Windows Zelda: Link's Awakening DX HD (PC) Windows Linux MacOS Android

[CSmith327]

Game Description:​

Port Credits:​

Released by: linksawakeningdxhd, BigheadSMZ
Status: Completed and receiving new improvement updates
Initial Release Date: 13 Dec 2023
Patch Version: v1.7.0
Patch Date: 29 March 2026

Source and details: https://archive.org/details/links-awakening-dx-hd (original itch.io download taken down by Big N)
Patch source and details: https://github.com/BigheadSMZ/Zelda-LA-DX-HD-Updated

Original description from itch.io:

Dive into the enchanting world of The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening DX as you’ve never experienced it before, with this meticulously crafted PC version that breathes new life into this classic adventure. Immerse yourself in the nostalgia of Koholint Island with enhanced graphics and widescreen support, bringing the charming landscapes and characters to vivid detail on your modern PC display.

But that’s not all – we’ve turbocharged the gameplay with high framerate support, ensuring that every sword swing, puzzle solve, and enemy encounter feels smoother and more responsive than ever. Rediscover the magic of this timeless Zelda title with improved performance, letting you explore dungeons, uncover secrets, and engage in epic battles with unparalleled fluidity.

Whether you’re a long-time fan of Link’s Awakening or a newcomer to the series, this PC version offers a fresh take on the beloved classic, combining the essence of the original with cutting-edge enhancements. Embark on a journey across the mysterious island, solve puzzles, meet quirky characters, and relive the adventure with a level of polish and finesse that pays homage to the legendary legacy of The Legend of Zelda.

Besides creating ports for additional systems, the updates done by BigheadSMZ has produced a lot of changes and improvements. Since it's a bit too much to list here check out the changelogs mentioned on the releases page.

Main Features:​

• Ultra-Widescreen Support: The game is expanded to fit modern displays, allowing you to see much more of the map at once.
• Zoom Features: You can zoom the camera all the way out to see the entire active world map, or zoom in closer.
• High Frame Rate: Supports up to 120 fps for smooth scrolling and gameplay.
• Seamless Transitions: Unlike the original, which used screen-by-screen transitions, this version features a continuous, scrolling overworld.
• Improved Legibility: Features HD text with an optional alternate font and menus that are easier to read on high-resolution screens.
• Multi-Language Support: Includes support for various languages beyond the original release.
• Modern Lighting: Includes a new lighting engine for dungeons and visual effects like enemy electrocution.
• Post-processing Effects: Shadow outlines on enemies and characters along with fog effects.
• Expanded Item Slots: Adds extra item slots (mapped to 4 buttons), significantly reducing the need to constantly pause and swap items.
• Customizable Redux and Modifier Settings: Change various properties of the game to suit your preferred playstyle.
• Setting Presets: Easy and quick presets based on Modern, Classic, or Hybrid styles.
• Touch-Screen Controls: Android port has on-screen controls via an overlay but can be played with a controller as well.
• Probably some more I've not thought off

Forget the Switch remake, this here is the definitive experience for the game. It's probably the best way to play the best retro feeling game in the series, offering a stellar retro Zelda experience. Words honestly can't describe how amazing this port is tbh. It's a definite must play for any Zelda fan.

Thanks to BigheadSMZ this can now be played on all the main systems people use these days. So there's no excuse not to play it at this point lol

Original Release Trailer:

Some details about the update patch:

Download Links​

• Zelda: Link's Awakening DX HD (PC) Windows Linux MacOS Android

 

[roundtree]

I feel ya, when whatever Windows 12 is gonna be comes out and ends up being as lame as I'm expecting it to be then I going full Linux from now on. There are many ways to run Windows games and programs without actually needing Windows these days. That and Linux has always been a more fun operating environment to work with anyways

Hey I was going to say that I also just compiled the windows and Linux versions and they work great.

But yeah windows waste too much of its resources spying on its users with all the active telemetry especially windows recall. My mom got a Windows 11 laptop and I was completely blown away by the fact that it literally took her personal documents and uploaded it to a cloud folder without even asking. That's a criminal act something that Linux would never do. Still I hope this national age verification thing doesn't pass. Linux is in big trouble if it does. (I had to edit this, it was harsh but thats because its about my personal computing.)

 

[CSmith327]

I still have not tested the other versions yet but I just took the patcher from GitHub and placed it in the folder with the 1.0 files. I generated an APK but I made sure I put a check mark on the box to pack in the mod files. Everything seems like it's working perfect and I haven't had any more crashes or lockups at all.

All of that ran perfect through wine also. I have windows I just don't use it that often.

I feel ya, when whatever Windows 12 is gonna be comes out and ends up being as lame as I'm expecting it to be then I going full Linux from now on. There are many ways to run Windows games and programs without actually needing Windows these days. That and Linux has always been a more fun operating environment to work with anyways

 

[roundtree]

Good, hopefully it's just the Android one that needs to be replaced then. That would be a lot less work to do

I still have not tested the other versions yet but I just took the patcher from GitHub and placed it in the folder with the 1.0 files. I generated an APK but I made sure I put a check mark on the box to pack in the mod files. Everything seems like it's working perfect and I haven't had any more crashes or lockups at all.

All of that ran perfect through wine also. I have windows I just don't use it that often.

 

[CSmith327]

No I only tested the Android version this time. Yeah I'm going to try to apply it myself and set what happens.

Good, hopefully it's just the Android one that needs to be replaced then. That would be a lot less work to do

 

[roundtree]

In the Windows one? I believe Rage Burner messed up somehow when patching it. He'll have to redo them all. I went and made my own copies using the Patcher.exe for 1.7.8 and the 1.0.0 for the patching. None of them crashed and all the mods worked. Only the Android one crashes if you apply certain mods to it. Rage Burner will have to redo them all. I can't upload the ones I made and have to rely on him for help. I dunno what he done wrong. If you want to play v1.7.8 without having to wait for us to fix the ones in this post then go and download the v1.0.0 one from this post and get the 1.7.8 Patcher.exe from Github and make you own copy. I had been hoping this post would be 100% flawless now, but it still needs to be worked on. TLDR it's not 1.7.8 being f'd up it's just the copy we made here.

No I only tested the Android version this time. Yeah I'm going to try to apply it myself and see what happens.

 

[CSmith327]

Thank you for updating but this unfortunately crashes now as of version 1.78 as soon as link leaves the house that he starts in.

In the Windows one? I believe Rage Burner messed up somehow when patching it. He'll have to redo them all. I went and made my own copies using the Patcher.exe for 1.7.8 and the 1.0.0 for the patching. None of them crashed and all the mods worked. Only the Android one crashes if you apply certain mods to it. Rage Burner will have to redo them all. I can't upload the ones I made and have to rely on him for help. I dunno what he done wrong. If you want to play v1.7.8 without having to wait for us to fix the ones in this post then go and download the v1.0.0 one from this post and get the 1.7.8 Patcher.exe from Github and make you own copy. I had been hoping this post would be 100% flawless now, but it still needs to be worked on. TLDR it's not 1.7.8 being f'd up it's just the copy we made here.

 

[roundtree]

Thank you for updating but this unfortunately crashes now as of version 1.78 as soon as link leaves the house that he starts in.

 

[GoodGods]

Run the InstallMod.exe found in whatever mod .7z you pick, pick the folder that has the game exe/binary in it (drop a temp exe to appease the requirement if you're trying to mod a Linux/Mac version) and click the Install Mod button to apply the mod. Installing by copying over the content from the Mods folder in the mod archive might work too, but I didn't do it by that method. I figured using the exe is the proper approach

All right, it worked just as you said. Thanks!

 

[TheManInBlack]

Tried out 1.7.8 on a fresh save on my retroid pocket classic and have no crashes after getting the shield. I do get a pause and slight music stutter when leaving buildings and dungeons though. This issue has already been brought up on the github and seemingly got fixed already? Unsure since its still happening but yeah if you get crashes after the shield or the music bug bothers you, best to stick to 1.7.7 or wait for a future update.

I did build the apk myself too, with no mods.

 

[CSmith327]

About installing mods, one of the readme's says to use the installmod.exe, but it opens up a "mod maker" with blank boxes. Do I punch in information there, or do I just drop the files into the game's files instead?

Run the InstallMod.exe found in whatever mod .7z you pick, pick the folder that has the game exe/binary in it (drop a temp exe to appease the requirement if you're trying to mod a Linux/Mac version) and click the Install Mod button to apply the mod. Installing by copying over the content from the Mods folder in the mod archive might work too, but I didn't do it by that method. I figured using the exe is the proper approach

 

[GoodGods]

Updated to latest v1.7.8 from a few days ago. Quote from BigheadSMZ:

"This is the last version for awhile to heavily focus on modding. It is now possible to mod the graphics (or at least the colors) of just about every single in-game element. With the release of v1.7.7 I created a mod to revert the "DX" changes, and this version I created a mod to mimic the four shades of green of the original game.

Between Link's Awakening HD and DMG Colors Mod I have finally realized the goal I have had for many months now, and made it possible to have an experience that is extremely similar to the original game but with the enhancements of this port. There was a time I never thought it would happen, but here we are."

Also included is all the currently available mods packed into a single download (they are all at their latest versions as well).

About installing mods, one of the readme's says to use the installmod.exe, but it opens up a "mod maker" with blank boxes. Do I punch in information there, or do I just drop the files into the game's files instead?

 

[CSmith327]

Can someone please confirm if it's v1.7.8 itself that has a messed up Android version or if it's only the one we have on here?

Post automatically merged: Apr 25, 2026

I've done some testing. I've applied every mod to the Windows and Linux versions and they all work flawlessly. The mod install exe is dumb and says it won't install the mod into a folder that doesn't have the exe of the Windows version in it, but you can trick it by just placing that exe file into the folder of the Linux or Mac one to apply the mod and then delete the exe after you're done. When you load from the Linux or Mac binary the game will have the mod installed and working. You can also stack multiple mods as long as they're not mods that do the same thing. Like you can't have two color mods applied at once or both the ones that change Link to Saria or Linkle applied at the same time. The color mods might not work on the changed character sprites either. Since those files most likely conflict. All the other colors would probably be changed tho. As for the Android version I created a clean 1.7.8 apk using the patcher and the old 1.0.0 version as the base. I was able to play it without crashing, but it's missing the app icon and just has the Android logo in it's place for some reason. When trying to make an apk for one with the Link's Awakening HD 1.0.0 mod applied the game crashes when starting a save. It seems more work needs to be done on the Android one

Post automatically merged: Apr 25, 2026

As for Mac, I don't have a Mac based system so I can't test that one

 

[nategrey]

The latest version 1.7.8 crashed for me on Android everytime after I got the shield and leave the house.

Same here.

 

[lordlad]

The latest version 1.7.8 crashed for me on Android everytime after I got the shield and leave the house.

 

[Rocket2049]

why is there a mod to REMOVE the DX content?
i mean... do people want less game content? i was just wondering what reason you'd play the b/w original with NONE of the DX content for.
every single new thing can be avoided entirely on DX on purpose far as i know.

[edit after checking what's different myself]
stone slabs changed into owl statues and there were more statues in DX (many more hints)
Dungeon chests changed in DX in a few dungeons
Genie took 2 hits in german/french version, not 3 (no difference in japan or NA versions)
Dialog added to SeaShell Mansion in dx rather it being "silent"
Richard's Golden Leaf dialog was changed in DX (really the same meaning but very different text)
Kiki the monkey says "Monkees" instead of "Monkeys". (english version only)
shield dialog says it can be used to flip over enemies, this isn't on DX version text

 

[CSmith327]

Updated to latest v1.7.8 from a few days ago. Quote from BigheadSMZ:

"This is the last version for awhile to heavily focus on modding. It is now possible to mod the graphics (or at least the colors) of just about every single in-game element. With the release of v1.7.7 I created a mod to revert the "DX" changes, and this version I created a mod to mimic the four shades of green of the original game.

Between Link's Awakening HD and DMG Colors Mod I have finally realized the goal I have had for many months now, and made it possible to have an experience that is extremely similar to the original game but with the enhancements of this port. There was a time I never thought it would happen, but here we are."

Also included is all the currently available mods packed into a single download (they are all at their latest versions as well).

 

[Dingalow]

This is fun and novel but there is something wrong with people who insist that having half the entire game map on one screen or on an ultrawide display is fun for the whole playthrough.

 

[CSmith327]

Are there actual mods for this?

Currently there are 8 mods available. I'm going to add all the mods in a zip to the download links later tonight along with version 1.7.8. The most notable ones are the one that makes the colors more accurate to the GBC original, one that removes all DX changes and essentially makes it "Link's Awakening HD" instead of DX HD, and mods to make the colors monochrome in DMG green or black/white. The mods can be combined too. Like pairing the HD one with one of the monochrome ones to make the game even more like if the original version was ported instead of the DX one

 

[GoodGods]

so many updates in a small time, i wish it auto checked for updates in the launcher or something...
there's been 5 updates in this month alone.
the modding updates are so damn cool, replacing sounds and music is gonna be fun to mess with

Are there actual mods for this?

 

[Rocket2049]

so many updates in a small time, i wish it auto checked for updates in the launcher or something...
there's been 5 updates in this month alone.
the modding updates are so damn cool, replacing sounds and music is gonna be fun to mess with

 

[CSmith327]

yeah no shit, can't figure it out

You have to mark the file as executable using the terminal application and chmod command. Then you should be able to launch it like normal and play it. Try applying what is said in this guide onto the big binary file inside the Mac version archive. I'm not a Mac user but I've had plenty of experience with Linux and this seems like the same situation as when that command is used for executables in Linux too.
edit: chmod +x might work better than 755 in this case, but you can try either one. You might have to load the file through terminal instead of the file manager thing to get it to run, but I'm not sure

 

[emptydesk]

how do yo run this in mac?

yeah no shit, can't figure it out

 

[TheManInBlack]

Latest update is great for mods. They wouldn't work for me at all until 1.7.7 Plugging my way through it and using the GBC Colors mod from Achilles, which makes the game look way nicer.

There's also a mod that makes it gb monochrome colors or black and white and another mod that removes dx stuff. Look at the LA DX HD mods on the github to find them. The game is very customizable with mods, so if its not what you think a good remake is, you can make it whatever you want. Honestly, I like it way more than the official remake since you can customize it to your liking and I prefer the GB/GBC graphics over the claymation style. Hopefully someone makes a mod to make the camera work exactly original games too.

 

[Deleted member 913503]

It's weird that there's no option to use the original camera-sliding / screen-change thing between screens. Of course you can turn on the giant zoomed out camera view here, but I'm talking about when you turn that off: the "Normal" / "Classic" camera option is nothing like the original, it suddenly cuts to the new screen when changing screens. The original game had that slide move, which dated to the original Zelda 1 (NES) I think, it was neat... why was it destroyed here.

probably to make it more like A Link To The Past which this was originally supposed to be. The Oracle games and Minish Cap had more open areas too.

 

[Deleted member 913503]

Just cleared it, went by memory. Love how you can have extra buttons for weapons and items.