Link's Awakening Switch Hands-On Preview: Jumping, Slashing, and Stealing – E3 2019 – IGN

By Samuel Claiborn

After taking part in over 30 minutes of The Legend of Zelda: Hyperlink’s Awakening Remastered for Nintendo Swap I realized three most important issues: The fight feels nice, old-school Zelda puzzles are nonetheless enjoyable (and unchanged), and this recreation is struggling to carry out acceptably on the Swap (no less than in full-screen mode on a TV) in its present state. Oh, and I additionally realized that stealing is fallacious (albeit very enjoyable). There is a video of the incident beneath.

Let’s begin with the good things: The defend is now mapped to the proper set off so it now not takes up one in all two stock slots. This implies you possibly can block, stab, swipe, spin, AND leap (with Roc’s Feather, which I acquired in Tail Cave) all with out juggling stock slots. If you happen to’ve performed the unique recreation, you recognize this was annoying and fixing it’s a massive deal. This is some fight footage from my playthrough at this time:

The enemies marauding the forest and first dungeon required timed counters, blocking first with a defend then getting into for a sword assault — one thing that feels contemporary and new within the remake.

As I discussed above, getting Roc’s Feather as the primary powerup was very cool. Hyperlink’s motion is fairly distinctive in Hyperlink’s Awakening, as you end up leaping over enemies virtually as a lot as killing them.

One thing that Breath of the Wild gamers would possibly discover jarring on this recreation is that exploration is hindered by roadblocks in all places, and this Hyperlink cannot climb. When you can discover the seashore, forest, and city from the beginning, rocks, pitfalls, and massive bushes block virtually each path. You realize you’ll want to come back again later, nevertheless it does really feel starkly linear in comparison with the very first NES The Legend of Zelda and even the final nice top-down recreation, A Hyperlink Between Worlds.

However that’s not a foul factor, as a result of the puzzles are bizarre and attention-grabbing. The very first puzzle set is a commerce sequence that has you going between a raccoon, a mushroom patch deep in a forest, and a witch. It doesn’t make a lot sense, however quickly you may have a dungeon key and… It simply all form of works out. A few of the old-school journey game-style puzzles received’t be apparent for brand spanking new gamers and that’s the place the actual exploration parts are available in. It doesn’t matter that the map blocks your manner a lot as a result of your job is clearly to probe each nook till you discover a path.

Serving to you alongside is a totally reworked map on which you’ll be able to mark missed Coronary heart Items or chests on when you recognize you simply don’t have the proper merchandise but.

Sadly, as screens scrolled and enemies flew, Hyperlink’s Awakening turned visibly uneven. I talked to others who had been taking part in they usually all skilled this identical problem. It didn’t interrupt my Moblin killing spree within the forest, however the choppiness was at all times there, sullying the in any other case attractive, toy-like artwork fashion.

And sure: I’m a thief. Within the store on the town, I used to be capable of pull off a basic trick and outmaneuver the shopkeep to steal each a shovel and the bow. It was thrilling nabbing these things totally free, however upon returning to the store I used to be shamed, then killed immediately by the shopkeep’s lightning fingers (why doesn’t HE save Koholint?). Within the unique recreation your identify is modified to “THIEF” if you do that, however the demo didn’t have a reputation display and nobody had the chance to name me this within the part I performed. Watch it beneath:

One different cool factor: In a home on the town there have been toys in all places and a bunch of empty pedestals and stands with names like “Boo,” “Shy Man,” “Pokey,” and “Spiny,” all references to Tremendous Mario Bros. characters which I presume function some kind of collectible. These are simply a few of many references to Nintendo characters outdoors the Zelda universe in Hyperlink’s Awakening. I received’t spoil any extra — it’s simply one of many many weird twists this Zelda recreation presents that many others don’t.

Additionally, for traditional Hyperlink’s Awakening followers: I interviewed Mr. Aounuma at this time and sure, the Shade Dungeon is again.

For extra on the remaster, check out this big list of things we learned about Link’s Awakening for Switch at this time, and remember to check out the Chamber Dungeons as well, which are the reason this game exists.

Samuel Claiborn is IGN’s Managing Editor and each fixes and breaks pinball machines in his storage. TCELES B HSUP to comply with him @Samuel_IGN on Twitter.