The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening DX

Overview

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening DX is an enhanced re-release of The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening. The game was released for the Game Boy Color in 1998 and features Link getting stranded on Koholint Island where he discovers that he must awaken the Wind Fish if he ever wants to go home.

In order to awaken the Wind Fish and get off of Koholint Island, Link has to battle his way through eight dungeons and collect eight Instruments of the Sirens. In each temple there are many enemies, one or more sub-bosses and one main boss (in this game called Nightmares); each Nightmare can be defeated with the aid of a specific item located in the associated dungeon.

When Link has acquired all the instruments, he must climb up to the peak of Tal Tal Mountain and play the “Ballad of the Wind Fish” in order to awaken the Wind Fish.

Version Differences

• The cartridge is black instead of grey signifying that it is compatible with both the original Game Boy and the Game Boy Color.
• A color palette has been added.
• A new dungeon that uses color-based puzzles has been added. If the game is being played on the original Game Boy, two skeleton guards will block the player from entering.
• The Photo Shop and the photography side quest have been added.
• The title screen has been changed; the Wind Fish’s Egg is now surrounded by clouds.
• The Stone Slabs and Stone Slab Fragments in dungeons have been replaced by Owl Statues and Stone Beaks. This allows multiple statues (and therefore hints) in a single dungeon.
• The Start Menu has been altered to show the different tunics if the Select button is pressed.
• The secret ending has been changed; it now shows a portrait of Marin changing into a seagull instead of her sprite flying across the screen with wings.
• A Super Game Boy background has been added.
• Additional dialogue has been added, such as when the player obtains the Seashell Sword or the second boss giving a more specific hint as to his weakness.
• The genie boss now throws his fireballs more slowly.
• The hint for the second dungeon has been rewritten so it describes the enemies rather than name them. The hint, as originally written, named the enemies, but these names were only included in the Japanese manual and not in any other version.
• Players can no longer skip all of a character’s dialogue by pressing the B button.
• Fade in/out effects are less exaggerated, such as using a bomb or a dungeon warp.
• The Select screen jump glitch no longer works.

The Photo Shop

One of the major additions to The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening DX is the photo shop side quest. In northern Ukuku Prairie is the photo shop, where Link can have his photo taken. Once this has happened, the photo will be placed in the player’s very own photo album, entitled “The Travels of Link.” From then on the photographer will appear to take photos of various events throughout the game, each of which will be added to the album. These photographs can then be printed off using the Game Boy Printer.

There are a total of thirteen photographs in the game, however only twelve can be collected in a given playthrough as the first photograph contains a choice depending on whether or not Link is a willing participant in the photograph. As some of the photographs are of specific scripted events or have specific prerequisites, they can be missed entirely if the player has not obtained the photo album yet, e.g. the photo of Link opening the gate to Kanalet Castle.

Virtual Console release

On 7th/8th May 2011 (the year of Zelda’s 25th anniversary), Link’s Awakening DX was released on the 3DS eshop as part of it’s Virtual Console line-up. As with all Virtual Console releases, this is an exact, complete version of the original cart with no added content or 3D enhancements (though the Game Boy Printer is not compatible with this version). As with all Virtual Console titles, the player has the ability to create restore points when quitting the game, allowing the player to begin right from where they left off at the start of the next play session. Link’s Awakening DX is priced at $5.99 in the US, £5.40 in the UK and $9 in AU.

All game data on this page is sourced via Giant Bomb.