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GameBoy Advance : Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, The Reviews

Gas Gauge: 91
Gas Gauge 91
Below are user reviews of Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, The and on the right are links to professionally written reviews. The summary of review scores shows the distribution of scores given by the professional reviewers for Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, The. Column height indicates the number of reviews with a score within the range shown at the bottom of the column. Higher scores (columns further towards the right) are better.

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ReviewsScore
Game Spot 92
CVG 90






User Reviews (1 - 11 of 150)

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legend of Zelda never looked better on a portable

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 51 / 56
Date: October 06, 2002
Author: Amazon User

The Legend of Zelda has had many memorable titles. Link to the Past has to be the favorite of the 2D games. This was the game that gave the ideals for the altime best: Ocarina of Time. This game consist of 2 worlds. A light and dark world. You link are in search to rescue the desandant of the 7 sages from the evil wizard Anghim (i think's his name) from the dark world and into the light world..
If you played Links Awakaning, and Zelda: Oracle of Ages/Season you'll love this game. The graphics are superb for a portable gaming system. It'll rain and fog and its like in real life. it is so much fun! There are so many items to collect. Such as a bug-catching net to capture faires in bottels for life refil when you die. The story line is very in-depth and the fighting is envigorating. The sound are gorgous as well. Songs such as the ones in Ocirana of time are featured in this game.
Multi-player for the zelda series is a first. Up to 4 people can link up to do tasts. YOu all have to work together. Its so much fun to play. You'll do things such as through your friend over a gorge to flip a switch. Real team effort. The one (or team) to collect the most rupees wins! THIS IS A MUST HAVE FOR THE GBA!!!

Even better than the SNES version

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 47 / 55
Date: December 09, 2003
Author: Amazon User

This was one of my favorite SNES games, and now it is improved.

A great action RPG, you will travel throughout the kingdoms, gaining the items needed to defeat the enemy. Nothing too complicated, just fun.

The SNES version had a few annoying traits, all of which are removed here. Save where you want, and even go back to where you saved, instead of always having to start a saved game in the same location.

Highly recommended.

A cool game to add to a Gameboy Advance Collection!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 36 / 40
Date: January 03, 2003
Author: Amazon User

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past was one of the greatest games to be released for Nintendo's 16-bit SNES. The game brought the classic NES series up to the standards of the day, adding plenty of new gameplay elements while still maintaining the same basic feel of the original action adventure game. In keeping with the recent trend of bringing such classics to the Game Boy Advance, Nintendo has released a port of the game for its handheld system, bringing a fantastic version of A Link to the Past both to new players and those interested in playing through it one more time. Additionally, a new multiplayer game, called The Four Swords, has been added for link-game players.

A Link to the Past matches the SNES-quality graphics of the original.
The story in A Link to the Past is roughly what you'd come to expect from the series. Princess Zelda has been kidnapped and, along with several other girls, is going to be used in a ritual that will give an evil wizard supreme power. It's up to the player, as young Link, to stop the wizard's insidious scheme, rescuing Zelda in the process. The game features a very large overworld with a town, a desert, a lake, and, of course, tons of dungeons. After the first act, the game opens up even further by adding a "dark side" of the overworld to the mix. You'll use items to travel back and forth between the normal, light world and the evil, dungeon-filled dark world. Players familiar with the time travel elements in the N64 Zelda game Ocarina of Time will have a basic idea of how this works, as some of the game's minor puzzles require you to work with objects on both sides.

The entire quest is incredibly well-constructed, with plenty of required tasks and quite a few optional ones, most of which will help you get a larger life meter. The game isn't exactly long on story, but the existing plot is more than enough to drive you from one dungeon to the next. The early dungeons are pretty straightforward, but as you progress, they become more and more puzzle-filled, forcing you to really think as you try to find the right path through each dungeon's labyrinthine design. The game's bosses are also well done, making for some exciting encounters.

This classic Link adventure is seen from the typical top-down perspective. You'll have access to a map screen and a subscreen where you can manage your inventory and choose from any items you may have collected. Each dungeon contains a new item to add to your repertoire, and eventually you'll have all the standard Zelda items, including a boomerang, bombs, a bow, a hammer, jars to catch fairies in, the grappling-hook-like hookshot, and more.

As mentioned, there is also an all-new multiplayer game included on the cartridge. The Four Swords opens with a brief intro discussing the legend of a boy split into four pieces by the power of a sword known as the four sword. This sets up the four-player adventure, with each player controlling a different Link on a series of randomly-generated playfields. The levels are, in many ways, a mad dash for rupees, the game's currency, but along the way you'll also find a collection of secondary items. You can only carry one secondary item at a time, so you'll have to decide if you want to, for example, keep your boomerang or trade it in for the ability to jump.

Four Swords puts an equal emphasis on cooperation and competition. You'll find a lot of blocks and boulders that require all players to help with the pushing and lifting, but you'll also be able to pick up one of the other Links and throw him out of your way, if you're so inclined. The game has a handful of boss fights in it as well, and those also benefit from a cooperative spirit. The dungeons scale depending on the number of players, so the game is equally playable by two or four players. Each player is required to have his or her own copy of the cartridge, though. As you progress in A Link to the Past, you'll unlock additional features in The Four Swords--one such upgrade gives you the master sword's firepower in the multiplayer game. If you're surrounded by GBA owners, then The Four Swords is a fantastic addition to an already spectacular package.

The Four Swords is a fantastic addition to an already spectacular package.
Graphically, A Link to the Past matches the SNES-quality graphics of the original. There are a few bits here and there that aren't quite as flashy as they are in the SNES original, but they're very minor. The soundtrack is also fantastic, and the game has some great sound effects. Like Nintendo's other SNES-to-GBA ports, some speech has been added in some areas--in this case, Link now screams and yelps as he attacks. Some players may find the addition annoying, but it's really not that big a deal. It's certainly not close to the annoyance, of, say, Toad's voice in Super Mario Advance.

In this new release, you get a great handheld port of one of the greatest games ever released for Nintendo's 16-bit system. That should be enough right there, but fans of link-cable action will also find an exciting, replayable multiplayer experience here, too. The requisite GBA improvements--the addition of contrast control and a sleep mode--have been made, making it that much easier to carry this great game around in your pocket. While we'd still love to see an all-new Zelda adventure on the GBA, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is a cartridge that any Game Boy Advance owner would love.

A great zelda game for GBA!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 30 / 34
Date: January 07, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Im not a big fan of zelda (before I bought the game), or games that fit into it's category, but I heard the game was really good, so I picked it up. I am now a die hard zelda fan! This tiny little GBA game spurred my interest into anything having to do with Zelda. The game is very impressive, with great graphics, an interesting storyline, and cool adventure style gameplay. I have not beaten the game yet, so I don't know how long it is. Theres also another game, "4 swords", but unfortunately it is multiplayer only, meaning you need a link cable to play with other people. This is a drawback to the game becuz I do not have a link cable or know anyone else who owns this game. O, well, the single player game "Link to the past" is worth getting this game.

A True Classic, A Must Have for Zelda Fans.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 31 / 37
Date: October 08, 2002
Author: Amazon User

This is one of the best Zelda games ever made! It's the Game Boy Advance remake of the SNES classic A Link to the Past along with a new multiplayer Zelda- The Four Swords. In A link to the past, Link must find three pendants from three palaces and face the evil wizard in the Light World, then rescue seven maidens (including princess zelda) from seven dungeons for a final showdown with Ganondorf in Ganon's castle in the parallel Dark World. This remake has the same SNES graphics, sound, similar controls, same dungeons, enemies, etc. If you never played the SNES version, you must play this! The Four Swords is a fun multiplayer where four people link together with their GBAs and cooperate to solve puzzles in the dungeons. I haven't played this mode so I can't tell you much and my review of a link to the past is based on the SNES version but the GBA version is the same. If you liked Link's Awakening and Oracle of Ages and Seasons for the Game Boy then you must play this, you'll love it! Hopefully someday they'll re-release the first two zelda games for the NES onto GBA with updated graphics and perhaps new dungeons and other special features.

Woohoo! Link's on the GBA!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 18 / 19
Date: January 11, 2003
Author: Amazon User

If you were either too young or didn't have enough interest to get The Legend of Zelda:A Link to the Past when it was on the SNES 10 years ago, correct your mistake by getting it today! This game has it all: Strategy, action, occasional comedy, you name it!

The story, while being a little stereotypical, is pretty good. Ganon, who's stuck in the Dark World, sends out Aganhim to get him out of there so he can take over both versions of Hyrule. Seven maidens are kidnapped in order to carry out this task, and Princess Zelda is one of them. So of course, it's up to you, Link, to beat Ganon and all of his evil minions.
STORY:10/10
Even though the game is about 10 years old, the graphics are perfect. I have yet to see something look bad, although the eccesive scrolling needed is a tad annoying at worst.
GRAPHICS:10/10
I can find nothing wrong with the gameplay. B's sword, A's item, D-Pad is move, START is Pause, SELECT is item select, R is pick up/read, and L is map. It all makes sense.
GAMEPLAY:10/10
I love the sound! Nintendo made a soundtrack CD of Majora's Mask, and they should do the same for this game. I especially like the Lost Woods track. My tip:get some headphones.
SOUND:10/10
Because you probably won't get everything the first time through, there's that much more replay value.
REPLAY VALUE:10/10

Overall:10/10

......And that's just the single player game! That's right, the first ever Multiplayer Zelda game is here! And the Four Swords is more fun than a barrel of monkeys!

The story is basically the same as all of the other Zelda titles: Zelda gets kidnapped by a Wind Mage named Vaati(whom, Nintendo says, is the bad guy of the upcoming Wind Walkers game) and she won't just escape by herself. You, Link, use the Four Sword to create multiple copies of yourself. Each of your linkees play as one.
STORY:10/10
The graphics are fine. Nothing wrong here.
GRAPHICS:10/10
The gameplay is good too. Just like everything else.

EVERYTHING ELSE:10/10

Both games:10/10
All in all, a must-have for everyone. It's just so great!

A few notes: Doing things in one game can effect the other. For instance, beating both games opens up a new(and virtually impossible) dungeon in LttP. Getting the Master Sword means you can use it's beam capabilities in Four Swords.

Niiiiice! It's almost better than it's original version!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 22 / 27
Date: April 01, 2003
Author: Amazon User

I got this game for GBA the exact day I bought the all-new "Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker". It's actually a nice addition! You play as Link, a hero who must save the world from an evil wizard, while trying to save the Princess Zelda. (as usual). I believe that the dungeons are a bit harder this time around. The same goes for the puzzles! The SNES version was way easy, but this is an even better challenge! Voices and improved graphics have also been added in, giving it a more realistic feeling than the first. There's also a BONUS!!! "The Four Swords" game! You link up to 2-4 players helping each other get trhough the dungeons. My fav though, will always be the original, "Link To The Past"! It has the most action any Zelda game has to offer. (although I'm not sure about the Wind Waker, cause I haven't played TOO much of it yet!) In fact, this game along w/ "Link's Awakening" & "Ocarina Of Time" are one of my favorites! They even were able to make it sound like the original soundtrack when they transferred it from SNES to GBA, and the gameplay is still awesome! I've beaten the game on SNES thousands of times, but this is even better than ever!!! BUY TODAY!!! It's one of the best action-RPGs to ever hit videogames!
I also reccomend, "Oracle Of Ages" & "Oracle Of Seasons" too!

A classic! And a must have for any GBA owner!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 12 / 12
Date: October 01, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I can't count the hours I spent playing the Zelda games as a kid. I was very pleased when Nintendo decided to start re-releasing the classics on the GBA. This is very true to the original with a few changes. Most additions they made I consider to be nice improvements, and they add a little "new-ness" to a very nastolgic game. Other features, like Link screaming whenever he falls or swings his sword, are a bit annoying but quickly become unnoticable due to the sheer fun factor of the game. The 4-swords addition is a nice touch as well, and adds a bit of multiplayer fun to the package.

A Wonderful Classic

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 20 / 29
Date: October 03, 2002
Author: Amazon User

This is one of the best Zelda games right behind the original The Legend of Zelda. Buying the GBA, I was hoping that Nintendo would release at least one Zelda game for the system and here it is! I can't speak for the multi-player functionality, but the rest of the game is solid. It's got great graphics, awesome sound and a wonderful story. Definitely pick this one up when it's released! You won't be sorry!

A classic coming back with extra stuff

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 9 / 9
Date: December 28, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Most gamers refer to that period between 1990-1997 as "the good old days", some even earlier. You had Super Metroid, Chrono Trigger, Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, Final Fantasy VI(III on SNES, don't ask it's complicated), and the Sonic and Mario games. Another one that came out was Link to the Past, the 16 bit sequel to the 2 NES and some Gameboy installments. Probably the first to develop the light/dark world theme seen in the recent Metroid Prime sequel, it's been widely considered as a classic and try it out for ourselves.

Story: Basically, there's not a lot to the story but boy is it interesting. Princesses are being kidnapped by a wizard named Aghanim(or was it Ganondorf? Anyway). Zelda telepathically speaks to Link who's sleeping to come rescue her. He does so and she tells him he must stop Aghanim from obtaining the Triforce, a mystical item with the ability to grant the wish of anyone who touches it.

The real only story developments come from the instruction manual, Zelda after rescuing her and when you complete a dungeon. It's not full of twists but it's so interesting to read.

Sound/Music: All the classics are here: the Overworld theme, the Kakariko Village theme, even that fluttery piano thing that plays during the opening which was last heard in Wind Waker. One complaint: using soundbytes from the Nintendo 64 installments, Link yells at EACH sword thrust, which means if you're someone who likes to go nuts with the sword, he yells each time which got really annoying.

Gameplay: A huge assortment of items to use. You got your 3 Medallions, a Book, 2 Magic Rods, a Cape, Mirror, and of course the classic Bow and Arrows and Boomerang. Your one complaint would definately be having to go into the menu and selecting it each time you want to switch. So unlike Ocarina/Majora/Wind Waker, you have only one slot, which means you have to keep going into menu. It's not as bad as the Oracle series where your sword had to be selected, here it's your default B button.

One thing that made this game such a huge play was like Metroid, the huge amount of things that were thrown into the game deliberately. See that area with the huge stone? Once you get power gloves, you'll be able to lift it but there's always an area in Hyrule(the world of course) taunting you, making you figure out, just what item you need to get over there and where to find it. Not to mention magic meter upgrades and heart pieces; collect 4 and your health goes up by one(like Metroid's energy tanks).

You should definately check this out but bit of a warning. Enemies earlier on can very easily kill you as one hit can take off one heart just like that. Aside from that, definately pick this up, and if you have friends with the game, check out the multiplayer Four Swords as well.


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