The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
1993 · Action-Adventure · Game Boy
Overview
Link's Awakening was developed largely by junior Nintendo staff in their spare time and became one of the finest Zelda games. Set on a mysterious island rather than Hyrule, with no Ganon, no Triforce, and a story involving music and a sleeping whale deity, it was distinctly strange — and distinctly beloved. The island of Koholint was later revealed to be a dream.
Deep Dive
Link's Awakening began as an unofficial Game Boy port of A Link to the Past, developed by junior Nintendo staff member Takashi Tezuka outside official development time. When Nintendo management discovered the project and played it, they directed resources to complete it as an official release. The game's story — in which Link is trapped on an island that turns out to exist only as a dream — was unusually melancholy and sophisticated for a Game Boy game.
Developer Story
Link's Awakening was initiated by Takashi Tezuka as an unofficial project on Game Boy hardware. When the project was discovered, Nintendo director Katsuya Eguchi led its completion as an official game. The game launched in Japan in June 1993.
Did You Know?
- Link's Awakening began as an unauthorised side project by junior Nintendo staff — when management discovered it, they liked it enough to make it an official release.
- The game features Mario enemies — Goombas, Piranha Plants, and a Boss Boo — appearing in a Zelda game, explained in-universe as creatures from Link's imagination.
- Link's Awakening was the first Zelda game in which Princess Zelda does not appear — she is not a character in the story at all.
- The 2019 Nintendo Switch remake faithfully recreated the entire original game while adding a toy-like art style and a level editor for sharing dungeons.
