Zelda: A Link to the Past vs Zelda: A Link Between Worlds – What are the Differences?

The prevailing trend in the Legend of Zelda franchise is for each game to feature brand-new versions of Link, Zelda, Ganon, and even the land of Hyrule itself. For the most part, new Zelda games introduce players to a brand-new vision of the classic series formula, so when Nintendo decides to provide players with two games in the franchise that directly connect, it tends to be a big deal. Ocarina of Time has its Majora’s Mask, Phantom Hourglass is followed up by Spirit Tracks, and more than a decade after its release, A Link to the Past would receive its direct sequel in The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds. In terms of comparing Zelda: A Link to the Past vs Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, both games have just as many unique qualities as those that they share in common.

Despite taking place in the same version of Hyrule (something that is unique across the franchise), A Link Between Worlds actually features new versions of Link, Princess Zelda, and Ganon according to the series’ official timeline. Additionally, A Link Between Worlds introduces a unique mechanic in Link’s ability to transform himself into a painting and move along 2D spaces in a three-dimensional world. That said, both A Link to the Past and A Link Between Worlds share many assets, such as similar enemy types, weapons and equipment, and even boss enemies. The 3DS sequel to the sole SNES Zelda game is a must-play for fans of A Link to the Past and owes much of its design to that classic game, but that doesn’t mean it’s incapable of standing on its merit.

Zelda: A Link to the Past vs Zelda: A Link Between Worlds: Side-by-Side Comparison

In addition to releasing 12 years apart and launching on different generations of Nintendo hardware, A Link Between Worlds and A Link to the Past each offer something different to Zelda fans despite featuring the same core gameplay. Yes, A Link Between Worlds is a sequel to the classic SNES Zelda and borrows heavily from its design template, but it also makes use of hardware advancements to introduce mechanics that would have been impossible on a 16-bot console. Further, A Link Between Worlds might feature the same version of Hyrule from A Link to the Past, but it swaps that game’s iconic Dark World map for the mysterious alternate version of Hyrule known as Lorule.

Zelda: A Link to the Past vs Zelda: A Link Between Worlds: 5 Must-Know Facts

Here are 5 must-know facts about the differences between Zelda: A Link to the Past and Zelda: A Link Between Worlds:

• As a direct sequel to A Link to the Past, A Link Between Worlds takes place in the exact same version of Hyrule, complete with most locations in the same place as in the map from ALttP. Despite this, the timeline places the game several hundred years after the events of A Link to the Past, introducing new versions of the series’ recurring heroes and villain.
• Since both games take place in the same version of Hyrule, they feature the same iconic overworld map. However, A Link Between Worlds does switch up the locations of items and other collectibles, as well as featuring a completely different alternate map than A Link to the Past.
• Though both A Link to the Past and A Link Between Worlds share similar maps and even a few dungeons in common between the two of them, the layouts of the dungeons in A Link Between Worlds are different in order to provide longtime Zelda fans with a fresh challenge.
• The incorporation of new mechanics in A Link Between Worlds completely transforms how players can go about navigating a familiar overworld map as well as some returning dungeons. Thanks to Link’s new ability to merge with walls and transform into a 2D painting, players now have a brand-new dimension to consider when traversing the game’s interior and exterior spaces.
• Despite his desire to develop a sequel to the classic that is A Link to the Past, Shigeru Miyamoto would not revise his role as producer and instead pass that duty along to the new Zelda series mastermind, Eiji Aonuma.

Zelda: A Link to the Past vs Zelda: A Link Between Worlds: Same Hyrule, New Link

A Link Between Worlds reintroduces the iconic overworld map of Hyrule from its predecessor A Link to the Past, complete with most of the major landmarks and locations remaining in the same place. Knowing this, one might assume that the game takes place just a few years after the events of A Link to the Past, but it’s actually far further down the timeline than is readily apparent. According to the official series lore, though the world of Hyrule players get to experience in A Link Between Worlds is the same as the one from A Link to the Past, its versions of Link, Princess Zelda, and Ganon are all new reincarnations of these continually recurring characters.

Zelda: A Link to the Past vs Zelda: A Link Between Worlds: Sharing Maps

Speaking of both games sharing the same map of Hyrule, A Link Between Worlds’ developers would seek to find a way to make a returning version of the series’ recurring setting feel fresh. They were able to accomplish this by rearranging the locations of certain items and collectibles around the map while also allowing players to traverse it in brand-new ways thanks to Link’s ability to transform into a painting and merge it with flat surfaces. And when it comes to the maps that A Link to the Past and A Link Between Worlds share between them, the two games only have the standard version of Hyrule as a uniting factor. A Link to the Past’s second map is the Dark World, and A Link Between Worlds switches things up to feature an alternate reality version of Hyrule called Lorule.

Zelda: A Link to the Past vs Zelda: A Link Between Worlds: Dungeons & Layouts

Both A Link to the Past and A Link Between Worlds feature 11 dungeons for players to complete, and they even share a handful of the same dungeons between them. Interestingly, the dungeons from ALttP that return in A Link Between Worlds have different interior layouts, though they do feature some similar bosses. Multiple boss enemies appear in both A Link to the Past and A Link Between Worlds, complete with similar strategies necessary to defeat them. Where A Link Between Worlds deviates, though, is in granting the player the ability to tackle the game’s dungeons in any order, which is something made possible thanks to the new Item Rental system.

Zelda: A Link to the Past vs Zelda: A Link Between Worlds: New Mechanics

The Item Rental system that allows players to briefly acquire items out of sequence in A Link Between Worlds is just one of the many new mechanics that the game introduces to the Zelda series. Along with players’ ability to sequence-break the game and tackle dungeons in any order is the “Painting” mechanic, which allows Link to transform into a 2D object and merge with both interior and exterior walls. Not only does this new mode of traversal completely recontextualize the way players can interact with familiar spaces, but it also is the main method by which Link transports between Hyrule and its alternate dimension, Lorule.

Bottom Line

Considering that A Link Between Worlds is intended to be a direct sequel to A Link to the Past, it makes sense that the games share so much in common. Between featuring the same version of Hyrule and essentially the same set of major locations, identical overworld maps, common dungeons, and even common boss enemies, it’s possible to get the impression that A Link Between Worlds is simply a “remix” of a classic game. That presumption would be a mistake, though, as A Link Between Worlds is its own standalone adventure that represents the second half of a whole story beginning with A Link to the Past. For those that consider A Link to the Past one of the greatest games of all time, A Link Between Worlds is essential to play.