Legend of Zelda: Rise of the Link is one of the weirdest games in a series full of sellers. Its gaming status and theos from other Nintendo franchises helped cement that situation, but that's only part of the story. Strip off its playful veneer and still be left with the strongest submissions in terms of dungeon creation and boss battles. Now, 26 years after its original release, Nintendo has revamped Link's first portable adventure for the switch. The effect nicely captures the original core of Game Boy while adding some health quality updates to bring it up to modern standards.
The most interesting thing about Link's new revival version is how it feels at the same time and is familiar. The setback goes down to the original screen-by-screen navigation allowed for a smooth screening tendency, but the placement of all the trees, the house, and the beach is where it returns to the day.
Instead of trying to recreate the sprites from the original version or get them stuck in the same presentation on A Link Between Worlds, Nintendo got off to a great start in a way they didn't expect. It looks like you're sharing a little plastic diorama; the characters have a shiny sheen, and there is a touch of depth of field that reinforces the illusion. It's fun, and it fits in well with the traditional tone of the story. After this, it's a game in which you help the goat and Mr. Night's MrCity develop a pen-pal relationship. The dialogue is buzzing like never before, with the fourth wall still relevant today.
Of course, the charm is the only one that goes so far. Having played Link's rise again, I was struck by how often the feeling was well built. Kolint's saturation is not the biggest spot seen by the players in the series – not by a long shot – but you get an idea of how well the original creators used a single pixel. Each time I had to take it back, it seemed like I was opening a new shortcut, finding a satisfying new use of something I just discovered, or finding a fun secret.
I love the original release, but it was actually a product of its time. Game Boy didn't overwhelm players with a bunch of buttons, which means you end up spending a lot of time selecting items from the menus. I still didn't have to go into those menus for a drink, but having dedicated buttons for streaming, blocking, and threatening Link swords reduces the intensity, so it's not an annoyance.
Reliable redesign of the original, but there are a few other updates. Most notably, the graffigger Dampé comes with a new tool for designing the holes. As you play with the mines, you unlock the tiles you can put to build your own Zelda mine. It's a good idea, but I didn't find it very involved. Most of the tiles available to you are extracted from the holes already cleared. I appreciate the effort, but it's not something I've been drawn to for a long time.
Maybe my dissatisfaction with duck-building tools is because they are so good. It was a surprise to see that many of the solutions and moments stayed with me for decades after I finally passed through them. Not only do I remember, but they all came up with very good years – I could have carved an attacking ball to hit a series of load-bearing beams or battled with a variety of different body types and techniques. The puzzles are smart without seeming too subtle, and the solutions deliver a great sense of contentment.
Link Rise has always held a special place in my heart, but asking someone to return to the original issue is difficult. With this reminder, people have no excuse for not playing against one of the best (and most surprising). I wish your envy will be dealing with this for the first time, although finding it all these years later is still a great pleasure.