Game & Watch The Legend of Zelda review: Hours of fun

While Nintendo takes a lot of guff these days for not having a video game console that can hang with the PS5 or the Xbox Series X/S graphics wise, it’s always interesting to think how ahead of the game the company can be at times. Take the Game & Watch handheld devices Nintendo rolled out a few years back. It managed to take advantage of the demand for handheld gaming but put its own spin on it.

I didn’t have the opportunity to get my hands on the Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda until recently and realized almost immediately what I’d been missing all this time. Hardcore gamers can have their SteamDeck, their Asus Rog Ally, or their MSI Claw with souped-up graphics and powerful processors. I’ll take this little device that lets me play some of the best video games of all time whenever I want and wherever I happen to be.

Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda

The Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda is a handheld system packed with Legend of Zelda classic games, including the original Legend of Zelda, its sequel, and Link’s Awakening.

Pros

• The screen is sharp and clean
• Truly pocket sized so it can go with me everywhere
• The sounds are strong and clear
• Packed with games for dozens of hours of play

Cons

• The screen is small so I had to hold it pretty close to my face

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Price, availability, and specs

The Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda is going fast

The Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda retails for about $48 and while it was widely available when it was first released, the only place you can currently find it in stock is at Amazon.com as even the Nintendo web store no longer offers the handheld device. Amazon is also not exactly flush with models of this, and pretty soon, the only place you’ll be able to get it will be on eBay or other secondary marketplaces.

The 1.06 x 6.14 x 3.5 inches makes for a small device that fits right in the palm of my hand. At just 5 ounces, it’s easily portable and fits into a pants pocket or purse well. The device runs on a USB-C rechargeable lithium battery.

What I liked about Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda

Perfectly portable with plenty of retro fun

First and foremost, what I like the most about the Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda is that it simply offers an absolute ton of games in a tiny package. It’s been years since I took a look at the original Legend of Zelda, and despite considering myself a gamer for most of my life, I am ashamed to admit that I never picked up Legend of Zelda II or the GameBoy title Link’s Awakening when they were originally released.

This little handheld device allowed me to revisit a game that I loved when it first came out and also examine a couple of titles that have long been touted as some of the best games in history in a very new way. This allows me to enjoy hours and hours of gaming content with the added bonus that I can play it everywhere.

I’m not someone who generally loves smaller-screen devices. I have a SteamDeck and a Nintendo Switch that tend to collect more dust than they should simply because I prefer a massive television screen when I’m gaming. However, I had no problem using the Game & Watch’s comparatively tiny screen or buttons. Some of that is admittedly the novelty of the thing, but not all of it.

While this handheld is decidedly retro, it also brings forward more modern conveniences like saving your progress when I pause or power off to go do something else for a bit so that I can pick up right where I left off. This is a must, considering I generally don’t have time in my day to sit down and play a game for two or three hours at a time. The device is perfect for short bursts of playing during a break.

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What I don’t like about Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda

It’s small, but some would see that as more of a feature than a bug

If only because I have to figure out something not to like about the device, the screen is indeed really, really small. It’s smaller than the Nintendo Switch. It’s smaller than the SteamDeck, by a lot. In order to make sure I see everything coming at Link in these games, I often had to hold this a little closer to my face than I normally would. I suppose that can be a drawback. But the screen isn’t so small that I can’t play on it, so the only drawback is far from a massive downer.

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Should you buy the Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda

You should only buy the Legend of Zelda Game & Watch if you like having fun

The short answer to the question “Should you buy this?” is “Yes.” The longer answer is “Yes, absolutely do it now.” This handheld isn’t particularly cheap, but the near $50 price tag is well worth the investment. With The Legend of Zelda, The Legend of Zelda 2, Link’s Awakening, and some other fun features, including a Whack-A-Mole game called Vermin, it’s a great ROI. I would suggest buying it soon, as it seems likely that the price will go up when eBay is the only place left you can find it.

Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda

The Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda is a handheld system packed with Legend of Zelda classic games, including the original Legend of Zelda, its sequel, and Link’s Awakening.

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