The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds

1. 46joey_b

   Nov 22, 2013

   10

   What initially looked like a game leaning on the aging crutches of A Link to the Past has turned out to be a thoroughly poignant, vivid andWhat initially looked like a game leaning on the aging crutches of A Link to the Past has turned out to be a thoroughly poignant, vivid and immensely satisfying game worthy of standing on its own two feet. Set in the world of A Link to the Past, Link Between Worlds makes the serendipitous combination of a reinvigorating spark with a meaty hit of nostalgia. Presenting freedom of choice gameplay not seen since the original, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds makes no effort to hold the players hand through the richly dense world of Hyrule and it works brilliantly. Rather than following in the footsteps of Game Freak and introducing the franchise to a new generation of audiences at the risk of patronising its long term fans, (I’m looking at you Pokémon X and Y) Link Between Worlds pays homage to those of us who have followed Link since his debut over 25 years ago all whilst paving the way for a reinvention of what it means to make a Zelda game. The puzzles in Link Between Worlds are, as aforementioned, immensely satisfying. I could almost hear the pieces of a riddle snap together in my head as I strived to calculate the answer. It’s a feeling experienced whilst playing the Professor Layton series, but puzzle-solving in this game is made relevant and interesting by the vivid world, close to perfect combat and awe-inspiring imagination. This is a beautiful game, presenting a colourful and vibrant world that just seems to radiate adventure and exploration. The characters are complex and interesting, but perhaps the biggest achievement in terms of its presentation is the silky-smooth 60fps frame rate which stays consistent throughout this 18 hour adventure even with the 3D effect turned on.… Expand

   • 47 of 54 users found this helpful
2. Simoss13

   May 30, 2020

   10

   I am more of a Mario player than playing as Link.
   But have to say, this game proves me wrong! This game is amazing!
   The idea of merging intoI am more of a Mario player than playing as Link.
   But have to say, this game proves me wrong! This game is amazing!
   The idea of merging into walls to have a slight side scrolling aspect freshens up the game play.
   The mechanics, the dudgeon's, the gameplay.. it's next level anything I have ever played.
   This is for me THE best top down 'Zelda' or 'Zelda-like' game i have ever played (yes I'm a minority and think its better than link to the past) due to the modernisation.
   The game is not perfect though, I would of found it more rewarding if you discover your items than buying, but that is nit-pic really.
   If you could buy only one game on the 3DS, this would be the one to get as it's my fav I have ever played on the system… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
4. MrGreenBanana

   Aug 7, 2018

   10

   Can I just say that this is the best 2D Zelda game ever? Because it is. Unlike everyone else, I haven't played A Link to the Past, but fromCan I just say that this is the best 2D Zelda game ever? Because it is. Unlike everyone else, I haven't played A Link to the Past, but from what I've seen of that game, this one is better in just about ever department. The characters are done better. The music (especially Yuga's battle theme) is on par with the likes of Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey. The story, while nothing special, is quite good. And the dungeon design is honestly better than even Ocarina of Time, which I (for a while) though had the best dungeons of any Zelda game. I HIGHLY recommend A Link Between Worlds. Oh, and Moldorm isn't a pest anymore. That too.… Expand

   • 1 of 1 users found this helpful
5. AugustusCB

   Mar 17, 2014

   9

   A great game in every sense. In my opinion, a superior game to A Link to the Past in almost every way. With that said, now the flaws of theA great game in every sense. In my opinion, a superior game to A Link to the Past in almost every way. With that said, now the flaws of the game. The best way to describe ALBW is that its a roller coaster ride: from beginning to end, it's a terrific and comfortable experience with thrills at every corner. You'll have a smile on your face for every minute of this thrill-ride. But that's where the problem comes in: it's a thrill and nothing more, and a quick thrill at that. There's no denying I had fun with the ingenious dungeon design, fun-to-solve puzzles, intense boss fights and intriguing plot, but while playing the game I never felt challenged. This was mainly due to the weak exploration: the secrets are rather easy to discover and vast amounts of Rupees are practically handed to you. It's almost as if Nintendo wanted me to have the least frustrating experience possible, but it hurt the immersion. Unlike other Zeldas, I didn't feel like I was embarking on an adventure; I felt like I was playing a game and that's it.
   
   I also felt the art direction, while unique, wasn't all that interesting and even at times unpleasant to look at. But its soundtrack, while similar to ALttP, is great, my favorite being Lorule's Death Mountain theme.
   
   The game's story also shines as you're essentially meeting characters that live in a hopeless world: a world without a Triforce. It's a fascinating concept, and while it gave a very satisfactory ending, I do wish that the game went more than just knee-deep into the plot.
   
   Overall, I suppose the biggest complaint I have with ALBW is that it is non-stop action: you are always doing something. The problem is that the game never gives itself a chance to breathe and to let you take in your surroundings in order to immerse you into the game's world.
   
   While I wasn't blown away by the game, rest assured I had a great time with it. The Zelda series continues to shine.… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
6. coolitnowjim

   Nov 30, 2013

   9

   This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. MY BACKGROUND: Gamer of about 20 years and started with Super Nintendo and the Super Mario World days. Since then, I’ve owned almost every major console and played many major titles across just about every genre BUT sports (I’d rather do real sports and work out at the gym, lol).
   
   COMPREHENSIVE, EXHAUSTIVE REVIEW WITH MINIMAL SPOILERS: This is my first ever review for a video game, which should be saying a lot. I wouldn’t be taking a couple hours out of my busy gaming schedule (lol!) if this wasn’t something that truly should be experienced, most especially by the Zelda fans.
   
   First off, I was very skeptical of this release as well as the release of Super Mario 3D World because really… how many times can you release these big Nintendo franchise games without them starting to feel boring, repetitive, and uninspired? Many big names face this dilemma nowadays. I know Konami had this question running through their minds with their fantastic long standing 2D Castlevania series as well.
   
   What changed my mind was Nintendo’s brilliant tactic to release reviews early before both games’ releases a week ago. Unanimous positive critic reviews on Metacritic told me I had to give this Zelda a real shot and buy it at retail, which I almost NEVER do for games anymore since the prices go down fast and the market is so flooded with crappy cash cow rehashes (*COUGH* CALL OF DUTY *COUGH* BATTLEFIELD). But I also did feel like I needed to support and help out the company, right now headed for financial doom, which sparked my childhood video gaming dreams. Boy, did I make the right decision.
   
   I’ve just finished the game earlier today and it left me with such a great feeling of accomplishment. There has been no Zelda game that felt as inspirational as this one since A Link to the Past and Ocarina of Time. Granted, with the exception of these 2D and 3D Zelda standards, I haven’t played through all the other ones in their entirety, but at least you’re getting an honest opinion from an experienced gamer who’s NOT an absolute Zelda fanboy.
   
   STORY: Now this is not anything on the cinematic level of Uncharted or Final Fantasy, but there is a nice basic tale of good and evil. You have a kingdom in trouble again. Some guy (or some might mistake him to be a girl, lol!) named Yuga appears in Hyrule to capture the Sages who protect the Triforce by trapping them in paintings in order to revive Ganon, ultimately gain control of the Triforce, and shape the world to his liking. As Link, you are, as usual, destined to save the kingdom. The story unfolds beautifully at the end with some twists, so I won’t go into any further detail to keep from spoiling it. Although, I do feel you may see it all coming ahead of time.
   
   GRAPHICS: Great, clean stuff, similar to the engine run in Animal Crossing: New Leaf and the Mario games. The game is run at a silky smooth 60 FPS. Very, very rarely do you get brief frame rate drops. I personally don’t believe graphics should ever drive a good game, so I won’t dwell on this and leave it to another reviewer to talk about.
   
   MUSIC: Being a musician myself, I get pretty judgmental on what is considered great music in a video game. It’s clear that the music from LTTP was exceptional, and so much of that is rightfully carried over and rearranged for this game. Who doesn’t love the epic theme that plays when you enter Hyrule Castle and try to save princess Zelda the first time around? Or the soothing Karkariko Village theme which really should just be as traditional as the Star-Spangled Banner at this point? There are a number of new tunes which are great, but just not as catchy and memorable as the old ones. You will also find that in the milk bar, you can pay 10 rupees per song for play beautiful guitar and flute renditions of the songs in the game.
   
   GAMEPLAY: The meat of any Zelda game consists of open world and dungeon crawling with puzzles that get increasingly tricky. There honestly isn’t another top-down Zelda game that gets this any better than A Link to the Past. Following the blueprint of A Link to the Past (I’ll shorten it as “LTTP” from here on out), Nintendo ran the risk of borrowing too much from the magnificent predecessor for this installment. While there were times where I said to myself, “this giant block obstructing my way—but obviously capable of being lifted with the Titan’s Mitt—was in the same EXACT spot 20 years ago”, or “this piece of heart was also EXACTLY in this cave before”, or “I know I’m going to get another bottle from THAT guy under the bridge by the castle…”, or “welllllll damn Hyrule looks almost exactly the same!!!”... Nintendo has added a plethora of changes to make this an almost completely fresh experience while still evoking nostalgia from Zelda veterans. It’s only when you really dive in and play do you notice all of these great changes.
   
   See my review on the Amazon product page for more review details! (I was limited to 5000 char here)
   
   GET THIS GAME NOW!… Expand

   • 2 of 4 users found this helpful
7. FelleBanan_ygsr

   Feb 15, 2018

   9

   Great in just about every way. It’s basically A Link to the Past with a new story and some new mechanics. I would argue that it’s even betterGreat in just about every way. It’s basically A Link to the Past with a new story and some new mechanics. I would argue that it’s even better than ALttP in all ways except difficulty.
   The movement is fluid, the graphics are pleasant and the soundtrack is very impressive for a handheld installment with many memorable tracks.… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
8. InstantKlassick

   Feb 9, 2016

   1

   Wow, what can I say? This game is such an utter disappointment. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is my 3rd favorite game of all timeWow, what can I say? This game is such an utter disappointment. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is my 3rd favorite game of all time and my 1991 Game of the Year. That's number 3, out of over 4000 games played. I will be honest, I did not complete this game, nor did I play it longer than an hour. The simple fact that they made the items available to rent completely disgusted me. The fun of the original was to complete each dungeon boss with the item you found in said dungeon. For example: The hammer in dungeon 1, was used to destroy the scorpion monster in that dungeon. The hookshot in dungeon 2 was used to pull the "segments" off of the "balloon" monster in dungeon 2. That was all I needed to be subjected to in order to completely quit this game and return it the same day i purchased it. This game would be amazing had the original SNES game never been made. It's good for those who do not want any kind of challenge or for a younger audience. I implore you to rethink your purchase if you love Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past as much as I do. This is not it. Your best bet is to hopefully wait for a 25th anniversary edition to be released on 3DS store (Likely will not happen, but it would generate money for Nintendo if they did.)… Expand

   • 1 of 17 users found this helpful

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