33 Years Ago, Nintendo Released a Handheld Classic That Fans Still Adore

On June 6, 1993, Nintendo released the first-ever handheld game in the Legend of Zelda franchise. The sequel, subtitled Link's Awakening, was an enormous success with critics, which helped usher Nintendo into a new era of console gaming.

Link's Awakening was originally conceived as a remaster of A Link to the Past, which had been released two years prior on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The company wanted to bring the successful franchise to the Game Boy, so fans could play on the go.

But when Nintendo began working on this new version of A Link to the Past, it became clear that the game would have to be changed heavily in order to account for all the altered gameplay mechanics and new handheld controls. Link's Awakening was conceived as a result, and it was entirely different from the rest of the franchise.

Firstly, Link's Awakening didn't take place in the typical setting of Hyrule, nor did it feature Princess Zelda in the story. Instead, the game follows Link as he attempts to escape from a deserted island by searching for musical instruments to distract the giant whale that's stopping his exit.

Link's Awakening was a huge success with critics, who praised Nintendo's ability to bring a beloved console game to the Game Boy while maintaining the general spirit and gameplay mechanics of the franchise. Critics were generally impressed that Link's Awakening was so different from A Link to the Past, proving that the franchise had plenty of original ideas left. It received a score of 90% from GameRankings.

The game quickly grew to be a fan-favorite, with remasters made for the Game Boy Color and Nintendo Switch to capitalize on its popularity. Many have credited Link's Awakening as perhaps the most important game in this particular franchise, with its success paving the way for games such as The Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask.

The Legend of Zelda ultimately grew to be one of Nintendo's most successful and widely popular franchises, third only to Super Mario and Pokémon. Instalments such as Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom have been massive best-sellers for the Nintendo Switch, proving that this creative adventure franchise isn't going anywhere any time soon.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 6, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published June 6, 2026 at 7:24 AM.