Posted 07 October 2017 - 12:28 PM
OK, back on track (pun intended)
-Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: 9/10
For a game with a repeated formula like Mario Kart, this installment is arguably one of the most beautiful entries in the series. Now, with more characters from the general Nintendo franchise (Legend of Zelda, Splatoon, Animal Crossing...) and tracks from other games (both F-Zero's tracks are pretty fun to race), the game is really moving forward while keeping the core elements intact. I still find it disappointing that you can only unlock "one" "new" character in the game, but you can still unlock plenty of karts, bikes, ATVs and parts (tires and gliders) as you progress through the game. It is still annoying to survive the AI onslaught plus you need to work on a new skill in the final difficulty (now 200cc, in where you go so fast you need to learn "braking"), but overall it is a fun game.
-The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past: 9/10
Considered one of the best Legend of Zelda games, AlttP is a beautiful game considering the fact that it was released on the Super Nintendo console. The game is challenging, there are quite a few dungeons to complete and it really puts your brain to work in order to explore the game and complete the puzzles in it. It can get a bit frustrating at times, but it doesn't make the game any less enjoyable. I played it on the 3DS virtual console, but if you managed to pick a Super NES classic edition, then I will strongly advise you to play this game.
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX: 9.8/10
Short childhood story ahead: When I managed to have excellent grades back in 4th grade, the rewards from my parents and one of my uncles was a Game Boy Pocket with this game. This game would cement my love for RPGs and for the Legend of Zelda franchise in general. Quite honestly, I am glad that this was the first Zelda game I ever played. There are other better Zelda games, but this one will hold a special place, due to being the first game I consciously played. Now as an adult, and playing the game completely for about the 8th time now, I appreciate it even more, for I understand the story elements and the game in general. Anyway, onto the review:
The DX version is a "colored" version of the game "The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, which was released in 1993 on the Game Boy. The DX version was released in 1998 on the game boy color with color graphics, compatibility with the game boy printer (which I feel was the unnecessary and unrewarding part of this game, hence the -2 in rating), and a new "color" dungeon, giving the game one more challenge to work with and a nice reward at the end which will remind the player of previous Zelda games if they have played it. For a game released in such an classic console, this game is one of the best games on the Game Boy Console, second only to the success of Pokemon and probably Tetris on said console.
As you progress through Link's adventure on Koholint Island (one of the few Zelda games which does not take place in Hyrule, along with a few other notable missing elements from the series), you will definitely find joy in the game as you come across the bunch of cameos from other Zelda games and even from the Mario franchise. However, this will not make you forget that the game itself is amazing for the time it was released. The dungeons have plenty of puzzles and exploration to do, as well as the overall map, plus the story has a nice twist which will leave you pondering as you progress through the game. If you have a 3DS or any Nintendo console in where you can get this game, or if you are a Zelda fan, I'd strongly advise you to get this game. It may be "short", sort of speaking (game nowadays are pretty big), but for a game of it's time, Link's Awakening is definitely one of the best games out there.