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The Nintendo Switch version keeps the recognizable Koholint Island adventure but rebuilds its presentation and adds new content and conveniences. The key distinction: the 1993 Game Boy original is monochrome; Link’s Awakening DX, a later Game Boy Color edition, is a separate release with color graphics and an exclusive dungeon.
At a glance: the Game Boy original versus the Switch remake
| What to compare | 1993 Game Boy original | 2019 Nintendo Switch remake |
|---|---|---|
| Visuals | Monochrome Game Boy graphics. Nintendo notes that the later DX edition added color: Link’s Awakening DX. | A new tilt-shift look designed to make Koholint resemble a miniature diorama, according to producer Eiji Aonuma: Nintendo’s interview with Aonuma. |
| Sound | The original Game Boy sound presentation. | A reworked, nearly fully orchestrated score, as described in Nintendo Life’s 2019 review: Nintendo Life review. |
| World and story | The original Koholint Island adventure. | Nintendo Life reports that the map and NPC locations are the same and that conversations are almost word-for-word unchanged. These are the reviewer’s observations, not an official guarantee. |
| Controls | Limited buttons meant frequent item swapping. | Dedicated sword and shield buttons, with other gear assignable to X or Y, according to Nintendo Life’s review. |
| New content and convenience | The 1993 release should not be confused with later DX additions. | Chamber Dungeons, plus convenience features and collectibles reported by Nintendo Life. |
| Performance | No comparative performance measurement is established by the cited sources. | Nintendo Life’s 2019 review observed slowdown in some busy areas. That report describes the review team’s experience at the time, not a guaranteed result on every console or software version. |
What changed in the Switch version?
A new visual style and reworked score
Nintendo describes the Switch release as the classic adventure reimagined. Aonuma said the team wanted to preserve the feeling of exploring a “small but deep, immersive world” and used a tilt-shift perspective to make the island feel like a miniature diorama. The Nintendo interview explains the intent behind that art direction.
The result is a toy-like visual presentation rather than a pixel-for-pixel recreation. Nintendo Life’s review describes the soundtrack as reworked and almost fully orchestrated, in contrast to the Game Boy-style sound of the original. That description is the reviewer’s assessment, not a technical specification from Nintendo.
The familiar Koholint Island adventure
The remake’s central adventure remains recognizable. In its review, Nintendo Life says the map is identical, NPCs appear in the same locations, and most conversations are almost word-for-word the same. It also describes the progression through dungeons and items as familiar. These continuity details come from the review rather than a formal Nintendo promise that every element is unchanged.
#1 Best Overall
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Less item swapping
The Game Boy’s limited buttons made switching between equipped items a recurring part of play. The Switch version gives the sword and shield dedicated buttons and lets players assign other gear to X or Y, according to Nintendo Life’s review.
The review also reports empty bottles, a compass indicator that points to nearby treasure chests, additional heart fragments and secret seashells, and more warp points. These are convenience and collectible changes around the familiar adventure, not a wholesale change to its structure.
Rank #2
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Chamber Dungeons add a build-and-solve mode
Chamber Dungeons are exclusive to the Switch version. After clearing a main dungeon, players earn its rooms, called Chambers, arrange them into a new layout, and then solve the dungeon they assembled. Aonuma called the feature new to the Switch release in his Nintendo interview.
Nintendo says compatible Zelda-series amiibo can unlock additional Chambers and save layouts. The Link’s Awakening amiibo can add Shadow Link as an enemy in Chamber Dungeons. Amiibo features are optional; Nintendo’s product page describes the Switch game and its functionality: Link’s Awakening for Nintendo Switch.
Rank #3
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Is Link’s Awakening DX the Game Boy original?
No. “The Game Boy original” refers to the 1993 monochrome release. Link’s Awakening DX is a later Game Boy Color edition: Nintendo identifies color graphics and an exclusive dungeon as DX features on its DX product page. Keep that distinction in mind when comparing visuals or content; those DX additions do not belong to the 1993 monochrome release.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.When was the Switch version released?
Nintendo’s UK product page gives the Switch remake’s release date as 20 September 2019 and lists both a Game Card edition and a download edition: Nintendo UK’s product page. This comparison concerns that 2019 Switch remake, the 1993 Game Boy original, and—where specifically noted—the separate Game Boy Color DX edition.
Quick Recap
Best Value
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