Link's Awakening was the first portable Zelda game. Ever. And it's kind of funny that it's called "The Legend of Zelda", because while it's true that you play as Link throughout the game, Zelda isn't anywhere in it... In fact, she's only ever mentioned once, at the very beginning of the game, as Link is recovering from a head injury and thinks the girl helping him recover is Zelda. Anyways, the story isn't too big here, but it's enjoyable enough, and it helps keep the quest moving along nicely. An owl keeps you up-to-date on events, and points you in the right direction, and if you ever forget what he's told you, you can open up your map, choose the location you found him (as indicated by an icon. Yay!), and he'll recite it all over again. Pretty nifty, b-boy. Anyways, the ending was a kind of "jump the shark" moment, but it was still surprising and somehwat cool, so I won't ruin any more for you in that regard! Anyways, the story starts as follows: You're Link. You're in a boat. Storm comes. Boat crashes. You're unconscious on an island. You wake up in a strange house with a strange man and woman. You get a shield. You explore beach. You get a sword. You walk back into village. You meet owl. Head into forest. Get keys and items that you need. Head on back to the beach. Beat first dungeon. Owl comes back, and explains that the instrument you found in the dungeon will help you wake the "Wind Fish", the island's guardian, and that doing so is the only way to get back home. You need instruments in all to wake this slumbering ass. I won't go into any more detail, and that's pretty much the gist of it, so there ya go.
The gameplay is classic Zelda, although slightly more linear. You can't explore pretty much every nook and cranny at the beginning (obviously), and the dungeons can only be completed in order. However, much like a Metroid or Castlevania game, exploration is still a huge part of the formula. You must explore the areas you can reach to find entrances, hidden items, chests, hints, clues, etc. for your journey to continue. And trust me, some of these things are just evil in the way they've been hidden. I had to use a walkthrough multiple times to get through this game. I was stuck for hours in some parts, all because I missed one tiny thing! That can get annoying, although it's mostly forgivable when you get back into the action and into those dungeons. Suffice to say, I don't really enjoy exploring the Overworld in this game, however it's still relatively fun. The dungeons are what save the day, though. The satisfying puzzles, the intense boss fights, and the smooth action and item collection all make it worthwhile. It certainly is fun, and there's a a lot of meat here to keep you busy for quite a while. Don't expect to blaze through this thing in a day or two. It'll take you at least a week, and that's if you're really good. Trust me, it's taken me 4 years to beat this sucker.
The graphics and sound were great for their time, and they still hold up pretty well today. The sound effects sound kinda tinny and bleepy and slightly screechy, although the music is still great (although at times a bit repetitive). Although, I must say, that sound swipe noise is awesome! I still can't get enough of that... The graphics resemble "A Link to the Past's". It's kind of like they took "A Link to the Past's" graphics, and ran them through an 8-bit generator, then tried to see what came out of it. At least, that's the best that i can explain it. It looks better than the NES standard (albeit in B&W), but it's still nothing too special. However, that's not to say it's hard on the eyes. It looks clean, and it's easy to navigate and get around. All in all, it's pretty nice, even if it is in Black and White. Yes, I know there's a DX version with colourized graphics and an extra dungeon, but I'm talkin' the original here.
All in all, Link's Awakening is a great game that still hold up well today. Some of the exploring in the Overworld can be a bit boring and slightly tedious, and some puzzles are just unfair/unclear. However, the dungeons are great fun, and the gameplay is still great even in 2011. Just, be prepared to open up a walkthrough once or twice on your quest.
I give The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening 85/100 Guardian Acorns.
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