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

 

[tonyhoro]

Oh boy, good luck if you are uploading every version. In the past year this game has been updated every single day. Now that it is more stable, it is being updated in about 2 days to 2 weeks at max.

The guy is insane, ever since he released the first update there's commits almost every day, even on sundays and holidays. And that's awesome. I've never seen someone that dedicated.


This is the one, just updated. This "dropped" version is included in the download link, as version 1.0.0

Oh i didnt know that! I thought this never got an update and this here was just a decompilation project. Glad the guy kept developing it.

 

[CSmith327]

Updated to v1.7.1:

The "WOOF! DIG! RUFF!" Update​

• Remove BowWow collision, update AI to be more like the original game, and make chain transparent.
• When the UI is hidden with the ~ key, don't hide the textbox or the the dialog choice boxes.
• Add controller support for Android devices where it is not properly detected like GameMT E5 Ultra.
• Fix BowWow temporarily getting stuck and the chain refused to pull him when he is a follower.
• Fix MacOS builds which were compiled incorrectly with Linux dependencies (credit @aitorciki).
• Fix hiding the UI when "Disable Blur" is enabled. Note that disable blur breaks rounded corners.
• Fix window scaling/stuttering issues for some Windows users. Only affects the DirectX build.
• Fix some dialog for the man at the Hen House in the German translation (credit @mrmercy82).

 

[mkol103]

Great to see this! When I switched to Linux the updater didn't work with Wine for me so glad I can just download it here. Good luck to you to keep this up-to-date! I think the creator is on like version "final (actually final) 100% complete (5)"

 

[parse]

Darn, I was expecting longer of a wait. I'll upload the updated versions tomorrow. For people who already have this all you need to do is place the 1.7.1 patcher exe from the Github releases page into the folder of the one you have (or get the 1.0.0 one if you got the Android one since it only had an .apk) and run the patch exe to patch it for the win/linux/macos versions or generate an updated .apk

Post automatically merged: Apr 1, 2026

No love for Minish Cap?

Oh boy, good luck if you are uploading every version. In the past year this game has been updated every single day. Now that it is more stable, it is being updated in about 2 days to 2 weeks at max.

The guy is insane, ever since he released the first update there's commits almost every day, even on sundays and holidays. And that's awesome. I've never seen someone that dedicated.

Do you guys remember that Links Awakening remake for Windows that a guy randomly dropped and it was removed from the internet? You could even zoom out the entire game world and see all enemies at once.

I still have it, and I'd like to post it here on RGT, how can we do this? I'm from the writer's guild but not an uploader.

This is the one, just updated. This "dropped" version is included in the download link, as version 1.0.0

 

[tonyhoro]

Do you guys remember that Links Awakening remake for Windows that a guy randomly dropped and it was removed from the internet? You could even zoom out the entire game world and see all enemies at once.

I still have it, and I'd like to post it here on RGT, how can we do this? I'm from the writer's guild but not an uploader.

 

[CSmith327]

idk why the patcher is like 2x the actual game size lol.

Because it has all the data needed to build 7 separate versions of it

 

[Rocket2049]

... place the 1.7.1 patcher exe from the Github releases page into the folder ...

idk why the patcher is like 2x the actual game size lol.

 

[CSmith327]

Version 1.7.1 is out :D

Darn, I was expecting longer of a wait. I'll upload the updated versions tomorrow. For people who already have this all you need to do is place the 1.7.1 patcher exe from the Github releases page into the folder of the one you have (or get the 1.0.0 one if you got the Android one since it only had an .apk) and run the patch exe to patch it for the win/linux/macos versions or generate an updated .apk

Post automatically merged: Apr 1, 2026

dude i want remakes like this for all the 2d zelda games, zelda 1 NES, LTTP SNES, maybe even 4 swords GBA.


testing it more, DX11 uses less CPU (like 6% at most), and boots up instantly
openGL i have to wait like 6 seconds to skip the intro (loading on bottom right), uses slight more CPU (11%) and a small amount more ram usage (too small to be worth mentioning like 200mb)
noting this is on a Ryzen 8700f CPU, 32gb ram, RTX5060 so i wouldn't expect any issues anyways lol

No love for Minish Cap?

 

[Illuminary]

Version 1.7.1 is out :D

 

[Rocket2049]

Waiting for the day a remake like this is available for Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages as well.

dude i want remakes like this for all the 2d zelda games, zelda 1 NES, LTTP SNES, maybe even 4 swords GBA.

Seems like the DX11 version is best for Windows, but the OpenGL version will work with Windows and Linux.

testing it more, DX11 uses less CPU (like 6% at most), and boots up instantly
openGL i have to wait like 6 seconds to skip the intro (loading on bottom right), uses slight more CPU (11%) and a small amount more ram usage (too small to be worth mentioning like 200mb)
noting this is on a Ryzen 8700f CPU, 32gb ram, RTX5060 so i wouldn't expect any issues anyways lol

 

[CSmith327]

Thanks for adding this here. Funny i searched this here a couple of days ago when it was mentioned on a popular retro device youtuber's newsletter.

Hmm only played the Switch version last year but i'd like to try it on my android tablet. So i just need the apk? I don't need to download any other files?

Yeah, all you gotta do is install the .apk file. It looks like this and is pretty lightweight with it being less than 45 MBs

 

[3cchig0]

Thanks for adding this here. Funny i searched this here a couple of days ago when it was mentioned on a popular retro device youtuber's newsletter.

Hmm only played the Switch version last year but i'd like to try it on my android tablet. So i just need the apk? I don't need to download any other files?

 

[fmsynthetic]

View attachment 169684
them folks at 'nintendorks' are doing ther thing, yeah.


quick info for those of you, whose skills at linux 'compiling, installing and shit' are terrible like mine - windows dx version works great under linux, at least under zorin os, which has 'native' windows app support :)

[imagine the sort of post regarding Nintendo and what should happen to them that I can't actually make here]

 

[Yaro]

them folks at 'nintendorks' are doing ther thing, yeah.


quick info for those of you, whose skills at linux 'compiling, installing and shit' are terrible like mine - windows dx version works great under linux, at least under zorin os, which has 'native' windows app support :)

 

[the_shagohod]

BTW any major differences between Windows openGL or DX11?
the DX11 one loads to title screen much faster so i'm using that one. (windows 11)

Seems like the DX11 version is best for Windows, but the OpenGL version will work with Windows and Linux.

 

[Majora Fi]

THANK YOU!
THANK YOU!
THANK YOOOOOOOOOOU!!!!!!!!!!

 

[MarkDonut]

Does anyone know how to port the ARM version of Link's Awakening HD to work on a Raspberry Pi 4 in batocera ?

go into file browser mode in batocera and change the executable file to executable by everyone, was set to nobody for me and ran once i changed it.

you'll need to make a shell script to launch it, i renamed my folder and executable to ladxhd and my sh file contents look like this:

#!/bin/bash
cd /userdata/roms/ports/ladxhd && export DISPLAY=:0.0; ./ladxhd

 

[Don Patch]

No that this isn't cool, but I clicked on it all super-excited thinking it was the N64 remake that was based on the manga from a few years back.... I don't think that ever came out...
Still neat tho.

 

[FillerBunnyNinjashark]

Can you switch items without going to the menu? That's my biggest issue with the gb Zelda games

You can equip items to your face buttons. You can set it up 4 or 6 buttons. It automatically sets new items to open spaces

 

[badpsp]

Can you switch items without going to the menu? That's my biggest issue with the gb Zelda games

 

[FillerBunnyNinjashark]

I'm a masochist with tons of time to spare, I'll keep it updated when any notable updates come out. The next updates will probably be to improve the Mac one. Since it was only fully implemented in this version. The release for 1.7.0 made it sound like there won't be one for a while, hopefully.

Yep, I think this is the only apk download on the repo. It works pretty good too from my testing of it. It said it supports like 4 versions of Android and I can confirm it works on Android 7.1.2.

Post automatically merged: Mar 31, 2026

Download the Linux x86-64 one and try what it says in my screenshot. This is what Google AI overview says to do to launch from Linux executable files with Steam Deck. The file Link's Awakening DX HD that doesn't have an extension is the executable for the game.

Works great on my Retroid Pocket Mini and takes up the entire screen

 

[CSmith327]

this is one that need more updates them most roms/games posted here
with updated around every 2 days

I'm a masochist with tons of time to spare, I'll keep it updated when any notable updates come out. The next updates will probably be to improve the Mac one. Since it was only fully implemented in this version. The release for 1.7.0 made it sound like there won't be one for a while, hopefully.

Is this the first time cdromance hosted an android apk

Yep, I think this is the only apk download on the repo. It works pretty good too from my testing of it. It said it supports like 4 versions of Android and I can confirm it works on Android 7.1.2.

Post automatically merged: Mar 31, 2026

Anyone get any of these versions running on steam deck?

Download the Linux x86-64 one and try what it says in my screenshot. This is what Google AI overview says to do to launch from Linux executable files with Steam Deck. The file Link's Awakening DX HD that doesn't have an extension is the executable for the game.

 

[Jeff]

Anyone know how to patch the MacOS version?

 

[B-Nerd1]

It is possible to run this on the Anbernic linux handhelds?

yes but you need wine you make the linux version

 

[ChronoCloud]

Anyone get any of these versions running on steam deck?