Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (Game Boy)

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Retro STrife
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Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (Game Boy)

Postby Retro STrife » October 29th, 2017, 3:31 pm

For those that haven't heard me complain a million times, Zelda and Mario are the bane of my gaming existence. Great series, no doubt, but their "sacred cow" status let's them get away with anything, while the gaming media continues to drool over every one of their games that come out. It just bugs me. Literally you could give an IGN critic a pile of poop and tell him it's from Mario, and he would score it a perfect 10, and then tell him "just kidding it's from Sonic", and he'd change it to a 4 and tell you it's uninspired and is basically the same poop that Sonic has been making since the late '90s. Ditto that with Zelda, but maybe worse.

But I'm digressing, sorry.... So, Zelda.. I feel like I've always given it a fair chance. I grew up watching my dad play the original, and played Link to the Past and Ocarina of Time to completion myself. Both were excellently crafted, but I didn't really have as much fun with them as every one else seems to. They drag on and on, and I hated the dungeons. For me, I'd give them a B-range grade at best. The other 3D Zeldas seem like more of the same, so I've always passed on them. BotW is the first new Zelda that intrigues me to give it another shot, but I haven't gotten there yet.

But one Zelda that I've always enjoyed is Link's Awakening. I played it a little bit as a teen, but my game save got corrupted so I gave up. I've always been meaning to go back and try it again. I'm playing the DX version now and enjoying it all over again. So far I'm only through the 3rd dungeon. I think taking the setting out of Hyrule is actually a benefit to the game, because Hyrule is rarely interesting. At least so far, I'd actually say this is better than Link to the Past and I'd put it in at an A or A-. I'm sure I'll play it through til the end, and I'll keep you posted on my thoughts. Where does it rank for everyone else?

Herschie
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Re: Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (Game Boy)

Postby Herschie » October 30th, 2017, 8:58 am

Absolutely phenomenal game that made the most out of limited resources. The music is charming, and the puzzles are fantastic. Might have to go back and play this again.

Sut
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Re: Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (Game Boy)

Postby Sut » October 30th, 2017, 4:33 pm

I know it’s almost blasphemy in these parts but I cannot get into Zelda in any way or form. I have this game on Game Boy, played it in my lunch hour for a week or so, put it down and never wanted to pick it up again.

I found the game obtuse and would continually not know what to do or where to go.

I’ve tried the original Zelda and pretty much felt the same. I’ve played Ocarina of time (albeit only briefly at a friends) and came away wondering what the fuss is all about.

Unless there is some nuance I am just not grasping or if it’s an American rose tinted Nintendo thing us Europeans don’t get - I’m not sure.

Herschie
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Re: Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (Game Boy)

Postby Herschie » October 31st, 2017, 10:20 pm

Sut wrote:I know it’s almost blasphemy in these parts but I cannot get into Zelda in any way or form.


Got that right! That'll be ten prayers to the Master Sword!

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Retro STrife
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Re: Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (Game Boy)

Postby Retro STrife » November 1st, 2017, 11:18 am

Sut wrote:Unless there is some nuance I am just not grasping or if it’s an American rose tinted Nintendo thing us Europeans don’t get - I’m not sure.


Don't worry, this American can tell you that the latter reason is definitely a huge part of it.

I'd add this too -- Zelda has something about it that transcends the games themselves... similar to Star Wars with movies, or Harry Potter with books, or whatever else you can think of like that. People get drawn to the characters; they get sucked into the world; and so they like each new chance to experience that world.. even if they're blind to some of the flaws along the way. As an example, if people were objective, I think most would not list Star Wars in the top 5 movies ever made, but MANY people would list it in their personal top 5 movies. Carrie Fisher dies and those people feel like they lost a family member. Zelda games, in my opinion, are the same way. And there's nothing wrong with that to me, even if it is a little annoying to listen to it sometimes.

Unfortunately, the gaming media is the same way, and that's my problem... fans can drool over whatever game they want, but a critic's job is to be objective, so it bugs me to no end that they let their personal love for Nintendo and Zelda cloud their reviews and overrate their review scores. Reading BOTW reviews was the first time since Ocarina of Time that I actually thought to myself "ok, maybe this is an objectively amazing game for once, rather than pure Zelda bias. Maybe I need to play this." Every other time it was like "oh look, Game Informer gave Skyward Sword a perfect 10, big shocker...." (They did give it a perfect 10 by the way, sadly, considering how rare that score is for them.) I could write a Zelda review without ever playing the game... you just mention the gameplay formula (it hadn't changed in 25 years, until BOTW) and then throw in a string of endless superlatives. The reviews are as formulaic as the gameplay.

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DrLitch
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Re: Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (Game Boy)

Postby DrLitch » November 7th, 2017, 1:03 am

I believe I played this one far too late. I only attempted this little adventure many many years after it was released. I spent perhaps 30mins on it before turning it off. With many Zelda titles perseverance is key, even the best the series can offer are subject to slow starts. This is one of a couple of Zelda games I just never had the time or inclination to play through, a release on 3DS or Switch with new graphics may remedy that situation :D

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scotland
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Re: Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (Game Boy)

Postby scotland » November 7th, 2017, 6:15 am

DrLitch wrote:I believe I played this one far too late. I only attempted this little adventure many many years after it was released. I spent perhaps 30mins on it before turning it off. With many Zelda titles perseverance is key, even the best the series can offer are subject to slow starts. This is one of a couple of Zelda games I just never had the time or inclination to play through, a release on 3DS or Switch with new graphics may remedy that situation :D


I may be in the same boat. I've given the game several attempts over the years, but its never been enjoyable to me. I appreciate it has fans, but I'm unable to figure out why for myself.

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Retro STrife
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Re: Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (Game Boy)

Postby Retro STrife » November 7th, 2017, 9:39 am

It's funny that I'm like "I don't get all the fuss about Zelda games, but I'm liking Link's Awakening," and you guys are like "I like Zelda games, but I don't get all the fuss about Link's Awakening." I wonder if there's something to that...

Personally though, I think the gameplay and structure is very similar to Link to the Past, just on a smaller scale. So I wonder the difference for people.

As for me, I just finished the 5th dungeon and have enjoyed it enough that I'll push through til the end. It's not cracking an of my all-time favorites, but it's the most I recall liking a Zelda game. ...Except maybe Link: Faces of Evil..but for very different reasons.

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pacman000
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Re: Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (Game Boy)

Postby pacman000 » November 7th, 2017, 9:41 am

Shameful admission time: I've never played a Zelda game. I want to, but haven't. And Nintendo's hit franchises hold their value really well; the carts are relatively expensive, so there's little chance I'll get a copy soon.

Also, I still think of Best of the Web whenever someone mentions BOTW.

...you just mention the gameplay formula (it hadn't changed in 25 years...

Nothing wrong with them leaving the basic game play alone; it it ain't broke...well, you can complete the cliche yourself. ;) (In this instance "if it ain't broke" means "if it's still an enjoyable experience for the majority of your audience.")

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Stalvern
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Re: Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (Game Boy)

Postby Stalvern » November 7th, 2017, 2:19 pm

pacman000 wrote:Also, I still think of Best of the Web whenever someone mentions BOTW.

Boy, that takes me back. I had totally forgotten about it!


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