Why Link's Awakening For The Switch Could Spell Trouble

Link's Awakening has been announced as a remake for the Nintendo Switch. But something's not right here. And it's not the beautiful graphics.

[PhoenixUp]

“We are comparing the content filled open world adventure, Breath of the Wild, to a short, but sweet adventure like Link’s Awakening. And of course, I’d prefer quality over quantity. But new games are expensive these days. One can’t play every single new game out there. One has to make choices. This is the same market where you could play three remade Crash Bandicoot games for $40.”

Unfortunately Nintendo sees all of its games as being worth full price.

[neutralgamer1992]

They see selling a box for $60 as a good deal and so do most Nintendo fans. They have been charging full price for wiiu ports and get praises so why would they change and charge less. Nintendo is the only keep that gets kiddy treatment yet they want to sit at the big boy table. If it was them we would still be stuck with 720p gaming

They release under powered consoles which cost the same if not more than other powerful consoles. They didn't want to pay blu-ray royalties to Sony and others so they didn't use disks

[DanteVFenris666]

No one is praising them for that.

Switch is not underpowered sense it’s portable

[septemberindecember]

The Switch doesn’t use disks because it’s a portable console, and isn’t large to contain a disk drive. It has nothing to do with Blu-Ray royalties. The GameCube, Wii, and Wii U all used disks and they weren’t blu-rays either.

[SuperSonic91]

This "awakening" of fans (not the fanboys) is a good sign for the industry to finally pay attention (not cash) towards Nintendo's nickel and diming unsuspecting moms and kids how the big N continues to milk their wallets with the same old games again and again.

Nintendo is just in therw for the money. They bring nothing new to the table.
Enuff of this already!!!!!

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

Yeah, but tastes factor in here; for many, this one remake is more valuable than three mere Crash Bandicoot games, and we haven't even seen what's newly added for this yet outside of the new art/graphical assets.

There are plenty, too, who would take a short and sweet adventure like this, and find more value in it than a game three times the size but with far more fluff/padding.

It's not about how much the game cost to make, or its chosen graphical style, or "the type of game it is."

I get that some people have become spoiled rotten by the devs of new games dropping their prices literal months after release, from their desire to make the games' sales legs last longer, but they shouldn't undervalue their own games like that, and neither should Nintendo whenever applicable.

Although I find it a little ridiculous that people are whining about the price when it hasn't even been announced yet.
*raises mirror shield to block incoming flames*

[EddieNX]

It should be £35 instead of £50 , I guess we'll have to wait and see what content is in the game and wait for an official price.

I'm a sucker and will pay full price but absolutely see the issue here and would rather pay less myself obviously...

[IMissJimRyan]

As I said in my comment bellow (that I wrote before reading yours). Nintendo knows its fanbase. They know sales will change little to nothing charging 40 or 60.

[pcz]

its bizarre how people are debating the value of a game that hasn't even been fully unveiled. who knows what content the game does or doesn't have beyond the original title. who knows what extras the retail version may or may not have.

when have Nintendo ever fell short with Zelda... never. it will be worth 60, if that is even the actual cost come release day.

[EddieNX]

Agreed with both comments

[browngamer41]

Exactly

[deafdani]

It will be full price and you know it.

[IMissJimRyan]

I understand the point but I can only agree partialy. Games are cheaper than ever. We paid $50 or $60 to a NES game in the 80s. That's expensive.

But look at Nintendo side: they know it's fanbase. They know selling this game for $60 ou $40 will make little to no difference in the total sales. So why charge less? I can't see a reason.

Crash N'Sane Trilogy, that the author used as an exemple, needed to reach users that are a lot less loyal to the brand. PlayStation fans like the console, Nintendo fans like the IPs. You need to raise the bet to convince those people.

[The 10th Rider]

Yeah, process is determined largely by demand. You can bet if Activision thought Crash Bandicoot would sell well at $60 they would sell it at that price.

I mean, if you always compare games based on the price of other games, pretty much every $60 game is a horrible deal compared to, for instance, Hollow Knight. However you can bet that if they even tried to charge $30 for Hollow Knight it's sales would plummet.

What ultimately matters is if those who buy it feel they get their money's worth. At this point we have seen a single trailer, so I don't see how we can even remotely estimate whether or not that will be the case.

[IMissJimRyan]

Yes, I agree in almost everything you said. Nintendo fans see value in some aspects that are really hard to other people understand. Buying a Zelda game is more than just buying a competent game. There's the pop culture aspect, the nostalgic aspect, the "to be part of the pack" aspect, etc.

All those are really hard to put a price tag on. But Nintendo undestand that $60 is a accetable value for those people for the whole package. But, of course, it's hard to sell that to someone that has no emotional attachment to Nintendo or its franchises.

[Sirk7x]

I ended up buying two more copies of Hollow Knight for friends, because I felt like I didn't pay nearly enough for the experience I received lol. First time I've ever had that happen. Did you see the trailer for Hollow Knight 2?? Damn, I'll pay full price for that if I have to.

[The 10th Rider]

*prices, not process in my original post.

@Sirk7x,

Yeah, Hollow Knight is absolutely incredible. I hope they put out a physical bundle when the next game launches. Even if it's $60 I'd pick it up in a heartbeat.

[VJGenova]

I recall paying $80 for Street Fighter II on SNES. That and Turok were the two most expensive games I've purchased. Over 20 years later and games cost less and cost millions upon millions more to make.

My current problem is my backlog. Just finished God of War and am currently chugging through Uncharted 4. Still haven't even purchased a switch due to too many games I need to play. My 3DS allows me to get my nostalgic Nintendo fix. Maybe someday! This game would be a day 1 if I had one.

[Maybay]

If consumers Don't buy Nintendo's games at the $60 price tag, then Nintendo will lower them. Metroid: Other M dropped price extremely early because of its critical reception, and consumers were unwilling to pay $60 for it.

[ZeekQuattro]

It wasn't $60. Wii games were 50 and below.

[link2Dpast]

I imagine that price point has some backing on research of playability. I’ve been a Zelda fan since the Snes days and I haven’t even played Link awakening from start to finish, I’ve dabbled here and there but never gave it a full shot. For me Personally it has always been it being a hand held has held me back. I just could never fully enjoy playing on such a small screen. $60 price tag does seem steep but knowing Nintendo I doubt it’ll just be Link Awakeining, it’ll most likely have a bunch of content and I’ve got a feeling it’ll also have The Oracle ones as well and there just holding the info for a later date, E3 most likely. That would definitely justify the $60

[Sirk7x]

I'm doubtful that will happen, but that would be absolutely huge if it was packaged together as one experience. The thing is, those games take place directly before LA...
If you beat both and unlock the linked story where you beat Ganon, the ending has him departing on his ship, heading directly into Link's Awakening.

[AndimusPrimeTime]

I really wanted to say this is stupid, but this article has a point. I have similar worries about the next pokemon game. I dont want it to feel like a 3DS port with nice graphics. Really hoping they add a lot of content to links awakening if they put it at 60.

The worst part is, if they dont add content and keep it at 60, we'll all still buy it :/

[The 10th Rider]

Word on from industry insiders has been that gen 8 will be a true console Pokemon. Obviously take it with s grain of salt, but it does seem to be the case that it was in development before Let's Go started and the fact that they're also making Town, which is a full 3D title that looks a lot better than the 3DS Pokemon games, does seem to bode well for the upcoming games

[IMissJimRyan]

If you're talking about Phanton Thief, he/she isn't an insider.

[AndimusPrimeTime]

I do hope so. I'd love for them to expand the game. I've been playing since '98, and it's just stale now. I want an open world!!! Or at the very least a more complex battle system.

[The 10th Rider]

@locomorales,

No, King Zell. He/she said it will be BOTW tier or something like that. I think others may have chimed in and said people expecting more of the same will be surprised, but I'm not sure.

[IMissJimRyan]

People will buy ir anyway. Pokémon fans won't let to play the game because $20 in 2019. There's an emotional attachment to those games for a lot of people.

[InTheZoneAC]

The game should really be $30, $40 max. I agree it looks great and I know it'll be fun like the GBC version I played on my SP and have on my 3ds xl. I just wish the game didn't have generic toy face disorder.

[Sirk7x]

I'm thinking $40 would be a good price point for the game. One of my most treasured games of all time, so I'm playing it regardless, but it would look a little wonky putting it next to BotW at the same price.

[micdagoat19]

Ill take a remake of every Zelda and Metroid game. Would be awesome

[ApexWolf22]

I personally rate a games worth on how much value I get out of the overall experience and for the most part Nintendo does offer up some great recycled games, with tons of replay incentives vs. NEW high end experiences that have no replay value.

[GrizToof]

A gameboy remake will have no effect on Nintendo's or Zelda's future, guaranteed.

[septemberindecember]

It would definitely be worth $60 if they decided to include Oracles of Ages/Seasons.

[Einhander1971]

Looks stunning will be buying, quality over quantity every time.