The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening/Introduction
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (Zelda no Densetsu: Yume o Miru Shima in Japan, lit. "The Legend of Zelda: Dreaming Island") is the fourth installment of The Legend of Zelda series and their first handheld installment. It was released in Japan on June 6, 1993 and arrived in North America in August 1993. The game was directed by Takashi Tezuka, with supervision from Shigeru Miyamoto.
In 1998, Nintendo needed a title to release alongside their latest handheld device, the Game Boy Color. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening is one of several titles that was given a colorized "DX" overhaul to help promote sales. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX was more than a simple cash-in; it not only introduced vibrant color and fixed many of the original's glitches, it also included the brand-new Color Dungeon with puzzles centering around the use of color, as well as collectible Photographs compatible with the Game Boy Printer. This time around, Tezuka acted as project supervisor, and Yoshinori Tutiyama as director. It was released in Japan on December 12, 1998 and in America three days later, on December 15. An enhanced remake of the game was released for the Nintendo Switch on September 20, 2019.
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening received some criticism for abandoning the traditional setting of Hyrule, but was still a solid success. Unlike his past adventures, this time around Link washes up on a mysterious island, and is awakened by a girl who resembles Princess Zelda. The game retains the top-down perspective employed in The Legend of Zelda and The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, as well as a number of mechanics from the latter.