The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds Reviews
'A Link Between Worlds' blends old and new by combining a classic feel with an innovative and game-changing new feature.
It looks great in 3D but there's no getting around the fact that the new Zelda adventure is very much like all of the others
A Link Between Worlds is the sequel I never knew I wanted
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds is a game that pays homage to the titles of the past with some innovative mechanics. As in a journey between two parallel worlds, we feel constantly tossed left and right between a gameplay that is no longer there, and some exquisitely contemporary mechanics.
Review in Italian | Read full review
A Link Between Worlds does do just enough to stand on its own merits.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds has the difficult task of respectfully building on an old game while doing a lot of new. The game mixes the Old and New in a great way. You'll feel right at home in A Link Between Worlds.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
It rewards those of us who know A Link to the Past’s version of Hyrule like the back of our hand, but makes enough concessions for those who didn’t play the original the first time around. It may be a shorter and less challenging adventure than many would expect for a modern Zelda game, but when that journey is so incredibly satisfying, you won’t feel short changed. I can’t think of a better way to end a brilliant year for the Nintendo 3DS than by playing one of the best games released on the system so far.
A Link Between Worlds is one of the 3DS’s best games and a new highlight in one of Nintendo’s most storied franchises.
Since it follows the roadmap so closely, it’s not quite as fresh as the SNES classic was in 1992, but that doesn’t make it any less of an amazing experience. A Link Between Worlds is a delightful adventure that hits every high note a 2D Zelda game has ever produced while creating many new hallmarks of its own. In a year filled with quality 3DS games, A Link Between Worlds is another fantastic entry on a system that is quickly becoming home to a number of instant classics.
Though A Link Between Worlds may not become an enduring classic through the decades like A Link to the Past, it stands as a worthwhile successor and a modern masterpiece in its own right.
A stellar game all the way around. A Link Between Worlds maximizes the concept of depth, from the 3D, to the 2D mechanic, to the characters. This game certainly fits well in the pantheon of amazing Zelda games.
The Zelda series returns to its roots on 3DS, but uses the opportunity to introduce some fascinating new ideas. Classic gameplay, infused with fresh concepts and graced with stellar graphics and sound, make A Link Between Worlds one of the best games in the Zelda series and a must-own title this holiday.
A Link Between Worlds captures plenty of that old Zelda magic with its excellent dungeon design and gameplay-first formula. Series fans will not be disappointed, although it may not deviate from formula quite enough for some. In my estimation, the developers stuck to the right parts of series formula while innovating in important areas, such as non-linearity and user-friendly interface decisions. This is yet another entry in a string of great 3DS games this year, making that device one of the best gaming investments out there.
Without a doubt, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds is currently the greatest game you can experience on the 3DS. Much like the legendary Master Sword that features throughout the series, this game is beautifully crafted and offers a superbly streamlined and timeless gameplay experience. Through Link’s new transformation ability Nintendo has instilled a magical amount of innovation into the dungeons, boss battles and even the wider exploration of both Hyrule and Lorule; it’s a small feature which makes a world of difference and continuously wows you throughout the entirety of your playthrough. In other areas, Nintendo has made all the right changes to the gameplay formula, resulting in a game that is always incredibly good fun to play. Long-time fans will certainly get a kick out of its nostalgic presentation, while all players will appreciate its impeccable design and superb usage of the 3DS's touch screen.Eiji Aonuma and his team at Nintendo set themselves the unenviable challenge of creating the perfect Legend of Zelda game; with A Link Between Worlds, they may well have achieved just that.
Painting over any cracks that were starting to appear in the Zelda series, A Link Between Worlds is a refreshing experience and another Nintendo 3DS masterpiece.
For 26 years, I’ve been waiting for a true follow-up to the first Legend of Zelda, a game that captured my imagination and catapulted me into becoming a lifelong fan of action-adventures and role-playing games. A Link Between Worlds recognizes that it’s not tacked-on stealth segments or waggling a controller to roll bombs that makes Zelda tick—it’s the unbounded exploration and freedom found in the NES original, and it’s finally back in full force here. Every Zelda fan needs to play this game.
Zelda: A Link Between Worlds brings the outstanding gameplay of the SNES prequel to the 3DS in a well-crafted adventure that will give you a rush of nostalgia. With interesting new characters, atypical series gameplay elements, and fantastic 3D visuals, Link's next adventure is a must play.
One of the best Zelda games of all time and one which manages to quietly rewrite the series’ usual formula in some surprising, and surprisingly successful, ways.
A Link Between Worlds takes some much-needed strides to shake things up. But it does so within a pair of worlds most fans know maybe a little too well, and you know what they say about familiarity. This is a good first step in Nintendo's journey to revitalize Zelda, but the next leg of the trip needs to be considerably bolder.