{"id":83325,"date":"2019-02-18T20:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-02-18T20:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/news\/2019\/02\/talking_point_is_the_remake_of_zelda_linkrs_awakening_worth_usd60"},"modified":"2019-02-18T20:00:00","modified_gmt":"2019-02-18T20:00:00","slug":"talking-point-is-the-remake-of-zelda-links-awakening-worth-60","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/2019\/02\/18\/talking-point-is-the-remake-of-zelda-links-awakening-worth-60\/","title":{"rendered":"Talking Point: Is The Remake Of Zelda: Link\u2019s Awakening Worth $60?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"media_block\"><a href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/a91d43f5f8393\/large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/a91d43f5f8393\/small.jpg\" class=\"media_thumbnail\"><\/a><\/div>\n<figure class=\"picture strip\"><a title=\"LINKA\" href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/a91d43f5f8393\/linka.original.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/a91d43f5f8393\/linka.900x.jpg\" alt=\"LINKA\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<p>There\u2019s some chatter doing the rounds on the interwebs regarding the potential pricing of the upcoming Switch remaster of <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/nintendo-switch\/legend_of_zelda_links_awakening\">The Legend of Zelda: Link\u2019s Awakening<\/a><\/strong>. Retailer pre-order listings are putting it as a full $60 release, and while there\u2019s no official confirmation at this stage, people are wondering if it\u2019ll be substantial enough to justify that sort of price tag. Below are just a couple of examples of tweets voicing doubts:<\/p>\n<aside class=\"object object-tweet\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p><span lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I sincerely wonder if they\u2019ll add a good bit of content to Link\u2019s Awakening. It\u2019s a very short game on the GameBoy so I hope they can give the game a bit more Oompfh<\/span>\u2014 Derek R Rose (@DerekRRose) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DerekRRose\/status\/1095850741045043201?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 14, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/aside>\n<aside class=\"object object-tweet\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p><span lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">but Link&#8217;s Awakening was pretty much a short game&#8230;.just look at how quickly casually playing ALBW was&#8230;i hope they add like new content for that 60 dollar mark<\/span>\u2014 AmitaDrive (@amitaxdrive) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/amitaxdrive\/status\/1097184660378001414?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 17, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/aside>\n<p>Of course, putting a universal dollar value on an experience is tough. A game that might have to sustain one gamer for six months may be a throwaway purchase that barely gets touched for somebody else. Do the hundreds of hours we\u2019ve spent climbing and gliding around <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/nintendo-switch\/legend_of_zelda_breath_of_the_wild\">Breath of the Wild<\/a><\/strong>\u2019s Hyrule mean we would have happily spent \u00a3300 on it? Probably not, but we\u2019re <em>still<\/em> wringing value out of that full-price game, so it\u2019s understandable that there\u2019s concern about spending the same money on a Zelda that can be polished off in a few short hours.<\/p>\n<p>Nintendo\u2019s plans for extra content are unknown at the moment. We&#8217;d assume there&#8217;ll be some amiibo integration, and the <em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/news\/2019\/02\/number_of_players_for_links_awakening_on_switch_to_be_determined\">mystery of the number of players it supports<\/a><\/em> suggests there may be some <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/dsiware\/legend_of_zelda_four_swords_anniversary_edition\">Four Swords<\/a><\/strong>-esque component in the works. Regardless, there is precedent for adding content to <em>this very game<\/em> \u2013 the DX version for Game Boy Color included various extras, with a camera shop and an extra dungeon boasting puzzles built around that system\u2019s revolutionary contribution to Nintendo\u2019s portable line: <em>colour<\/em>. It\u2019s hardly the finest example of Zelda dungeon design, but it did offer something new to players who\u2019d already finished the original monochrome version.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"picture strip\"><a title=\"Arguably a more substantial upgrade than some of the more recent 'Deluxe' versions...\" href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/eaaf27cf48d80\/arguably-a-more-substantial-upgrade-than-some-of-the-more-recent-deluxe-versions.original.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/eaaf27cf48d80\/arguably-a-more-substantial-upgrade-than-some-of-the-more-recent-deluxe-versions.original.jpg\" alt=\"Arguably a more substantial upgrade than some of the more recent 'Deluxe' versions...\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption\">Arguably a more substantial upgrade than some of the more recent &#8216;Deluxe&#8217; versions&#8230;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>So, can this version possibly be worth a full $60, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with epics like Breath of the Wild which can suck hundreds of hours from your life? Well, it depends a little on your familiarity with the game. We don\u2019t remember it being especially short, but it\u2019s been a few years since we played it through. Yes, with the help of glitches <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/news\/2015\/09\/video_if_you_want_to_beat_the_legend_of_zelda_links_awakening_in_less_than_six_minutes_thisll_help\">it\u2019s possible to speedrun the game<\/a> in your coffee break (the coveted \u2018Any%\u2019 record currently stands at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.speedrun.com\/ladx#Any\">4 minutes 35 seconds<\/a>), but otherwise the original will take the average player around fifteen hours to beat.<\/p>\n<p>Your speed might also depend on your proclivity for replaying games. We tend not to revisit Zeldas for a good long while after we\u2019ve beaten them \u2013 not only are there are simply too many <em>other<\/em> games to play, but each adventure with Link feels epic; an event which needs some distance in order to digest and appreciate fully.<\/p>\n<p>We understand, though, that many people replay them over and over, developing an intense familiarity with those worlds and the order of things. So, where a new player might wander for hours, poking around and discovering bits and pieces in the world, a veteran will more likely hot-foot to the next dungeon knowing the <em>exact<\/em> route and item they need to unlock the path. It\u2019s the same with almost any game, Zelda or not \u2013 it\u2019s blimmin\u2019 easy when you know where you\u2019re going and how to get there!<\/p>\n<figure class=\"picture strip\"><a title=\"One hell of a lick of paint, wouldn't you agree?\" href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/a769752086344\/one-hell-of-a-lick-of-paint-wouldnt-you-agree.original.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/a769752086344\/one-hell-of-a-lick-of-paint-wouldnt-you-agree.900x.jpg\" alt=\"One hell of a lick of paint, wouldn't you agree?\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption\">One hell of a lick of paint, wouldn&#8217;t you agree?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Perhaps it\u2019s inevitable, then, that players who know Koholint like the back of their hand are going to feel short-changed regardless of additions and tweaks to this new version. Just as <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/snes\/legend_of_zelda_a_link_to_the_past\">A Link To The Past<\/a><\/strong> veterans had an advantage over newbies when they revisited that same Hyrule in the 3DS&#8217; <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/3ds\/legend_of_zelda_a_link_between_worlds\">A Link Between Worlds<\/a><\/strong>, simple familiarity with the geography is going to cut down playtime, let alone knowing the dungeons inside-out. It\u2019s arguably unavoidable with a remake \u2013 the price you pay for seeing an old world reimagined on a modern console.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, with the way this game reframes the original, this remaster feels to us like a companion piece to A Link Between Worlds. The below tweet suggests the poster would have preferred to see a sequel to Link\u2019s Awakening in a similar vein, returning players to the world they first explored on Game Boy without recycling the exact same content.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"object object-tweet\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p><span lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Really not trying to poo-poo on the Link\u2019s Awakening remake, but&#8230;<br \/>1. I\u2019d rather play Link\u2019s Reawakening and<br \/>2. I just don\u2019t see it as a $60 title, especially since I got the DX version for probably a tenth of that price on 3DS if I remember correctly<\/span>\u2014 Rob Ford (@musicman613) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/musicman613\/status\/1097303870328442881?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 18, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/aside>\n<p>We\u2019d argue that there\u2019s a significant reason why this is <em>not<\/em> a sequel, but the sentiment remains that people would be more prepared to pay full-whack for a \u2018reimagined\u2019 game rather than a straight remake without extra trappings.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019d expect the adventure to have a similar duration to A Link Between Worlds \u2013 fifteen-to-twenty hours &#8211; and sure, we\u2019d <em>love<\/em> some extra dungeons, or an expanded Second Quest, or \u2013 even better \u2013 an official version of the <a href=\"https:\/\/alttpr.com\/en\">Link To The Past randomizer<\/a>, which shuffles all the items with each playthrough meaning you can never be sure where you\u2019ll find the one you need. It\u2019s not for everyone, but it would keep die-hard fans occupied while new players potter about soaking up the wistful atmosphere of Koholint Island.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gallery\">\n<div class=\"col\"><a title=\"LAR\" href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/3a64672728d31\/lar.original.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/3a64672728d31\/lar.445x245.jpg\" width=\"445\" height=\"245\" alt=\"LAR\" \/><\/a><a title=\"LAR2\" href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/220a8e8632ec5\/lar2.original.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/220a8e8632ec5\/lar2.445x245.jpg\" width=\"445\" height=\"245\" alt=\"LAR2\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"col\"><a title=\"LAR3\" href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/2c226bc44456a\/lar3.original.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/2c226bc44456a\/lar3.445x245.jpg\" width=\"445\" height=\"245\" alt=\"LAR3\" \/><\/a><a title=\"LAR4\" href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/697150fc42ed9\/lar4.original.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/697150fc42ed9\/lar4.445x245.jpg\" width=\"445\" height=\"245\" alt=\"LAR4\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>Challenge dungeons and boss-rush modes could help add value, although we\u2019ve personally had our fill of those. Frankly, we\u2019d happily take a shorter, perfectly-formed game over the bloated alternative any day of the week. You can\u2019t please everyone, but we\u2019ve seen what happens when Zelda games get padded out unnecessarily; <em>no-one<\/em> wants another Triforce quest. Full-priced or not, we&#8217;re very excited to revisit Koholint and play the Ballad of the Wind Fish again, and we&#8217;ve got an inkling that Nintendo will make the price of entry worth your while.<\/p>\n<p><em>What do you think? Are you concerned that the game won&#8217;t offer enough bang for your buck, or is it enough to simply return to that unique world in widescreen on Switch? Share your thoughts below&#8230;<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There\u2019s some chatter doing the rounds on the interwebs regarding the potential pricing of the upcoming Switch remaster of The Legend of Zelda: Link\u2019s Awakening. Retailer pre-order listings are putting it as a full $60 release, and while there\u2019s no official confirmation at this stage, people are wondering if it\u2019ll be substantial enough to justify [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-83325","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nintendo-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83325","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=83325"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83325\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=83325"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=83325"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=83325"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}