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The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds is my personal favourite game of 2013. Despite being a sequel to a juggernaut that’s considered a classic – A Link Between Past – and showing some early signs of fatigue, it’s one of the best Zelda games in recent memory.
While it crafts an experience similar to the Zelda titles of yesteryear, the way it goes about it is beyond fantastic. Nintendo could’ve easily relied far too heavily on the SNES masterpiece, but instead it uses that familiarity to build new experiences out of it. This can be seen in the use of the environment, that’s somehow simultaneously familiar and fresh. All the landmarks you remember are here, but they’ve been adapted for their new surroundings, only making the adventure a far more entertaining one.
Then there’s the unique elements A Link Between Worlds brings to the table. The music, for starters, is incredible. Boasting what could be the finest soundtrack of any game in history, ALBW’s has been scored with a sense of skill that’s reserved for Hollywood movies.
The merge mechanic, too, is an inspired choice by Nintendo. Giving an extra facet to battles, dungeons and the general world, it’s used incredibly intelligently – just enough to peak your interest, but never enough to dominate the entire game. The use of 3D was a credit to its creators as well. Used to create a sense of depth – which gave yet another way to interact puzzles – it was proof that when done right, the function was more than worthwhile.
Ultimately, Nintendo just achieved everything it could’ve hope for with A Link Between Worlds. A Zelda worthy of the name, and a brilliant game to boot.
