Link's Awakened

The Nightmare boss at the end of Link's Awakening is an absolute bitch. I haven't had my heart racing and my body deking from side to side like that during a handheld Zelda boss fight for far too long.

Before that boss fight, in a great example of anti-climax, I didn't need to draw up a map or anything to get the Nightmare's key in Turtle Rock. I needed a regular key, which I already had, and to find the stairs leading to the boss door. Handily doing both within minutes and then being convinced (and later having it confirmed) that the Wind Fish's Egg wasn't a full dungeon, I figured I might as well just finish the game. So, I did.

Upon finding the Egg to be a puzzle, I called up Ulrira. His tip agreed with my tuition and I ran over to the library.

Already prepped with paper and pen at hand, I wrote down the way through the Egg maze, and rushed off to the Egg. Burning all of the enemies along the way, of course.

However, the greatest puzzle of all (mostly because there was no companion to pull me aside and say - "Ganon's weak to your sword spin!" Or, "The Giant Bot sure does look like it'd hate thickener...") - the Nightmare boss nearly did me in.

Thankfully, completely aware of what I had with me, and armed with my knowledge of Zelda bosses up to this game (and that I had one of Crazy Tracy's potions), I battled on.

The menu screen was called up for a few quick time-outs and to get my bearings, and, after switching Roc's Feather in for the shield and my bow for the sword, I jumped and dodged and shot until the Nightmare boss's final form (which reminds me of Vaati's (in The Minish Cap), actually) was arrowed to death. The Nightmare boss called me out for ruining its plan of dream domination, and I briefly met the Wind Fish before waking us both up with the eight instruments.

I'm glad that Marin was the last we see vanish (before the whole island is shown disappearing, at least), and the Wind Fish's flying over Link suggests that it was a very real dream indeed.

Now, though, I'm left wondering two things: How is the ending different if you finish the game with zero deaths? And, just how long was Link passed out while clutching those two logs for buoyancy?

I may never learn the answer to the latter, but the answer to the former will be discovered once I've cleared the rest of my game backlog. For now - consider The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening completed!