Link's Awakening - An Allegory for Dreaming

[@LiamTriforce]

Just wanted to say that I don't agree with the third chapter of this video at all anymore, was just a bit sour on the remake's changes and I let that cloud my vision. It is a great remake, and plenty of people now get to experience this game today. I wanted an entirely new 2D Zelda instead, which does actually tie into my thesis...but I didn't properly articulate myself at all. Of course, thank you for watching and providing counter arguments! I learned a lot from making this video. I still love Link's Awakening - that hasn't changed at all.

[@kingoppsanti5830]

Came to since I’m tempted to buy it for the switch.

[@harshal1153]

I don’t think it’s a coincidence this comment was only a few hours after Dunkey’s video on the game

[@LiamTriforce]

@@harshal1153 Absolutely not a coincidence! Great video, much better than mine.

[@Droidrebel]

I just discovered your channel yesterday (your Wii Retrospective video was in my recommended) and I’ve been watching all of your Zelda retrospective videos in order, and I agree with almost everything in your video, except for the music. I grew up with 8bit and 16bit game consoles. I absolutely adore that style and era of game music. But, at the same time, I’m in love with the remake of Link Awakening’s Soundtrack. As soon as I watched the reveal in the February 2019 Nintendo Direct, I instantly said “I hope I can find the whole soundtrack one day. It’s a shame that Nintendo won’t release official albums of their games. This opening song is a banger.” I loved the soundtrack of the original Link’s Awakening, but I absolutely adore the remakes soundtrack. I really like what I’ve seen of your channel so far, I’m a sucker for Hour Long videos to listen to while I’m at my 12 hour shift job. I just finished this video, and as hard as it is to believe, I can’t wait to start “Yet Another Ocarina of Time Retrospective”

[@Wendy_O._Koopa]

I mean, why not both? Since Nintendo proper isn't the one who handles all their remakes, it doesn't take any more resources to make. We can get an awesome remake, _and_ a new portable Zelda game... unfortunately, that portable title is also the console title... is "2D Zelda" gone for good? Hopefully not... in fact, why not let Capcom (makers of the oracle series) or some other company make a new 2D Zelda? Yeah, I have no idea what's going on at Nintendo... BotW2 is taking even longer than the original... _what are you guys doing?!_

[@ShyGuyXXL]

"Should we remake this game if the message is to move on?" (paraphrasing) Keep in mind, some people have never played the original game and probably wouldn't if this remake didn't exist. It wasn't JUST made for those who played the gameboy version.

[@noahhopkins1565]

Yea, I was going to say something like this too. The game is like what, damn near 20 years old now? I think it's great that a new generation of players gets to experience an amazing game like Link's Awakening without the barrier to entry of a Gameboy Color.

[@King_Luigi]

@@noahhopkins1565 Well if you go by the _original_ version, then it's been ~27 years since it came out. Though, if you go by the DX (color) version, then it's closer to ~21 years. So yea... quite some time either way.

[@voxelheart]

This game is older than I've been alive and I didn't have a way to experience it legally that's why they remade it, not just the $$$ ;-; That aside, I believe that there is value to having remakes if you enhance the message of the game. If they instead of adding more collectables instead focused on building your connection to the world even more, then the fact you would need to move on would become more personal. If they removed things like hero mode, then people wouldn't have the assumption in the back of their mind they are being told to play this game longer than needed. Enhancing the experience, not adding onto, I feel should be the priority, which is why I believe this remake could have done better in hindsight.

[@eevee1583]

Agreed. Probably would've never played this game if it wasn't remade

[@LeopoldLitchenstein]

I probably would eventually have played it since it's a fraction of the price on the 3DS eShop, but I doubt I would have liked it as much honestly.

[@hansgretl1787]

I can certainly understand why you need some time to prepare for the next Zelda game. Wand of Gamelon and Faces of Evil truly are nuanced masterpieces of their time and have to be analyzed as such.

[@somebaker2613]

T H I S

[@hansgretl1787]

@@somebaker2613 I S

[@thisiswhatilike54]

Poe’s Law is in full effect

[@The_Wandering_Nerd]

Now if there were some games that needed modern remakes to get them to not suck, the CD-I games would definitely fit the bill. Nintendo could hire Koji Igarashi to turn them into proper Metroidvanias while maintaining the beautiful watercolor painting aesthetic that was their greatest asset. (I know this will never happen in a zillion years because Nintendo didn't make them, they would gladly throw every copy of them into a fire if they could, and they would be in copyright hell if they wanted to do anything with them, but one can dream, right?) You can't just remake good games after all.

[@Mqstodon]

@@The_Wandering_Nerd yes you can?

[@dumorte]

New generations need this game in their lives. Wasnt gonna happen if it lived and died on the gameboy. Introducing my fav zelda game since childhood to my friends that never played it before makes me appreciate it even more. I love the remake. .

[@Paradox-xm9zq]

3DS eshop: am I a joke to you?

[@magg166]

​@@Paradox-xm9zq Nintendo in 2023: yes

[@brock2443]

@@noahedwards3090 Agree. Not having to constantly switch items in a menu screen is a good update. I played Link’s Awakening when it originally came out on gameboy. Having items permanently mapped to buttons was a much needed improvement. It makes the game more replayable.

[@nanaosaki4]

Exactly what I was gonna say. There are some games that would straight up disappear if they weren't remade. Yes, that also leans into the theme of things being temporary, but this is a lesson that new generations need to learn too, & while I wish companies would take the chance on letting new IPs tell similar life lessons & morality plays, companies also feel much safer remaking something that already succeeded in doing so (& made decent profits, not to mention became a cultural icon). Yes, that leans into the nostalgia angle too, as extra money will be made off the generation that grew up with the original, but people often forget that remakes often drive up viewership/playership of the original by a new generation. Many will be curious, want to see what it was like in its first iteration, to get a taste of that experience the older generation always rattles on about. I, for one, would never have seen the British 1970 musical film Scrooge if "Netflix" hadn't released a remake in Dec '22. I love seeing different adaptations, seeing how interpretations change, & so do many others. Thank god for ROM hacks & emulators, because big video game companies HATE the idea of sustaining old IPs & machines.

[@Iffondrel]

Just beat Links Awakening dx on nso. I'm pretty sure my brother had this game when we were kids, but I didn't touch his Gameboy. I'm glad I finally got to experience it. Only now I really want to get the remake...

[@musicvelle]

Tbf if this game wasn't remade, I never would have played Links Awakening. I started gaming on the GameCube. Yes, it's ironic for Nintendo to pick this particular game, but MAN a game like this needed to be introduced to another generation

[@leftovernoise]

yeah I will never understand people complaining that it got a remake. Thousands of people that would have never played it get a chance to experience it. I know people say "go buy a game boy or just use an emulator" but like, if some 10 year old kid has a switch and nothing else, and they have to jump through hoops to play it, it's probably not going to happen.

[@winterdragon2004]

"Why attempt to change or iterate on something that already left a massive impact, especially something already viewed as fantastic?" So those who weren't around to experience it can have a chance to play it for themselves. This game came out more than 20 years ago, on a handheld that is nigh impossible for the younger crowd to gain access to. But now there are others who can become engrossed in this beautiful game as you guys had in your youth. Sure, remakes are made to get cash from nostalgic gamers, the same can be said for all games. The true beauty of a passionately made remake is to see your most cherished memories, beautifully made with modern hardware, and knowing that your children and other young folk can experience the same journey firsthand that made the game so beloved in the first place.

[@teamhammerbros8466]

winterdragon2004 actually a gameboy, and the game is cheaper, or any sort of subsitute like the 3ds Eshop, Super Gameboy, GBA, Retron.

[@teamhammerbros8466]

really it goes without saying people generally like what is considered new-or has a new coat of paint.

[@lordAgustin]

Or you could emulate, you know

[@cece_luna]

@@lordAgustin emulating is fine, but what if somebody just doesn't want to? I, myself, play on both emulators and original hardware, and I must say that I prefer the original hardware, and my Gameboy Color's screen is broken, and the game cart for Link's Awakening DX won't start in my GBA, so the remake was great for me

[@raioh4747]

yeah this part of the video really lost me, I can understand his frustration, just like Majora HD frustrates me, but there is no reason to compare the two games because one doesn't erase the other, if you prefer the original, just go back and play it, both vesions still exist

[@jakedematteo2172]

Part of links awakening is the idea that nostalgia is good, and returning to memories is great, you just can’t linger on them. The remake perfectly fits this

[@dietaryfibre6038]

It’s implied that Koholint lives on as long as Link remembers it, the same as your childhood memories. So while it conveys a message of moving on, it also encourages reflection on the past, because those memories made you who you are. Damn I love this game!

[@XX-sp3tt]

You're right about accessibility. Most people these days don't own a GameBoy or Link's awakening. Technology becomes outdated at a dangerous rate. These remasters like NEW PEOPLE experience the game.

[@Mqstodon]

*remakes

[@Paradox-xm9zq]

3DS eshop: Am I a joke to you?

[@liamschermer7901]

@@Paradox-xm9zq That still limits the game to handhelds.

[@brandondarnell1150]

@@Paradox-xm9zqoh this is so outdated now omg like spoiled milk

[@spoonflaps12]

Loved that long spiel about the Face Shrine music! It legit gave me shivers the first time I heard it

[@brandonbumby397]

It also sounds very very familiar from Link To The Past when in the the chapel after saving Zelda from the castle

[@voltron77]

The face shrine music is amazing and even better in the remake, but forever my favorite song will be the tal tal heights song.

[@dcfrank4904]

I remember watching an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation called "The Inner Light" and it reminded me so much of Link's Awakening. *SPOILER WARNING* In it Picard gets a weird flash of light from a probe found in space, this results in his being taken to an strange planet, in the middle of a populace Not even referred to as Picard or Jean-Luc, Just Kamin. He lives a complete life as Kamin, With no references to his life as Picard, with The Enterprise, with Starfleet. Nothing. He is to just live in this city as one of them, which he comes to accept, he even grows to old age. At the end of the episode it is revealed that the life he lived is a chronicle of a people now extinct from their star going Nova. It turns out Picard was only unconscious for about 20 minutes, but he experienced a full life time. At the end of it all, his other life never happend, but the memories of it were all too real, with a tear inducing moment when he hugs the flute in the probe to his chest in remembrance. Links Awakening felt strangely appropriate

[@hugjuffs]

I remember playing this game in 97 when I was 10. The ending absolutely blew me away. I didn't know how to deal with it. It was so bittersweet. The Windfish is a magical and majestic being. It's a crime to keep it asleep and a joy to see it awaken, but all the friends I made will disappear forever. However, Marin now lives in the song of a gull. She finally got her wish: to travel to distant lands and share her song with the world. It's the most beautiful ending. In my eyes, no game has been able to replicate it since, regardless of how many colors or fancy effects are used. Thank you for making this video and showing respect to this wonderful piece of art.

[@TheMoonPresence]

💀

[@smashbrolink]

*shivers* The music from this game, my GOD... From sad to happy to tense to majestic, and many other notes inbetween. I haven't played many other small adventure games that accomplish so much with just its music alone. Marin's song and the ending orchestral bit in the remake will forever be personal favorites of mine.💗💗💗

[@voltron77]

Yeah the music is godlike, easily one of my favorite osts in any Zelda game.

[@kingbash6466]

At first I thought nothing much about this game and wrote it off as a decent yet short handheld. But after experiencing the remake, I really grew an appreciation of this game with it’s bizarre setting, laidback tone, and honestly heartfelt themes of dreams and how we interpret them. I still think the item switching in the original is kind of a handicap in the original game, but the remake completely nullifies that problem and know I can confidently say that Link’s Awakening is one of my favorite Zelda games, top 5 absolutely.

[@voltron77]

Both the remake and original are amazing games. Timeless classics that every Zelda fan should play.

[@voltron77]

The item switching in the original is honestly not that much of a handicap because it’s fast and easy. I love that and it’s not that much of a handicap.

[@RiverOfTheHeart]

I love the remake so much, it's my favorite zelda game, and I'm so glad it exists cause otherwise I'd never played the original to the end. I tried the gbc and Gameboy versions a few times, but several parts of it made me not feel like finishing it. The remake however, hooked me, and I've completed it twice. Also I nearly got goose bumps in the transition to act 2 where you put in Marin singing.

[@voltron77]

It’s now on NSO and you really should play it. The original is amazing and it really is special. I love both of these games and going in the original with the knowledge of the remake makes the experience of the original so amazing. You really should give it another try.

[@slimjesus9872]

Yeah no, I’ve always wanted to play this game but I don’t have a game boy color like a lot of people. It’s undeniably a good thing they remade it.

[@turtleanton6539]

Yes this

[@mr.j3rs3y]

Well atleast we can finally play the original on switch now😄

[@voltron77]

Also it’s now on nso!

[@voltron77]

@@mr.j3rs3yI’m so happy!

[@MrEnigma2099]

The way the orginal affected you is the same way the remake affected me. Mind you this is my first LOZ I've ever played(at least all the way through) and I'm 27 lol

[@shaitet]

Good Zelda to start with. A Link to the Past is also a good starting point but can be obtuse for some.

[@voltron77]

For me who’s played both they are both amazing and you should play both.

[@bestestdev]

This was my first Zelda game. I was 8 years old, and I played it on a gameboy pocket because I didn’t have a GBC. I finished it at school during recess, and I distinctly remember having trouble holding back tears when I finished it. It’s message had a profound impact on me that still informs the way I perceive the world today.

[@MidlifeCrisisJoe]

As someone who loved Link's Awakening as a kid, I for one felt the remake was a wonderful dream to have again. If for no other reason than the orchestrated Mabe Village theme, which always just hits me right in the feels.

[@eaterofchilds6839]

I’d never played a Zelda game before but when u heard the opening theme of links awakening I legit teared up lmao

[@lasercraft32]

28:14 Oh wow... I like how the new version of the song sounds... Sad. And I don't mean normal sad. It sounds like mourning. It just gives off a palpable feeling of _grief._

[@deeb13243]

"and rather than attempting to create that same experience, cherish it with you for the rest of your life." I can only thank you for this. Every day i think about my grandparents old house and all the memories i have. How much I wish I could return to such a carefree and beautiful time. But I now know that I can't, and that's okay. This gives me such deep closure, almost unwanted... But necessary. I wont be able to recreate it. But it truly will be there with me for the rest of my existence.

[@dreamleaf4363]

I’m glad they remade it because a lot more people will get to experience it when they may never have otherwise.

[@MasonOfLife]

The Links Awakening Remake is actually my favourite 2D Zelda, enhanced my love for the original and brought it to an even higher place in my heart, I’m very thankful for the remake because without it I wouldn’t have my fav 2D Zelda

[@voltron77]

I love the original too. Both the remake and the original are amazing and the best 2d Zelda games.

[@LordMalice6d9]

​@voltron77 Link's Awakening and A Link to The Past are my favorite 2D Zeldas.

[@pyrrhickong]

What I perhaps love most about Link's Awakening is its connection to its development. Started as a passion project by a programmer on LttP, who was just seeing if he could recreate LttP on Game Boy, word spread among the office, and a little 'after work club' formed to work on what was perhaps the world's first, greatest fan game. That was so good, it became noticed by the higher ups an was released as a full game. Togetherness, how our experiences connect us, how we all work toward the same, positive ideas, and how our passion influences the future - those are the lessons from Link's Awakening that I take to heart more than anything else. That and Marin appearing as a seagull in the credits if you give her a happy date, that's really, really sweet in showing the extra effort you put into remembering her. ... Which, y'know, makes a remake of such an idea feel really, really bad and kind of burying that original passion. I'm so glad more people will be able to experience it, but I'm disappointed that it's not that original version of the game that thousands might get the chance to fall in love with. I didn't play this game until my 20's, but it gave me a child-like joy that I rarely got from many games at the time, not just Zelda games. And I appreciate the quality of life changes, I love the idea of not nudging a pot with my nose and a text box calling me a wimp. But, as you've said, I wish all this effort was spent on creating a new adventure. Thank you for the video. Viewing LA as a unified thesis for forward progress was something I hadn't considered - more focusing on it as a matter of nostalgia and reminiscence and finding strength in that. You're kinda good at this video thing. I'm glad to keep viewing this channel until the dream ends.

[@King_Luigi]

Just a minor correction... Marin doesn't appear as a seagull at the end because you "gave her a happy date". That only happens if you manage to finish the game _without dying._

[@saikanzen1762]

Link's Awakening was the first ever game that showed me a world to explore and people to meet. Easily my favorite game of all time.

[@seletron8291]

"Games are escapism" Yeah, I sure want to escape into something like Bloodborne. No risks there.

[@k.b.7718]

You don't really get what escapism means, right? Coz it means exactly what you've written.

[@beartoothWC]

The wind fish also says that everytime you think about the memory of the island you give it life so that made me feel a little better about the ending

[@xbiker321]

Links Awakening on the switch allowed me to experience that journey for the first time. I had a game boy growing up, but I never played Links Awakening. Ocarina of Time converted me into a Zelda fan. As time goes on, younger gamers will be able to experience these journeys because of remakes. For those two reasons, I appreciate well done remakes like this.

[@clarkside4493]

Link's Awakening is my brother's favorite Zelda game. I put off buying the remake for years, but remembered it was here when I saw it on sale for Christmas. So I got my brother a copy, not just for him, but so my 9-year-old niece to make it her first Zelda game too.

[@kais2078]

I see your point about remaking the game going against the message of moving on, but no message is a full-proof solution to life's problems. If the idea of remake itself is to be judged based on the themes, then you have to consider that moving on isn't always the best thing to do. There are times when a person needs to stop and look back to reflect on themselves and make sure they aren't straying from the path they want to take in life. As the story itself teaches, dreams end, everything does, but there's value in remembering them and what they have taught us. But dark times make us forget these happy memories and dreams we once had. They break our spirits and prevent us from moving on, making us forget everything we once learned. At times like these, reliving that dream, reliving the nostalgia, and being reminded of that message is important. But, it's not an easy thing to do. So many of us look at things that we liked in the past and scoff at them, failing to let them make us remember the wisdom they once gave us. I know so many guys who were Pokemon fans when we were all kids and were positively impacted by the show, but as they grew up, they started thinking that watching/playing Pokemon was a waste of time and instead they should have been *studying more* or just doing something they consider more productive. They did learn things from it when they were kids. But, they forgot. And now, even revisiting those games or the anime does not help them recall those things. And this happens with a lot of people as they grow up. Their mind gets occupied by so many things that they fail to see the beauty in simpler things they once immensely enjoyed. In order to remember those precious moments and important as hell messages, they need something more than just what they have had for 20 years. A remake, which could bring those past games to the forefront with obviously better visuals and other quality of life features, could be just what is needed to stop them from looking down on those games as old and archaic and revisit them properly. This comment ended up being WAY longer than I thought it would be, but I just wanted to express why I don't think remaking Link's awakening is in any way against the message of the original. Did Nintendo remake this game to earn money from it? Sure. But, any corporation makes any product to earn money from it. Did they remake this game *just* to earn money from it? I can confidently say - no.

[@nolastname908]

When I beat the game on the switch, and heard the credits, it was triumphant, but when near the end of the credits theme with the section I call the 8-bit tribute to the original, brought me to tears, same thing when I got the true ending and say Marin having her wish granted. Now with this video, I had no idea about the allegory, and by watching this video I feel a sense of truth both in the game and myself

[@kieronireikets7884]

I think the remake has topped as my favorite Zelda credits song. The switching from small and sad to bombastic and triumphant, the nostalgic GBC callback, it's just fantastic

[@voltron77]

Yeah the original has a charm that is so special and the remake is amazing! I love both!

[@ahbeef]

amazing work on this one, i’ve never played LA before but all the praise from videos like yours and KingK’s make me really want to try it out. shame that remake is so damn expensive though

[@WaffletheKodiak]

please chill.. if it wasnt for this remake, i never would've been able to experience the game or its message :/ accessibility is important, like you said.

[@WaffletheKodiak]

people who missed out on it way back when and kids who will potentially have their own childhood experiences with this game deserve a chance to play it too, i guess? personally i wasnt even alive when this game first came out, and i was about 3 years old when the dx remaster happened lol. there's absolutely no need for that kinda gatekeeping attitude here.

[@ThatFanBoyGuy]

@@WaffletheKodiak Do you have a 3DS? It's on the Virtual Console. That's how I played it, 2 years before the HD remake

[@bartelvandervelden9894]

@@ThatFanBoyGuy good for you. But does it really matter whether it's on 3DS as well? What if you don't have a 3DS/the Switch is your first (Nintendo) console? I've played some Oracle of Seasons, and boy, was the constant switching of items etc a turnoff for me back then (played it on my GBA as the age of 12). If the virtual store was the only way to play it on an widely available system, I wouldn't have played the game at all

[@leftovernoise]

@@ThatFanBoyGuy at this point it's more likely for a kid to have a switch than a 3ds, and the 3ds will eventually lose support from Nintendo just like the Wii and such.

[@danielmunoz1275]

Personally I loved Link's Awakening Remake. I started playing the original in a website that emulated it when I was in Highschool, unfortunately it was taken down and never got past the first two temples, seeing a remake coming out for Switch was so exciting for me, because I felt I could finally continue my journey with an updated a beautiful art-style that gives a unique personality (I hope they do this for the Oracle games in the future as well). I haven't played too many of the 2D Zelda games (just ALtP and ALBW, before playing this one), and this just made me fall more in love with the series and value even more the TLoZ 2D games even more.

[@jessep8689]

Link's Awakening was the first Zelda game I ever completed. I owned it on the gameboy as a kid and it left an immeasurable impact on me. I never understood why future games played it safe, creating a new link again and again and took the original dream away from me. I felt so connected to "his" journey. Oracle of Ages and Seasons brought my dream back momentarily but I that's all it was, a dream. No other era in the zelda timeline captured my heart like this one. Sure I enjoyed other entries, but simply as a game. I never really cared about any other link. Awesome video, man. It touched my heart that others actually care about this amazing experience and what it offered.

[@GwydionAE]

Reasons I love Link's Awakening so much: _waves hands emphatically toward video_ While this game (the original Gameboy version) wasn't the first Zelda game I played, it was the first I beat, and it's the reason I'm such a fan of the series to this day. The first Zelda was too difficult for someone like me who was never super great at video games, and I never even bothered to try the second after watching someone else play it. But we ended up getting our hands on a Gameboy and LA, and I could not put it down. I loved the story and characters, and the difficulty didn't feel like too much for me to handle. The bittersweet ending resonated with me as a kid, too, as I played it during a particularly rough patch of my childhood. To this day I still consider it not only one of my favorite Zelda games, but also one of my favorite video games period. So it really is nice to see so much care and thought put into a video that not only covers its gameplay, but also its message and impact, which were pretty special for a monochrome title on a chunky handheld.

[@matth3760]

Honestly such a good video on this game. Really haven’t thought about Link’s Awakening the same since watching it. Love coming back to watch it honestly

[@mrister24]

Love your highlights of the date with Marin and the dungeon 6 events as pivotal to the game. The former hooks you completely on the story and immersion in the game, and the latter puts a dagger in you, crystallizing your understanding of the game's destiny that the game has previously hinted at. For me the highlight of the entire game is beating the Armos knight and reading the wall in the Southern Shrine (along with that music) but paired with the Face Shrine atmosphere, it's a crushing amount of emotion for a Game Boy game.

[@1000bip]

I love this game. It was my first Zelda and it’s my favorite. I’m so happy they did a remake. So much emotion. So good

[@skinnymatt64]

I feel this video is so convoluted, links awakenings remake was amazing and i personally think it eclipses the original, LA was the only zelda game i didnt finish as a child. It was annoying to play having to constantly pause and traversing the overworld was as annoying as could be . I later came back and played it as an adult via emulator just to be able to say i beat every zelda game but i didnt enjoy it , i absolutely loved the remake and completed it within days and its a game ill most likely play to completion dozens of times where as the original ill never touch again.

[@turtleanton6539]

This guy don't understand that the crocodile eats the dog food and that the power ups adds on top of the suits

[@voltron77]

Switching items in the menu is fine and not annoying! I love the original and the remake and both are some of the best games of all time!

[@voltron77]

You’re wrong, the original is amazing and the menu switching is not annoying. I played both and for me the best is he original with its special charm. The remake has better controls but I don’t care because the original is magical. Both are amazing, but the original is lovable and the menu as I said is fine.

[@StarsAndSticks]

Your point about the color dungeon devaluing collectibles is fair, and I agree. But I disagree that the temporary power ups devalue the collectibles in any significant way. Having a permanent bonus and not having to rely on a powerup dropping is a satisfying reward.

[@vrowed7422]

So I have never played the remake and I expected the face shrine song to be bad... then you started playing it in the video. I was so incredibly shocked and I started crying. I still can't believe how good that was

[@theonlyvampirateable]

Cannot believe in the music section you didn't mention the remakes Animal Village music. It's a true masterpiece. Possibly the best musical number to be ever composed.

[@turtleanton6539]

Yes

[@voltron77]

Tal tal heights.

[@TehJellyLord]

I love Link’s Awakening to bits. After BOTW it kind of feels like a mini version of that with a Metroidvania kick to it in a lot of ways. And as a platformer fan, the jump feather and 2D platforming segments in there really just made that side of me happy. I love the characters, story, music, etc. it’s all just a little slice of heaven to me.

[@indigoiozzi]

Link's Awakening is my favorite 2D Zelda, and one of my top games ever. I've always been a Zelda fan, but it took me until 2015 to give the game a chance, and it blew me away. I never thought a 8-bit game could make me cry, but it did. I never wanted to wake up.

[@sarysa]

"I need some time before the next one." *Sees a **1:16:55** video recommended to me.* Oh boy.

[@nintentyr2355]

I have a theory about the nature of Koholint Island and the dream world in general. We know that Koholint Island was created by the Wind Fish's dream. This is something that is hinted at by the Nightmares confirmed halfway through the game when link gets to the Ancient Ruins. At some point the Nightmare invaded the Wind Fish's slumber in an attempted to take over his dream world and keep the Wind Fish unable to awaken. My theory is that Link's memories influenced parts of the Wind Fish's nightmare/dream- in particular, some of the enemies found of Koholint Island are ones Link has faced in his previous adventures such as Darknuts, Octoroks, Armos Knight, and Zoras. During the final battle, Nightmare takes the shapes that resembles the bosses from A Link to the Past, like Moldorm, Agahnim, and Ganon. Nightmare was using Link's memories as a way of trying to prevent Link from awakening the Wind Fish by using Link's memories against him. Link might have also contributed to Koholint's geography as Tal Tal Mountain could be created from memories of Death Mountain, Mysterious Woods from Lost Woods, Kanalet Castle could be the Koholint counterpart of Hyrule Castle. Lucky, the Wind Fish had its own tactics. His dream world had the necessary tools to awaken him- the Eight Instruments of the Sirens along with a person that knows Ballad of the Wind Fish to teach Link (Marin). There is also south of the Face Shrine which reveals the secret of Koholint Island and the help of the Wind Fish's subconscious/spirit in the form of the Owl. Speaking of Marin I like to think she was half constructed from both Link and the Wind Fish. At first Link confused Marin for Princess Zelda as well as being a good-natured girl who loves to sing and has a strong sense of morality. Like the Hero of Legend, she is very adventurous when she went hiking up Tal Tal Mountains to make her wish because she wants to see what's beyond Koholint Island. I think these would be qualities Link would look for so you might say Marin is Link's ultimate dream girl.

[@voltron77]

Link probably loved Marin.

[@skins4thewin]

Hell yeah man! So glad to see you give credit to that masterpiece of a track, aka the Face Shrine remixed theme. What a banger! It pretty much made the remake for me as well and is indeed one of the very best Zelda tracks of all time. I hope it gets the recognition it deserves from future Zelda fans.

[@dysparrot]

This was my first Zelda experience, got it Christmas of 93. I was 9, and it set the benchmark for how great story could be in games. I would just let Link sit idle in certain areas just to listen to the 8 bit audio, I always wondered if anyone else was affected by it the same way. This is what KZbin is all about, thanks Liam!

[@skins4thewin]

Lol I also freaking love the new rendition of the Face Shrine music. Absolutely love how the original instrumental kicks in towards the end there of the clip you played. That bit tugs hard as hell on the Nostalgia strings & absolutely nails it. It wouldn't have been the same had they not included the original instrument in that track.

[@ParUhDroyd]

The music from the sixth dungeon is so good. Thanks for mentioning it, because you reminded me how I felt when I first entered that dungeon in the remake and heard that track’s rearrangement. Chills down my spine from the beauty and darkness of that theme. But I feel the remake is more of a way of sharing the memory of the original game like it’s been said here already, most people today and in the future will never own a gameboy and so having this version like this adds to the game’s accessibility.

[@lasercraft32]

There is one upside to remakes... There are a _lot_ of people who never got to play the original. Children getting the game for their birthday or christmas, playing it for the first time, and they never would have been able to experience the game unless it was remade.

[@skins4thewin]

Unseen tutorials are what Nintendo has always been great at. They are the kings of teaching thru gameplay.

[@itaysharf3207]

This is not the first time I've watched this video I have to say i absolutely love the way you talk in your videos In part 2, when you talked about how things change and you need to savour and remember the good times, damn i got goosebumps Truly one of my favourite channels

[@ChrisLeeW00]

Everytime I play this game, I always regret not spending enough time walking bow wow or adventuring with Marin. She really likes when you dig!

[@christinehelgeton4686]

just wanted to mention that technically link's awakening DX (aka the color version) is kind of a remake in and of itself, the color dungeon and the photo quest (?, i played the original so i don't know how the photo thing works) wasn't in the original. just wanted to point that out since you talked about how it was a choice to re-do link's awakening despite its message. i agree with the message, especially with the ghost quest, but yeah, nintendo already remade it once, kind of ironic

[@solveigfrank]

Links awakening was the very first zelda i came in contact with as a child…played on the gameboy adapter on the snes and it was epic ! It still puts me into tears when i hesr the music to awaken the windfish

[@pmcKANE]

This was the first Zelda game I ever played. I played the Switch version a while back with my boy, who's 5 years old. I swear to God... the tears we had when the game finished and I had to explain that no one was real... that was a gut punch. He was happy to see that we could load the save, but now whenever we're approaching the end of a game, he will ask if everything will go away like in Zelda. It's a hell of a thing to teach a young one about impermanence.

[@ipd0043]

This… this beautiful video helped me a lot right now. Thanks. I’ve long time watched your stuff but haven’t really commented or interacted much. Thank you Liam.

[@skins4thewin]

I can't begin to tell you how impressive this game was back in it's day. My God this game absolutely BLEW MY MIND when it 1st came out! How they were able to create such a masterful experience on a small black & white handheld still impresses me to this day. It is my 2nd favorite Zelda game of all time after A Link to the Past.

[@Demonskunk]

Link's Awakening is the quintessential Zelda experience. It introduced all of the elements that would go on to define post-LttP Zelda. Trading quests, dungeons that require the item inside to complete, and boss fights that require creative use of the dungeon item.

[@somebaker2613]

I absolutely loved your message. I've heard so many retrospectives and analyses of links awakening and they're a dime a dozen, but your passionate explanation for how it represents that everything must end, as well as looking to new possibilities left me floored, I love it. I look forward to all your new future content 😄😊

[@halestorm_01]

This is an excellent representation of Link's Awakening. Well done

[@SuperBearPoo]

Link's Awakening DX is available on 3DS Virtual Console. I highly recommend playing it that way.

[@MMLCommentaries]

Holy shit this video was fantastic

[@brenndenpfaff6076]

the thing about it being remade, for me at least, is that it allows those of us (me included) who missed out on the original to play it for the first time again. When I was little, maybe like 6 or so, my dad still had his old gameboy color (I’m an ‘03 baby) and I remember that the only game he still had for it was Link’s Awakening. Unfortunately, it was too difficult for me to complete, so I never did finish it, though I continued to be a huge fan of zelda afterwards haha. So you can imagine that when I saw this game announced back in 2019, it sparked a distant memory of the egg on top of the mountain from back then. Now, because of the remake, I was able to truly enjoy this piece of work for the first time truly.

[@Kuramiteru]

Bro I just found your vids, and I've been enjoying them thoroughly. You got a great voice and it's just really nice listening to you talk so passionately.

[@BrianTani]

For me, it was the first time playing the game, playing this remake. And I liked a lot.

[@justgrapes5871]

Link's Awakening is my favorite 2D Zelda game

[@kennytvn]

Found your channel by surprise, I wonder how KZbin failed to recommend me this much earlier :D

[@ynnekb1787]

Man this game got me so emotional when I finished it! Which was today... I want to go back to the dream! But you're right. We keep moving forwards!

[@catjesus812]

I know it's super late but, this is one of the best video game retrospectives I've ever seen. Thank you sir.

[@Sylentmana]

The remake was my first experience with this game. I loved it so much I binged it in a single sitting.

[@Zarathustra-rj4yz]

2 videos I've seen of yours so far and both times you've managed to irk the shit out of me.

[@turtleanton6539]

He is not on point always

[@emacsterm2949]

It's incredible what they were able to do with this game...in monochrome green....on a 2 inch screen... Amazing stuff!!

[@alanlee67]

Links awakening is a portable game that seems to have not been held back at all by the technical limitations of the Gameboy. I didn't realize the Gameboy was any more advanced than the nes but it seems orders of magnitude more impressive than the original game.

[@RainbowMan9407]

As someone who wants to make a video game centered around dreams, this is absolutely a game that I want to play at some point in my life. From what little I have played on emulators, this is a game that manages to feel as polished as A Link to the Past, and that's a feat in of itself. That, and I absolutely love how weird this game is willing to go.

[@scrapsdesposel1233]

God I hope your channel never dies, and if so, I hope you go down in legends

[@ghostsquirrelmia]

Hey! Just so you know, you're very good at voiceovers and narration. Thanks for putting all these videos together! They've been a nice distraction while I'm waiting for the next BOTW game to come out.

[@ballroomscott]

This video was good until your conclusion at the end that Link's Awakening should not have been remade. Your reasoning is ridiculous. The remake was more for new fans then for old ones, and they deserve to have the experience of playing Link's Awakening in a legal, accessible manner.

[@kyosilver1999]

ballroomscott yeah exactly the old versions are constantly getting harder and harder to play legally, this gives fans both new and old a way to play this game again allowing fans that grew up With this game to share something with there kids who are just getting into Zelda, and new fans can now easily experience this game for the first time without having to go buy an old game boy and original cartridge that might not work anymore, or emulate the game illegally

[@dennistaylor5065]

The original GBC game was great for it's time, but it hasn't aged well.

[@turtleanton6539]

This

[@bash3226]

His reasoning is absurd yeah, but why make a 3DS game for the Switch, have it with some horrible performance that never got fixed, showcase the ability to design your own dungeons that feels so damn unfinished, lock meaningful content behind Amiibo, and put it up for full price? The remake imo is really undercooked, feels like Nintendo didn't really care about preserving the game, but like they just wanted to capitalize on the crowd BOTW brought with a half-hearted remake.

[@mediumvillain]

​@@kyosilver1999They're also just literally harder to play, or for younger or modern gamers who don't have a lot of experience w older consoles or emulation to get into. People like graphical & mechanical spruce ups for classic game experiences.

[@ogre706]

I often dislike choosing a "favorite", so I won't in this case.. but Link's Awakening is definitely one of my top three favorite Zelda titles ever released. In the end when everything disappeared, it actually brought a small tear to my eye.

[@Shervin86]

Game teaches us to move on... dreams end... as all stories.l do... the memories you create are not.. they will stay with you forever... and rather than creating them over, cherish them forever... This game is so memorable for me... I played this game when I was 8 and I remember crying at the end.. I didn't want to continue the last text box because I knew it would all end... No other game ever made me feel so sad that it was over...

[@rexdawn7]

Great analysis of the many gameplay elements in such a classic game... It's fascinating to explore this game because it's made by a much smaller team of developers who weren't the original team.... It's like an independent developer with out a publisher some how got to publish their fan-made Legend of Zelda game.

[@solosick4172]

As a new Zelda fan I love that they remade this game because I probably wouldn't have played it if they didn't and I really hope they remake more Zelda games for the switch so I can finally play them

[@PINCHEPAPO]

I be having the most wildest dreams ever bro , from like a creative perspective it’s very artsy / trippy .

[@goeatlnola]

Thanks for such a thorough and well-documented video!

[@Naterkix]

I don't mind this particular remake since it allows people who didn't/couldn't play the original to play it. I got my mom into Zelda long after the original so being able to have her play it and get all the feels I had as a ten year old was... nice.

[@skins4thewin]

If there's any one game I could think of that could truly benefit from a modern remake with a fresh coat of paint, it would be a game like Chrono Trigger. Just the music, narrative and environments of that game could be freaking MAGICAL in a fully reimagined 3D world. Can you imagine it? How amazing would a truly well done modern 3D remake of Chrono Trigger be? It could be GLORIOUS, and have even more impact than the original had! There is only so much that can be done with 2D sprites, and I feel like a full update of the game could be simply amazing for both OG fans and new fans alike. I truly hope I get to see it happen within my lifetime, as that game has not gotten near the attention it deserves from Square Enix.

[@darkknight1938]

Of all the Zelda games, Link’s Awakening is my favorite, even though there is no Hyrule, Zelda or Triforce. I think the reason why it’s my favorite is because the story is so good. The ending actually made me sad. I can’t think of any other game that moved me emotionally like this one. I would love it if they did a sequel to this and work out some way for Link to return to the island. It’ll never happen but it would be nice.

[@kyanitefrog3880]

You are my fav genuine retrospectivers on youtube!!

[@grammarmaid]

When you began building up to discussing the "best song in the game's soundtrack," I was genuinely dumbfounded when you chose the Face Shrine's theme. While I would by no means argue against the track's outstanding quality, I found your explanation of its thematic impact difficult to relate to. This may, however, be due in part to the unorthodox method of progression I found myself taking while playing the remake for the first time. I ended up acquiring the Face Key before it was possible for me to access its associated dungeon. This meant that I had another dungeon and several hours between the mural revelation, and actually arriving at the Face Shrine dungeon. This likely served to lessen the dramatic impact that one would otherwise have reflected in the music, since I was unintentionally afforded plenty of time to digest and move on from the game directly pointing out its core conceit. For me, the Face Shrine was simply another dungeon; albeit one with uncharacteristically foreboding music. That it would be possible to experience the story slightly out of order than intended is a testament to Link's Awakening's strong design and overall trust in the player's ability to guide themselves.

[@randomdude2026]

Same for me but on the other hand I already knew the truth of the island when I went to the date with Marin because I went there right after I read the stone tablet in the old temple. This made the scene on the beach really sad and impactful. Hearing Marin talk about her dreams while you know the truth. Link keeping silent was also really fitting because I imagined him not knowing what to say. Only later I found out that this was not the intentional way of the game.

[@markst.5383]

I played this game when i was 10 years old or so. Now i played it again on the switch and it was great. But even greater was, that my 7 year old son finished it before i did. Watching him, playing that game is like having a time machine and watching myself playing links awakening when i was a kid

[@Exigentable]

Dude, these videos are criminally underrated

[@theRemyLuna]

This is and always has been one of my top 3 favorite zelda games. I am amazed at how much was conveyed through set inferior technology like the game boy. Thank you for taking the time to reminisce about dreams.

[@TheRogueMaverick]

On the topic of memorable characters, I was saddened by the ending. I knew the ending for years prior to first completing it in 2020. But I actually shed a few tears as it sunk in that, by awakening the Wind Fish, Koholint Island and it’s inhabitants were erased from existence. I grew to love all the characters immensely! I’ve yet to get more attached to characters in a Zelda game so deeply more than Link’s Awakening to date. That’s mighty impressive for a Game Boy (Colour) game!

[@mistertea603]

I've never thought about gaming being the natural progression of dreaming...but I fully believe in it now.

[@philovidya8567]

The DX version was the first game I ever played. I quite literally learned how to read by playing this game. I have so much nostalgia for this game and when the remake came out I was ecstatic. I love both versions.

[@thekurgan14]

I expected more commentary on the remakes implication that Marin did become a gull.

[@hippothehippo]

Should we remake this game if the message is to move on? What? There’s a lot of books whose point is moving on, that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t buy the hardcover copy that includes authors notes etc. I would even say the point isn’t to abandon dreams or escapism, the accompanying manga even moreso depicts the thesis as being that having our own version of perfection stops us from going places in life, dreams should stay dreams for a reason. Remaking the game doesn’t really hurt that message. In the accompanying manga, when he discovers the illusion link tries desperately to turn the island real, when he can’t do that he tries to sail away with Marin, but no matter what direction they go, they always end up back at the island, so link breaks down in tears and that’s when Marin shares the revelation that he just has to let them go to get anywhere else. The final boss then, is a representation of Link’s REAL struggles, not those out of imagination, because it metaphorically demonstrates that real struggles lead us to real change. Everything after the reveal, including the owl telling us it was a rumor, is Link coping with having to realize his fun little romp around the island can’t last forever because he has real responsibilities.