Anyone else think Link's Awakening was perfection?

To me it's the essence of what makes Zelda great. It has the challenging bosses, clever puzzles, charming characters and world, and arguably the best story in the entire series. All done without Zelda even making an appearance. I absolutely love this game.

Especially the music. Ballad of the Wind Fish, Tal Tal Heights, and pretty much everything else in the game was great to listen to.

To date it's still my favorite Zelda game, tied with Ocarina of Time.

So anyone want to discuss storyline theories or anything about this game? Like what happened to Marin, or if it was really a dream at all?

I agree completely. I think it's remarkable how Nintendo pulled off a game this good an the limited hardware that the GameBoy provides.

Storywise, I think that this game is one of the least "Zelda-like" out there. There is no mention of Princess Zelda, Ganon or the Triforce. Hyrule is only in the back story. Also, the typical Link is someone who has been raised in Hyrule, and is then destined to save the land. But in this game, ink is more of a newcomer to a place, and that's... cool. Still, it has the same feel that every Zelda game provides.

Music especially. I love how the music is composed of beeps and electronic sounds, but in some way still is very good. I still have the themes from the game in my head after playing for a while.

I still play through the game every once in a while. I love how there is a kind of simplicity to the gameplay and characters, but still enough complexity in the story and dungeons to keep you entertained.

Originally Posted by TopBanana

Storywise, I think that this game is one of the least "Zelda-like" out there. There is no mention of Princess Zelda, Ganon or the Triforce.

Small nitpick here, Zelda is mentioned in the beginning of the game when Link confused Marin with Zelda. One of Nightmare's forms resembles Ganon.

It is tied for the best game. Only Windwaker even came close to tying it.

It sure was perfection.
Now that GB/C games are unplayable on current hardware, there needs to be a port or remake.

To me it's the essence of what makes Zelda great. It has the challenging bosses, clever puzzles, charming characters and world, and arguably the best story in the entire series.

Pretty much how I feel about A Link to the Past.

Still, I almost feel like it and Link's Awakening belong together, you know? A lot of people feel this way with OoT and MM, that to get the full experience you need to play both games back-to-back...that sort of thing. The two just complement each other so well.

Perfection? Possibly. As close as a game can get to that point, anyway.

Ive never played it... but im going to get it on an Emulator.

*applauds Niloc*

Seriously, that game is amazing, definitely the second-best, right after Ocarina (lol sheep), and just about everything about it was pure perfection!

Dungeons 4, 6, 7 and 8 were especially amazing, all candidates for the very best in the series.

The bare storyline may not be very deep, but the atmosphere in the game was amazing, definitely one of the highest in the entire series, competing only with Majora's Mask and maybe Twilight Princess. The very fact that just over half-way through you find out that "****, if I do this the island will disappear!" and then the owl tries to convince you otherwise, and you just...don't know what to do. That is really powerful, I'd say about equal to what is done in Shadow of the Colossus, and with a Game Boy nonetheless.

The music was also very good, and songs like Ballad of the Wind Fish (my biggest complaint about Majora's Mask, aside from maybe length) really added to the overall experience even more so than most of the dialogue.

Oh, and I also liked how the bosses spoke, but usually not in tacked-on ways, but rather what they said really added to the ominous feel of it all.

Did I mention how amazing the dungeons were? Especially the 4th, 6th, 7th and 8th ones. Those were AMAZING.

Originally Posted by Erikson

Small nitpick here, Zelda is mentioned in the beginning of the game when Link confused Marin with Zelda. One of Nightmare's forms resembles Ganon.

Oh yeah, that's right I had forgotten about that. But it's more of a backdrop, or a slight reference to the other games. All the other Zelda games at this point had a princess in peril at some point, and had established the world of Hyrule.

LA kind of broke away from that, and I found that exciting.

LA = best.

Got to love a Zelda game that makes you think, not just about sliding blocks, but about life.

With such an awesone story, music, dungeons, bosses, etc., it is regrettable that the graphics are only GB or GBC for the DX version.

The best part about the game is that for some reason, I had a red tunic after the first dungeon for some weird-ass reason. ;/

It wasn't perfect. The menu was overloaded and you even have to trade an item (normally the shovel) to get the boomerang, because there wasn't enough space in the menu for all items, which sucked. And I didn't like the DX version too much, the colors didn't look good to me, unlike in the Oracle games, and the photo quest had a lot of stupid missables.

But besides that it's pretty damn perfect, yes. The music, the story, the dungeons, all of it was great. It's still in my top 3 Zelda games next to both the N64 ones. But I also have a lot of nostalgic feelings for this game, since it was my very first Zelda game, so my opinion might be clouded by nostalgia. ^^

I really liked this game. Never used a strategy guide to finish it

I have Link's Awakening DX and I haven't gotten very far. From what I have played so far it seems cool. I am stuck in that forest where you have to find the fairy or monkey or whatever...It's right near the start.

This is my second favorite Zelda game ever. I think OoT is a better overall game, but LA holds a special place in my heart, because it was my first Zelda game, and it was what got me into gaming (although Super Mario Bros. was my first game ever).

I have to agree that the music is simply amazing, and that opinion is only heightened by nostalgia. I'm particularly fond of the Ballad of the Wind Fish, Tal Tal Heights, and the field music it plays before you find the sword.

And as for plot... this has got to be the most touching Zelda game ever, and possibly one of the most touching games period. But, like TourianTourist, I might be looking at it through nostalgia glasses, so I don't know how it would be for new players. The nostalgia factor is heightened by the fact that I hadn't played this since I was little, and I recently purchased it again, along with a Game Boy. You wouldn't believe how amazing it was to finally play through it again!

It's my favourite game ever. I love to imagine what could happen if Link didn't wake the dreamer. The chemistry between him and Marin, and the whole plot as well. The plot, I think was very original. Set somewhere far away from Hyrule, in a land with no history. I found it very hard to force myself to wake the Windfish. I love LA and i love the story. Totally perfection.

Link's Awakening was the very first Zelda game I ever played. (Grey cartridge, not DX) and it was without a doubt, one of the most fun gaming experiances of my life. From what I remember back then, it was very challenging.

Not perfection, I could never kid myself into believing that about any game whatsoever. It has great gameplay, but not the best. It has great puzzles, but not the best. It has a great story, but not the best.

It's an all around great game, but in my opinion, not the best.

I completely agree. LA was perfection in terms of gameplay, story, music, humor and the difficulty of dungeons.

LA will always be my all time favourite

My first Zelda. Definitely in my top 3 favorites.

I find the story the most intriguing of any of the Zeldas. The atmosphere was very compelling--Koholint was a thriving island with no history and no awareness of a world beyond its shores. I thought it was really cool how some places and inhabitants of Koholint were derived from Link's earlier adventures, while others were completely new and foreign.

The dungeons were amazing. Some of the very best Zelda has to offer. Oh and the music, characters, chemistry with Marin......

Yeah, great game.