Most of the times when I talk about Zelda with someone, easily the very first thing they imagine is Ocarina Of Time, while digging deeper we get through Majora's Mask, Link to the Past, Wind Waker and Twilight Princess. But whenever I mention Link's Awakening, people do not know or pretend to give a damn about it.

It pisses me a bit since it was not a lame game for being on the GameBoy, hell, it is actually much more twisting and heart-touching than others.
So in this article I will tell you all of what I love about Link's Awakening that a lot is missing.

Readers be warned, I will include gut-twisting spoilers anytime.

So yeah, moving on...

The Introduction

Right in the time you turn on your Super/GameBoy/Pocket/Color/Advance/Player you are introduced with a gloomy cutscene with Link struggling in a raging storm in his raft.



It is short, yet confusing and intriguing. Then a lightning hits it blank and BAM!

Then you begin to see the shores of a beautiful beach with a young lady walking through. Shocked and afraid she runs straight to a cast away that appears to be Link unconcious.

As the lady tries to revive our hero the camera leans upwards, as this happens the music begins to tune up and shows you the strange scene of a huge egg laying on the top of what could be debated if it is a volcano or a mountain, ending with the iconic Legend of Zelda Theme anticipating you a great puzzling adventure ahead.

I haven't seen many intros like this in other games, this one is short, intriguing, confusing and exciting. The deal as there are no details on what is going on fills you with the curiosity of what will be ahead.



The Story and Setting

For the first time, the Zelda series take you to a place surrounded by the sea, that's right Wind Waker wasn't the first. But I will be fair, you can't leave the island. In fact, part of the situation is that Link is in a hurry to hit back to the sea heading to Hyrule, however Marin, the young girl that found him, is not that fond on the idea, even though she fully supports him.

As Link heads to the shore to recover his sword from the cast away, he finds a mysterious owl that tells him that in order to leave the island he has to wake up the Wind Fish. Not too full on details it flies away telling you that he wil be on the Mysterious Forest.

As time passes the shady owl tells you that in order to wake up the Wind FIsh you will need the 8 instruments that are locked in the temples of the island (starting that way the classic quest).

SPOILERS START HERE!

After a bunch of events you would have around half of the quest done. In one of the many temples to get a key you find some old tablets in a wall describing that the island could not be left behind because it in first place is not real, but it is all a dream of the Wind Fish.

A bit shocking yet to see that what you began to have a love around you will start to disappear. The town, the playful children, the animals, silly Tarin, precious Marin, the habitants that received you like one of them, all of them would disappear. Still you would have to continue your quest in order to fill your destiny, and Hyrule still needs you!

So after a long journey, you get to enter the Wind Fish egg and defeat the nightmare dominating it. After the fierced battle you are led to a long yet celestial stairway to finally find the mystical Wind Fish, where you finally play the melody to leave the island of fantasy behind. All of the dear things you faced in your travel calmly vanish like a shadow in the noon.

Finally, Koholint Island disappears, leaving you floating on the remains of the broken raft, finding up above you the Wind Fish shading you from the burning sun greetfully. As your next stop is Hyrule.



The Characters and Charm

Probably the most powerful part of the game is the amount of funny and interesting characters along the way.

Marin looks just like Princess Zelda, but she is more attached to you in fraternal and emotional ways. Tarin, Marin's father is a goofy obsessed mushroom collecter that kinda resembles a lot like Mario.

Other characters are memorable like Ulrira who is an amazing know-it-all that helps you on the quest, but he is so shy that the only way to talk to him is on the phone. Crazy Tracy is a weird yet attractive woman that runs a spa in the not-so-visited bounds of the Mysterious Forest and also gives you a Secret Medicine that fully revives you if you run out of hearts. (and she makes a cameo in Captain Rainbow) There is also... some... crocodile dude that loves bananas. No idea about it.

There are also a bunch of cameos like Yoshi, Goombas, Wart from Super Mario Bros. 2, Dr. Write from SimCity on the SNES and even Prince Richard from Kaeru no Tame ni Kane wa Naru.

Even some enemies are awesome like in one temple there is this huge Stalfos that keep appearing a bunch of times and everytime you encounter him he would say things like "What!? You again!?" it's absolutely funny.



Marin is probably the most interesting of all because she is like th opposite of Princess Zelda being much more warm and attached to you as the story goes. It also makes you wonder if Link really wants to leave Koholint Island as everything seems perfect there... that except for the monsters of course. It is almost like it was built so Link could stay. You get a crumbled but yet handy house, a lot of friends, a gorgeous beach, you are absolutely welcome. But Hyrule also needs you to stop Ganon's terrible power. So there is no option but to follow the bitter way.


Conclusion

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening is a unique game, not unique on the gameplay as it has the classic 2D overworld tactic like Link to the Past or the original Leged of Zelda, but it is for the powerful story development and more dedication of Link's sake instead of Zelda being pickled every fucking time.

If you are a Zelda fan, do not doubt to play it at least once because it is a must-play for having a twist in this GameBoy based melody.