The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds Review: Does It Hold Up?

Reviewed by Tyler Moon – Games Editor

A Link Between Worlds is still one of the strongest reasons to play a Nintendo 3DS: its wall-merging puzzles and flexible dungeon order give a familiar top-down Zelda structure a genuinely fresh shape. The main hurdle today is access to 3DS hardware and a legitimate copy, since new purchases through the 3DS eShop ended in 2023.

The quick verdict

Play it if you like compact, readable dungeons, discovering alternate routes and choosing your own sequence through much of an adventure. Expect a brisker, less punishing experience than some older Zelda games; if your favorite part is earning each signature item from a dungeon in a fixed order, Ravio’s rental system will feel like a real trade-off. It is a native Nintendo 3DS family game, not a Nintendo Switch release.

Why becoming a painting changes the puzzles

Link can flatten against a wall and move along its surface, turning what looks like a dead end from above into a route around a corner or across a gap. The trick works because the game repeatedly asks you to reassess an ordinary room in two perspectives. It has an energy limit, so the skill is part of traversal timing as well as visual interpretation.

That change is deeper than a one-off gimmick. A ledge you cannot jump across may be passable when you enter the wall, and a portal to Lorule can give familiar Hyrule geography a second use. The strongest dungeon rooms introduce a spatial rule, let you test it safely and then combine it with an item or moving hazard.

Does the item rental system make the game too easy?

As Nintendo’s game description explains, Ravio lets you rent or buy important equipment such as the bow, Hookshot and hammer relatively early, instead of hiding every essential item at the midpoint of its associated dungeon. This is what allows you to approach much of the adventure in a chosen order after the opening portion. Freedom comes with a cost: fewer dungeons can build toward the classic surprise of finding their signature item inside.

The difficulty therefore depends partly on what you value. Puzzles still ask you to understand the item and the room, while access to several items can make the wider route more forgiving for an experienced player. On defeat, rented items are returned to Ravio; buying a frequently used item removes that inconvenience, and Hero Mode becomes available after finishing the story if you want a tougher second run.

Hyrule and Lorule feel connected without being identical

The game uses the terrain and memory of A Link to the Past as a starting point, then reshapes the journey around two interlinked kingdoms. Lorule is more than a dark color swap: its broken geography changes how you cross from one area to another and when you must seek a route through Hyrule. Prior knowledge brings recognition, but it is not required to follow the new adventure.

For a spoiler-light plot setup, the threat comes from Yuga, who turns the seven sages into paintings, drawing Link toward Lorule and its princess Hilda. That is a more accurate frame than treating Ganon as the opening villain or inventing another antagonist. The pleasure of the story lies in how its two kingdoms and their choices finally connect, so the larger reveal is best left to the player.

How it feels on a handheld

The overhead viewpoint keeps enemies, exits and room geometry legible on the small screen. Stereoscopic depth helps show height and layering on a compatible 3DS, but Nintendo confirms the game displays in 2D on a Nintendo 2DS. The puzzle design still works without the 3D effect, because its solutions depend on position, wall surfaces and items rather than requiring stereoscopic vision.

The brisk pace suits portable play: you can make meaningful progress by exploring a corner of the world or working through several dungeon rooms. A player seeking the scale and continual improvisation of Breath of the Wild should expect a tighter, designed adventure instead. For another perspective on that distinction, read our Breath of the Wild review or the discussion of larger Zelda dungeons.

Should you seek out a copy now?

First check what hardware you own. Nintendo lists A Link Between Worlds for the Nintendo 3DS family, and it is not a native Switch game. New 3DS eShop purchases ended on March 27, 2023; an existing digital purchaser may still be able to redownload purchased software under Nintendo’s current support terms, while someone buying for the first time should check the availability and condition of a compatible physical cartridge and system.

If you already have both, the recommendation is easy for a fan of top-down Zelda. If you would need to buy the hardware solely for this title, weigh the total expense against the kind of Zelda you actually enjoy; do not treat a discontinued eShop listing or an old download code as a guaranteed way to obtain it. The interactive Play Fit Check below makes those trade-offs explicit without pretending to know your local price or stock.

Final verdict

A Link Between Worlds succeeds because its central mechanic changes ordinary movement into a new kind of puzzle, while early item access gives the player meaningful control over the route. Its compromise is deliberate: that freedom softens the old sequence of dungeon discoveries and can make progression less demanding. On compatible hardware, it remains an easy recommendation for anyone who wants a focused, inventive Zelda adventure.

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