The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past/Versions
General differences
edit| Item | Super Nintendo | Game Boy Advance |
|---|---|---|
| Screen Resolution | 256 × 224 | 240 × 160 |
| Sleep Option | No | Present: Press L + R + Select to wake up |
| Triforce opening | Unskippable Screen flashes many colors |
Skippable Screen flashes white |
| Introductory Story | Plays during attract mode Skippable |
Plays during a new game Unskippable |
| Dungeon Names | No | Displayed upon entry |
| Item Menu | Every Bottle shares one position Bottle contents displayed in submenu Items highlight by a green circle |
Each Bottle has its own position The Shovel takes the Bottle's old position. Items highlighted by a green parenthesis |
| Secondary Item Indicator | Next to Magic Meter | Next to Heart Meter |
| Maiden text | Scrolls | Erases |
| Starting a saved game | May start in the Mountain Cave May not start where you last saved |
May not start in the Mountain Cave May start from the last save location |
| Stones and Skulls | Only the normal variety | Sparkling stones and skulls can be found Striking sparkling stones release Rupees and supplies Striking sparkling skulls creates lit bombs. |
| Spin Slash | Destroys 8 tiles around the center | Destroys 9 tiles, including the center |
| Diving | No | May now dive underwater briefly |
| Ending Triforce Speech | May not speed up text | Text may be sped up |
| Pyramid of Power | No hole at the east | A new hole at the east leads to a new dungeon (the Palace of the Four Sword) if properly unlocked |
| Riddle Quest | No | A third lumberjack, Q. Bumpkin, has been added Item Menu: "?", next to the Piece of Heart chart |
Audible/Visual changes
edit| Item | Super Nintendo | Game Boy Advance | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chopping down a sign | No | Newly added sound and graphics | |
| Audio | |||
| Link's voice | No | Young Link from Ocarina of Time can be heard during certain actions | |
| Dropped Bombs and Blocks | Silent | They make noise if they fall down a hole | |
| Walking in Misery Mire | Unique footsteps sound | Same as water footsteps sound | |
| Visual | |||
| Selection Screen | Link is inanimate | Link is running | |
| Super Bomb | No animation | The bomb pulsates while being dragged or set | |
| Maximum Rupee/Bombs/Arrow | Text remains white | Text turns yellow | |
| Faerie Queens | Items thrown in remains stationary | Items thrown in bob up and down | |
| Health Meter | The text "- Life -" is visible above the hearts | No text is present above the hearts | |
| West of the Dark Palace | Grass is formed in the shape of an arrow pointing to the skulls where you must use your Hookshot | A small broken bridge extends across the water to help you see the skulls on the other side | |
| Witch's assistant | Wears a hooded cloak | Maple from Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons | |
| Struck enemies | Flash a variety of colors | Flash gray | |
Weapon and item changes
edit| Item | Super Nintendo | Game Boy Advance |
|---|---|---|
| Swords | May not pick up any items May not chop down signs May not break pots/skulls |
May pick up items by swinging your sword Master Sword and above may chop down signs Only a Level 4 sword may break pots/skulls |
| Lamp | May not damage an enemy | May damage an enemy |
| Boomerang's cutting ability | Cannot cut signs, grass, or bushes | Boomerang: signs Magic Boomerang: signs, grass, and bushes |
| Arrows | May not break anything | Wooden arrows can break one pot/skull Silver arrows can break an entire row |
| Magic Powder | No effect on pots/skulls | Destroys pots/skulls |
| Magic Hammer | May not destroy stones, skulls, or bushes | May destroy bushes, light colored stones, and skulls |
| Shovel | May only shovel left or right Replaced by the Flute once you find it |
May shovel up or down as well You keep the Shovel after you find the Flute |
| Flute | No new landing points may be added | A new warp to Turtle Rock is available |
| Fire Rod | Does not burn bushes | May burn an entire row of bushes |
| Collecting Magic Items | No effect | Refills your magic meter |
Dungeon/Enemy changes
edit| Item | Super Nintendo | Game Boy Advance |
|---|---|---|
| Desert of Mystery | Original frequency and speed | More numerous and faster |
| Dark Palace | Kodongos' fire is visible in the darkness | Kodongos' fire is only visible in your lamp's light |
| Ice Palace | The Cane of Somaria can be used early, and use it to complete the Ice Palace puzzle quickly | The Cane of Somaria cannot be used to complete the Ice Palace puzzle as the rooms are altered |
| Turtle Rock Heart Piece | The enemies in the cave are Goriyas | The enemies in the cave are Eyegores |
| Like-Likes | No | Present near the Dark World Shield Shop |
Naming changes
edit| Item | Super Nintendo | Game Boy Advance |
|---|---|---|
| Special bee | Good Bee | Golden Bee |
| Fairies | Faerie | Fairy |
| Dash item | Pegasus Shoes | Pegasus Boots |
Miscellaneous changes
edit| Item | Super Nintendo | Game Boy Advance |
|---|---|---|
| Faerie appearing music | First four chords play every time | First four chords only play the first time |
| Lamp light cone | Cone is visible until one torch is lit | Cone is visible even after a torch is lit |
| Land Mines | Dashing over a mine detonates them | Dashing over a mine does not detonate them |
| Bunny beams | When turned into a bunny, you have a green tunic regardless of armor color | When turned into a bunny, the color of your tunic matches your armor. |
| Bunny Link | Link as a Bunny may not open treasure chests | Link as a Bunny may open treasure chests |
| Bombing walls | After the bomb explodes, dust falls from the hole | No dust falls from the hole |
| Red Rupee-giving trees | Obtainable every time you save, reset, and continue | Obtainable once per save file |
| Golden Bee | Must be captured from the Ice Cave east of Lake Hylia | May also be purchased from a brand new shop in the Village of Outcasts |
| Dark World Shop | The shop west of the Pyramid of Power sells a Red Shield, a Bee, and 10 Arrows | The shop west of the Pyramid of Power sells a Blue Shield, a Red Shield, and the Mirror Shield, but only if the Mirror Shield was obtained and lost |
| Angry Dark World Trees | They spit out a bomb the first time you touch them, then you may talk to them | You may talk to them, and then they spit out a bomb |
| Defeated Zora items | Bombs from defeated Zoras sink into the water | Bombs from defeated Zoras float above the water |
| Fairy appearance | Original rate | Increased frequency |
| Hyrule Cemetery | Unjumpable down over any stones | Jumpable down over stones on the Magic Cave grave |
| Treasure Field Heart Piece | Must leave the room and return to reset before retrying | May jump over the fence at the right, and walk back to retry, leaving all of the holes already tried |
| Chris Houlihan Room | The telepathic tile is present Original room name Reachable by various methods |
The telepathic tile is removed The room is called "Top Secret Room" Unreachable without an emulator or cheat device |