The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening DX Now Downloadable on the 3DS eShop
Link reawakens on the 3DS.
During its E3 conference today, Nintendo announced that the classic The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening DX would be available to download today through the Virtual Console on the Nintendo 3DS’ eShop. The game is releasing in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Zelda franchise.
A video presentation highlighting Zelda’s history was shown before Nintendo began its conference. When it finished Shigeru Miyamoto, creator of the Zelda franchise, happily sighed and said, “Zelda…it sure does bring back memories.”
Link’s Awakening DX costs $5.99 on eShop. The game originally released on the first Game Boy in August 1993 as just Link’s Awakening. It was ported to the Game Boy Color as Link’s Awakening DX with updated graphics and an additional dungeon. Link’s Awakening DX is the first Game Boy Color game on the eShop Virtual Console.
“This is a game that we created perhaps with the most unbridled creativity of any game in the series,” said Miyamoto. “I think it’s great for people who are playing Zelda for the first time because from it they can learn the basics of Zelda gameplay.”
Additionally Four Swords, the 2-4 player co-op game that was included on the 2002 Game Boy Advance version of A Link to the Past, will be available as a free download on DSiWare in September. No specific date or details like gameplay changes were confirmed by Nintendo.
The eShop launched Monday through a system update and is the 3DS’ service for digital content. The Virtual Console on the 3DS features retro titles from the Game Boy and Game Boy Color. So far Radar Mission (1990, $2.99), Super Mario Land (1989, $3.99), and Alleyway (1989, $2.99) are the Game Boy games on the service. Excitebike (NES, 1984) has new 3D gameplay elements under Nintendo’s “3D Classics” line on the 3DS. Nintendo is currently offering the game as a free download.
Want a taste of Link’s Awakening DX? Here’s some old footage:
Photo by deepcut /MobyGames
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One Response to “The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening DX Now Downloadable on the 3DS eShop”
The 3DS with all these announcements is a must buy this holiday season.