A Link to the Past vs A Link Between Worlds | Which Is Better? 

a link to the past didn't simply change the zelda games, it impacted all adventure games of that era

I remember beating a link between worlds on an airplane! It really ramped up the intensity of the ending

I remember playing a link to the past and being blown away once you get the 3 pendants and beat aghanim and then realize there's basically a whole other game.

Link to the Past was my favorite SNES game when I got it. Any game that came with a MAP? And the graphics were so clean and smooth. It had just the right level of difficulty.

This video was great A Link Between Worlds is my favorite Zelda game and has the best ending in the series in my opinion I just love running around the world and using items to explore it feels so open and fun It’s an underrated Zelda game

I prefer A Link To The Past, because i like the difficulty it gave me. It has a dungeon that is basically the Water Temple before the Water Temple, testing my spatial awareness. If i want a good Zelda story or narrative, i would play Twilight Princess. If i want pure focus on Zelda exploration, maybe Tears Of The Kingdom. Also, i find more satisfaction in Metroidvania style of exploration from A Link To The Past than mindless freedom, finding heartpieces and doing minigames in A Link To The Past is so insanely rewarding, only Twilight Princess gets close for the 3D games.

Magic problem in lttp: Ice rod or ether then hammer makes high chance of full mag refill I felt the stamina meter made things feel too cheap. I actually like managing resources

A Link Between Worlds is my favorite. My first wife and I met in our late 20s and we both liked ALttP as kids. When ALBW was announced we were hyped and when it released we each got our own copies so we wouldn’t fight over it. We tackled dungeons in our own order and helped the other if we needed help where the other had already been. It was awesome. After she passed, it vaulted even higher for me for sentimental value. She would’ve sank so much time into BotW and Tears on the Switch for sure. No worries though, I got over 200 hours in each.

this video is criminally underrated

The thing about A Link Between Worlds for me is that it's too easy. I know Zelda isn't really known for being a particularly hard series, but I'd go as far as to say that A Link Between Worlds is the easiest Zelda game of all time. The Ice Ruins is one of my favorite dungeons in the series, but the other dungeons in the game feel too easy and too short. Many of them are so small that they almost feel like mini dungeons (Turtle Rock). The item rental system also hurts the difficulty curve because they have to design dungeons around only requiring one item. On the other hand, A Link to the Past definitely has much more challenge, but very few puzzles in that game are actually clever. The game has much more focus on combat, and the only really clever puzzle the game has is where you have to push a block to a lower floor in the Ice Palace. Most of the difficult puzzles in this game come down to finding the room in the dungeon where you have to kill all the enemies to make a key appear, or pushing one specific block to make a door open. Both are good games, but I'd say the pinnacle of 2D Zelda is the Gameboy era (Link's Awakening, Oracle of Seasons/Ages, and Minish Cap)

I love both games, but I feel like LttP does let you experiment with magic. One of the best items in the game is the magic powder. It turns unkillable stuff like anti-fairies and fireballs into fairies and turns a lot of enemies into magic jars making your meter pretty much unlimited. Between the Bombos Medallion and the powder you become an unstoppable force of nature

Nice vid, I can see you put a lot of work into your videos. I hope you gain subscribers!

Really good video. Entertaining enough to watch to the end and some great points all around, I agree the 3D functionality is sorely underappreciated (on the 3DS in general) and I personally cant play without it on, its not the same!

I beat A Link Between Worlds on launch day in about 12 hours I've never felt the urge to go back to it unlike A Link to the Past which I go back and playthrough every few years

Thanks for making this video! I love ALBW too

I liked Link Between Worlds better because Ive played Link to the Past multiple times already but Link Between Worlds was like a sandbox love letter where you can go any where with the items. Kinda like "here, youve already beat LTTP multiple times so here is a love letter game with new mechanics"

Funny, I didn't know you can upgrade your items beside the Master Sword in a Link between Worlds.

Great video, I played both but prefer a link between worlds cuz I played it as a kid. good luck growing ur channel tho!

Agreed 100%. I have no nostalgia for A Link to the Past and first played it before I played A Link Between Worlds and while it was definitely a great game, it did show its age in pretty much all the ways you described and it was immediately noticeable to me after having experienced games like Four Swords Adventures and Minish Cap first. Nothing against A Link to the Past, but I do firmly believe nostalgia plays a huge factor with a series like this because it just didn't really measure up or wow me in a post Ocarina of Time world. It's a wonderful game for sure, but it's just missing something for me and that's where I think A Link Between Worlds really delivered for me. It takes what made A Link to the Past special and gives it that extra flavor and charm we've come to expect from Zelda games.

Very nice video. The only gripe I have is with the audio, it's entirely too quiet. I cranked my volume up to the max and could still only barely make out certain sections. I also only sometimes noticed that there was meant to be music in the background. Even with my ears pressed right against my headphones' speakers, it was just too hard to make out other times. Just for next time, I suppose. That said, I really agree with most of what you said. ALBW is the superior game in so many ways. I completed it two days ago and just had a blast. Being able to use almost all the items from the beginning was a blast, though the fact I never died made the concept of losing them upon death a bit pointless. But I loved how I instantly just rented half of them, JUST to try them out. That was a really cool feeling that few other games can match. I also gotta agree on the bosses, they were complete pushovers. Most took me 2-3 minutes to beat, except the last one, which took me 4. Oops. I still gotta say that they're better designed than in ALTTP, since they had actual attacks and phases, instead of just being a couple worms moving up and down. I dunno, ALTTP was just never a game I could get into. I played it on the SNES and stopped shortly after entering the dark world, and I bought it on GBA and almost instantly lost interest again. I think it's the feel of the game, it just feels awkward to play. It also lacks a lot of character, a problem with ALBW also shared. Both games suffer from having interesting interactions with people save for a few exceptions, and it's why I don't think ALBW is the best 2D Zelda. Not when Spirit Tracks and Link's Awakening exist. Those two had so much character in every single moment. One thing I disliked about the video is how you misused "objectively" when referring to certain things. Neither game is objectively better than the other, unless one of them literally doesn't work. These are all just your opinions. Overall, very nice job, I liked the length of the video too. Next time, increase the volume and look into better recordings of gameplay (ALTTP was very stretched and ALBW looked like a moving JPEG). Good luck!

I loved a link between worlds. I didnt even know it existed for the longest time until i was messing around with emulators. As soon as i beat it. I started over in hero mode or whatever they call it. And havent played it since. A link to the past is probably my favorite game ever. Been playing it recently and got into randomizers. Played OOT randomized then set up a link to the past as soon as i beat it and already played through randomized at least 3-4 times.

Theres some points here i never even thought of, i agree with the controls on Alttp i always feel as if my swords range is short or as if the range is in a tile by tile framing, i agree with most of the said points and im glad ive found this video a while ago!

A Link To The Past is without a doubt a game that has aged extremely well. It is _not_ just some "blinded by nostalgia" thing; it really has stood the test of time.

Dude, I just wanted to say that I 100% agree with you and the points you made about the quality of these two games I’ve always loved a link to the past and I beat it when I was younger but I find it harder to go back to these days, mainly due to the clunkiness of the controls Particularly during sword fighting I think you nailed it I think between worlds is criminally underrated, but I’m one of those people who has it in my top 10 list as well

Underrated 3DS game and underrated video

albw is officially a sequel, taking place some generations later. Loz's biggest flaw was that it was too open with little to no guidance how to progress. A problem taol tried to fix but failed to avoid extremely cryptic problems. Alttp attempts to fix this by forcing some linear progression on the player. Albw rental system is a gun fresh look but i really missed the excitement of finding a new item. (Also, alttp bow does upgrade in strength, as well as the boomerang, shield, and sword)

No question that Link to the past is a classic and basically defined the series. But link between worlds is criminally underated and took all those things LttP did 1st and made them better. Plus the main mechanic of merging into the walls was so original and opened up so many options.

I think LBW is the best action adventure zelda game there is, mixing pure freedom adventuring with zelda inspired dungeons. The verticality found in most dungeons helps give it a sense of scope/scale, and the 3D effect only helps that. Some puzzles could be easy, but the easy ones are still incredibly novel. Most items have at least 3 uses, and it’s way more rewarding for me to evaluate what item I need where than to find an item in a place that I know I’ll be forced to use said item. The painting mechanic is just so ingenious as well. Ughh this game is so damn good

I’d have to say I like between worlds more but to the past is awesome it’s just too hard for me

I have beaten the oracle games, links awakening, the minish cap, phantom hourglass, and spirit tracks. But somehow I could never get through a link to the past. I think it is partly because of the gameplay. Fighting enemies with your sword was always frustrating to me. Maybe because of the hitboxes... I was introduced to zelda by twilight princess though, so the nostalgia factor is also missing

Nice bro😎

This video is making me want to try a Zelda game! I only have a switch tho. What should I play?

I don't think the fear to run out of magic is fair because you couldn't find how to upgrade it the solution was there you didn't find it you make a lot of good points and great video overall just started a link between worlds and was disappointed that you can rent all the items from the start thought it would take away the mystery about what items you will get in the big chests instead of giving you them all at the start without earning them but haven't played much of the game so they might have added something else to replace it

Summary: I fucking love metroidvanias. ---------------------------- After years and years of open world games, one of the biggest reasons I enjoy A Link to the Past to this day is its relatively linear nature. As you said, it forces you to become familiar with the major areas of the map, and I personally really enjoy finding and making notes on spots in games that aren't traversable until I get the right item. It gives me the sense that the location has either been forgotten to time and I'm the first explorer to stumble upon it in years, or something mysterious has happened there and the being responsible doesn't want me to figure out what. In other words, I get a feeling of wonder and intrigue that can't be answered immediately, and the question of what will help me persevere past keeps me engaged. Along with that, while I do really enjoy A Link Between Worlds and think it's incredibly well-made, my biggest gripe with it is that you have immediate access to every item. Finding the items you need to traverse LTTP's Hyrule in dungeons gives me the feeling of someone or something having created the dungeons they're in specifically to hide a treasure, similar to how the ancient Egyptians created pyramids as guarded tombs. They implemented all these traps to try and stop any intruders, but like any good olden builder would do, they needed a way to access everything themselves and have a way out. The world is then slowly overrun by monsters of Ganon's direct creation or indirect influence, and so the dungeon masters (for lack of a better term) retreated into their dungeons to protect themselves, only to have the monsters force their way in anyway and eventually kill the creators, thus leaving the items locked in their dungeons. LBW nullifies that completely; in a funnily ironic way, the openness of its gameplay leads to more linear enjoyment in the ways I get the most out of them. While I like the idea of Ravio being Lorule's Link and so he already has all the items, it just says to me "someone else already had the fun you wanted to have." You brought up how LTTP is a slow burn, and it's funny how two people can look at the same thing but have vastly different reactions to it. In this digital world, it's all too easy to just look up any question and receive a million different answers in less than a second. There are also far too many choices for everything in my opinion. A dominant feature in AAA games for over two decades has been an open world, regardless of whether it actually enhances the gameplay or not. I'm thinking of when Grand Theft Auto III was first released, and almost immediately tons of studios started making their game worlds open. I don't think I can accurately describe how nice it is to sit down and have an adventure where I don't get to do everything right away, where the openness of the world is the reward rather than the expectation, where I'm not bombarded with a million different choices. That is a huge reason why LTTP and the Metroid series are some of my favourites.

Zelda II is my all time favorite but I did like Link to the Past and even more after I realized it had more Good Faithful content in the Japanese game.

Honestly I don't mind the rental system since I always went got the empty bottles then collected faires so that everytime I died I was revived

Honestly my only criticism of link between worlds is that you play and movie with analog controls yet items have 8 directions and it makes using your bow or fire rod for example more difficult, it's also kinda easy as im at the end of 100% it for the first time (I just need to beat the final boss and yet a few heart pieces) and so far I haven't died yet and it made the item renting completely irrelevant, but I understand why they made it so easy, it's meant to be played by both 8 year olds and 40 year olds so it's a good balance for it to be fun still

link to the past is my favorite zelda ever period. but link between worlds is certainly pretty decent

I love ALBW, but 2 things keep it from being ahead in my mind. 1: renting items removes the satisfaction and mystery from each dungeon a little. I get the idea, and I appreciate Nintendo taking risks, but it felt like a gimmick throughout. And 2: reusing the same over world was pretty dissapointing. Imagine how exciting a new top down Zelda with an entirely new map would be. No death mountain, no kakariko, just all fresh locations. That's what I was hoping for out of a sequel, not so much a quasi-reimagining. Which is actually my chief concern that's holding me back from getting truly hyped over Tears of the Kingdom. Especially when BotW already reused familiar areas already such as Zora's Domain and Death Mountain. It's hard to recapture that sense of discovery when you know where you're going. My first playthrough of BotW is still burned into my mind half a decade later because of how exciting wandering around was. Either way, I love these games, and these are minor nitpicks in the end. ALBW was such a nice change of pace at a time when Zelda was starting to become more and more formulaic. I hope Nintendo makes an all new top down Zelda at some point. The painting mechanic and general dungeon design in ALBW proves they still have what it takes. Plus it would be a nice alternative to the 3D Zeldas. The 2D games have an immediacy to their gameplay that's lost in their bigger brothers. But in the end, nice video. It was fun to hear your take on things.

Road blocking is essential to the Zelda experience in my opinion. Something I dislike about Breath of the Wild is that there are no roadblocks at all. There is no sense of anticipation or growth. Everything feels the same from start to finish.

So...ALBW isn't as good as LTTP. You missed the part where in ALBW sets you on fetch quests, kinda like BOTW and TOTK.

The way I feel about stamina meter is the same way I feel about COD health Regen.

Ya, you're definitely wrong. No goddamn way is A Link Between Worlds a better game.

I like LttP. I really do. I've been wanting to replay it for a while. I don't have access to my copies (SNES and GBA) right now unfortunately but I think it's going to be my first replay when I get my consoles back. My dad has them for now. But it's not my favorite Zelda either. Link's Awakening is my favorite 2D Zelda but ALBW is second. I'm in the middle of replaying it now as I do have my 3DS with me. LttP is a very good game. I don't think it's a masterpiece. I think it's close but not quite there. I would gladly play it again over a lot of games but what it does is done better in later games

It’s 100% a sequel. It’s called “Triforce of the Gods 2” in Japan

I think remakes need to have two difficulties to cater to the two groups. The veteran one and the newcomer or casual one. And the difference between them has to be great so that everyone is pleased

My advice for people asking about whether to play lttp or lbw is to play one and then play the other one in a year if they're still interested.

ALTTP is my fav "old zelda" but ALBW is my fav zelda game ever, is just perfect, a tad easy but perfect dungeon design. AND visually, it goes to Link´s awakening remake, how I would LOVE if ALBW had the visuals of the Switch Awakening´s remake, I can even say I like ALTTP visually even more than Between Worlds, which for me is the weakest visually among the three.

The rating depends on the angle you watch on both games. Link to the Past is a Masterpiece because it’s from 1992 and lifted Zelda into new heights. SNES was the leading console, it was fresh, complete new a revolution, perfect use of 16bit. Link between worlds is in a direct comparison better(I agree), but it is a 70% copy of a link to the past 20years later. A great evolution, but link to the past was a revolution. It also was released on a handheld only, which is so small I had to pause cause numbness in my hands(and I have small one) I had a lot of fun with both, but I understand why „Link to the past“ is picked way more often.

Ravio reminds me of Batmite.

A link to the Past is more linear because this is when Nintendo began experimenting with a more complex and cohesive story narrative. It had nothing to do with gameplay, it was for the story. Oh, you actually said that in your video. Well yeah that's the reason. But you also have to realize that Nintendo doesn't actually tell good stories at all.

"in a link to the past when you didn't have the item needed to proceed" Ya but that happens only a few times honestly. You don't need the hookshot at all beyond it's own dungeon. The only big block your travel in the Dark World was the hammer, but you get that first anyways, and I guess the fire rod (specifically for the Ice dungeon's bosses and little frost zombies, and Turtle Rock's boss) and the upgrade to your ability to lift things. Ok and I guess you need Ether and Quake to enter 2 dungeons and then flippers to enter 2 of them. I guess it happens more than I realized... Ya what's up with that?

I feel like a link to the past remake would be awesome with botw/Totk free roam

yes

A Link to the Past is obviously the better game. The first time I played A Link between Worlds I hated it because of the item rental system. Then I replayed it and I saw it was actually a good game

the importance to the franchise and relationship to the 1st 2 games, LTTP the Mario 3 of LoZ

A Link to the Past is better for me as it just has a ton of replay value. Been playing it since a kid. (BTW I prefer the GBA version.) A Link Between Worlds isn’t bad, but it has the Sonic Mania syndrome where it takes place in the same world, so it’s not as exciting.

Both games be good

i've played both and think they are completley equal

A link between worlds cannot be compared to a strickly 2d game link a link to the past as in a link between worlds it has many many 3d aspects and is made for the 3ds yes you can turn the slider down but that doesn't make it automatically a 2d game

Just finished The Link between worlds and the experience was simply amazing!! Would you suggest Playing LTTP to someone who has already play LBW? I'm thinking of playing more games from the series and contemplating whether I should play LTTP or skip it and move straight to Link's awakening on Switch instead. Right now I'm leaning toward skipping.

I believe a link between worlds to be better the story line is amazing the shadow links the maiamais actually being fun to get (unlike the disgusting korok seeds) link between worlds redoes so much and it feels fun the gimmick is also phenomenal

Link to the past blew my fvcking brains out with how good it was back in 1991. Link between worlds did not have that effect in 2016. I think it's fair to say that comparing them by how good they were in their hey-day would be a landslide victory in lttp's favor, but Lbw wins out if we're judging by current year game design and respecting the players time. Honestly play one then wait a year or two and then play the other. They are both still worth your time, just not back to back.

link to the past for life

My personal favorite 2d top down zelda game is spirit tracks, that said I love both alttp and albw.

I think a link between the world is a improvement of a link to the past

The game came out 30 years ago, not 25.

Oh yes let's find out which game is better comparing a newer game to one 20ish years old not a good comparison yes older games can hold up in ways but of coarse the link between worlds is better because its newer graphics its a new refreshing story and call back to one of their best and most loved games and especially when it was made as a node to a link to the past with all the fan fair like why even compare them

Def ALTTP is superior, couldn’t stand the whole renting weapons bs in ALBTW. Both great games still.

A Link to the Past has a new version for 3DS, why not taking this version for comparison ? It would have made more sense in my opinion.

ALBW was too short and easy...dungeons were tiny... like 12 minutes max tiny. There also weren't enough secrets and items in my own opinion

Its literally a sequel to a link to the past. How can you make a video like this and not do 5 minutes of research? lol

I personally feel that this video was pretty biased against A Link to the Past but there were some very nice points that were made about both games. A Link Between Worlds was a fantastic game and I personally think that its equally as good as ALttP. I will not budge however on my feeling that The Dark World is better than Lorule (better being subjective).

What I don't get is why Nintendo just didn't make a direct port of the game and call it a link to the past ? They've made direct ports of every other main stream Zelda game links awakening, ocarina , Majora, windwaker , twilight , and now skyward sword has had a remake , all is fans wanted was a hd remake of the original masterpiece and that not to say a link between worlds is a bad game it just isn't the same.

19:55 "For example, rather than upgrading to a stronger or more effective bow, the bow upgrade in A Link to the Past simply consists of the number of arrow you can carry." This lie tells me you've completely forgotten or don't know how to beat A Link to the Past.

The rental system killed my interest in playing the game....... once I rented everything I ended exploring the world and instead of really earn your reward with something useful, the give you money.... wich.. is not that satisfying in this game.

Good video horrible sound I couldn't barely hear

link between worlds is way better