Zelda II: The Adventure of Link

"More than just a Dark Horse"

There is a big cliché in the Zelda series. The Adventure of Link is the “dark horse”. In all honesty, it simply was the camera perspective that caused so many fans to go berserk and channel this negative emotion at this installment. In reality, The Adventure of Link was just too advanced and too ahead of its time to be appreciated, and it dared to take Zelda into the realm of a more traditional RPG.

Gameplay

If you are going to penalize this game because of its side-scrolling mechanics, then you better be ready to bash some other great side-scrolling adventures as well. The stigma of The Adventure of Link is the fact the game was so radically different from the first, compounded with the retrospective it earned with every single game after being in the “standard” Zelda format. Simply put, the gameplay of Zelda II was doomed because of a cruel fate weaved for it by fans.

The Legend of Zelda was a lot about action, much to the dismay of those who will swear to you that it is simply about puzzle-solving. Sure, you have to explore a lot in the Legend of Zelda, but bombing walls and killing all enemies in a room to push a block really isn't that complicated. The Adventure of Link was every bit as challenging in the puzzle department, forcing you to navigate huge dungeons that dwarfed the originals, and try to locate paths across the overland routes. Figuring out how to walk to the Palace on the Sea? Locating that invisible wall in the same palace? Honestly, Zelda II provided its fair share of think-traps.

Perhaps a reason fans didn't take to this game as much as others is the fact it included a level system with experience points, and the ability to cast spells. Defeating enemies will earn Link experience, and upon reaching the experience requirement, he could level up his life, attack of magic. In addition, Link could learn new fighting techniques and spells from wizards and knights. The depth in Zelda II really was amazing, and it provided for a much more complicated challenge and rewarding experience for those who actually decided to spend more than an hour with the game.

The format of the game, however, is much like its predecessor. You must find your way into dungeons, collect the item in the dungeon to move on, and beat a boss to find yourself one step closer to the final dungeon. The real genius is what you do outside of the dungeons. The Legend of Zelda had a pretty life-less world. Zelda II offers sprawling towns with villagers whom you could converse with. The side-quest was introduced properly in this game, as Link has to help out villagers in order to obtain items that allowed him to progress.

It really is a shame this game is so disliked. While it may not be one of the best Zelda games, for the time it came out, it certainly was one of the best games made, and I am sure further down the road, game purists will appreciate Zelda II more for what it truly did to the Zelda series, and the RPG series as a whole.

Graphics

Since Zelda II was developed in just about a year after the original game's release, there really isn't a noticeable improvement in graphics. Sure, they may look a bit different because of the perspective, but the quality of the sprite work is really not that superior to the predecessor.

The overworld is pretty bleak and is barely more impressive than the overworld of the original. I know it is merely a map, much like Final Fantasy has in each game, but everything seemed so blocky and didn't flow together well. Still, it achieved its purpose and didn't exactly detract from the experience.

The side-scrolling portions were a bit better. While there were not any layering effects due to the limitations at the time, the backgrounds of the dungeons were not bad. Character and enemy animation was a step above the original game, giving them more life and mobility. The towns also showed a bit of variety depending on their location to give a slight illusion of culture.

Overall, it's barely a step above the original, but it was an improvement. I am sure, though, if you didn't experience this game or the original the first time around, you will find the graphics simply horrific. Even later NES games have noticeably better graphics, but keep in mind this game was released in nearer to the start of the NES days.

Audio

There are some who will say the Japanese version had superior sound effects and music for both the original installments. While this is really a matter of opinion, it is pretty much agreed that Zelda II had probably the least memorable soundtrack of all the games. The temple theme is probably the most recognizable tune to the average fan. The overworld music has a hint of the classic Zelda them, but then transforms into something completely original, yet not too unfamiliar.

The game did boast a lot more tracks than the original, with music for boss battles, regular enemy encounters, caverns, towns, dungeons and even the final dungeon had its own theme just like Level 9 in the original. I think that the game was trying to do too much with the audio with just too little technology. Like the original, the sound effects also weren't anything spectacular.

The most common sound effect you will hear is Link swinging his sword, and then making the occasional thud when you strike a foe or the clang when you hit their shield or a solid object. Overall, the effects aren't that much better than the originals, there is just more effects in general.

Challenge, Fun, Replay Value

This game is definitely not for those who grew up on Ocarina of Time. Nintendo has been extremely generous in its recent outings in terms of in-game help. Just like the original, this game provides the bear minimum in help for the player. Even more than the original, this game has extremely tough battles and dungeons. In fact, your average player testing this game out for the first time will probably throw a fit. I seriously doubt anyone completed this game without the aid of some outside resource such as a guide or a help forum.

If you can beat this game without dying once, consider yourself a very good gamer. The game may not be that fun, though, if you become easily frustrated at such a difficult game as this. Some of you, though, who love games that make you try, will enjoy the challenge. Either way, it probably isn't as fun as the original in terms of how easy it is to pick it up and play. Zelda II definitely has a steeper learning curve.

While the original game provided you with a whole new quest when you completed the game, Zelda II provided you with the same quest again; except you were at the same levels you were at when you completed the game. So if you have maxed out stats, you can begin with those stats. You also have all the spells you learned ready to go. The only things you lack are items you collected, and of course, all the dungeons are reset. Still, it is fun to go through the game with such ease at the start, and it can be addicting fro awhile. But the game probably won't keep a hold of you as long as the original.

Final Verdict

There's nothing I can really say to make you enjoy this game as much as I did. You either love it or hate it; there really isn't an in-between with most fans. Sadly, the majority err on the side of “hate it”. If you have some old-school blood in you, and you love a two-dimensional game with challenge, then you probably will find Zelda II to be rewarding. If you are a fan of old school RPGs, Zelda II may also strike a chord with you. However, if you are in love with Ocarina of Time and all sub-sequent games, you may find it hard to swallow Zelda II. But if for nothing else, give it a try to see where some of the influences in later games came from.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 12/06/05