A portion of a 1up review...
Overall, I was actually shocked just how much I enjoyed this game. In my opinion, Zelda did the 2D adventure genre much better than it ever has the 3D. It plays quick, light-hearted and fun . It may have not taken itself as serious as other Zelda titles, but don't be fooled, for those of us prefering the 2D-style Zelda games, Link's Awakening just might be the best game in the series.
Full review here
Overall, I was actually shocked just how much I enjoyed this game. In my opinion, Zelda did the 2D adventure genre much better than it ever has the 3D. It plays quick, light-hearted and fun . It may have not taken itself as serious as other Zelda titles, but don't be fooled, for those of us prefering the 2D-style Zelda games, Link's Awakening just might be the best game in the series.
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uggghk! YUK! what a horrible thing to say! Zelda does 2D better than 3D? wow. I suppose if your criteria is how nostalgic the game is rather than how fun or creative it is.
It IS a good game, though. I wouldn't blame him for being temporarily 'blinded' by it. And really it did have a lot of fun and creativity going for it too, and not just for 'back in its day'.
... I swear. I'm laughing at your post right now. 2D zelda are as good as the 3D ones.
It isn't fun or creative? Wait what? You must be one of those 'graphics are important' players.
Link's awakening is one of the best zelda games ever made. And no this isn't nostalgia talking. At the time, the amount of content, challenge, tongue twisting puzzles they've put on the GBC, all of that made it critically acclaimed.
If you think that the 3D zelda games are only the 'good zelda games' then I pity you.
@8bit101 not having nostalgia blindness I could honestly say that my least favorite 3d Zelda game is better than my favorite 2d Zelda game IMHO. I do love most 2d Zelda games though
my faves
1. Ocarina of Time
2. Link's Awakening
3. Wind Waker
4. A Link to the Past
5. Majora's Mask
6. Twilight Princess
7. Phantom Hourglass
8. Skyward Sword
Suffice to say, I had more fun with some of the 2D Zelda's than the 3D ones.
@funkamatic
Not my criteria at all, and I too prefer the 2D games to the 3D ones.
There are things that the 2D games have done, like a single, cohesive, detailed world map, that the 3D games still have yet to touch, a good 14 years after our first. I imagine that's due to hardware constraints more than anything, so I look forward to seeing what they can do on the Wii U.
P.S. it should be said that I don't at all think the 3D games are bad. I love every single game in this series! I just happen to like the 2D games better generally.
I tend to prefer the 3D Zelda games. Link's Awakening is amazing though.
I like both the 2D and 3D Zelda games. *shrug*
As someone who doesn't much care for Zelda or have any nostalgia for it, I definitely think Link's Awakening has much better level design than OoT.
Someone could walk right up to me and offer me a thousand dollars to write a better parody of a close-minded, 3D-brainwashed modern hardcore gamer than what you just wrote in sincerity, and I would not to be able to do so in a million years. Hats off to you for being the culmination of everything I hate about 90% of gamers nowadays. It would have been one thing to say you simply prefer 3D Zeda gameplay to 2D Zelda gameplay, but to disrespect Link's Awakening's level of fun and "creativity" just shows how hopelessly ignorant you are. You are the reason the next Zelda game will be like the last few, and you are the reason the series sales are in decline.
Thank you for buying into Nintendo's PR machine hook, line, and sinker and not thinking for yourself about what makes a Zelda game good or not. May the next Zelda game be as "creative" as you want it to be, and may it sell even worse in Japan than Skyward Sword did. At least Japan is starting to be honest with itself about the series' problems, while only some of us in the West have decided we've had enough.
@Poochy Bro...it's his opinion, just calm down. There are people you take serious and some you don't, and here's a perfect example of that.
Not here to attack you as you're entitled to your opinion just like the reviewer, but to me the way he words his sentences sounds like the reviewer has never played LA before. I don't feel like bothering on clicking the links don't know how old the review is as if it was blind nostalgia as most people keep claiming is the only reason people still enjoy old games I think it would have read more like this:
"Overall, I was actually shocked just how much I STILL enjoy this game. In my opinion, Zelda DOES the 2D adventure genre much better than it ever WILL WITH 3D. It plays quick, light-hearted and fun . It may not BE as serious as RECENT Zelda titles, but don't be fooled, for those of us prefering Zelda games, Link's Awakening IS STILL the VERY best game in the series.
I always find it odd when you get not only a review of an old game, but a delayed review at that...
I still have yet to play this game, but I enjoyed both 2D and 3D Zelda's. I think I had the most fun with LTTP, but I really loved Wind Waker (other than the sailing and tingle part). I gotta say, though, I am torn as which one is the best. They're all really good. I totally loved Skyward Sword... got better as the game went on.
2D Zelda hasn't been given fair treatment like how Mario can do 2D and 3D. We need a home console 2D expansive Zelda game to bring it back seriously.
And honestly, the same goes for Metroid. Why does only Mario get the best handling, I will never understand.
Honestly, 2D Zelda games in my opinion are generally better than 3D Zelda games because:
1. They are longer.
2. They have more detail.
3. They actually have difficulty (all 3D Zelda games are as easy as New Orleans).
4. Their over worlds tend to feel more "complete" (although Majora's Mask is a big exception, and kinda sorta Ocarina of Time and the Wind Waker, too).
5. There feels like there is more to do.
6. The side quests are generally higher quality.
7. More often than not 2D Zelda games have higher replay value.
My opinion can be most honestly stated in how I think the original Legend of Zelda is my favorite Zelda game. Not because of nostalgia, but because every time I play it, it feels fresh, and it rarely feels boring. The over world size, the dungeons, the enemies, the weapons, the secrets, and the difficulty are at a perfect level to where they keep me constantly coming back for more.
@ scikoolaid
I agree. Although I somewhat liked Minish Cap (it ended right before it was about to become great), Phantom Hourglass (a tad repetitive and somewhat low replay value), and Spirit Tracks (a tad tedious), they weren't "true" 2D Zelda games. They were all too small, too short, and they felt more like "side games" than fully realized Zelda games.
The same goes with the Metroid franchise and Other M (and how easy Zero Mission was, lol). Although I must admit, I think the Metroid Prime series is much more... "complete" than the last 2 3D Zelda entries, and is pushing gaming more forward (although I love the platform-esk direction 3D Zelda seems to be headed in thanks to Skyward Sword).
Well then here's an idea, everyone: go hack Majora's Mask into Link's Awakening. Or Wind Waker, but I think MM would be easier. There, a great 2D Zelda game in 3D. Someone post the 'why not both girl'. Hooray!
1up is right for once (it was bound to happen eventually).
Nothing has come close to the scale of ALTTP.
Is too much to ask that we be allowed to travel almost anywhere on the map from the beginning in a 3D Zelda game?
That was one of the best parts of the 2D Zelda games was having the whole map available from the beginning and you could easily get lost in Hyrule because you didn't really know where to go next and what to do next.
I miss being able to wander around nearly all of Hyrule aimlessly.
Why do 3D Zelda games make you get to a certain point before unlocking the next part of Hyrule?
What is this I don't even.
2D Zelda is not better then 3D Zelda
They're both awesome because they play completely differently and they're both fun.
Is Link's Awakening supposed to be the best Zelda 2D game? I don't remember which one had an awesome reputation.
I think you're right.
@Autosaver A Link to the Past on the SNES (later ported to the GBA) is generally the most revered 2D Zelda game, although there are probably a lot of people (myself included) who prefer Link's Awakening.
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