The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds – Nintendo 3DS Reviews

This game is a long time in coming. Having originally picked up A Link Between Worlds upon release and wanting to do nothing more than play the sequel to my favorite Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, life got in the way. Fast forward three months and I decided to pick it back up and restart from the beginning while heading out on a trip. The result was a bit of a sun burn and a hugely satisfying journey.

Once again taking up the role of Link in one of his many reincarnations, The player sets out to deliver the captain of the guard’s sword because Link overslept for work yet again and are in a heap of trouble. This is where A Link Between Worlds starts off story wise while doing something different in the way of a sequel in this series. Instead of a new location like Termina or different seas like Phantom Hourglass, players of A Link to the Past will find themselves at home, revisiting the same Hyrule once again as they head off on their delivery.

A Link Between worlds bring a new feature by attempting to create an “open-world” Legend of Zelda. Typically there is an order as to which dungeon has to be completed before moving on, but this time around the order that players wish to take is entirely up to them, as long as they have the tools available to open up the ways. This was fun because it meant that if I was getting my trousers handed to me in one dungeon, another could always be attempted.

In the game’s spirit of doing something differently, Link does not find the required adventuring tools through the various large chests in the dungeons scatters throughout Hyrule. He instead finds them right at home with a man named Rovio who sets up shop to rent them to you (apparently even adventuring is becoming subscription based). I’ll be honest and say that I did not like this man setting up shop in my home and making me pay to rent equipment from him. Staying for free he should have been going out of his way to hand over the tools when they were required. The equipment is yours until the moment when the last segment of your hearts goes out. Once that final breath of life has been snuffed out and there are no more bottled fairies to bring you back to your feet, Rovio’s bird comes to reclaim what belongs to the shop.

After a certain point in the adventure, Rovio changes his tune slightly. Now, as well as the option to rent out a Bow, a Hookshot, or an Ice Wand, Link can outright buy them for what may see like a fairly steep price by that point in the adventure. Thankfully, within the various chests are lots and lots of money making it fairly accessibly by the end of the adventure to own all of the equipment available.

To boost the incentive on owning the equipment is Mother Momai, a large octopus like worried mother who was separated from her one-hundred children. By finding and returning to her ten of her children, like the fairy in the original A Link to the Past, she will grant an upgrade to any weapon currently possessed. Worry not, she will hold on to the upgrades for weapons you don’t yet own until you arrive with the rights to that weapon.

Exploration between the worlds of Hyrule and Lorule follow along the same principles. Look, lift, swim, jump, and blend yourself into the wall and run across it to fit through cracks in the walls or just over onto another platform. The ability to merge into the wall as a painting has multiple uses in which can be used at any time to either do the following, or even to dodge a bosses attack or an enemy’s projectile. Using this magically ability is key if you wish to reach the boss room of each dungeon that can be found between the two lands.

There is however one catch. Then again when is there not? This magically ability has a magic bar as is pretty standard by now. The catch? For the first time ever, each weapon and tool that Link has access to requires a portion of the magic meter to be used. Need to shoot an arrow? Need to remove a boulder from your way? Each of these actions depletes the magic meter instead of actually requiring to have a quiver or a bomb bag that needs to be upgraded later. Between merging into walls and using the tools, keeping an eye on that meter is going to be extremely important. Now it can see like a bit of a drawback that these items are no longer in stock but honestly with how fast the meter regenerates, I thought it worked out even better than having to worry about inventory numbers.

A Link Between Worlds is a solid Legend of Zelda entry on the Nintendo 3DS that was a joy to play all on its own before even considering that it was the sequel to one of my beloved classic Zelda entries. If this is a test as to what Nintendo can do with a Zelda in regards to thinking in an open world like scenario, then we should be in for an an interesting and awesome time once The Legend of Zelda Wii U is released later this year.

Disclaimer: no major spoilers.

For over 20 years I’ve been waiting for a Zelda like this. My favorite game in the series is A Link to the Past, and this newest release is like that excellent game on steroids. In my opinion, the last great Zelda game was Wind Waker. The previous two home console games, Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword, were very good but lacked the magic that gave me any motivation to play through them again, and the two DS games were average. Boredom kept me from even finishing Phantom Hourglass.

This one is different though. I like the fact that the item acquisition and usage system has changed. You have access to pretty much everything from the beginning of the game, so no waiting until the midpoint of your adventure to acquire the hookshot like in all the other games in the series. All items are used and replenished through a magic-type meter that automatically replenishes itself, so no more need to roam around the overworld slicing down bushes to replenish your arrows and bombs. These two significant changes are a drastic departure from the typical Zelda formula, and it’s a welcome change because it allows the player to focus more on the one thing that I always felt was one of the best parts of playing any Zelda game: exploration. Since you have access to most of the essential items from the start, the quest is not nearly as linear as it has been in the previous games, and this encourages one to just walk around shooting and blowing up stuff and seeing what happens. Even more so than A Link to the Past, the heart and soul of this game is very reminiscent of the original NES Legend of Zelda where you just walk around exploring and discovering things as you go along.

One drawback that I hope Nintendo addresses in the future: I wish there were an option to turn off the hint system. At times, there’s a little too much hand holding in the game, and while this may be necessary for a novice, if you’re a seasoned Zelda veteran, it really does detract from the experience.

I’m a little over halfway into the game, and I can say with confidence that A Link Between Worlds is at least in my top 3 favorite Zelda games of all time. Until I finish the entire game, I can’t say for sure if this one will stand the test of time and beat out Zelda III for my number one spot. But either way, this game is a spectacular masterpiece, and if you have a 3DS you should go out and get this right now.

A link to the past is one of those games regarded as a masterpiece that still stands the test of time. Its widely regarded as one of the best games ever made and with good reason. It was a bold step forward for the Zelda series and its impact is still being felt in the series today. Nintendo has decided to create this sequel in the form of “A Link Between Worlds” for the 3Ds and it measures up well to its predecessor. The visuals are amazing and whether you are playing on the 3DS where you can see amazing 3D effects in this game, or the 2DS which doesn’t have the 3D but is still an amazing system (affordable and comfortable and won’t have hinges that break) you will get an amazing experience. The overhead view calls back to A Link To The Past but also creates its own style. So to with the music, which calls back to A Link To The Past but also creates its own thing and is awesome for it. The new game mechanics are fun and there are amazing new things you can do. The ability to become a painting on a wall to move around in new ways is innovative and changes the gameplay immensely.
But there is something more that must be said. A Link Between Worlds does something that so many have wanted. It brings back a nonlinear approach to the series. You are given the option to rent items ( or later buy the items) instead of finding them in dungeons ( which can still be done) but there is also a risk. If you die while holding rented items then you lose them which can create problems if in a dungeon but that just adds to the challenge.
And challenge is a good word to say because this is a game that does not hold your hand, there is a hint system but it is optional and the game is better for it. There is also a hero mode available that drastically ups the difficulty of the game and its very much worth trying out
There is a detailed story in the game I don’t want to spoil here which involves a villain named Yuga and Hyrule’s twin world Lorule, which Link must journey between ( hence the title). There are cut scenes in the game that are well done and the story is great.
This game is a huge step forward for the series but there are also cameos and shoutouts to past games like Majora’s mask ( you might see a familiar location reappear)

This seems like a working blueprint for the new Wii U Zelda and if this is any indication of what that game will be, then I am very excited!