The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX Playthrough (Game Boy Player Capture) - Part 1

This is part 1 of my capture of me playing through The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX for the Game Boy Color. This is not an emulator. This footage was captured directly from my GameCube using my Game Boy Player with progressive scan mode enabled (you'll need the GameCube's component cables to use progressive scan mode and your model of GameCube must feature component output as well).

Despite being a big Zelda fan, I actually never owned the original 1993 monochrome version of Link's Awakening. I don't know why, but for some reason, no one ever gave me Link's Awakening as a gift, and I never bothered asking for it.

However, in 1998 when Nintendo Power was hyping up the impending release of Ocarina of Time, they ran some previews for the Game Boy Color and a new colorized version of Link's Awakening. I was sold right there on the spot and asked for it for Christmas. So for Christmas of '98 I not only received my Collector's Edition copy of Ocarina of Time, but a Game Boy Color and Link's Awakening DX as well. That was a good Christmas. I spent the holidays playing through both Zeldas for the first time.

Just an aside, Nintendo Power ran a feature on the game in Volume 116 (January 1999 issue) that included a full guide for the new color dungeon that was only included in the DX version. The feature opened with the question, "Do you dream in black and white?" That slogan always stuck in mind. The original version of this game is fine, but why play that when you can have color?

Anyway, this is by far my favorite portable Zelda game. I love the similarities to A Link to the Past, and I loved that Nintendo added new mechanics such as jumping (previously only seen in Zelda II) and combining items. The dungeons were also really good, although I have to admit that I was disappointed by the lack of a true final dungeon. The maze in the Wind Fish's Egg just didn't cut it for me. But this game is genuinely a classic.

Once again, I'll be keeping track of the Heart Pieces I collect in this playthrough.

In this video I started a new save file, began the trading sequence and completed the first dungeon, the Tail Cave.

Heart Pieces collected in this video:

Heart Piece # 1 - Well west of town - 4:33

Recorded with the Hauppauge HD PVR and the GameCube's component cables at 60 frames per second. I'm using an original model Game Boy Advance as a controller by way of the Game Boy Advance/GameCube Link Cable.