By no means do I claim to be a gaming historian or an expert on the Zelda franchise, but in just piecing together my own history based on the games I've played in my life so far, and more specifically in my attempt at playing the franchise in chronological order on my Steam Deck, I believe that Link's Awakening is when The Legend of Zelda really found its footing as a franchise. The dungeon-palooza of Link to the Past is scaled way down in favor of overworld exploration and actual side characters to drive an intriguing, personal plot forward, which makes Koholint Island feel alive in a way that Hyrule hadn't before. The fun and distinct dungeons are still the real meat here, as they escalate in difficulty and even experiment with verticality and non-linearity, but it was a treat to take a breath between each one and know I actually had things to do that would give myself a more complete experience. Sure, there is a bit of nostalgia here for me that might be knocking this up a point or two, as I got the DX version on my Gameboy Color in between the two N64 titles, making it my second foray into the franchise, but it holds up just as well today. The Switch remaster only adds to the fun, giving it a totally fresh visual style while making great quality-of-life improvements.

Reviewed on Sunday, April 2nd, 2023, 6:53am.