Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening Game Boy classic remake will launch this year

During its Nintendo Direct broadcast today, Nintendo revealed that it will be remaking its classic Game Boy title The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening. The game was first released in 1993 on the original Game Boy, later launching on the Nintendo 3DS system. As if that weren't exciting enough, Nintendo said that it will be releasing the remake this year.Link's Awakening is the fourth installment in the The Legend of Zelda franchise, and it was the first in the series to launch on a handheld console. The game kicks off on Koholint Island, where players use Link to solve puzzles and take on monsters. During the game, players must find eight different instruments to make their escape.

The title was a massive success upon its release, having sold more than six million copies globally. In its original form, the game was monochrome, later getting colors on the Game Boy Color. The remake announced by Nintendo today will give players an entirely modern experience on the Nintendo Switch, breathing new life into the classic.

Nintendo gave viewers a fairly extensive preview of the game, revealing that it'll arrive with the same style found in A Link Between Worlds. The company hasn't provided a launch date at this time, but did state that it will be releasing the new Link's Awakening some time this year.

The remake announcement joins the unveiling of Super Mario Maker 2, a sequel to the original game creation title Nintendo launched on the Wii U in 2015. The sequel brings both Mario and Luigi, as well as favorite elements from the original and a variety of new features. Nintendo hasn't provided many details at this time, but did say that it'll release the game in June.