"Weird? Yes. Yes, it is."

Ah, the Legend of Zelda series: so fun, so epic and has so sparked a multitude of hardcore fans. Like any great series, there is bound to be one or two oddball games in the mix, and that particular unusual little game in Nintendo's successful continuing story is none other than The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening. Originally released on the GameBoy and then remade for the GameBoy Color in full colorful glory, The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX offers many elements that can't be found in any other game in the series (and yes, I have played Majora's Mask). Those elements, of course, revolve around utter weirdness... but weirdness in a GOOD way. Even though this game is nowhere near new, one should still be reminded: this is not your traditional Zelda game, but something that gives a refreshing change while still retaining most of what made its predecessors (and even successors) classics.

I personally never played enough of the original Link's Awakening to catch the differences between the two games, but if this one is any indication then I really should have had an interest in the handheld titles sooner. Regardless, this is one of those rare games where changing the feel of a well-known story and in-game motives actually does prove to be a good idea.

Story: 8/10

Link, once again the hero, is caught in a rather severe storm over the ocean and his boat is destroyed. Unconscious on the beach Koholint Island, he's rescued by a girl named Marin. Upon waking up (and accidentally mistaking Marin for Zelda at first glance), Link learns that monsters have been appearing randomly since the storm. After traveling down to the shore, a mysterious owl flies in front of Link and tells him that he will not be able to leave the island until a creature called the Wind Fish is awakened. Link must collect eight instruments with the power to wake the Wind Fish if he is ever to get off the island and return home, and doing so will lead him all over Koholint Island and through many dangerous dungeons and caves. This is where your journey begins.

This is probably the most creative story out of all the games in the series, and the most odd. Like any good game with an involved story, there are plot twists to keep you entertained and interested. Unfortunately, there are also plenty of points in the story that just don't make sense. I suppose you have to take the bad with the good in this case, but all in all it makes for one fantastic action/RPG no matter how you view the storyline.

Gameplay: 8/10

If you've played any of the games in the series before then you'll essentially already know what you'll be expected to do during your quest. If you haven't, then just imagine any action/adventure game with a few RPG elements and you'll have a basic idea of what the point of this game is.

Like all Zelda games, you start with only a sword and shield to fight off armies of enemies with. Once you have collected enough Rupees (currency), you can purchase items or potions in shops. As you progress, you'll come across different weapons and equipment to help you along. Every piece of equipment you find allows Link to possess a different ability, like lifting heavy objects or jumping. A minor annoyance is that each time you want to use an ability you must first equip the item that allows it, forcing you to switch back and forth to and from the menu screen continuously in certain areas. Yes, this is something present in nearly all of the earlier games (where you weren't allowed to have many items out at once), but that doesn't mean it wasn't irritating in them as well.

One welcome feature here is the inclusion of power-up items that you can find in both the overworld and in dungeons, like an acorn that will temporarily boost your defense or a glowing triangle that ups your attack power. Like most random goodies, these are usually dropped by enemies or located in grass and underbrush. Obviously, any Zelda game would be lacking without heart containers to collect and increase your health with, so there are plenty of them to find. If hunting for items is your idea of fun (and I know it is mine... sometimes), barging into neighbor's houses and raiding their cupboards for treasure chests and the like is always amusing... usually because no one ever raises a finger to stop you.

Dungeons, as if there was any doubt, make up most of the game and challenge. These small, claustrophobic areas are where you'll get your jollies beating up difficult enemies and solving puzzles. Each dungeon has a different layout and overall theme to it, so you'll never know what to expect. In addition, several new enemies will appear in each one, causing you to contemplate how to destroy them. Treasure chests are abundant and contain anything from new weapons/equipment to health. If you can not get to a chest right away or can't find any way to access it, remember: backtracking is your friend. Many of the puzzles you come across will require you to revisit rooms in order to activate a switch or grab a key, then return to the previous area. At the end of all of this, a boss battle will ensue. Contrary to what you may think, these boss battles can be very challenging and deadly; it won't be surprising to you if you have to face the same boss multiple times before you defeat it.

Since no game of this kind would be complete without side-quests, you have many to complete if desired. People lurking around towns will ask you to run errands for them, some will request secret or rare items for a reward and a purple rat will even take your ''souvenir photos'' and keep them in an album. You can also hit one of the shops and try your luck at the Trendy Game (similar to a crane game). Clearly there's plenty to do to keep you entertained other than the main game, but finishing all the side-quests can feel like a chore if done all at once.

The controls are extremely easy to master and take very little time to learn, you shouldn't experience any problems with them at all. The overworld map is nicely designed to only include regions you've already visited, preventing any confusion as to where you're supposed to go early in the game. If at any time you do forget where the next dungeon, etc. is, a chain of buildings (indicated by giant telephones on their roofs) will provide hints. Lastly, to make travel across the massive overworld even more convenient, warps are located all around to get you from point 'A' to point 'B' quickly.

Graphics: 10/10

When Link's Awakening was first released on the original GameBoy, the graphics in the game were spectacular. In this version, everything remains intact with the addition of color. You may think things couldn't possibly look very astonishing on such a tiny screen, but for a GameBoy Color game there's definitely more to look at than you would expect.

Like many games in similar genres, the camera is fixed at a constant overhead view. This style is featured in games including Final Fantasy and Harvest Moon, just to name a few. This is an ideal angle which helps you to see everything on screen as you're making your way across different environments in a large overworld that could greatly rival that of A Link to the Past.

Each individual character hardly holds anymore than two or three colors themselves (like Link, who is green and white), but all of this combined with the use of colors in the overworld clearly suggests that there is no need for more. Each area is beautifully detailed as much as could be done for an 8-bit game, and the size of each sprite is large enough for you to admire this. When you enter a dungeon, the light effects barely change but the designs on walls and surrounding objects let you know that danger is lurking beyond. Outdoors, the bright greens of the grass and trees reflect the sunny setting that's evident. The overabundant blockyness observed in all games on this system barely take anything away from the game and are a minimal distraction.

Animations of the enemies are not varied by much; they mainly walk back and forth, throwing projectiles or spears occasionally. Some do fly or float around depending on the creature, but this simplicity is understandable. All enemies look just as they should, like the giant piglike appearance of the Moblins or the glowing-eyed bat characteristics of the Keese. As a new humorous addition, baddies from numerous other Nintendo games have been thrown in. Link can now stomp on top of helpless Goombas and slice Shyguys to pieces (well, not to pieces, but close). Inhabitants of towns actually move around and participate in different activities as you walk by, anything from playing a game of catch to sweeping or singing.

Sound: 7/10

The music in Link's Awakening DX is nothing to write home about, but it does surpass in quality compared to many other GameBoy titles.

Most of what you'll hear will be songs full of ''beeps'' or ''boops.'' Some tracks, like in the forest, are better put together yet much more high-pitched than some people may be able to tolerate. The overworld music is sort of a remixed version of the classic Zelda theme, and that theme itself is played immediately at the title screen. The music played within dungeons and caves is dark and eerie, setting an accurate mood for the area present. Other tracks, like the fanfare played at key points in the game or the Song of the Wind Fish, are a pleasure to listen to. The oh so familiar music heard when unlocking a door has not been left out, thankfully.

Sound effects range from good to bad depending on where they're heard and what is causing them. Link's sword, for example, when used makes a sound similar to a blade cutting through the air (what they were shooting for, of course). This is a good thing, but after multiple times it begins to get old. Enemies make very little noise other than throwing or hitting objects off of your shield, and the people and animals in towns are basically mute other than the beeping text boxes that appear when you talk/communicate with them. There are many other sounds scattered here and there, but they aren't exactly noteworthy in any way.

The music and sound effects may not be mind-blowing or amazing, but they achieve their intended goals and hit an overall mark of a bit above average compared to other games on the system.

Replay: 6/10

Attempting to complete side-quests is the major point of replaying after you've finished the game. Afterwards, not much more is available for you to do. This game is one of the more challenging in the series, so your first playthrough should occupy you for a lengthy amount of time. If you do enjoy it, then playing through a second or third time eventually should be no problem.

Overall: 8/10

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX is an unusual twist in a series about rescuing a princess from an evil demon/king. Instead, here you're shipwrecked and faced with a quest to wake a mysterious creature. That may sound bad at first, but if you give this game a try then you may be surprised. If you own the original Link's Awakening then you can probably pass on this one unless you find it for very cheap. If not, then both Zelda fans and non-Zelda fans alike should check this game out. It may be weird, but sometimes that's a GOOD thing.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 09/02/03