Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
Platforms: NES, GCN(The Legend of Zelda: Collector's Edition), GBA, Wii(VC), 3DS(VC)
Players: 1
Original Release Date(s): Sept 1 1988(US), Nov 26 1988(EU), Jan 14 1987(JP)
Much like with the western release of Super Mario Bros. 2 Nintendo which was drastically different to the original, although that did start out life as a totally different game to begin with, Zelda II on the other hand was built as a Zelda game from the start and takes a huge departure from the original game in many ways. Although the game is often considered the weakest entry into the series by many it does offer some aspects that will return in every game after such as magic and the amount of intractable NPCs within the game.
Much like the original this game was originally released on the Famicom Disk System and was later released on cartridge for it's western release.
Presentation
The one thing that is massively different to any other games in the series is that has much more in common with your traditional RPG than other games in the series by having an experience and level up system which is something that never appeared again at least at the point of writing this review anyway. Although the game does feature a bit more of a stucture than the first once you die you have to start al the way back at the start of the game and progress all the way back through certain areas, definitely a step in the right direction over the first but one that seems a little hit and miss in places as you cant simply avoid certain areas that you already progressed through.
Graphics
If there is ever a Zelda game that doesn't actually look like a Zelda game for the most part it would be this one as it looks very different to the one that came before it and the ones that came after and that is mainly in many ways because of the top down view being changed for the action sections to side scrolling ones and even the top down over world sections resemble Dragon Quest more than a Zelda game but then maybe that suits the games more RPG style than other games in the series.
Sound
The music in this game is not bad in any way shape or form it is just possibly the least memorable of all of the series for me amybe it is because of all the ones I have played I have played it the least, although some tunes are catchy and may even get stuck in your head if you decided to do an endless grind at the start of the game to gain some experience points.
The sound effects are once again nothing special but serve their purpose very well indeed and don't get in the way of the game at all.
Gameplay
Definitely the biggest change of anything is just how the game plays the over world map is simply that just a map as no real combat actions can be taken as it is simply a way of getting into towns caves and random battles with enemies, the action areas all take place on side scrolling sections and play more like the original Metroid than the first Zelda, with an attack button and a jump button, there is also the aspect of gaining experience points from defeating enemies in the game to be able to make your self stronger making the game much more RPG like than any other Zelda but the grinding at times can often slow the pace of the game down compares to other Zelda's.
There is also the fact that this game is considered one of the toughest games in the series and in many parts that is due to the slightly frustrating jumping and the often insanely hard difficulty and at times it can be very unforgiving because unlike the first games if you lose all you lives in a dungeon instead of starting back at the start when you continue you have to start from the start of the game and when you get far into the game this can be frustrating, not only that but adding to the frustration all the experience that you have earned on the way to the next level will be lost when you continue further adding to the frustration.
Lasting Appeal
If you stick with the game and manage to get through some of the earlier dungeons the later ones get even harder so it can take you some time to actually beat the game for the first time due to the difficulty and some of the more awkward jumping sections, but sticking with it can be a rewarding experience as there is a good adventure in there it just takes a lot of patience to get through the game at times.
Overall
For the most part I have put down this game but then there seem to have been a few poor design choices making the game at times incredibly frustrating and hard, but despite all of that there is still a really great game here and for any one who is a fan of Zelda they will know the game has a massive place in the history of the series and it is well worth playing the game for what it is and not what it isn't and it is a really hard challenging adventure game, it may be consider the black sheep of the Zelda series but that is mainly because it is so different to the game that came directly before it and the two that came directly after and because of the difficulty, remember different and hard don't make a game bad and this is far from a bad game and well worth getting for any Zelda fan that wants a challenge.
Scores
Players: 1
Original Release Date(s): Sept 1 1988(US), Nov 26 1988(EU), Jan 14 1987(JP)
Much like with the western release of Super Mario Bros. 2 Nintendo which was drastically different to the original, although that did start out life as a totally different game to begin with, Zelda II on the other hand was built as a Zelda game from the start and takes a huge departure from the original game in many ways. Although the game is often considered the weakest entry into the series by many it does offer some aspects that will return in every game after such as magic and the amount of intractable NPCs within the game.
Much like the original this game was originally released on the Famicom Disk System and was later released on cartridge for it's western release.
Presentation
The one thing that is massively different to any other games in the series is that has much more in common with your traditional RPG than other games in the series by having an experience and level up system which is something that never appeared again at least at the point of writing this review anyway. Although the game does feature a bit more of a stucture than the first once you die you have to start al the way back at the start of the game and progress all the way back through certain areas, definitely a step in the right direction over the first but one that seems a little hit and miss in places as you cant simply avoid certain areas that you already progressed through.
Graphics
If there is ever a Zelda game that doesn't actually look like a Zelda game for the most part it would be this one as it looks very different to the one that came before it and the ones that came after and that is mainly in many ways because of the top down view being changed for the action sections to side scrolling ones and even the top down over world sections resemble Dragon Quest more than a Zelda game but then maybe that suits the games more RPG style than other games in the series.
Sound
The music in this game is not bad in any way shape or form it is just possibly the least memorable of all of the series for me amybe it is because of all the ones I have played I have played it the least, although some tunes are catchy and may even get stuck in your head if you decided to do an endless grind at the start of the game to gain some experience points.
The sound effects are once again nothing special but serve their purpose very well indeed and don't get in the way of the game at all.
Gameplay
Definitely the biggest change of anything is just how the game plays the over world map is simply that just a map as no real combat actions can be taken as it is simply a way of getting into towns caves and random battles with enemies, the action areas all take place on side scrolling sections and play more like the original Metroid than the first Zelda, with an attack button and a jump button, there is also the aspect of gaining experience points from defeating enemies in the game to be able to make your self stronger making the game much more RPG like than any other Zelda but the grinding at times can often slow the pace of the game down compares to other Zelda's.
There is also the fact that this game is considered one of the toughest games in the series and in many parts that is due to the slightly frustrating jumping and the often insanely hard difficulty and at times it can be very unforgiving because unlike the first games if you lose all you lives in a dungeon instead of starting back at the start when you continue you have to start from the start of the game and when you get far into the game this can be frustrating, not only that but adding to the frustration all the experience that you have earned on the way to the next level will be lost when you continue further adding to the frustration.
Lasting Appeal
If you stick with the game and manage to get through some of the earlier dungeons the later ones get even harder so it can take you some time to actually beat the game for the first time due to the difficulty and some of the more awkward jumping sections, but sticking with it can be a rewarding experience as there is a good adventure in there it just takes a lot of patience to get through the game at times.
Overall
For the most part I have put down this game but then there seem to have been a few poor design choices making the game at times incredibly frustrating and hard, but despite all of that there is still a really great game here and for any one who is a fan of Zelda they will know the game has a massive place in the history of the series and it is well worth playing the game for what it is and not what it isn't and it is a really hard challenging adventure game, it may be consider the black sheep of the Zelda series but that is mainly because it is so different to the game that came directly before it and the two that came directly after and because of the difficulty, remember different and hard don't make a game bad and this is far from a bad game and well worth getting for any Zelda fan that wants a challenge.
Scores
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