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Breaking down what’s old and new in the 3DS’s upcoming lineup

What do Donkey Kong, The Legend of Zelda, Mario & Luigi, and Animal Crossing have in common? They're all a part of Nintendo's spring and summer library for the 3DS. Here's what you need to know about each of them.
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Title: A sequel to The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (no official name yet)
Release date: Holiday 2013

Link can flatten himself into a 2D drawing to go to hard-to-reach areas, like in the balcony behind this window. Using the ability drains the green meter, which automatically regenerates.
Link scales up the tower using red blocks. With the 3D turned on, it kind of looks like Link is jumping at you.
Link has access to his basic sword attacks, including the charged whirlwind strike.
Chopping grass to find Rupees never gets old.
Moldorm reappears in the sequel at the top of the tower (now 13 floors high compared to the original’s six). The strategy remains the same: You can only hurt it by hitting the glowing tail.

A sequel to WHAT!?

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System is like the Bible of video games — and you just can’t write a sequel to the Bible. Yet that’s exactly what Nintendo is doing with this upcoming Zelda title (which we’ll just call A Link to the Past 2 for now). While it’s set in the same world many gamers know and love, A Link to the Past 2 tells an original story with all-new dungeons to explore.

What’s old or new about it?

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It’s been a long time since the last time we even touched A Link to the Past, but it’s a classic for a reason: the music and the animations are just timeless. Small touches, like the sound of powering up Link’s sword for his whirlwind strike or the rousing melody heard when opening up a treasure chest, are kept intact. Familiar enemies and color-coded puzzle switches from the original also make an appearance.

Where A Link to the Past 2 deviates the most from its predecessor is its perspective. In this demo, you play from a top-down view as Link launches himself higher and higher into the tower by smashing smiling red blocks with his hammer. Link also has a new tool in his arsenal: he can flatten himself into walls to cross previously unseen areas or bypass obstacles.

Did you know?

“In this new game, Link can become a chalk drawing and move within walls,” said a Nintendo representative. “Even if players remain still in this form, the drawing of Link will continue to animate, reminiscent of a popular 1980s music video!”

The dungeon featured in the demo (and in the screens here) is actually a souped-up version of the Tower of Hera from the original Link to the Past. It features the return of a familiar boss, the worm-like Moldorm. Nintendo wouldn’t say either way if what we played is in the final game.