Playing Zelda Link’s Awakening DX on a second hand GBC I bought. Really need to replace the screen though. Sorry for the glare, it’s hard to capture non backlit screens sometimes.
Same game, Game Boy Player, GameCube, component cables, Game Boy Interface Ultra Low Lag, PVM 20L5:
Pardon the moire effect. It’s obviously not there in person. Not sure how to get rid of it.
So, when there’s enough natural light in my apartment, I actually don’t mind playing on a non-backlit GBC. It gives the game a different look that I still dig. The scratches kill me though.
But also, playing it on a GBC just feels more right. I can better appreciate just how tight this game is designed when playing on such a small display. It better emphasizes how every single pixel and button on the device was put to good use. Nothing went to waste here.
And it also emphasizes also how brilliantly they were able to make the game look on such a primitive display. And furthermore, the game wasn’t even designed in color originally, yet looks so darn perfect. The pixel art manages to be incredibly expressive and charming with only a few lines of pixels for each sprite.
The entire package just pushes the envelope of what is possible on the hardware in every sense. Although the CRT is far easier on the eyes for longer sessions, it does truly feel like the game is an uncompromised vision of excellence when played on an actual GBC with no backlight and using a set of headphones.
Although I can’t say I love the game more than LttP, I’m starting to think that yea, maybe it’s a bigger accomplishment in many ways (Paging @D.Lo).
It just floors me how Zelda keeps evolving and staying relevant no matter the hardware or the design emphasis. I’m still not sure how they are able to be so consistent. I played some of this game and BotW in the same sitting and was simply amazed by them both.
