The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds

2013

puzzle
adventure
action
fantasy
historical
sandbox
open world
single player

The story

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds is the first Zelda game made exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS. It is an indirect sequel to A Link to the Past with the same version of Hyrule but with new characters and gameplay elements. Unlike the series' tradition, many areas of the world are accessible from the beginning of the game and the dungeons can be visited in any order. Puzzles are encountered not only in dungeons but also in the open world, a part of them revolves around the game's 3D visual effect. The 3DS touch-screen display shows the world, dungeon or map depending on where you are.

What it’s like

Bright, painterly 2.5D Hyrule rendered in soft, saturated colours, with the 3DS's depth slider turning the flat world into something you can peer into. The look is storybook-cheerful: sunlit meadows, pastel villages, snowy mountain passes, and dungeons that glow with lantern-warm stone, all seen from a fixed, slightly angled overhead camera that makes the wall-hugging movement feel like sliding through a paper diorama. Sound is light and folksy, with bright woodwind melodies, plinking chimes, and the familiar Zelda fanfares tucked into the background, while the touch screen handles maps and menus with a quiet, tactile hum. The vibe is cosy adventure with a playful edge, the kind of thing for a sunny afternoon on the couch or a commute where you can dip in for a single puzzle. Pacing is flexible: you can wander open regions from the start, tackle dungeons in any order, and stop whenever you like, which keeps the mood unhurried. Intensity is low: combat is cartoonish, enemies fizzle away rather than bleed, and the tension stays in puzzle-solving rather than fear. It suits players who want a gentle, exploratory fantasy with clever spatial puzzles and a light, affectionate heart, especially those who enjoy the series' charm without its darker edges.

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