Game & Watch The Legend of Zelda (2021)

“Phenomenal Cosmic Power! Itty-bitty living space.”

-Robin Williams, Aladdin

Continuing on the same vein as the Game & Watch Super Mario Bros. comes the Game & Watch The Legend of Zelda. This version was released by Nintendo in November 2021 to celebrate the series’ 35th anniversary. While tiny, the system packs in a lot of features; more so than the Mario edition did. It is my esteemed honour to review this system and to determine if it’s worth your time to pick it up, after the dust has settled post-release.

Phenomenally Legendary Games

The Game & Watch The Legend of Zelda comes with the following games:

–The Legend of Zelda (NES/Famicom)

–Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (NES/Famicom)

–The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (GB)

–Game & Watch: Vermin (Zelda Edition)

The first and second games of the series utilise the full screen of the device and you can change the aspect ratio while playing Link’s Awakening. You can choose between the original or fullscreen in that title. Vermin also uses the whole screen of the device.

Same Legends, Different Versions

What’s impressive about this lineup is that you can play either the Famicom or NES versions of The Legend of Zelda and Zelda II. The differences between the two versions of each game are quite stark. With The Legend of Zelda, the font is more streamlined in the Famicom version than in the NES version. The enemy placement within dungeons in the Famicom version also differs, as there are more empty rooms than in the NES version. Finally, the intro music on startup sounds fuller than in the NES version.

Two Types of Black Sheep

It’s Zelda II where the differences between versions are really pronounced. For instance, Link’s sprite was updated in the NES version to include a mouth. The music while Link is in the side-scrolling action areas in each version is night and day to one another. The Famicom version is more brooding and darker in tone, while the NES sounds more upbeat. The same goes for the boss music with the NES version being an extension of the Famicom’s version. The sound effects are also different, likely due to different sound chips being used. This is especially pronounced in the boss fights, where the Famicom version uses a hissing noise to represent the boss roaring. The Famicom version also has different sprites for certain townspeople and bosses, such as the dragon boss in the sixth palace. 

Speaking of palaces, each palace in the NES version has a different brick style and colour scheme, compared to the Famicom version. The fifth palace in the NES version introduced Gooma, an exclusive boss.

Hy-Risk, Hy-Reward

The biggest difference is how each version tackles the game’s level-up system. In the NES version, each stat level is tied to a certain number of experience points. Once a certain threshold is met, you are prompted to do one of two things. You can either purchase the stat increase or skip over and grind for the next increase instead. In the Famicom version, once you hit the point total shown on the screen, you can upgrade any stat of your choosing. You could theoretically max out the attack stat as early as, say, the second dungeon in this case. However, there’s a catch.

If you get a game over in the Famicom version and reload your save, you start with all three stats set to the lowest stat from your previous game. Meaning if you valued attack and magic while sacrificing life, your next game will have all of your stats reset to your life stat. This presents more of a risk/reward style of play than in the NES version. Fortunately, the point totals required to level up in the Famicom version aren’t as difficult to attain as in the NES version.

An Old, Handheld Classic

Link’s Awakening is based on the original Game Boy release and not the DX version released for the Game Boy Colour. Not only is the game available in English and Japanese, but there are also French and Dutch translations included. The game plays the same, regardless of the version played.

Hero of Timekeeping

On top of that, the Game & Watch The Legend of Zelda includes a playable clock and timer. The clock is inspired by The Legend of Zelda and has Link travel around various locales of Hyrule. Based on the time shown, Link could either be travelling on the overworld or tackling a dungeon.

The timer takes its cues from Zelda II, with Link battling various enemies as the timer counts down. Timer options include changing the time between one to ten minutes and changing the locale where Link fights. Each area has its unique enemy layout, with the castle one featuring Dark Link – the final boss in Zelda II.

You can take control of Link in both the clock and timer, but the timer is much more exciting to play in. The system takes into account the number of enemies that you’ve defeated within the set time. I won’t lie – the fights in the timer mode are harder than in Zelda II.

A Slight Twist on a Classic Game & Watch Title

The final game, Vermin, is the same version released back in 1980. You control a character who moves left and right, bonking moles as they approach your garden. The speed at which the moles approach increases, making it tougher for you to keep up. For the Game & Watch The Legend of Zelda, the character you play has been replaced with Link. Octoroks replace the moles from the original. Game A has the Octoroks go in four spaces while Game B has them use all five.

Itty-Bitty Housing

The Game & Watch The Legend of Zelda system is very compact. You can fit it in your pocket, as it’s slightly bigger than an NES controller with roughly a third of its thickness. The shell is coloured viridian green with bevelled edges on the top and bottom. The faceplate is gold, referencing both the classic look of the Game & Watch systems and the Triforce – the singular goal of most Zelda games. 

The face of the system resembles an NES controller, with the D-pad on the left and the A, B, Start and Select buttons on the right. The A and B buttons have a smooth, rubbery grip as opposed to the polished plastic of the controller. At the top right are three additional buttons. You can cycle through the various games and functions using the Game button. Pressing Clock will change the screen to the playable clock. Pressing Pause/Set will open a submenu that adjusts the sound and brightness of the system, along with various game-specific options.

Audio comes from a thin slot on the left side of the system. There’s no headphone jack equipped. The power button and charging port are on the right side of the system. The port uses USB-C. Pressing the power button puts the system into sleep mode while holding down the button shuts it off.

Ergonomics And Etchings

One major criticism of the system is that the ergonomics are poor. Because the system is so small and the button placement is near the bottom of the unit, you may develop cramps over prolonged playing times, especially if you have larger hands. Cramping and joint seizing could have been mitigated if the buttons were placed an inch or so higher.

To round things off, the back of the unit has an etched Triforce symbol. It’s a nice design touch, but, as is customary in the Legend of Zelda series, there is more than meets the eye!

You Found A Thing!

Secrets are a staple in The Legend of Zelda, and Game & Watch The Legend of Zelda delivers them in droves. 

Firstly, by holding down the A button in the clock function for five seconds, the “You Found a Secret!” jingle from the NES game rings out. The sound then changes from the ticking beeps to the music from the first game.

In the timer function, holding down A as you set the time will activate a time-attack mode. You will control Link and see how fast you can eliminate 21 enemies within a ten-minute limit. This is a fantastic time waster!

There are even secrets in the games themselves! Holding A at the data select screen for 5 seconds on each game unlocks various effects. For The Legend of Zelda, the secret grants max hearts. In Zelda II, the secret grants max stats and 8 lives. Using the secret in Link’s Awakening grants max hearts and a Level 2 Sword. And finally, in Vermin, the secret unlocks Game C. Game C gives you one life and starts you at max speed, making this a difficult challenge to overcome.

Speaking of the games, in the NES/Famicom Zelda games, you can access the save screen by pressing A, B, Start and Select. Normally, you’d do this using a second controller.

The Legend of Zelda has an additional secret, where you can start the more difficult second quest if you enter the name ZELDA on the data select screen. This feature was part of the original game.

Similarly, entering ZELDA on the data select screen for Link’s Awakening unlocks secret music, which was also part of the original game.

If you leave the device alone for a few minutes, the screen will display various secret images related to the three games.

Still More Secrets!

The physical system and packaging itself also hide various secrets. For instance, the etched Triforce symbol on the back glows when the system is on. And the tray that houses the system also doubles as a display stand.

Finally (and this isn’t a secret, but more of an incredibly neat feature), you can resume any game and any version of that game at any point from the game selection screen. Say that you’re playing NES Zelda II and you decide to switch to Link’s Awakening for a bit. After a while, you go back to Zelda II and you start right where you left off! It’s the same thing for all of the games on the system. Still, you should remember to save when you can, in case the system crashes unexpectedly.

Appealing to Nintendo Fans, Young And Old

About a month and a half before this review’s publication, I was at my chiropractor’s office for an appointment. I was just about to go home when I was approached by an older woman, likely in her forties. “Hey, what was that thing you were playing just now, while you were waiting?” she asked.

“Oh, you mean this thing?” I said, pulling out the system from my pocket. “It’s a Legend of Zelda version of the Game & Watch system.” 

Her eyes lit up and a smile crossed her lips. “Oh wow,” she said, awed. “I knew those were familiar! I had friends from Hong Kong back in the ’80s who had devices like that! The gold front was a dead giveaway.” 

I then turned on the device to show her. “Pretty cool, huh?” I said, cycling through the available games. “It comes preloaded with a bunch of classic Zelda games and a version of Vermin.” I stopped at that title and booted it up.

“Oh yeah, I remember this one!” the lady said as she watched, smiling. “That is pretty cool!”

“I know, right?” I replied, grinning. “It’s crazy how much things have progressed between then and now. Back then, we just had a simple LCD screen and now, we have full, complete titles on a tiny device!” Afterwards, I said my usual farewells to the staff and to that lady and went on my way.

What was remarkable about this entire dialogue was the fact that this device appealed to those who grew up with both the Game & Watch systems and the Zelda series. The system is a fantastic conversation starter that brings together anyone who’s been touched by Nintendo in some way, shape or form. That, to me, is what makes these anniversary pieces so successful.

Sealing It All Up

All in all, the Game & Watch The Legend of Zelda is a fantastic collection piece, whether you’re a Zelda fan, a Game & Watch fan or just an aficionado for all things retro. The library included in the system could have been expanded a touch more with the inclusion of the more superior Link’s Awakening DX version.

Individuals with larger hands will suffer due to the button placement. The classic games, the bonus features included with the system and its pocket-sized form factor make the Game & Watch The Legend of Zelda not only a worthy collector’s item but a system to return to time and time again.

Ryan Cheddi – our friendly, neighbourhood caffeine addict – is a man of many talents: an engineer, a gaming historian, a fiction writer and a streamer. He is also a self-avowed Sonic the Hedgehog fan. You can check out his cool beans at his site – Games with Coffee – or find him on Twitter as @GameswCoffee, and Instagram as @games_with_coffee. He streams on Twitch, also as GamesWithCoffee.