Our Favorite Games: The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening

Platform: Nintendo Game Boy, Game Boy Color Released: 1993, 1998 (DX version)
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening was one case of a game undergoing a dramatic face lift, and all for the better. Originally released in 1993 to rave reviews on the original monochrome Game Boy, its DX version was released for the Game Boy Color five years later. The DX version not only added full color to the entire game, but also added a couple new features only available when playing on a GBC. This game veered away from a few typical Zelda concepts: Link's quest doesn't take place in Hyrule, there is no Triforce, Ganon isn't the main boss and, aside from one mention at the beginning of the game, Zelda isn't included in the game at all. Instead, a shipwrecked Link wakes up on Koholint Island, and the only way off the island is to wake the Wind Fish, who is sleeping inside an egg on top of a mountain (Don't look at me, I didn't write the story). To wake said Wind Fish, Link must gather eight instruments, which (keeping to Zelda tradition) must be obtained by fighting his way through eight dungeons, each with a main boss at the end. There were a couple things I found strange about this game: For one, several characters from the Super Mario Bros. series make appearances in the game. Secondly, I was very disappointed in the ending to this game (but I won;t spoil it for you). Nevertheless, if you love Zelda, but get tired of having to kill Ganon all the time, give Link's Awakening a try.

On a side note, this is the final entry for the "Our Favorite Games" series at this time. I hope you have enjoyed this look back at some of the most popular games from yesteryear. I plan to have another "Favorites" series sometime later on, so if you have any suggestions on what games you'd like to have featured then, your suggestions are always welcome. Thanks again for reading!