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A Link to the Past Redux

Original game : The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

Platform : SNES

Author : ShadowOne333

Release date : 11 March 2024

Category : Improvement

Patch version : 10.2.3

Modifications : G, L, T, P, O

Downloads : 55122

ROM Information

Database match: Legend of Zelda, The - A Link to the Past (USA)
Database: No-Intro: Super Nintendo Entertainment System (v. 20210222-050638)
File/ROM SHA-1: 6D4F10A8B10E10DBE624CB23CF03B88BB8252973
File/ROM MD5: 608C22B8FF930C62DC2DE54BCD6EBA72
File/ROM CRC32: 777AAC2F

Hack description

"The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Redux" is a fork of Conn & qwertymodo's A Link to the Past DX hack that further modifies the game to include changes to accommodate the game into the overall franchise, as well as renaming stuff badly translated and making changes for characters with official artwork not matching with the sprites/palettes in-game.



This version aims to keep consistence with the overall franchise, along with converting some of the odd palette/sprite choices that didn't match the original artwork of the game.

A Link to the Past Redux provides two main patches (either of which can be applied without the need of the other):

* New inventory GFX starting from version 7.0, which gives individual slots to every item, including one per each bottle and the shovel is handled as a separate and permanent item. Ocarina and Golden Bee names have been fixed manually for this too.

* New Retranslation patch, a companion to main Redux. This patch provides a completely new and unique retranslation of the game's script provided by the Translation Quest team that is primarily faithful to the Japanese text. (NOTE: This is an independent patch and should NOT be patched over the main Redux patch, but all optional patches should be compatible with it.)

NOTE: For the Original HUD optional patch, please be sure to read the entirety of the ReadMe file inside its folder. To sum it up, ONLY apply either Main Redux, OR one of the Original HUD patches. Don't patch one over the other as that will cause graphical glitches.

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As for the main changes for Redux:

* Max consumables for Bombs and Arrows are now 60 for Bombs and 99 for Arrows (v7.0 and onwards)
* Change Link's hair and hat to closely match his original artwork.
* Change Agahnim colours to match the original red robe and blue skin artwork.
* Changed Uncle's sprite to match official artwork.
* Change the Flute's name to Ocarina (I don't know in what world that instrument is a flute). This includes in-game text and Credits name changed too.
* Change the Good Bee's name to Golden Bee.
* Change Faerie to Fairy. This includes in-game text too.
* Change Pegasus Shoes to Pegasus Boots. This includes in-game text too.
* Change all the references of the "Wise Men" to "Sages".
* Change the layout of the Ice Palace to that of the GBA port. No more going around the entire palace just to get to the next room. As of v2.0, the Ice Palace new layout has been fixed to have 3 movable blocks in the new section. There was one movable block unused in one other Dungeon layout found in Room 240. (Why was it there?)
* King of Hyrule now has a red outfit instead of green to match the rest of the franchise's Kings of Hyrule (Like Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule from WW).
* Permanent Shovel, as well as being able to dig up items with it in the overworld.
* Skip the Title Screen sequence by pressing Start, you no longer have to wait until the Triforce and title screen finish their animation.
* A map shortcut has been added between Kakariko Village and Hyrule Castle (Kakariko Shortcut by PowerPanda) for accessibility., similar to the same shortcut in A Link Between Worlds.

* For v5.0, the final bug (palette shared between green soldiers and King of Hyrule) has been fixed. Thanks to Conn for this!

* Uncensored changes have been included too, as well as restoring some unused content. These changes focus on restoring censored content from A Link to the Past (J) and unused content for both ROMs (U and J). Some of the new content includes:



And for v7.5 and v8.0, thanks to RH user rainponcho, the bug with the Bunny palette and also the glitch with the LR Item switch for New GFX have been both fixed as well! Thank you so much, rainponcho!

Please refer to the A Link to the Past DX hack page by qwertymodo and Conn for more information on additional ASM changes over the original A Link to the Past (including L/R Item Switch).

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Don't like some of the new features? Or wish to change something that's not included by default?
Check the optional patches and customize your ROM as you see fit!


* Disable Dash Turning: Disable the Dash Turning feature, and use the Pegasus Boots like they worked originally in A Link to the Past.
* Enable FMV for MSU: This patch will enable the loading of the special FMV (Track 35) from the MSU files. (Please note that the hack itself ALREADY includes MSU-1 track loading, this patch simply enables the loading of that specific track #35 to avoid an issue with the game trying to always load the FMV, despite if the FMV itself exists or not in the same folder, which ends up in a 1~ minute black screen upon loading a new game.)
* Green Agahnim: Using this will revert the color of Agahnim from Red+Blue to his original Green robe from vanilla ALttP.
* Green Agahnim+Triforce Subtitle: Using this patch will revert the color of Agahnim from Red+Blue to his original Green robe, and also adds the new "TRIFORCE OF THE GODS" subtitle alongside it.
* Max Bomb-Arrows Amounts: This patch changes Link default Bombs & Arrows minimum and maximum amounts to be 20 to 99 for Bombs, and 30 to 99 for Arrows.
* Mirror Works in Both Worlds: This patch allows the Mirror to travel from both the Light and Dark Worlds (Light - Dark & Dark - Light), making it so that Link can travel between them at will, instead of only being able to use the Mirror to travel from Dark - Light World.
* Move Blocks Indefinitely: Gives Link the ability to move blocks (that can be moved) several times.
* Original Pink Hair Link: This patch reverts Link's new blonde hair to the original pink hair he had.
* Original Bomb-Arrows Amounts: This patch reverts Link default Bombs & Arrows minimum and maximum amounts to be those of the original ALttP, those being 10 to 50 for Bombs, and 30 to 70 for Arrows.
* Original HUD: These set of patches provide the full features of main Redux, but retain the original HUD found in vanilla ALttP. Be careful though, as if you want to use these, you should only apply one of the patches for this into a vanilla ROM directly.
* Remove Low Health Beep: Completely remove the constant beeping that plays when you're low on hearts.
* Start at Full Hearts: Makes Link spawn with a full set of hearts upon save load.
* Triforce of the Gods Subtitle: Using this will change the subtitle in the title screen from "A LINK TO THE PAST" to match the original Japanese subtitle of "TRIFORCE OF THE GODS".

Screenshots

Contributions

ContributorType of contributionDescription
ShadowOne333HackingMain Redux project and hacking
qwertymodoOriginal HackingALttP DX Original Creator
ConnOriginal HackingALttP DX Original Creator & New GFX
SCDOriginal HackingUncensoring contribution
KazutoOriginal HackingZelda 3 Max Consumables Fix Hack
rainponchoHackingBunny palette & LR Item Switch for New GFX fixes
Chicken KnifeScript Editing/RevisionFrom Translation Quest, new Retranslation work based on the Japanese script
DattebayoScript Editing/RevisionFrom Translation Quest, new Retranslation work based on the Japanese script
nejimakipiyoScript Editing/RevisionFrom Translation Quest, new Retranslation work based on the Japanese script
PowerPandaHackingKakariko Shortcut, Title Screen Skip, Shovel Treasures and Start at Full Hearts hacks

Reviews

New HUD and Inventory Screen are now optional!Uberdubie2024-06-21Version 10.2.3

This addition has officially changed my recommendation from a "No" to a "Yes" ...and I couldn't be more pleased!

As many have stated already, this hack is an incredible all-around improvement to experiencing Zelda ALttP. And I can confirm that's perfectly accurate. The new HUD with its oversized/horizontal Magic Meter was previously a deal-breaker for me, as I found it an impediment to the experience and otherwise minor annoyance. I see the new inventory screen as purely a matter of taste, but still preferred to play without that as well. Nonetheless, these two features weren't possible to revert to vanilla within this hack... until recently.

I'm focusing this review on the fact I'm now happily playing a patch that reverts these two features to the original (mixed with a few more optional patches), knowing how much of a sticking point they were with some in the community. And I'm confident anyone reading this who found these once-mandatory aspects to spoil the experience, will now be very happy with this improvement as well!

A sincere thanks also goes out to ShadowOne333 specifically, for selflessly reaching out to me, personally ensuring I can experience this hack the way I had always hoped to. They're truly a class act all the way.

I love itCoolCatBomberMan2024-02-28Version 10.2.2

This latest update (as of 2/26/24) is my 2nd or 3rd playthrough of Redux in particular. It goes without saying that Redux is by far the definitive ALttP experience, Palace of the Four Sword notwithstanding. Definitely give it a try yourself.

Great QoL features, but two things are missingThirteen 13552024-01-02Version 10.2.2

The changes featured in the available patches are just great. I especially like the "Triforce of the Gods" title change and the new translation.

I think there are some changes that require patches to remove them, as they seem divisive:

  • I personally like the new HUD, but many people seem not to.
  • The Ice Palace changes are a matter of personal preference. I really enjoy playing dungeons as they were originally designed, and I'm missing challenge in this dungeon.
  • I think there should be a patch that makes swords break pots only from Master Sword onwards, to create consistency with other 2D games.

Would be absolutely great, but unnecessary changes hold it backnuir2023-06-25Version 10.2.2

As other hacks by ShadowOne333 this one is, in general, a very good one. But (and it's a big but) I can't understand why some of the more intrusive parts of the hack were not left as optional additions. In particular, I don't find the changes introduced by the redesigned HUD and the new inventory to be of any value. Neither of these add anything good to the experience and, IMHO, are actually uglier than the originals. I'd even say this is also true for the new layout of the Ice Palace.

Fortunately the source code is available and so I could deactivate those changes manually, but that's really not a valid solution for most people. So, as it is, I can't really recommend it.

Unnecessary HUD changes spoil it for meProfessor C-Dawg2023-03-20Version 10.1

For the most part, I'm a huge fan of all the changes and additions made by Redux. Though there are some changes I dislike (mainly the sprite palette changes and the Pegasus Boots buff), most of these changes can thankfully be reverted via the optional additional patches.

However, I feel very let down by the unnecessary and mandatory HUD changes, which are not reversible. The new, horizontal magic meter in particular feels distracting and obtrusive compared to the original shorter, vertical one. Despite looking sleeker, it obscures a far more focal region of the gameplay than the original meter. I also find the redesigned inventory screen needlessly loud (visually speaking) and ugly compared to the original, somewhat more subdued design. Other changes (e.g. the new frame around the active item), while not as egregious, are still distracting by the simple virtue of being different (in a way that is not objectively superior, and often subjectively inferior).

If these HUD changes were optional, or if the new HUD was simply more faithful to the original, this would be an extremely easy "Yes" from me, but the HUD is such a central part of the experience that I can't look past these problems.

I would be very happy if an option to disable these HUD changes were added in the future (If the dev is listening: please?) :)

Best Vanilla ALttP HackEligames20092022-12-17Version 10.1

This hack is good in every way. I like how you can customize it with all the optional patches to make it you own. A Link to the Past is my first Zelda game, and i really like this improved version.

Hard to go back to vanilla ALttPd0k32022-11-12Version 10.1

This hack prompted me to write my first ever review on this site. I'm just in the process of finishing my v10.1 run, and apart from one minor issue (more below), I found no problems with ALttP Redux.

Good stuff: Improved UI, censorship removed, some minor graphical improvements (Link's hair color, Agahnim's robe, etc), (optional, highly recommended) retranslation and lots of stuff I probably forgot about. All changes feel natural to the game. After playing this, it's hard to go back to the original game.

One minor issue: I see no indicator whatsoever for the 1/2 magic meter upgrade. Was this forgotten?

Some more ideas for future versions:

There are still some annoyances left. A removed 999 rupee limit would be nice, as this game tends to fill your rupee stock quickly, and then you will lose lots of $$$ by not using your rupees quick enough.

The digging game heart piece is a well known annoyance. It is known it can only be gotten after digging at least 25 holes, and even then the chance is roughly 3%. Maybe remove the 25 hole requirement?

It would be nice (and would remove some repetitive tasks) if we could throw in 100 rupees a time in the well if wishes.

Also, there are several cases where a room must be exited and reentered tons of times for repetitive tasks, the well if wishes, the two fairy fountains, the digging game and the treasure game being several cases. Maybe these rooms can be reset without exiting? As for the well if wishes / fairy fountains, maybe the process of throwing in several things could be streamlined?

One for the ages..above and beyond..the definitive Link to the PastNintenja2022-09-09Version 10.1

Bravo! Well done! Excelsior! Wow..where to start. Just when i thought this game was perfect with v9.3 they come out swinging and literally improve upon that one so much further I literally cant think of one thing they could change or add for the next version. I feel like you guys are doing what Nintendo should for them and honestly they should drop their pride and source this version from this team for switch online..all the optional improvements/qol such as the dash turning,being able to use the mirror in both light and dark worls,the implemented msu1 audio patch,being able to move blocks again rather than having to leave and re-enter the room..as well as starting with full hearts each time you load the game are so welcome..but this and all the bug fixes wasnt enough for the team..they had to go even further and make a version of this with the spirit of the Japanese translation and its appropriate title..this to me is mind blowing as wow..its a whole different game story wise..Nintendo really censored the heck out of it in North America when it comes to religion. The hard work is so appreciated by the community especially all us 80's born nintenjas who grew up with this classic and to this day proclaim it as the one of the greatest games ever made. The importance of this project cannot be measured in mere words but in feelings..and emotion. I recently msgd shadowone333 and he is a great guy who really encouraged me to try to contribute to this community. Thank you shadowone333 and all contributors here..take a bow...you've earned it.

What a blessingphils3r2022-08-19Version 10.0

Mostly everything that annoyed me in the original game (I haven't played it as a child and just recently played it) was fixed. A lot of the optional patches are very welcomed. The overhauled Plot and QoL improvements in general are a blessing to the game. Less backtracking (in dungeons and in the overworld thanks to the mirror patch) and much more fun playing the game.

Just play it. It's way better than the original game.

Remember to apply the "Disable Dash Turning" optional patch.T922022-07-10Version 9.3

This hack it's by far the best way to play the game.

The QoL improvements make you no longer want to play the original version.

The MSU-1 support makes you able to hear the Four Swords Adventures, A Link Between Worlds or even fan-made remakes of the tracks.

The only thing I really didn't like was the Ancient Stone Tablets-like dashing, it removes every difficulty the game had, at least a patch to disable it was included in the download.

All the Reviews are TrueTRIFORCE892022-01-25Version 9.1

Especially like the GBA ice palace being ported over. And the Ancient Stone Tablet niceties.

Would like to see the Tower of the Triforce menu as an option someday, if possible. Feels a bit more vanilla while providing the full suite of items.

Issue with Chest Minigame in Dark WorldMega_Mega_X2021-12-14Version 9.1

This hack is amazing on all levels as many other reviews have pointed out but for those aiming to 100% the game, be aware that there may be an issue attempting to do do so.

I'll preface by saying I've completed the original many times with 100% but in this hack I played the Chest Minigame for the Heart Piece in the Dark World for approximately FOUR AND A HALF HOURS and the game absolutely refused to give it to me. I have gone back and tried to get it periodically for a few weeks after completing the game to no avail. In the original its never taken me more than a couple tries.

If this isn't an issue for you then you will have a blast with the hack. The contemporization of the game's terminology and the QOL mods are fantastic. But this little issue might nag at the back of head like it did to me.

The perfect way to play the gamebudtzcbs@gmail.com2021-11-06Version 9.1

Perfect - the new version makes it possible to disable the buff to the running shoes. It was always an odd addition to a patch that is focused on not changing the way the game played.

It is now possible to play the whole game as it was originally but with all the bugs/text errors removed - just perfect.

This is perfectYoshiWhite622021-11-04Version 9.1

For me TLOZ ALTTP is already one of the best 5 games on the snes, this hack improves the game without a doubt. I liked the effort they put into this hack and it definitely deserves a 10/10 All the improvements that at first seem to be unnecessary in the end serve to give a better experience.

Brilliant!TmDobbin2021-10-27Version 9.0

Not a whole lot to say apart from I love it! Inventory GFX are very nice, and generally makes the game better to play. Thanks!

Love the CollaborationJack_Vincent132021-10-22Version 9.0

The really is a definitive way to play a time honored classic. With all the Quality of life Changes and the added touch of cut graphics and palette changes for series consistency, this is a good base. Honestly I really prefer the original HUD and feel the the Item menu is boring, but with all the asm changes, still good.

A suggestion I have, the author Con actually made a hack, The Legend of Zelda the Tower of Triforce that I felt had a fantastic menu. I would love to see a version of this redux that was compatible with that menu. Sadly I tried many things to my ability and could not make the ToT menu work, Possibly an option patch as an updated?

Absolutely fantastic, what the game should have been at releaselinktothepast2021-10-20Version 9.0

This hack is amazing! Being able to turn while using the Pegasus Boots, break pots using the sword and change items with L and R feel so good that it makes the vanilla seem bad in comparison. I can't emphasize enough how good this hack is, once you try it you'll regret playing the original.

Most definitive way to play ALttPDazh2021-09-25Version 8.3.1

A Link to the Past - Redux is still even to this day the most definitive way to play one of the greatest titles of the 16-bit era by making small improvements and tweaks to make the experience just a little more enjoyable, yet keeping the original feel of the game!

This is the Way to do a Redux!Ziko2021-03-19Version 8.3

After concluding this epic game for the first time hours before typing this, I felt that in the end this hack accomplished everything I wished it did. The button layout was excellent considering I did emulate this title on SNES9x with a PS3 controller. The new GFX patch made the game feel like something that was made today and not back in 1992 when it first came out as I didn't care for the original HUD. It reminded me so much of Ocarina of Time and this was the selling point in my eyes.

The thing is, that hacks like this aren't really the standard and its a shame that it took this long for this to work out the way it did. I recently went back and played the very first game as it had an extensive Redux-style hack and was blown away by that one and this one gave me the same feeling if not more. I didn't notice any slowdown, glitches, etc. I just wish that more hacks like this existed though.

A great hack with just a bit butdolmonm2020-05-31Version 8.1

It works great and the modifications in item menu feel very nice, I just found a little problem: if you press the button to use the fire rod quick, the game freezes, you have to wait the first fireball disappears to throw the second one

My new "go-to" versionlightninghunter2018-08-17Version 8.1

This version is an improvement over the original game without changing anything too significant. The changes were all welcome, and I didn't find anything game-breaking. Here are some pros and cons:

Pros:

  • Being able to get 99 arrows and 99 bombs max was surprisingly the best feature of this mod. I always hated that I had a surplus of Rupees near the end of the game and nothing to do with them. This feature means you still have a reason to keep picking up those Rupees! Of course, you don't truly need 99 bombs and arrows, but the completionist side of me still loves this feature!
  • The minor graphical changes work surprisingly well, especially the new colors on Agahnim.
  • The L and R top button cycling through items was a good idea
  • Being able to change direction while dashing was fun
  • The new menu layout was nice; especially being able to keep the shovel and see all 4 bottles listed at the same time.

Cons:

  • Although the L & R item cycling is a good feature, it becomes useless near the end of the game when you have nearly 25 items in your collection. It takes too long to cycle through this many items, so I found myself just using the menu. I think it would be better to be able to assign L & R to items of your choice instead, but that might be too difficult to code (Really, I don't think anyone would complain if L selected arrows, and R selected bombs).
  • Being able to change direction while dashing is great, but it does make a few areas slightly easier, because you can now continuously dash through enemies without stopping, and usually without getting hurt.

The two cons on this list are minor nitpicks, really, and I would definitely recommend this hack to anyone!

A Vastly Better ExperienceShade Aurion2018-02-08Version 8.1

I've already finished the game with this hack before and am now doing a Let's Play on it for DudeGoBack for those that would like to see it in action - [video]

After completing the game with this hack, you guys deserve a pat on the back. Well done. The recolors look great and natural and now I cannot imagine the game any other way. All the dialog changes make a lot more sense story-wise and are much more informative. The gameplay tweaks are great too. I certainly prefer the ability to change direction with the Pegasus BOOTS (not shoes lol) I love the revamped item screen and magic bar placement too and adding in the minor cut out content just enriches the world more.

My only major issue was with the MSU and getting it to work with this hack. I simply could not get the music working properly. I had it working but the game would freeze before or after creating a save file which was disappointing but the original soundtrack is amazing enough anyway so its only a minor gripe and nothing to blame on this hack, rather then another hack working in conjunction with this one.

[EDIT] ShadowOne333 contacted me and I had the file names incorrect. I still had '_msu' at the end of each track and it just need -1,-2, etc after the rom filename. Also it works in the most recent release of SNES9x including on Retroarch. Make sure also not to install MSU over the top of this hack. I didn't but others have and that creates problems.

I played it originally on the SNES Classic Mini via Retroarch wherein I did encounter a glitch though. The Wizrobe's sprites were all messed up, everything else was fine.

[EDIT] This was fixed in v8.1

I'd say this is the best The Legend of Zelda III: A Link to the Past hack out there and overall gives a vastly better experience. If I had to rate this hack, i'd give it 9/10. I'd also say the ALttP Redux is the only way to play this game now, and it working via Retroarch on SNES Classic Mini is nice for modders making this game playable to a new generation of gamers to enjoy. I hope as many as possible apply this hack.

A perfectly understated revisionChicken Knife2018-02-05Version 8.1

A Link to the Past was a game that in my mind needed no revision at all. As far as I was concerned, the pink fluff on Link's head was either a headscarf or part of the hat itself. Now that we have this wonderful fix, it's amazing how much it actually does look like hair. After the NES days of 2 color sprites, I think Nintendo went a little color crazy just showing off what the SNES could do.

Clearly this hack does a lot more than make Link look like Link. The changes to movement while dashing is a positive, as is the added functionality of switching items with L and R. The renamed items were all incredibly appropriate. Blowing my "Ocarina" is almost as satisfying as Link's sandy blonde hair.

Great work by ShadowOne333, as always. Is there a fan club I can join?

Simply fantasticTruner2017-08-31Version 8.0

The amount of QoL fixes both DX and Redux bring to the table are mindblowing.

There was nothing wrong with A Link to the Past. Absolutely nothing. Yet all of these fixes are stuff that just make the game even better than it used to be. It's more consistent with the rest of the franchise and plays significantly closer to them too.

I wasn't too keen on the new menu graphics, but that's about it.

Are you thinking about playing/replaying A Link to the Past? This may as well be the definitive version of the game.

Now if only these hacks would work with the GBA version of the game...

A Link to the Past: Redefined for a Modern GenerationShockwaveS082017-05-28Version 8.0 (New G

For me, this is one of the best possible ways to revisit a classic SNES title. For one, this hack makes use of the entire controller now, assigning the L and R buttons to quickly swap between items without needing to bring up the Inventory screen. In addition, it makes some visual changes in the graphics and text/dialogue to maintain consistency with the rest of the Zelda timeline (no more pink hair for Link!). Should the GFX patch be applied instead, the HUD and Inventory get a much-needed retooling, to more resemble later entries in the series.

As of Version 8.0, ShadowOne333 has finally restored balance to the Triforce. The ROMhacking.net community embodied all three aspects of it to help him stamp out the remaining bugs in this revitalization of a classic entry of the Zelda series. Everyone involved with this project held the Wisdom and Courage to assist the author with bug-reports and programming and coding advice, and those who went one step beyond utilized the Power of the best tools made by fans, for fans, to wrangle the lore, visuals, and controls to fall in line with the rest of the Zelda timeline.

Whether you choose Vanilla or NewGFX Inventory Screens, you will not be disappointed with this fan-remaster!

Cherry on top of the cakeBallz2017-02-04Version 6.1

A very nice addendum to go with qwerty and con's excellent Link to the Past DX hack. While the changes are minor - especially compared with the original - they are much welcome and I honestly think these changes should be incorporated into that original hack.

There really isn't much more to say that isn't already mentioned in hack's description. The ocarina is called an ocarina, a handful of typos from the original game are fixed, and some minor graphic and palette changes help bring the game more in line with the later installments of the series.

Probably the biggest and most controversial change is the Ice Palace layout has been altered to reflect the Game Boy Advance re-release. It theoretically makes working your way through the dungeon more logical, but in the end that preference may just rest on you.

So in the end would I say the changes made with this hack are essential? No, but I would say they are much appreciated and like a tasty cherry on top of a cake, help make an already-excellent hack stand out even more.

Great stuffspiffy2016-02-04Version 3.2

An extremely enjoyable variant of ALLTP DX, with many little graphical/textual tweaks that make the game more consistent with its official artwork and the franchise as a whole. I'm also VERY grateful that the Ice Palace was modified to be more like the GBA version!