 * The Mabe Village Fishing Hole, the Trendy Game and the area under the bridge at Martha's Bay, which previously shared their background music, now have unique re-arrangements of the song for each respective location.
 * Mr. Write's house and Christine's house, which previously shared their background music, now have unique re-arrangements of the song for each respective location.
 * Southern Face Shrine features dynamic music, where strings are added to the song only once Link observes the relief at the end of the shrine.
 * The Owl's theme recieves an additional re-arrangement that plays before Link enters the Wind Fish's Egg.
 * While the majority of music cues are identical to the original game, the opening cut-scene where Link is caught in a storm no longer features any music.
 * Brand new music has been composed for all content related to Dampé and the Chamber Dungeon gameplay.
 * The LANS: near LANS:'s LANS: on LANS: have been moved between the rocky structures.
 * New NaN Signposts have been added to the overworld.
 * The LANS: in LANS: about LANS: is made of stone.
 * Some stone stairs are made of wood.
 * Stairs leading into water and some taller cliffs have been changed to ladders.
 * Some platforms in side-scrolling areas are made of rock instead of bricks.
 * The LANS: is no longer part of a wall but rather a fish-shaped stone.
 * The message that appears when LANS: tries to lift something without the LANS: only appears when pressing the A Button.
 * Horse head puzzle pieces that appear in certain dungeons now must be placed on holes found on the floor. Their movement when thrown also resemble the knight chess pieces movement.
 * The LANS: adds geometric patterns to all the colored puzzle elements, making them understandable for players who have difficulty discerning color. NaN Orb Monsters now bear patterns on their sides; NaN Red Orb Monsters bear circles, NaN Blue Orb Monsters bear squares, and yellow NaN Orb Monsters, which replace the NaN Green Orb Monsters, bear triangles. NaN Switchs that change from red to blue also follow this pattern, though they no longer appear as yellow. NaN Camo Goblins emerge from squares on the floor with specific patterns. NaN Red Camo Goblins emerge from square patterns, NaN Blue Camo Goblins emerge from diamond patterns, and NaN Green Camo Goblins emerge from square patterns. The breakable floors which change from green to yellow to red to indicate their durability also now bear increasing signs of damage when stepped on. Yellow floors are cracked into four pieces while red floors are cracked into 10 pieces.
 * Because of the 3D mechanics of the game, Link and enemies moving vertically (jumping and falling) no longer counts as their hitboxes moving north and south in top-down perspectives, only on the Z-axis.
 * The boomerang can now move above ground on return, eliminating the ability to have it hover below you when flying with the LANS:.
 * Its use against DethI is seemingly no longer a one-shot kill.
 * The LANS: and LANS: can no longer kill NaN Cuccos or NaN Mutts.

Development
was first teased by series producer Eiji Aonuma during an interview with EDGE magazine in 2016. The game was officially announced during a Nintendo Direct on February 13, 2019. Its release date was announced during E3 2019.

Eiji Aonuma decided to remake as he considers the original game hard to get many years after its release. The miniature diorama-like art style was chosen as the original game had a, which is commonly used in.

Limited Editions
In North America and Japan, the Dreamer Edition (called Artbook Set in Japan) included a copy of the game plus a 120 page artbook. The limited edition, released in Europe and Oceania, included the game, a steelbook case, and the artbook.

Awards
was a nominee for the 2019 edition of in the Action/Adventure and Art Direction categories.

Sales
As of March 2021, Link's Awakening for Nintendo Switch has sold 5.49 million copies worldwide.