The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds



The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (known as The Legend of Zelda: Triforce of the Gods 2 in Japan ) is an action-adventure game for the Nintendo 3DS. It is set in the world of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, and features a top-down 2D perspective and gameplay harking back to the older titles in the series.

It was revealed in the 4.17.2013 Nintendo Direct broadcast, after being teased several times. Developed by EAD and published by Nintendo, it was released November 22, 2013 in North America and Europe, November 23 in Australia, and December 26 in Japan, alongside a special edition Nintendo 3DS XL.

Gameplay
The game features the top-down two-dimensional gameplay of older console Zelda titles and previous handheld entries, with the player controlling Link as he explores Hyrule and its counterpart, Lorule, defeating enemies with weapons (such as the returning Master Sword, bow, hook shot, hammer, and the new Tornado Rod) and making his way through various dungeons. Its most touted new feature is the ability for Link to turn into a drawing and move along the surface of walls, which is used in many of the game's puzzles and traveling between the two worlds.

Another new mechanic is the ability to rent nearly every weapon in the game from the beginning from Ravio's Rental Shop, as opposed to gaining them in a specific order in dungeons, allowing players to form their own unique way of making it through them. The title also features StreetPass capability, in which players set up a customized version of Shadow Link with specific items and a bounty which is transferred to the receiver, who can then battle it.

Development
The game was first announced by series producer Eiji Aonuma, who told the Portuguese site "My Games" that development on an original game for 3DS was underway:

We are already preparing a new game, a game in the series for the Nintendo 3DS, but don’t think that it is a direct sequel to the Zelda titles released on DS. We are talking about a new game, but it takes much of what has been done on previous consoles.

Shigeru Miyamoto later hinted at the game's premise, saying that he would be interested in "creating something new maybe based on, or starting from, A Link To The Past." The game was finally revealed on April 17, 2013 on a Nintendo Direct broadcast.