One of my favourite NES games so far, I easily prefer it to Zelda 1 (Zelda II: The Adventure of Link)

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Andrew Fisher (697) on 3/27/2024 2:57 AM · Reply · Permalink · Report

After finding Zelda 1 and Link's Awakening just OK, I played Zelda 2 only to see how similar it is to Golvellius, which came out a few months later on MSX(and on SMS in mid. '88). Maybe the side scrolling in Golvellius was done after seeing Zelda 2, but Golvellius may have more in common with Zelda 1. Zelda 2 looks and plays like Castlevania (almost a half year prior) and Castlevania 2, mid. '88, must've been made into an action/RPG format from seeing how Zelda had been reshaped.

I havn't played beyond these three Zeldas, but as understand Zelda 2 is a bit of an oddity in the series and one of the least popular. Personally it's one of the best NES games I've played. I learned to enjoy the side-view combat, which really tests your agility. The puzzle/problem solving isn't great, some of it is fumbling in the dark, but I didn't have to fumble for too long and had the pride of solving many of them without using a guide. I used a lot of save states, you're sent way back to the start when you lose all your lives, but in the beginning I'd take that opportunity to gain experience points and practice off easier baddies as I worked my way back to where I died. Also the game has been nicely designed so that shortcuts open up as you progress, from the start you can get back to where you were more and more quickly. I thought the graphics, like Castlevania 2's, were pretty ugly, the dungeons are Mario-like, without the cuteness and it's missing the small-sprite cuteness of the first Zelda. It was probably pushing the limits of the NES/Famicom, over three and a half years old when Zelda 2 first came out (on Famicom Disk System), but a game that looks crap and plays well is always better than the reverse.

Kayburt (31992) on 3/27/2024 8:02 AM · Reply · Permalink · Report

The limitations of the NES certainly mean it's hard to find a game that would be a pretty picture with the palette it uses. Some of those games like Legend of Zelda were pretty novel, lengthy and fun to play. Here are some of my top ten favourites:

Final Fantasy - I had a good time playing the first in the series despite the tedious grinding for experience, but always anticipating the better gear I would get for my party. Playing the second the third game felt more like you were playing add-ons instead of sequels until the storyline became fleshed out.
Kirby's Adventure - The first in the series to introduce to the adorable pink guzzler. In addition to traversing levels its always fun to see what sort of powers he gains as he sucks up a new and different kind of enemy. The cute cartoony style really stands out in this one.
Disney Capcom titles - I am particularly intrigued by TaleSpin, Darkwing Duck, The Little Mermaid, and the two DuckTales games. They perfectly emulate the franchises and you really feel like your progressing in one long episode the more you play.
Bubble Bobble Part 2 - Feels like a true sequel to the original arcade game Bubble Bobble. The creative puzzles and boss-defeating strategies mean this game does have a lot more to offer than a straight up port of the first game in the series. It would have been nice to see this one make its way to SNES or GBA.
Gargoyle's Quest II - Intriguing platformer with decent RPG elements and not as harsh in difficulty as Ghosts n' Goblins. Playing as a demon is not something you see in many games. This really keeps you on your fingers as you traverse with limited wing power.
Dragon Strike - One of the few D&D games that isn't an RPG. Drastically different from the computer versions, but very rich in graphics, easy and stable gameplay, and faithful to the D&D franchise. Fighting your way to Tiamat makes it worth it.
Jurassic Park - An enjoyable title which fits in with the storyline of the first film. Not a straight shooter game as it does incorporate some objectives like collecting dino eggs and keeping the children safe. Could spend hours on this one.
Contra Force - Shorter than the first game with a nice mix of platforming and top-down levels. The levels do allow you to explore and now just go in a straight left-to-right route. The levels feel like your navigating through an actual location and not just a series of traps and enemies. Brilliant fun.
Whomp Em' - Very much a Mega Man clone, but it does have a unique theme of its own and has new flavours of platforming whether its a series of ladders, instant death pools and a change of gravity in the final level. Very underrated and worth a play.
Maniac Mansion - Before I played this, I never thought I'd see a click and point adventure game on the console. This one really adds to the DOS version with simplified scenes so you can find key items, and a lot of music including theme tunes for each kid. I was not disappointed by this one.

Overall the NES library is like a big box of chocolates. You don't know what you'll get until you've played them.