The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening

The 2019 Switch version of The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening is a remastered/re-rendered version of the 1993 Game Boy version using partial elements from the 1998 Game Boy Color (DX) version.

While the main plotline and major story elements still remain true to the original, many non-significant details have been added or removed and some places slightly redesigned to better fit this new Switch version.

Besides the complete graphical and sound/music overhaul to give it a toy-like feel, the game's controls have been changed to incorporate the Switch's additional buttons, as opposed to the two-button control scheme of the Game Boy. In the original, Link had to change his equipment depending on the situation, setting them to the A and B buttons on the fly. The Switch version automatically assigns the Sword and Shield to pre-allocated buttons, whilst the other buttons can be bound to other in-game items at the user's preference.

The graphical limitations of the original meant the areas loaded and shifted whilst Link was traversing from one screen area to another. The Switch version area traversal progression overlaps when Link runs from one to another. The overworld map is far more detailed and can be zoomed in to distinguish individual rocks and trees, and suspicious locations can now be marked to be returned to on a later occasion.

The mini-game shop in Mabe Village, which plays a part in the trading item quest, has new decorative items as prizes, which can be set at different locations all over Koholint Island. Additional heart pieces can also be won, extending the heart meter to a total of 20 instead of the 14 hearts of the original. Other new items include Fairy Bottles in which Link can now catch fairies to hold on for a later time.

The quest for hidden seashells, which resulted in obtaining the best sword in the original game, has now been made easier with the addition of the Seashell Sensor, obtained after gathering 20 shells. Equipping it sends out a ping when in the proximity of a hidden shell. This new feature is however offset by an increased total amount of hidden seashells compared to the original.

One other place to gather additional heart pieces is at Dampé's stone shack, located at the former place of the Photographer's House from Link's Awakening DX. Dampé hosts the newly added "Chamber Dungeons", in which the player can create their own dungeon using pieces from previously completed dungeons. An accompanying newly released Link amiibo allows the player to save newly created dungeons and share them with other people. This particular amiibo will also cause Shadow Link to appear and chase after the player in those customized dungeons; defeating him provides extra rewards.