Difference between Links Awakening and the DX Version?

  • I had Zelda Links Awakening DX on the game boy color as a kid, but I very vividly remember playing a version of Links Awakening on the game boy pocket at a babysitters home years ago. What's the difference between the two versions other than one being for the game boy and the other for game boy color? I'm seeing specks of black and white and I think that was the original Links Awakening. I don't remember playing much of the original but I remember screwing off with the sitters copy of the original. Never was much of a Zelda fan, not like I am with Pokémon. I've played Zelda on a Super Nintendo, not my own, and I've played Links Awakening and the one I had was the DX version for the game boy color

  • So, there are a few differences between Link's Awakening and Link's Awakening DX

    Legend of Zelda - Link's Awakening was originally released for the Game Boy on June 6th, 1993 (August of 1993 in the USA). It featured our normal camera top view and our favorite Protagonist, Link. You were tasked with adventuring all around Koholint Island, gathering 8 Siren instruments. As you gather everything and you defeat the bosses (named Nightmare), you start to learn more about the Island and how it came to be. Once you gather all 8 Siren Instruments, you are to adventure to the top of Tal Tal Heights and use them to open a pathway into the Wind Fish's egg, where the Wind Fish slumbers. After you traverse this final dungeon, you defeat the final nightmare and you finally awaken the Wind Fish. He is grateful that you have awakened him, then tells you that it's time for you to wake up. Once you actually wake up, you realize that the Island of Koholint never existed.

    Legend of Zelda - Link's Awakening DX was officially released for the Game Boy Color on December 12th, 1998 (December 15th, 1998 in the USA). The same story, same bosses, and same Island of Koholint are back again. This time, they were in glorious color. However, there were a few new additions that were added to the main base game. First and foremost, color. Game Boy Color featured this game in full color this time, rather than the grey scale we were used to on the original. Introduced with the Game Boy Color, was the Game Boy Printer. This Printer was able to be combined with the Game Boy Camera, and you could take pictures. Basically, it was Nintendo's way of starting the Selfie Era. However, it was used in Link's Awakening DX to print pictures that you took with the DX Camera Box from the Camera Shop. One of the best features it brought to us was the Color Dungeon. This new dungeon was able to be found on the Island of Koholint. It featured very unique enemies and a useful item at the end. After to completed the dungeon, you were given a choice of either the Red Tunic or the Blue Tunic. Red Tunic gave you more attack power permanently. Blue Tunic gave you more defense power permanently. Once the dungeon was completed, it disappears from the Island.

    ~The Great Sage, ZeldaGuardian~

    Leader and Founder of The Seven Sages

    Webmaster and Creator of Guardian Sages

    "Don't let my past mistakes... Effect your future judgement of me..." ~ZeldaGuardian

    "Time is Fate's true love. One cannot exist without the other. If it is Fate, then Time will tell when it's ready." ~ZeldaGuardian

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  • "Link's Awakening" is the original game released for the Gameboy Color and Link's Awakening Dx, is the same game with a few things added. I think if you re to play one of them, I'd recommend you to go with the "Deluxe" version rather than the original one.


    That being said, this same game got a remake for the Switch and released a few weeks after you created this thread. I haven't tried the game myself but as far as I can see it feautures a lot of the DX stuff, so if you have a Nintendo Switch, that's another option.

  • Links Awakening was released way before the gameboy color.

    It was originally meant to be a GB clone of ALLTP.

    Links Awakening DX was released in 98 to coincide with the new Gameboy Color and took advantage of the colors by adding a new color dungeon.

  • It's also worth mentioning that the original had you collecting Stone Tablets for dungeon hints, but in the DX version you find Stone Beaks and have to place them on Owl Statues for hints.

    Totally True. Thanks.