3.5/5 ★ – kabobby's review of The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening.

70/100 Look, I really wanted to love this game. And I remember enjoying it a lot when I played it the first time. But on a replay a lot more of its faults show through. First of all, Link’s Awakening is extremely linear. Not only in terms of the story, but the world map itself. Getting around is honestly kind of annoying. There are so many parts where you have to go all the way around to find a way forward. I liked the maps of the first two games (Not you Adventure of Link) much better. While the addition of more buttons does alleviate a lot of the issues of the original game, I still wish they would have taken it a little further. I had Roc’s feather equipped the entire game. I never once removed it. So I basically only had one item slot to play with. Roc’s feather should have been given its own button, or we should have at least got a third slot. Speaking of items, the items in this game are super lame. Some items, like the shield, bow, and shovel, are just purchased, and not found in any clever way. And most dungeon items are just upgrades. Super lame how one dungeon just lets you pick up stuff, and then there’s another dungeon that lets you pick up heavier stuff. The only two dungeon items that feel like items are Roc’s feather and the Hookshot. But I won’t discredit the dungeons too much. Aside from the items, they are brilliantly designed. I think they are a huge step up from ALttP, and set a good standard for the future. Easily my favorite part of the game. Other highlights include overall wholesomeness (the game is just a joy in visual and music regards, and full of memorable moments) and a solid story. It’s nothing groundbreaking, but it is unique. There are some moments that are truly great, and almost made me consider a score much higher, but there are some glaring flaws. Still, it’s a game that is more enjoyable than it isn’t, and I may still come back to visit again a few times more.