Review: ‘Link’s Awakening’ Is More Gorgeous Than Ever After 26 Years, Unlike You

The long-awaited remake of classic Game Boy title The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening is out for Nintendo Switch, and very much unlike you, this game does not disappoint.

Thanks to gorgeous art design and smart physics updates, this latest installment in the Zelda series manages to look fresh while retaining everything that was special about it in the early 90s, all while you fade away into nothingness like a flickering rupee in the distance. The controls feel organic and easy in a way that doesn’t feel bloated or like it’s just getting tired all the time.

This game is, in stark contrast to you, more vital than ever after 26 years.

In a time when we complain about all these endless remakes and sequels, Link’s Awakening breaks through the noise, filled with that same joy it inspired all those years ago, back when you had boundless optimism about the future. I bet you don’t even remember that feeling.

Nintendo and Grezzo did far more than add a coat of paint — they rebuilt Link’s Awakening perfectly from bottom to top, like the hospital would do for your knee if you could afford it. The music and sound effects are as charming as those pictures of you partying in undergrad. The movements are fluid and effortless, not at all worn away from years of toil.

Link’s Awakening is entering its late 20s and simply loving life, thriving by focusing on itself and those it cares most about. It has emerged as a self-actualized being, radiating positivity and grace. It is growing in ways you couldn’t even imagine. How does that make you feel?

Check out the newest episode of the Hard Drive podcast where we watch and discuss every episode of 1989’s The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!