{"id":100515,"date":"2019-09-20T19:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-09-20T19:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/news\/2019\/09\/feature_a_look_to_the_past_-_all_the_legend_of_zelda_remasters_and_remakes"},"modified":"2019-09-20T19:00:00","modified_gmt":"2019-09-20T19:00:00","slug":"feature-a-look-to-the-past-all-the-legend-of-zelda-remasters-and-remakes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/2019\/09\/20\/feature-a-look-to-the-past-all-the-legend-of-zelda-remasters-and-remakes\/","title":{"rendered":"Feature: A Look To The Past – All The Legend Of Zelda Remasters And Remakes"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Remaster<\/a><\/figure>\n

From the moment of its first reveal<\/a> the Switch remake of The Legend of Zelda: Link\u2019s Awakening<\/a><\/strong> captured Zelda fans\u2019 attention with its eye-catching diorama aesthetic and reimagining of a classic. The Game Boy original transposed the top-down style of A Link to the Past<\/a><\/strong> on Super NES to a handheld in a way few thought possible given the Game Boy\u2019s exceptionally modest specs. The project began as a port of the 16-bit game, but the end result was a dreamy, engrossing adventure that matched (and some might say surpassed) the ambitions of many of the home console games.<\/p>\n

As befits such a storied series, several entries have been remastered over the years, although perhaps surprisingly, Link’s Awakening on Switch is arguably the first totally ground-up remake we’ve ever seen – Nintendo seems reluctant to put out revisions of games without worthwhile and substantial additions. With that in mind we thought it was worth looking back at the revisions we have<\/em> seen in the past and see what they streamlined, tidied up and added to the mix.<\/p>\n

So, let\u2019s start with something that has a very familiar flavour at the moment\u2026<\/p>\n

\"DX\"<\/a><\/figure>\n

Link\u2019s Awakening<\/strong><\/a> is not only the latest in the series to be revisited, but it was also the first<\/em> Zelda game to receive a remaster. The Legend of Zelda: Link\u2019s Awakening DX came out five years after the Game Boy original to accompany the launch of the Game Boy Color – there\u2019s no prizes for guessing the main addition it brought. As well as up to 16 colours, an extra dungeon, a camera shop and Game Boy Printer compatibility were added along with some minor script tweaks.<\/p>\n

The DX version is backwards compatible with the original monochrome Game Boy, which makes it tough to justify playing the original over this version under any circumstances \u2013 this really is the definitive version of the game! Well, it was until very recently.<\/p>\n

\"OOT\"<\/a><\/figure>\n

You could<\/em> argue that the GameCube port of Ocarina of Time<\/a><\/strong> available on promo disc was a sort of<\/em> remaster as it upped the resolution of the original game and added new content in the form of the \u2018Ura Zelda\u2019 expansion originally planned (and canned) for the 64DD. That \u2018Master Quest\u2019 aside, it was the sterling 2011 version on 3DS which really earned the \u2018remaster\u2019 moniker. Developed by Grezzo, the same company behind the new Link\u2019s Awakening remake, Ocarina of Time 3D used the handheld system\u2019s touchscreen for inventory management which gave instant access to items like the Iron Boots which were a pain to equip (and unequip, and then re-equip<\/em>) in the original. In truth, we\u2019re not certain the Water Temple truly warrants the reputation it\u2019s gained over the last two decades as a complete and utter nightmare, but minor tweaks made that dungeon a little more approachable this time around. Optional gyro aiming in first-person was added along with a hints system and a remixed version of the aforementioned Master Quest. Oh, and it runs at 30fps (over the original\u2019s 20) and<\/em> there\u2019s stereoscopic 3D.<\/p>\n

Possibly the game’s greatest triumph, though, is the tightrope it walks between delivering visuals \u2018as you remember them\u2019 while giving almost everything a fresh lick of paint. It\u2019s not until you return to the Nintendo 64 version that you realise quite what an overhaul this was. If we’re super picky, the lack of rumble feedback could reasonably be considered a step back from the N64 original, and we\u2019re not sure Grezzo quite<\/em> recaptured the morning mist hanging over Lake Hylia before sunrise, but it\u2019s very tough to argue that this isn\u2019t the optimal way to play Ocarina of Time in 2019.<\/p>\n

\"TWW\"<\/a><\/figure>\n

The Wind Waker HD took the timeless art style of the GameCube original and gave it a 16:9 canvas to shine on. As the title suggests, it added full HD and a host of minor gameplay and control changes to make for a smoother experience. The infamous and oft-maligned Triforce Quest towards the end of the game was streamlined in this update and a new, faster sail for your boat sped up navigation across the ocean, too. The Wii U GamePad displays a map and provides access to your inventory, and also functions as the main screen should you wish to play in Off-TV mode. Miiverse integration and the ability to snap selfies rounded out a very attractive repackaging of a classic.<\/p>\n

In fact, aside from the new bloom-heavy lighting model which divided opinion and is a distinct departure from the original, the only step this remaster really put wrong was releasing on Nintendo\u2019s least successful mainline console ever. We\u2019re sure anyone desperate to play The Wind Waker has already done so, but in terms of Wii U ports yet to make the jump to Switch, this one\u2019s an absolute open goal.<\/p>\n

\"MM\"<\/a><\/figure>\n

The success of the previous 3DS remaster made 2015\u2019s Majora\u2019s Mask 3D a no-brainer, although Nintendo held off for a long time before announcing it which resulted in fans instigating the Operation Moonfall campaign<\/a>. As with its previous effort, Grezzo sanded off the rough edges of the N64 original while keeping its disturbing, surreal spirit intact. It includes all the control and touchscreen changes from the previous game and added a much-improved Bomber\u2019s Notebook, fishing holes, a new side quest, boss battle tweaks, more save statues and various other tweaks to many areas and mechanics alongside the visual overhaul.<\/p>\n

The pressure of the three-day time-loop that put some people off in the original was mitigated somewhat by the ability to travel to a specific future hour in the cycle and the combination of these myriad buffs makes the 3DS the best place for newcomers to play both<\/em> of the Nintendo 64 Zeldas.<\/p>\n

\"TwilightP\"<\/a><\/figure>\n

The other<\/em> HD Wii U update of a GameCube original, Twilight Princess HD benefited from similar GamePad-based upgrades to The Wind Waker HD. Developed by Tantalus alongside Nintendo itself, it also got an exclusive dungeon called the Cave of Shadows and numerous tweaks across the board to freshen it up. Many players will have experienced this as a Wii launch title which \u2018flipped\u2019 the entire game and the geography of Hyrule in order to make Link right-handed. Considering the basic motion waggle of the Wii version (as opposed to the more precise system of Skyward Sword<\/strong><\/a>), it always seemed like a drastic solution to a very minor problem, but this remaster reverts to the GameCube map and puts landmarks back in their vaguely Ocarina of Time-based locations.<\/p>\n

Add in a bunch of amiibo support and you\u2019ve got another very strong Zelda remaster. Is it worth tracking down a Wii U for? Probably not, especially if you\u2019ve got a GameCube or a Wii. If only there was another option\u2026<\/p>\n

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That\u2019s the lot, unless you want to start splitting hairs about the cross-platform editions of Twilight Princess<\/a><\/strong> and Breath of the Wild<\/a><\/strong> or arguing that the addition of the Hurricane Spin to the Game Boy Advance port of A Link to the Past<\/a><\/strong> constitutes a \u2018remaster\u2019.<\/p>\n