A Link Between Worlds: One of the Best in the Series

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, released in 2013, is widely regarded as one of the finest entries in the entire Zelda franchise. As a spiritual sequel to the beloved SNES classic A Link to the Past, it dared to reimagine the formula in bold ways.

The Wall-Merging Mechanic

The game's defining innovation is Link's ability to merge into walls and travel along them as a 2D painting. This single mechanic opened up countless new puzzle possibilities and fundamentally changed how players perceive and navigate the Hyrule map. Puzzles that seem impossible at first glance become solvable with a shift in perspective.

Item Rental System

Rather than gating items behind dungeon bosses as is Zelda tradition, A Link Between Worlds introduced a rental shop where players can borrow almost any item from the outset. This radical design decision made the overworld largely open from the start, allowing players to tackle dungeons in nearly any order they choose.

Open World Design

This openness was revolutionary for the series. Players could approach Lorule in whatever sequence felt natural to them, making puzzle solutions feel like personal discoveries rather than scripted revelations. The sense of agency it provided remains unmatched in the 2D Zelda catalog.

A Perfect 3DS Experience

The game used the 3DS stereoscopic 3D effect masterfully. Merging into a wall and popping back out as a 3D figure was a visually satisfying moment every time. The dual-layer depth made verticality in dungeons feel genuinely spatial.

Conclusion

A Link Between Worlds strikes a near-perfect balance between honoring Zelda's past and pioneering its future. Its score of 9.5 in Gameplay on this site reflects just how well-crafted every minute of the experience is.