The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening

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The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
Developer(s)	Nintendo EAD
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Release date	June 6, 1993 August 1993 Late 1993
Genre(s)	Action-adventure
Console(s)	Game Boy
Mode(s)	Single player

This article is about the Game Boy game. For the enhanced Game Boy Color port, see The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX. For the Nintendo Switch remake, see The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (Nintendo Switch).

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening is the fourth installment of The Legend of Zelda series and the first handheld title in the series. It was released for the Game Boy in 1993. The game was later ported to the Game Boy Color in 1998 with the title The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX, which was released on a dual-format black cartridge allowing it to also be playable on original Game Boy units like the original version. A two-volume manga based on the game was released in Japan in 1994.

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening is a departure from the main storyline involving Princess Zelda, Ganon, and the Triforce. It takes place after the events of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. Instead of taking place in Hyrule, the game is set on Koholint Island, where Link is stranded on. To leave the island, Link goes on an adventure to retrieve the Instruments of the Sirens and awaken the Wind Fish.

In February 2019, a Nintendo Direct revealed that a remake of Link's Awakening was under development for the Nintendo Switch. It released worldwide on September 20, 2019.

Plot

Link enduring a sea storm in the opening intro

After Link's defeat of Ganon in The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, peace was restored in Hyrule, though many were precarious and wondered of potential threats arising from Ganon's ashes. In response, Link left Hyrule and journeyed to foreign lands to strengthen his skills and wits in case a possible threat would occur. After months of training, Link felt ready to return to Hyrule, so he got on a small boat and traveled back.

As Link goes seafaring in the Great Hyrulean Sea, he gets caught in a big sea storm. A bolt of lightning strikes the boat, causing it to break and sink underwater. Link unconsciously drifts away at the sea, and washes up onto the shore of Koholint Island along with the ship wreckage. Link is found by a young woman, who struggles to wake him up, so she takes him to her home to recover.

An owl briefly explains the Wind Fish to Link

Link wakes up on a bed inside her house, located in Mabe Village. From the young woman's voice, he mistakenly believes her to be Princess Zelda, so the young woman, named Marin, introduces herself and tells Link that he is on Koholint Island. She states that many monsters have appeared on Koholint Island where he was washed ashore. Link goes to talk to her father, Tarin, who gives him back his Shield that he found.

Following Marin's instruction, Link goes to the beach, named Toronbo Shores, and finds his sword stuck in a beach. Just before obtaining his sword, Link is encountered by an owl, who tells him that he cannot leave the island unless he awakens the Wind Fish. The owl mentions that the monsters are more violent for this reason. The owl flies off to the Mysterious Forest and waits there for Link.

Upon entering the Mysterious Forest, Link is greeted again by the owl, who instructs him to retrieve the key to unlock the first dungeon, Tail Cave. Link manages to obtain the key, and he enters the Tail Cave. At the end of the cave, Link gets in a boss fight with Moldorm. After defeating the boss, Link goes into the room above and obtains the Full Moon Cello, the first of the Instrument of the Sirens. The owl appears again and explains to Link that the cello and the seven other Instruments of the Sirens are required to awaken the Wind Fish.

Later, during his search for the sixth instrument, Link enters the Ancient Ruins, which has a mural stating that Koholint Island is a dream world created by the Wind Fish, and that the island would permanently disappear if he woke up. After reading it, Link encounters the owl another time, who tells Link that the mural is only a rumor and that only the Wind Fish knows whether it is true. Throughout Koholint Island, the Nightmares attempt to take control of the Wind Fish's dream world, and try to stop Link from waking up the Wind Fish.

Link battling the Lanmola form of the final boss, the Shadows

After a long journey, Link obtains the eighth and final instrument, the Thunder Drum, in Turtle Rock. He returns to the Wind Fish's Egg, located in the center of Tal Tal Mountain range, and plays the Ballad of the Wind Fish with his Ocarina and the eight Instruments of the Sirens. By doing so, a hole cracks open in the Wind Fish's Egg, and Link enters inside. After traveling through a maze, Link falls into an enclosed chamber. Here he engages in a final battle against the Shadows and their six forms, most of whom are bosses from earlier The Legend of Zelda titles. Its final form is DethI, a one-eyed, two-tentacled creature.

The awakened Wind Fish explains his dream to Link in the ending

Link manages to defeat the Shadows, causing a long ladder to appear before him. Link climbs to the top and stands on a platform overseeing a starry, black sky. The owl appears to him one last time, revealing himself as part of the Wind Fish's spirit and the guardian of the dream world. He congratulates Link for defeating the Nightmares and his courage in overcoming them. The owl flies away and the Wind Fish appears to Link, and confirms that they are in a dream world. Link plays the Ballad of the Wind Fish a last time, causing him and the Wind Fish to wake up, and the entire Koholint Island to vanish. The dream ends with Link being taken outside by an upward stream of water.

Link wakes up in the middle of the sea, holding on driftwood from the shipwreck. Link hears the Wind Fish's wail and smiles as he watches the Wind Fish slowly moving overhead in the skies. Link's adventure ends with him sitting on driftwood and gazing at the sky.

The game has a perfect ending if Link does not lose a life. After the end credits, a short scene shows Marin, with new wings, flying around the "The End" text. It is unknown if she managed to escape from the Wind Fish's dream, but the sound of a seagull is heard three times while she is on-screen, suggesting that her wish to become a seagull became true.

Characters

Playable character

Sprite	Name	Description
	Link	Link is the main protagonist, and he goes on an adventure to awaken the Wind Fish.

Supporting characters

Sprite	Name	Description
	BowWow	An iron dog owned by Madam MeowMeow, it is kidnapped by Moblins and accompanies Link after being rescued, eating nearby enemies occasionally. It can bite through Goponga Flowers and sense buried Secret Seashells, but will also fight Kiki.
	Flying Rooster	A chicken capable of prolonged flight, brought back from its grave under the weathercock with the Frog's Song of Soul. By picking it up, Link can reach many locations.
	Marin	An innocent girl living on the island, she is the one who found Link on the shore and cared for him until he awoke. She enjoys singing and is accompanied in various events throughout the game.
	Owl	A wise, mysterious bird who shows up at various intervals throughout the game to deliver lore to Link.
	Tarin	Marin's comical, goodhearted father found in various odd circumstances.
	Wind Fish	The legendary dreamer held within the egg on Mt. Tamaranch. He is regarded as a deity by the islanders.

Other characters

Sprite	Name	Description
	Bear Cub	One of the animals who listens to Marin singing in Animal Village.
	Christine	A goat from Animal Village and pen pal of Mr. Write.
	Chef Bear	An Animal Village resident and chef, who gives Link a pineapple for a honeycomb.
	CiaoCiao	A Mini Bow-Wow with an obsession for jewelry.
	Crazy Tracy	A reclusive woman who makes secret medicine.
	Faerie Queen	Life-restoring large faeries who live in springs.
	Fisherman	Runs a fishing minigame in Mabe Village, and either he or an identical character fishes up the Mermaid's belonging after being given a fishing hook.
	Ghost	A spirit who wishes to return to his old house one last time before moving on.
	Grandma Ulrira	The sweeping-obsessed wife of old man Ulrira.
	Goriya	A reclusive friendly monster who lives on Toronbo Shores and lends Link his Boomerang.
	Henhouse Keeper	A man who lives in Tal Tal Heights and wishes to see the Flying Rooster.
	Hippo Model	A female hippo of Animal Village who is posing for Schule's painting.
	Kiki	A monkey who will help build a bridge for Link if given bananas. It responds aggressively to BowWow.
	Madam MeowMeow	A BowWow-owning woman in Mabe Village.
	Mamu	The leader of a popular frog band who teach Link the Frog's Song of Soul.
	Manbo	A large Sun Fish who teaches Link Manbo's Mambo.
	Mermaid	A mermaid who has lost her necklace (or swimsuit top in the Japanese, French and German versions) and gives Link one of her scales if he returns it.
	Mr. Write	A letter-writing enthusiast who becomes pen pals with Christine.
	Old Man Ulrira	An old man who gives Link hints via telephone.
	Papahl	The father of at least five children in Mabe Village, who gets lost in Tal Tal Heights.
	Quadruplets	Four (or five) children who live in Mabe Village and give Link advice they are too young to understand.
	Quadruplets' mother	A mother of at least five children in Mabe Village.
	Raccoon	A character who causes Link to get lost in the Mysterious Forest. He is later revealed to be Tarin under a spell.
	Richard	The owner of Kanalet Castle who was evicted by his servants.
	Sale	A banana-selling crocodile who loves canned food.
	Schule Donavitch	An artist crocodile who made the mermaid statue.
	Shopkeeper	The owner of the Town Tool Shop, who kills Link with magic if he steals anything and then returns.
	Toucan	One of the animals who listens to Marin singing in Animal Village.
	Trendy Gamester	The owner of the Trendy Game. An identical character operates Rapids Ride.
	Walrus	A sleepy resident of Animal Village who can block paths with his girth.
	Witch	A potion-brewer who can make Magic Powder from the Sleepy Toadstool.

Species

Sprite	Name	Description
	Bee	Simple insects that stay around their hive in Ukuku Prairie until Tarin knocks it down.
	Bird	Carrier pigeon-like birds are found in the houses of Mr. Write and Christine.
	Chicken	Simple fowl that summon an angry swarm of invincible chickens if attacked too much. Magic Powder and the Magic Rod can destroy them.
	Faerie	Small sprites that heal Link if touched.
	Fish	Two sizes of fish, runts and lunkers, appear in the fishing game. Two other fish accompany Manbo.
	Frog	Hopping amphibians that accompany Richard and Mamu.
	Mini Bow-Wow	Iron puppies owned by Madam MeowMeow.
	Monkey	Primates that build a bridge at Kiki's behest.
	Mouse	Small rodents found in unkempt houses.
	Mutt	Tame foxes that roam Mabe Village. Attacking them causes them to retaliate, but they are defeated by Magic Powder or the Magic Rod.
	Rabbit	The main inhabitants of Animal Village.
	Seagull	Seabirds that Marin is fascinated with.

Locations

All of the locations take place in Koholint Island, which is divided into numerous regions and a few towns:

• 

  Animal Village

• 

  Cemetery

• 

  East of the Bay

• 

  Face Shrine

• 

  Goponga Swamp

• 

  Kanalet Castle

• 

  Koholint Prairie

• 

  Mabe Village

• 

  Martha's Bay

• 

  Mt. Tamaranch

• 

  Mysterious Woods

• 

  Pothole Field

• 

  Rapids Ride

• 

  Signpost Maze

• 

  South of the Village

• 

  Tabahl Wasteland

• 

  Tal Tal Heights

• 

  Tal Tal Mountain Range

• 

  Toronbo Shores

• 

  Ukuku Prairie

• 

  Yarna Desert

Koholint Island

Minor locations

There are minor locations that appear within one of the greater regions or towns.

• Crazy Tracy's Health Spa
• Eastern Tal Tal Mountains
• Faerie Spring
• Fishing Pond
• Hen House
• House by the Bay
• Madam MeowMeow's House
• Manbo's Pond
• Marin and Tarin's House
• Mermaid Statue
• Old Man Ulrira's House
• Quadruplet's House
• Raft Shop
• Richard's Villa
• Sale's House O' Bananas
• Seashell Mansion
• Telephone Booth
• Town Tool Shop
• Trendy Game Shop
• Under the bridge
• Village Library
• Warp Hole
• Weathercock
• Weird Mr. Write
• Western Tal Tal Mountains
• Witch's Hut

Dungeons

Name	Description	Item	Reward	Mini-boss	Boss
Level 1-- Tail Cave	A dungeon located in the hills north of Toronbo Shores. It topographically looks like a Moldorm. The Tail Cave's entrance can be unlocked with the Tail Key.	Roc's Feather	Full Moon Cello	Rolling Bones	Moldorm
Moblin Cave	A cave found at the foot of Mt. Tamaranch, it is where the Moblins take BowWow after kidnapping him.	BowWow		King Moblin	None
Level 2-- Bottle Grotto	Bottle Grotto is a jar-shaped dungeon located in Goponga Swamp, and is filled with many pots. Link can access the dungeon if he has BowWow eat every Goponga Flower blocking the entrance.	Power Bracelet	Conch Horn	Hinox	Genie
Kanalet Castle	The former palace of Richard north of Ukuku Prairie, he has Link go through it to recover his five Golden Leaves.	Golden Leaves		None
Level 3-- Key Cavern	A two-floor dungeon found near the Pothole Maze in Ukuku Prairie. Both floors have a layout in the shape of a key, hence its name. Link needs the Slime Key to enter the Key Cavern.	Pegasus Boots	Sea Lily's Bell	Dodongo Snakes	Slime Eye
Dream Shrine	A blocked-off room in Mabe Village that leads into a subspace room. It requires the Power Bracelet to reach and the Pegasus Boots to fully navigate.	Ocarina		None
Level 4-- Angler's Tunnel	A water-filled cave located at the base of Tal Tal Heights. From a bird's-eye view, the outside resembles an anchor or a fishing hook. Link needs the Angler Key to enter the Key Cavern.	Flippers	Surf Harp	Cue Ball	Angler Fish
Level 5-- Catfish's Maw	An underwater-themed dungeon that takes place within a large catfish-like statue in the center of Martha's Bay. It can be accessed once Link takes the wandering ghost back to its home and then later using his Flippers to take an underwater path to Catfish's Maw.	Hook Shot	Wind Marimba	Master Stalfos Gohmas	Slime Eel
Southern Face Shrine	A shrine found north of Animal Village, where Link must first go to learn about the legend of the Wind Fish.	Face Key		Armos Knight	None
Level 6-- Face Shrine	A ruin further north of the Southern Face Shrine. The Hook Shot and Face Key are required to enter the Face Shrine.	Powerful Bracelet	Coral Triangle	Dodongo Snakes Smasher	Facade
Level 7-- Eagle's Tower	A large, four-story tower nestled within the eastern heights of the Tal Tal Mountain Range. It can be unlocked with the Bird Key.	Mirror Shield	Organ of Evening Calm	Hinox Grim Creeper	Evil Eagle
Level 8-- Turtle Rock	A lava-filled lair in the cliffside of the western Tal Tal Mountain Range. It is built within the remains of a giant turtle which has become petrified within the rock of the mountainside. To access the dungeon, Link must play the Frog's Song of Soul to bring the turtle's head to life and then defeat it.	Magic Rod	Thunder Drum	Cue Ball Rolling Bones Dodongo Snakes Hinox Smasher Blaino	Hot Head
Wind Fish's Egg	A large egg which is the main landmark of Koholint Island. It is the final area that Link accesses. The Wind Fish's Egg is where the Wind Fish is sleeping, tormented by the Shadows. To crack open an entrance into the Wind Fish's Egg, Link must have all eight Instruments of the Sirens and play the Ballad of the Wind Fish.	None	Completion	None	Giant Gel Agahnim's Shadow Moldorm's Shadow Shadow of Ganon Lanmola DethI

Enemies

Sprite	Name	Description
	Angler Fry	Small fish that assist the Angler Fish in battle by swimming at Link.
	Anti-Faerie	Spirits that fly around the room diagonally to hit Link. They burn when touched by Magic Powder
	Anti-Kirby	Puffbals that attempt to inhale Link in Eagle's Tower.
	Arm-Mimic	Haniwa that copy Link's movements and deal a fairly large amount of damage.
	Armos Statue	Statues that start moving when Link touches them. Found outside the southern Face Shrine.
	Beetle	Small insects that endlessly spawn from a single hole in Ukuku Prairie, after which they simply walk around.
	Bloober	Squid that swim after Link in side-scrolling areas in a bobbing pattern.
	Bomber	Winged mushrooms that fly around and drop bombs with a large blast radius.
	Bombite	Walking bombs that have two behaviors: after being hit, they will either ricochet around or follow Link, after which they will explode. Found in Key Cavern.
	Boo	Ghosts that follow Link invincibly in dark rooms, but will flee vulnerably when the room is brightened. Found in Bottle Grotto.
	Buzz Blob	Bipedal slimes that zap Link if attacked with a sword, unless stunned. Using Magic Powder on one turns it into a cukeman.
	Cheep-Sheep	Fish that swim back-and-forth or up-and-down in a simple pattern in side-scrolling areas, though some instead jump.
	Crow	Birds that take off and swoop down at Link. One at Kanalet Castle instead attempts to flee with a Golden Leaf.
	Cukeman	Bulgy-eyed slimes that say various non sequiturs to Link if spoken to. They are created by sprinkling Magic Powder on a Buzz Blob, which they otherwise act like.
	Firebat	Evil magic that swoops at Link after being spawned by the Shadow of Ganon.
	Fish	Piranhas that swim around Goponga Swamp with their dorsal fins visible, leaping when Link gets close.
	Flying Octorok	Winged octopodes that acts like normal Octoroks, but use their wings to avoid his attacks by jumping away.
	Gel (big)	Slimes that can appear on the field, in which case a weak attack will split it into two small Gels, or can appear from the ground, falling from the ceiling, or within chests, in which case one hit will immediately defeat them.
	Gel (small)	Slimes that parasitically attach to Link, slowing him. Can be found simply on the field or by hitting certain large Gels with weak weapons.
	Ghini	Ghosts that fly around the cemetary erratically after Link. Extra will spawn if he touches the gravestones.
	Giant Bubble	A huge orb of energy that acts like a normal Anti-Faerie, but appears only in side-scrolling areas, and is much larger.
	Giant Ghini	A huge ghost that spawns from one of the gravestones in the cemetary, and takes more hits than a normal Ghini, but releases a faerie when defeated.
	Gibdo	Mummies that do not flinch after Link hits them. Burning one reveals a Stalfos. Found in Eagle's Tower.
	Giant Goponga Flower	A large, resilient swamp flower that can shoot fireballs.
	Goomba	A simple enemy most often found in side-scrolling areas. Squishing it gives Link a heart.
	Goponga Flower	A swamp flower resilient to most attacks. Native to Goponga Swamp.
	Hardhat Beetle	Tough creatures that bump Link around. They cannot be defeated with most weapons unless bumped into a pit.
	Iron Mask	Small creatures that wander around with a mask negating damage, though it can be removed with the Hook Shot.
	Keese	Bats that fly around erratically, attempting to hit Link.
	Knight	The strongest enemy in Kanalet Castle, wielding a flail.
	Leever	Small entities that burrow and spin around in sandy areas after Link.
	Like Like	Large-mouthed creatures that attempt to eat Link's shield, but cannot eat the Mirror Shield.
	Mad Bomber	A specific Soldier that hides in pits and throws bombs at Link, and carries a Golden Leaf.
	Mask-Mimic	Masked creatures that mirror Link's movements. Their masks negate damage from the sword.
	Mini Moldorm	Caterpillars that crawl around in erratic looping patterns, often bumping into walls.
	Moblin	Bulldog creatures that wander around slowly and throw spears. Found in the Mysterious Forest and Moblin Cave. They also steal BowWow from Madam MeowMeow.
	Monkey	A monkey that throws coconuts at Link from a tree on Toronbo Shores. It can be knocked out with the Pegasus Boots.
	Octorok	Octopuses that wander around slowly and spit rocks.
	Pairodd	Birdlike creatures that appear in pairs and warp around while shooting projectiles whenever Link approaches. Found in Key Cavern.
	Peahat	Plants that fly around and land with their flower propellers. While airborne, they are invincible.
	Pig Warrior	Pigs that act exactly like the related Moblins, but appear in mountainous and riverside regions.
	Pincer	Centipedes that lunge at Link when he approaches their holes.
	Piranha Plant	Carnivorous flowers that pop up from columns in side-scrolling areas.
	Pokey	Cacti that wander around Yarna Desert. The lower segments must be dealt with first.
	Pols Voice	Rabbits that jump around simply, but can only be defeated with specific things, like thrown bottles.
	Raven	Flying creatures that act like crows, but are stronger and tougher. Appear outside of Turtle Rock.
	Rope	Snakes that charge at Link while on the same x- or y-coordinate as them. Appear in Turtle Rock.
	Sand Crab	Crustaceans that move slowly up or down, but very fast to the side. Appear on Toronbo Shores.
	Sea Urchin	Sea creatures that sit in place. They can be pushed with the shield and defeated with most other items.
	Shrouded Stalfos	Skeletons that act exactly like a Moblin, but are found in dungeons and the western mountains.
	Soldier	Warriors that act the same as Moblins, but are found in Kanalet Castle and are much stronger. They were formerly Richard's servants.
	Spark	Electric orbs that travel along the sides of blocks and walls, and are impervious to most weapons.
	Spiked Beetle	Spiked turtles that charge at Link when they see him, but can be flipped onto their backsides with the shield, leaving them helpless and vulnerable.
	Spiny Beetle	Small creatures that hide under grass, rocks, or skulls, and run into Link if he approaches.
	Stalfos	Skeletons that leap away when Link tries to attack with his sword. Additionally, some will attempt to stomp him and some will retaliate with a thrown bone.
	Star	Strange creatures that slide diagonally along dungeons floors extremely fast while spinning slowly.
	Sword Moblin	Moblins that charge at Link when he approaches, and can parry his sword blows. Found in the same places as normal Moblins.
	Sword Stalfos	Shrouded Stalfos that act exactly like sword Moblins, but found in dungeons.
	Tektite	Spiders that leap around the screen. Found around the eastern side of Tal Tal Heights.
	Three-of-a-Kind	Card suite creatures that can only be defeated when all three are stopped on the same symbol.
	Vacuum Mouth	Void creatures that attempt to suck Link inside of it or blow him away while it flashes. If he is sucked inside, he will be returned to the dungeon entrance.
	Water Tektite	Water striders that glide across the surface of the water.
	Winged Demon	Bat monsters that swoop down at Link and shoot fireballs. When defeated, they splits into two skull-headed Keese. Appear in Turtle Rock.
	Wizzrobe	Magicians that appear and disappear within their hats while shooting magic, and are immune to sword attacks. Appear in Eagle's Tower.
	Zola	Fish creatures that appear from under the water to shoot a fireball at Link.
	Zombie	Undead that dig from under the ground in endless amounts near the graveyard.

Traps and obstacles

Sprite	Name	Description
	Blade Trap	Razored obstacles that charge at Link when he crosses their x- or y-axes.
	Boulder	Rolling rocks that fall from above the mountains on the western side of Tal Tal Mountain Range.
	Cactus	Spiky plants found in Yarna Desert.
	Eye Guard	Shoots fireballs at Link from its eye, looking like the various harmless Rocklops statues.
	Face Lamp	Shoots fireballs at Link, looking like the various harmless torches.
	Flame Fountain	Shoots an endless stream of flames, preventing Link from accessing Turtle Rock without the Mirror Shield.
	Flying Pot	Bottles made to fly at Link by Facade.
	Flying Tile	Tiles that fly up one-by-one in large groups from the floor before flinging themselves at Link.
	Laser	An obstacle with a slowly-rotating eye. It shoots a beam at Link if it spots him.
	Lava	Molten rock that hurts Link if he falls in, and forces him to reset to where he fell in from. Appears in Turtle Rock.
	Mega Thwomp	A rocky block that must be knocked down with the Pegasus Boots by hitting its side, and then can be used as a platform.
	Podoboo	Fireballs that jump out of lava in side-scrolling areas in Turtle Rock.
	Quicksand	Appears in Yarna Desert, and pulls Link around, potentially into holes.
	Spiked Thwomp	Floating one-eyed faces that attempt to fall on Link when he approaches, though their spikeless heads can be jumped upon.
	Stone Elevator	A lift that does not lower unless the weight put upon them is significantly higher than Link's own, necessitating a held bottle. Appears in Bottle Grotto.
	Thwomp	Small floating faces that attempt to fall on Link if he approaches. They are very fast and appear in groups.

Guardians

The Guardians act as the game's minibosses.

Sprite	Name	Description	Locations
	Rolling Bones	A pudgy creature that pushes a studded rolling pin across the room, which must be jumped over with Roc's Feather.	Tail Cave Turtle Rock
	King Moblin	The leader of the Moblins that kidnapped BowWow, he throws spears at Link before charging at him. He must be tricked into charging into a wall to stun him.	Moblin's Cave
	Hinox	Giant one-eyed brutes that charge into Link, grab him to throw him, and throw bombs.	Bottle Grotto Eagle's Tower Turtle Rock
	Dodongo Snakes	Thick-skinned eel-like creatures that slide around rooms in pairs, mouths agape. They must be tricked into eating bombs to defeat them.	Key Cavern Face Shrine Turtle Rock
	Desert Lanmola	A giant centipede that leaps from a quicksand pit to attack.	Yarna Desert
	Cue Ball	A water- and lava-skimming creature with an armored face, it must be attacked from the back as it circles the room, occasionally spinning.	Angler's Tunnel Turtle Rock
	Master Stalfos	A Stalfos Knight that stole the Hook Shot, but cowardly flees several times throughout the dungeon. He must be knocked down with repeated hits, then hit with bombs while in pieces.	Catfish's Maw
	Gohmas	A pair of large-eyed arthropods that scuttle back-and-forth, occasionally charging forward. They can only be beaten by shooting the eye when it is open.	Catfish's Maw
	Armos Knight	A giant, aggressive statue that attempts to smash Link.	Southern Face Shrine
	Smasher	An odd ray-like creature that throws an iron ball around, which must be instead thrown at it to damage it.	Face Shrine Turtle Rock
	Grim Creeper and the Big Keese	A piccolo-playing imp and his fly-like "brothers," which he commands to fly in formation at Link with his instrument. Once all the Big Keese are defeated, the Grim Creeper swears revenge and leaves.	Eagle's Tower
	Turtle Rock	The face of Turtle Rock brought to life with the Frog's Song of Soul. It darts out at Link to attack.	Tal Tal Mountain Range
	Blaino	A mighty punching fighter that knocks Link around and can even send him back to the dungeon entrance.	Turtle Rock

Nightmares

Nine Nightmares are the game's main bosses.

Sprite	Name	Description	Location
	Moldorm	A giant caterpillar that tries to knock Link into a pit to force the battle to restart. Its tail end is its weak point.	Tail Cave
	Genie	A fire-juggling spirit living in a bottle. It must be attacked while inside the bottle to stun it, then picked up with the Power Bracelet and thrown. After enough of this, the bottle is destroyed, and the Genie starts teleporting over Link to attack. However, it can now be attacked directly.	Bottle Grotto
	Slime Eye	A huge eye-like Gel that drops several large Gels from the ceiling before falling itself. It must be forcibly split by running it half with the Pegasus Boots, and then the smaller halves must be attacked normally as they bounce around.	Key Cavern
	Angler Fish	A huge fish that swims around a small side-scrolling area and attacks directly, as well as with falling rocks and its babies. The lure is the weak point.	Angler's Tunnel
	Slime Eel	A huge serpentine creature that lunges its head from the wall and its studded tail from the floor. Its head must be hooked with the Hook Shot, allowing Link to pull it outward and attack the delicate neck.	Catfish's Maw
	Facade	A giant hollow face in the floor that attacks by manipulating the room. It must be damaged with bombs.	Face Shrine
	Evil Eagle	A huge bird summoned at a high-altitude side-scrolling area by the Grim Creeper. It flies around, pushing Link with wind and feathers, and must be guarded against with the Mirror Shield.	Eagle's Tower
	Hot Head	A huge fiery face that leaps up from lava. It can be attacked with the Magic Rod, causing it to bounce around erratically and eventually lose its flame permanently.	Turtle Rock

Shadows

The final Nightmare, fought in the Wind Fish's Egg, is a sequential fight against Shadows. They take a variety of forms, most of them based on foes fought by Link in the game and the previous title, A Link to the Past.

Sprite	Name	Description
	Giant Gel	A giant slime that can only be damaged with Magic Powder.
	Agahnim's Shadow	A shadow in the shape of Agahnim from the previous game. It casts magic at Link, and the round blasts must be deflected back into it with the sword or shovel.
	Moldorm's Shadow	A shadow in the shape of a Moldorm. Like normal ones, the tail end is the weak point.
	Shadow of Ganon	A shadow in the shape of Ganon, the final boss of the previous game. It summons Firebats to attack and must be damaged with Spin Attacks.
	Lanmola	A quick-moving shadow that, while agile, is not especially strong.
	DethI	The final shadow, a giant one-eyed being with a pair of arms that spin in opposite directions. The eye can be attacked only when it is open; while different weapons do different amount of damage, the Boomerang kills it immediately.

Items

Pickups

Sprite	Name	Description
	Faerie	Small sprites that heal Link when touched. They are a rare drop, but always appear from dungeon minibosses and certain other tough enemies.
	Guardian Acorn	An uncommon drop that boosts Link's defense until the next time he walks through a door.
	Heart	A common drop that restores one heart of Link's life meter.
	Heart Container	Special items dropped by bosses that permanently boost Link's total health capacity.
	Piece of Heart	Heart Container fragments scattered across the island. Collecting four makes a full Heart Container.
	Piece of Power	An uncommon drop that boosts Link's offense until the next time he walks through a door.
	Rupee	Small gems that act as money. Ones on the field are all worth one, but ones in chests can be worth more.

Equipable items

The equipment consists of items that the player can equip to the or buttons for Link to use. Most are only obtained once.

Sprite	Name	Description
	Boomerang	A secret long-range item that deals special effects many enemies and grabs far items. It is a loan from the hidden Goriya at Toronbo Shores after getting the Magnifying Glass and trading another item for it.
	Bow	An item buyable from the Town Tool Shop for a steep price once the Shovel has been bought. It cannot be used unless Link has Arrows. By using it and Bombs at the same time, Link can fire Bomb Arrows.
	Hook Shot	A grappling hook on a retractable chain used for pulling Link towards objects and objects towards him. It is recovered from Master Stalfos once he is finally destroyed in Catfish's Maw.
	Magic Rod	A magic wand that casts powerful spells that melt through ice, catch most enemies on fire, and even deal damage to fire enemies. It is found in Turtle Rock.
	Ocarina	A wind instrument Link can play magic songs on. It is found in the middle of the Dream Shrine.
	Pegasus Boots	Boots that let Link dash forward. They are found in Key Cavern.
	Power Bracelet	A mighty bracelet that lets Link pick up rocks, skulls, and bottles. It is found in Bottle Grotto.
	Powerful Bracelet	An even stronger bracelet that allows Link to carry pillars and huge iron balls. It is found in the Face Shrine.
	Roc's Feather	A feather that allows Link to jump high over pits and enemies. It is found in the Tail Cave.
	Shield	Link's shield from a previous adventure, it blocks basic projectiles such as rocks and spears. It is given by Tarin at the very start of the game.
	Mirror Shield	A stronger shield that can repel more projectiles, such as fire and magic.
	Shovel	An item that allows Link to dig holes. It is bought at the Town Tool Shop.
	Sword	Link's sword from a previous adventure, acting as his most basic weapon. It is recovered from Toronbo Shores at the start of the game.
	Level 2 Sword	A more powerful sword earned from Seashell Mansion after bringing in 20 Secret Seashells.
	Toadstool	A magical mushroom that can be plucked from the Mysterious Forest whenever Link does not have Magic Powder. By giving it to the Witch, he can get Magic Powder from her.

Replenishable items

These items can be found multiple times. Each has a limited capacity, each of which can be extended by a "curse" from the Mad Batter.

Sprite	Name	Capacity 1	Capacity 2	Description
	Arrow	20	60	Ammunition for the Bow. Arrows can be found as moderately common drop, and deal extra damage against armored enemies.
	Bomb	20	60	Explosives used to defeat enemies and blow holes in cracked walls. They can be found in a variety of places.
	Magic Powder	20	40	Special dust that can light torches and affect certain enemies. It is gotten from the Witch after giving her a Toadstool, though it can uncommonly be found elsewhere.

Songs

Three songs can be learned and played on the Ocarina.

Sprite	Name	Description
	1: Ballad of the Wind Fish	A song that, when combined with the Instruments of the Sirens, is said to be able to awaken the Wind Fish. It is learned from Marin.
	2: Manbo's Mambo	A song that warps Link to the entrance of whatever dungeon he is in; on the overworld, it warps him to Crazy Tracy's Health Spa. It is leaned from Manbo in Tal Tal Heights.
	3: Frog's Song of Soul	A song that imbues life into certain things. It is learned from Mamu in the Signpost Maze.

Collection items

Sprite	Name	Description
	Flippers	An item that allows Link to swim. They are found in Angler's Tunnel.
	Golden Leaf	Five leaves that Richard requests be recovered from Kanalet Castle.
	Magnifying Lens	An item that allows Link to see invisible entities and read "Dark Secrets And Mysteries Of Koholint" at the Library. It is gained by completing the trading sequence.
	Secret medicine	A special medicine that restores Link's life automatically upon losing all health. It is bought from Crazy Tracy, and can rarely be found in chests.
	Secret Seashell	Special conch shells that are found hidden throughout the island. They are returned to the Seashell Mansion.

Trading sequence

Sprite	Name	Description
	Yoshi Doll	A plush toy of Yoshi won from the Trendy Game. It is given to the Quadruplets' mother for her baby.
	Ribbon	An accessory received from the mother. It is given to the Mini Bow-Wow inside the doghouse adjoining Madam MeowMeow's house.
	Canned food	Meat in a can received from the Mini Bow-Wow. It is given to Sale at Sale's House O' Bananas.
	Bananas	Fruit received from Sale. It is given to Kiki in exchange for building a bridge to get into Kanalet Castle.
	Stick	A random stick found on the Monkeys' bridge. It is given to Tarin in Ukuku Prairie so he can knock down a beehive.
	Honeycomb	Rich honey recovered from the downed beehive. It is given to Chef Bear.
	Pineapple	A juicy fruit received from Chef Bear. It is given to Papahl in Tal Tal Mountain Range.
	Hibiscus	A flower received from Papahl. It is given to Christine in Animal Village.
	Goat's letter	A letter from Christine. It is given to Mr. Write near Goponga Swamp.
	Broom	A broom received from Mr. Write. It is given to Grandma Ulrira in Mabe Village to replace her broken one.
	Fishing hook	A fishhook from Grandma Ulrira. It is given to the Fisherman found under a bridge in Martha's Bay.
	Pink Brassiere Necklace	A missing accessory of the Mermaid pulled up accidentally by the Fisherman. It is returned to the Mermaid in the middle of Martha's Bay. In Japanese, French, and German releases, it is a brassiere, but in English releases, it is censored into a necklace.
	Scale	A scale from the Mermaid's tail. It is added to Schule Donavitch's mermaid statue overlooking Martha's Bay in order to move it and recover the Magnifying Glass from the cave underneath.

Dungeon keys

In this game, many dungeons require keys to open their entrances.

Sprite	Name	Description
	Tail Key	The key to the Tail Cave, recovered from the Mysterious Forest.
	Slime Key	The key to Key Cavern, found buried in front of an Owl Statue in Pothole Field.
	Angler Key	The key to Angler's Tunnel, found in Yarna Desert.
	Face Key	The key to the Face Shrine, found in the Southern Face Shrine.
	Bird Key	The key to Eagle's Tower, found in a cave in Tal Tal Mountain Range only navigable with help from the Flying Rooster.

Dungeon items

Sprite	Name	Description
	Compass	An item that shows the position of chests and the boss on the map, and plays a sound when a room with a hidden item is entered.
	Dungeon Map	An item that shows the layout of the entire dungeon, including where Link has not yet explored.
	Nightmare Key	The key leading to the dungeon's boss.
	Small Key	Interchangeable keys that can open a single locked door or block in the dungeon they are found in.
	Stone slab fragment	A relief chip that can be put into a stone slab to get a hint.

Instruments of the Sirens

There are eight Instruments of the Sirens, each one located in a dungeon. Link must obtain all eight in order to awaken the Wind Fish.

Sprite	Name	Description
	Full Moon Cello	The first instrument, found in the Tail Cave.
	Conch Horn	The second instrument, found in Bottle Grotto.
	Sea Lily's Bell	The third instrument, found in Key Cavern.
	Surf Harp	The fourth instrument, found in Angler's Tunnel.
	Wind Marimba	The fifth instrument, found in Catfish's Maw.
	Coral Triangle	The sixth instrument, found in the Face Shrine.
	Organ of Evening Calm	The seventh instrument, found in Eagle's Tower.
	Thunder Drum	The final instrument, found in Turtle Rock.

Objects

• Block
• Bush
• Crystal Block
• Crystal Switch
• Flashing Tile
• Grass
• Ice Block
• Moving Tile
• Orb
• Owl statue
• Pillar
• Pot
• Revolving Door
• Rock
• Sign
• Skull
• Stone slab
• Switch Block
• Switch
• Torch
• Treasure Chest

Cameos

Goombas are one of many Super Mario enemies with a cameo appearance.

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening is notable for featuring many cameos of characters from other Nintendo games, most of which are from the Mario franchise. Several enemies reappear from the Super Mario series, most of whom previously appeared in Super Mario Bros. 3.

Character	Description	Origin
Anti-Kirby	Although an enemy, Anti-Kirby is directly based on Kirby, the main protagonist of Kirby's Dream Land. Since the release of The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, Kirby has starred in many more games released in the Kirby series.	Kirby (Kirby franchise)
Bloober	Bloobers are an enemy from the Super Mario series. They previously appeared in Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 3.	Blooper (Super Mario series)
Bombite	Bombites are based on Bob-ombs, enemies who previously appeared in three Super Mario games: Super Mario Bros. 2 (previously released as a non-Mario game in Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic in Japan), Super Mario Bros. 3, and Super Mario World.	Bob-omb (Super Mario series)
Boo	Boos are an enemy from the Super Mario series. They previously appeared in Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, and Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins.	Boo (Super Mario series)
BowWow and Mini Bow-Wows	Madam MeowMeow's BowWow and Mini Bow-Wows (ChowChow and CiaoCiao) are the same species as Chain Chomps, who previously appeared as enemies in Super Mario Bros. 3 and The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. They are friendly pups unlike most other ones, who do not appear as enemies in The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening.	Chain Chomp (Super Mario series)
Cheep-Sheep	Cheep-Sheep are the same enemy as Cheep Cheeps from the Super Mario series. They previously appeared in Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3, and Super Mario World. Cheep-Sheep are called Cheep Cheeps in the Nintendo Switch remake.	Cheep Cheep (Super Mario series)
Christine	Although Christine is a goat, she sends a photograph of Princess Toadstool to her pen pal, Mr. Write, who believes it is her actual appearance.	Princess Toadstool (Mario franchise)
Goomba	Goombas are an enemy from the Super Mario series. They previously appeared in Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3, and Super Mario Bros. 2: 6 Golden Coins.	Goomba (Super Mario series)
Henhouse Keeper	The Henhouse Keeper resembles Luigi, the brother of Mario.	Luigi (Mario franchise)
Mamu	Mamu previously appeared as the final boss and main antagonist of Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic, later converted into the second overseas Super Mario installment, Super Mario Bros. 2. Known as Wart in other countries, Mamu keeps his Japanese name in The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening.	Wart (Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic / Super Mario Bros. 2)
Mask-Mimic	Mask-Mimics are the same enemy as Shy Guys from the Super Mario series. They previously appeared in Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic / Super Mario Bros. 2. Mask-Mimics are called Shy Guys in the Nintendo Switch remake.	Shy Guy (Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic / Super Mario Bros. 2)
Mega Thwomp and Spiked Thwomp	Mega Thwomp and Spiked Thwomps are based on Thwomps from the Super Mario series, enemies who previously appeared in two games: Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World.	Thwomp (Super Mario series)
Mr. Write	His appearance and name is based on Dr. Wright, the personal adviser of the player in the Super Nintendo release of SimCity.	Dr. Wright (SimCity SNES)
Piranha Plant	Piranha Plants are an enemy from the Super Mario series. They previously appeared in Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3, and Super Mario World.	Piranha Plant (Super Mario series)
Podoboo	Podoboos are an obstacle from the Super Mario series. They previously appeared in Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3, and Super Mario World.	Podoboo (Super Mario series)
Pokey	Pokeys are an enemy from the Super Mario series. They previously appeared in Super Mario Bros. 2 and Super Mario World.	Pokey (Super Mario series)
Richard	Richard originally appeared in Kaeru no Tame ni Kane wa Naru, where he is the rival and childhood friend of the Prince of Sablé.	Richard (Kaeru no Tame ni Kane wa Naru)
Sea Urchin	Sea Urchins directly resemble Gordo, a spiked enemy in Kirby's Dream Land, as well as the original in-game appearance of Unibō, a similar enemy from Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins.	Gordo (Kirby's Dream Land) Unibō (Super Mario series)
Spiked Beetle	Spiked Beetles are the same enemy as Spinies from the Super Mario series. They previously appeared in Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3, and Super Mario World. Spiked Beetles are called Spinies in the Nintendo Switch remake.	Spiny (Super Mario series)
Tarin	Tarin has a distinct resemblance to Mario, the titular character of the Mario franchise. Early in his adventure, Link encounters a raccoon, who is later revealed to be Tarin; the cause of his transformation is suggested to be from a toadstool that he ate. The raccoon form likely references the Tanooki Suit power-up from Super Mario Bros. 3.	Mario (Mario franchise)
Thwomp	Thwomps are technically the same enemy as Thwimps from the Super Mario series, having specifically appeared in Super Mario World.	Thwimp (Super Mario series)
Yoshi Doll	As its name directly states, the Yoshi Doll is of Yoshi, who first appeared in Super Mario World as Mario and Luigi's dinosaur sidekick.	Yoshi (Mario franchise)

Glitches

Main article: List of The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening glitches

Gallery

Main article: Gallery:The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening

• 

  North American box art

• 

  Main artwork used for Japanese cover

• 

  Link

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	ゼルダの伝説 夢をみる島 Zeruda no Densetsu Yume o Miru Shima	The Legend of Zelda: The Dreaming Island

External links

• Official Japanese web page
• The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening Strategy on Nintendo.com (Wayback Machine)