I've mentioned before that when it comes to repackaging its past, no one does it quite like Nintendo. Take a look through their back catalogue, and you'll find familiar names filling out their first-party titles - polished, repackaged and ready for action. A case in point is this year's release of Zelda: The Wind Waker on Wii U - a glorious high definition remake of the GameCube favourite.

Which leads us neatly to another Zelda title and another which takes its inspiration from the past, this time A Link to the Past - the Super Nintendo classic from 1992.

But rather than simply add a lick of paint and bring the game into the third dimension, Nintendo's finest have been beavering away to make this something truly special, re-imagining the 16-bit classic and re-branding the game as A Link Between Worlds.

Our green-clad hero is once again tasked with restoring balance to the world following the dastardly antics of Yuga, a mischievous menace who has turned the descendants of the Seven Sages - and princess Zelda - into paintings for his own nefarious goals. Of course, our lad Link is made of sterner stuff, and manages to resist Yuga's magic thanks to a special bracelet - although their encounter early in the game has a lasting impact and one which turns the familiar Zelda formula on its head.

After their meeting, Link is left with the ability to merge into walls, where he becomes a delightful stylised 2D painting. It's not just a fanciful visual gimmick either - it's a change which alters how the player navigates Link through the world and adds a devious dimension to a series of spellbinding dungeons crammed full of wonderful and imaginative puzzles.

Link's shape-shifting ability is also used to traverse between the worlds of Hyrule and Lorule - an essential element in Link's quest to save his beloved homeland.

But it's not just Link's ability to shape-shift that marks a major change from the glory days of the Super Nintendo. It used to be the case that Link would wind up in a dungeon, find a rather natty new weapon and proceed to use said weapon to vanquish a hulking great end of dungeon boss. But this age-old idea has been kicked into touch in favour of a much more interesting set-up.

Ravio - a mysterious purple hooded bunny - makes an early appearance and decides to turn Link's home into his own makeshift store. From here, Link can rent - and later buy - all those items that used to be squirrelled away in dark, monster-infested dungeons, including the trusty old bow, hookshot, boomerang and magic hammer.

Link is free to rent all of these items simultaneously and go about his business as he sees fit, tackling the smattering of dungeons in any order he pleases. The catch is that if our brave hero perishes in a dungeon, all these lovely items are whisked away, leaving him cold, lonely and a wee bit demoralised. While this gameplay change isn't as harsh as classic DS Roguelike Shiren the Wanderer (die in Shiren and you lose all your items, all your money, are reset to lvl 1 and are thrown back to the start of the game) it gives spelunking an edge, making the player slightly more cautious as a result. However, even if Link should fall in battle, a handy fast travel service - courtesy of a charming, but slightly grumpy witch - will get Link back on his feet relatively quickly, but it was touch I really liked and made an interesting change from the familiar Zelda formula.

Those who first plugged that smooth grey cartridge into their Super Nintendo back in the early Nineties are sure to go a bit misty-eyed when playing through Link's latest adventure. Familiar sights and sounds echo through time, although there's more than enough new content to keep the inquisitive entertained such as hunting down hidden Maiamai. Collecting these critters rewards the player in the form of weapon upgrades and what starts as nothing more than a casual sidequest soon lures the player off the beaten path to explore every inch of both Hyrule and Lorule.

While some criticised the Wind Waker for its drawn out travel, the same certainly cannot be said of A Link Between Worlds. This is as focused a Zelda game as you're ever likely to play. It's an instant thrill, with all the fat trimmed away to leave a sleek and speedy adventure. Even Link doesn't hang around, and happily jogs along at an energetic clip, eager to meet his next challenge head on.

Visually, 3D has been used to give a sense of depth throughout the dungeons and there are some truly marvellous lighting effects scattered throughout. But while the art style and little touches - such as the appearance of Majora's Mask - are fantastic, it's the soundtrack which really stands out. It's an utterly sublime score, successfully fusing old favourites with new renditions which stir old memories and delight in equal measure.

A Link Between Worlds is yet another must-have game for the 3DS and another high point for the Zelda series. Some may complain there's still not enough variation on a well-worn theme, but what is here is simply wonderful. Another Nintendo classic.