Zelda: Link's Awakening walkthrough and guide to exploring the Nintendo Switch remake
Our walkthrough to the return of high-definition return of Kohohit Island.
Zelda: Link's Awakening returns, some 20 years since its DX colour version for a fully remade, high-definition version on Nintendo Switch.
Unlike remakes such as Capcom's Resident Evil 2, this isn't a game that updates a classic; Nintendo and developer Grezzo has been so faithful to the Game Boy original almost everything is as it once was - in many cases, keeping the exact same placement of the many blocks that form its overworld and many dungeons - meaning those who memorised the original will feel right at home.
That said, even with some welcome quality of life improvements, this is an old-school Zelda game - meaning it can be a real head scratcher, which is where our Zelda: Links Awakening walkthrough and series of Zelda: Link's Awakening guides come in.
Zelda: Link's Awakening walkthrough
For those who have recently played fellow Switch adventure Breath of the Wild, the structure of Link's Awakening is a blast to Zelda's illustrious past, taking you through a linear series of dungeons - and the events and items that gate keep them - in order to complete the game.
Even though it's not an open world, Link's Awakening isn't always straightforward.
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The game won't often tell you explicitly where to go or what items you need to progress, and also encourages exploration through optional collectables - such as Heart Pieces and Seashells - as well as side-quests like the item trading sequence.
Starting Zelda: Link's Awakening
First dungeon
- Zelda: Link's Awakening - Mysterious Forest, how to get past the Raccoon
- Zelda: Link's Awakening - Tail Cave dungeon, how to get Roc's Feather
- Zelda: Link's Awakening - Moldorm boss fight strategy
Second dungeon
- Zelda: Link's Awakening - Rescuing BowWow and Goponga Swamp location
- Zelda: Link's Awakening - Bottle Grotto dungeon, how to beat Hinox
- Zelda: Link's Awakening - Imprisoned Pols Voice and skeletal Staflos solution
- Zelda: Link's Awakening - Genie boss fight strategy
Third dungeon
- Zelda: Link's Awakening - Kanalet Castle Gold Leaf locations
- Zelda: Link's Awakening - Key Cavern dungeon
- Zelda: Link's Awakening - Slime Eye boss strategy
Fourth dungeon (it's now possible to get the Ocarina, by the way!)
- Zelda: Link's Awakening - Yarna Desert, where to find Marin to wake the Walrus
- Zelda: Link's Awakening: Angler's Tunnel dungeon
Fifth dungeon
- Zelda: Link's Awakening - Pink Ghost house and grave with flowers locations explained
- Zelda: Link's Awakening - Catfish's Maw dungeon explored, how to get the Hookshot
- Zelda: Link's Awakening - Slime Eel boss strategy
Sixth dungeon
- Zelda: Link's Awakening - Ancient Ruins, Armos Knight boss strategy
- Zelda: Link's Awakening - Face Shrine dungeon explained, chess piece solutions
- Zelda: Link's Awakening - Facade boss strategy
Seventh dungeon
- Zelda: Link's Awakening - Bird Key, Mountain Tower locations and Signpost Maze solution
- Zelda: Link's Awakening - Eagle's Tower dungeon explained, how to destroy all columns
- Zelda: Link's Awakening - Evil Eagle boss strategy
Eighth dungeon
- Zelda: Link's Awakening - Western Tal Tal Mountains, get past the fire cave
- Zelda: Link's Awakening - Turtle Rock dungeon explored how to get the Magic Rod
- Zelda: Link's Awakening - Hot Head boss strategy
Finishing Link's Awakening (make sure you complete the trading sequence first!)
Other Zelda: Link's Awakening guides
As well as the above steps to take along the game's critical path, there are a number of other additional things to do and see too, which our series of other Zelda: Link's Awakening guides cover: