The Legend of Zelda
Description official descriptions
In one of the darkest times in the Kingdom of Hyrule, a young, pointy-eared boy named Link takes on an epic quest to restore the fragmented Triforce of Wisdom and save the Princess Zelda from the clutches of the evil, power-hungry Ganon.
The Legend of Zelda marks the first title of the Zelda series. Players must make their way through the various forests, graveyards, plains, and deserts of the Overworld to find the secret entrances of the eight dungeons in an attempt to piece together the broken Triforce. Once all pieces are joined, Link will be able to gain entry to Death Mountain, home of Ganon, and prison of Princess Zelda.
The game is drawn in a top-down perspective. Link begins his quest in the Overworld, which features forests, mountains and lakes and is divided into several screens. Link can explore the Overworld freely, though when he enters a screen, he will encounter several enemies. He can attack them with his sword. If Link is at full health, he can toss his sword to attack enemies from afar, but when he is hurt, even slightly, he can only fight in melee range.
Link's health is represented by hearts; initially he can have a maximum of three hearts, but as he progresses in the game, he will find heart containers that increase his maximum health. The enemies are varied - some attack from up close, some shoot projectiles. When killed, they often leave behind an item - a heart to restore energy, rupees that function as money (and can be used to buy stuff in various shops in the Overworld), or bombs which can be picked up and set down to attack enemies or destroy some walls. Some items function as weapons or armor, while others are used to solve puzzles. When enemies are killed, they stay dead and will not re-appear once the screen is entered again.
To find the Triforce pieces, Link must explore dungeons. Once he finds an entrance to the dungeon and goes in, he must explore the rooms, fight enemies and collect keys until he finds the boss monster he must defeat. He will then be able to pick up a Triforce piece and gain a permanent health increase. Once he does so, however, all the monsters in the Overworld come back to life.
If Link dies on his quest, he can continue it; he will go back to his start position in the Overworld (or the entrance to a dungeon), but with the items he managed to collect so far. When Link finishes his quest, the player can choose to play the "second quest", which is essentially a harder version of the game.
The Legend of Zelda is known for several factors that were advanced at the time: a continuous world that could be freely explored, power-ups that would permanently enhance the main character's abilities, and a battery back-up save feature that allowed players to retain their progress instead of having to start over. The gameplay balanced out frequent action sequences with discovery, secrets, and exploration.
Spellings
- ゼルダの伝説 - Japanese Famicom Disk spelling
- ゼルダの伝説1 - Japanese Famicom Cartridge spelling
- 젤다의 전설 - Korean spelling
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Credits (NES version)
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Reviews
Critics
Average score: 85% (based on 60 ratings)
Players
Average score: 4.0 out of 5 (based on 298 ratings with 15 reviews)
A necessary NES gaming experience.
The Good
My personal favorite feature in this game was the music. The Overworld (main) theme was great, and the dungeon theme and the one for Ganon's castle were some of Kondo's (Koji Kondo) finest, and first, at that! This game set up a foundation for one of the best game series in all time. It was also the first game that I ever saw where one could be eaten by peanut butter sandwiches. (like-like's) This game featured some Japanese-to-English translation errors that are simply hilarious. An example: in the intro, it goes through all of the items in the game. A certain group of the items has a short text about who they belonged to before. If I remember right it says: "ITEMS THAT ONCE GANON". (please forgive the all caps, that's the way they did it on the NES...)
Also, "LET'S PLAY MONEY-MAKING GAME". Truly classic. The Hidden content is also very well done, and the second quest option is quite a cool addition.
The Bad
Difficulty. This is a hard game, and that is one thing that I think Most NES games can testify to. It definitely takes mastery. Also the graphics were somewhat lacking in terms of colors, although it does add some perhaps unintentional humor when certain things have to turn Red or Blue when you get a new tunic. (sigh) such is the nature of the 16-color palette.
The Bottom Line
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Oh, it's also a very good game, an enjoyable game. Experience true nostalgia today! (with the above link) or, go to <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3058989571&category=11030"
this lot on ebay.
NES · by J. David Taylor (27) · 2003
The Good
The game features many cool things: a large world, a good selection of weapons, a variety of enemies to fight, and fairly large dungeons with cool bosses.
I remember spending a large amount of time in front of the TV playing this game. It came with a map, so that was helpful in navigating in the game.
Pretty much this game is a "old man's game." By that I mean most of the us who played this game as a young child are currently in the 20s and early 30s. So when we play this game, we sort of put a smile on our face and remember the days when we were playing this game.
The Bad
The only issue was that you spent a lot of time wondering around since it was a tad bit hard to determine where you are going since the world was fairly large.
The Bottom Line
We have a semi-generational gap between current gamers and gamers who were around to play NES games. It would be truly a great thing if a modern gamer can take this game and appreciate all the fine qualities of the game without taking into context of the graphics and limited freedom compared to games in the last 5-10 years.
NES · by Daniel Allen (13) · 2007
The Good
After having played the dated "A Link to the Past" and the insufferable "Majora's Mask", it is kind of peaceful to go back to basics and enjoy the original Zelda. Simplicity is key and a lot of titles in the 80's stayed simple, but while staying simple, The Legend of Zelda also provided almost unmatched depth.
The part of Hyrule we are allowed to explore is HUGE and filled with interesting locations and secrets that you have to find. It is already rare to see a game that uses a full overworld as opposed to levels, but it is even rarer to see an NES title that does it this well. As you walk around Hyrule, the screens go past you without loading time, if you leave the screen it transitions to the next one just as smoothly as Super Mario Bros.
As mentioned before the Overworld is literally filled with secret areas to be found, some of these are simply filled with some currency, but others can be part of side-quests or reward you with new and interesting items to use in your adventure, I have even seen instances where a secret turned out to be the entrance to one of the key areas.
Just when I got over the initial surprise the Overworld had in store for me, I ran into the first temple/dungeon which introduced me to the actual goal of the game. As Link you are tasked with tracing down a number of hidden temples and obtain the pieces of the Triforce that are hidden within, this Triforce is the key to defeating Ganondorf, a monster that is holding the princess of the kingdom prisoner. These temples are very entertaining because they are all sprawling and full of monsters and best of all, it doesn't take too long to get through them once you went into all the side-paths found all the keys (take note, ALttP).
There is a huge amount of enemies that you can encounter on your travels and most of them require a different approach or weapons to beat. The Darknuts for example require that you stab them from the side or back, but a bomb would be more effective while a standard blob (no idea what they are called) just require a bit of timing when they are stabbed, but a boomerang should not be used against them. Enemies also make frequent reappearances in later dungeons and the bosses are very challenging (plus they turn up again in later dungeons as mini-bosses, just to punish you).
The difficulty curve is really well mapped out, as you progress through the story both your health and items improve, plus there are secret areas where you can upgrade your sword for better models. However at the same time the enemy ranks swell too and not only do they come in higher numbers, but they also start working together to form deadly combinations and some of the later enemies can kick your ass faster than you can run back to the exit.
The Bad
I have to admit that while A Link to the Past's interaction with characters was absolute crap, here there are barely any characters at all. There are a few people hidden in caves, but they act even more demented (read: out of place) than the ones from Ocarina of Time. I lost count of how many times I walked into a room and some old lady sat there with important information, that she forced me to pay or play a game for. Sorry lady, but a few rupees aren't going to help you much while you are stuck in a cave surrounded by monsters, demanding payment from the only one who is doing something against them.
There is little to no information regarding the location of the temples, I respect the game for been the first ever popular sandbox game, but unless you find a map somewhere in a game store, you are going to have a tough time getting anywhere. The first few temples aren't too bad and just demand a bit of exploration, but later ones will need you to use certain items in very specific locations. There were also annoying locations that refused to let you leave the screen unless you did a very specific cycle of entering and leaving the area without giving you any indication that you are doing it right.
The Bottom Line
The Legend of Zelda's legacy should be enough to tell you that the original was quite a hit, while I prefer Twilight Princess and Ocarina of Time, it is still a very decent adventure. While the story is kind of flat and the Overworld might be a little confusing, I feel comforted by the richness of the experience and the enjoyable gameplay that keeps me hooked for hours.
Playing it anno 2011 is limited to the nostalgia-fans and collectors, but if you are interested in gaming history, it is a stop worth taking. Skyward Sword is one the way though, so my advice is to keep your money in your pocket for that first!
NES · by Asinine (956) · 2011
Discussion
Subject | By | Date |
---|---|---|
Not much fun to play now, except for seeing how it was a leading game in the action/RPG combination. | Andrew Fisher (697) | Mar 27, 2024 |
Legend of Zelda tribute on MTV | Daniel Saner (3503) | Mar 14, 2011 |
Super-epic orchestral take on Zelda music | J. P. Gray (115) | Jun 2, 2008 |
RPG Controversy | SharkD (425) | Oct 31, 2007 |
Trivia
1001 Video Games
The NES version of The Legend of Zelda appears in the book 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die by General Editor Tony Mott.
Cartoon
The Legend of Zelda was popular enough to have a TV cartoon based on it in the late 1980s-early 1990s. It was part of the Super Mario Bros. Super Show, and aired only on Fridays during its original run in the US.
Cartridge
The Legend of Zelda was the first NES cartridge was released with a shiny gold colored plating, breaking away from the usual gray color.
Cereal
The Legend of Zelda was popular enough to have a breakfast cereal based on the game called the "Nintendo Cereal System" and was co-packaged with Super Mario Bros. cereal. The sweetened corn bits were in the shape of Link, Link's shield, boomerang, key, and a heart.
Character names
- Link was named as such because of Shigeru Miyamoto's desire to "link" the player and the character together.
- Zelda was named as such when Miyamoto learned that F. Scott Fitzgerald's wife was named Zelda. Feeling that the name was appropriate, the princess was named Zelda.
Famicom Disk System
In Japan, The Legend of Zelda was the first original game released for the Famicom Disk System add-on, being the only launch title not previously released on cartridge. The Japanese cartridge version was not released until 1994, and was the very last first-party Famicom release. As there had been three sequels produced in the meantime, the cartridge version was titled The Legend of Zelda 1 to avoid
Innovations
In the United States, The Legend of Zelda was the first NES cartridge to include a battery-backed save feature.
Microphone
The instruction manual says that Pols Voice -- an enemy in the game that looked like a ghost with large rabbit ears -- "hates loud noises", although the flute item has no effect on it. This text actually refers to a microphone which was built into the Famicom's controller, but was not included in the NES; blowing or shouting into the microphone killed these creatures.
Sales
As of 2004, The Legend of Zelda has sold eight million units.
Version differences
A modified version of the game, complete with updated graphics, a smaller overworld, and completely different dungeons was released in 1995 for the Satellaview, the Super Famicom's (Japanese Super Nintendo) Japanese-only satellite-based add-on.
Called BS Zelda (the 'BS' standing for Broadcast Satellaview), several sources from Japan allude to this as being intended as a "third quest", much like the second quest accessed via the secret code.
When the game was 'rebroadcast' in 1996, Nintendo changed the map layout again. This revision apparently had a smaller broadcast audience than before, and is known only as "~map2~". This second map could again be thought of as a "fourth quest". Additionally, Link was replaced by the Satellaview mascots: A boy who wore a backwards baseball cap, and a girl who had red hair.
Awards
- Electronic Gaming Monthly
- November 1997 (Issue 100) - ranked #10 (Readers' Top 10 Games of All Time)
- November 1997 (Issue 100) - ranked #13 (Best 100 Games of All Time)
- February 2006 (Issue #200) - #5 on the "Greatest Games of Their Time" list
- Game Informer
- August 2001 (Issue #100) - #1 in the "Top 100 Games of All Time" poll
- October 2004 (Issue #138) - One of the "Top 25 Most Influential Games of All Time"
- GameSpy
- 2001 – #10 Top Game of All Time
- The Strong National Museum of Play
- 2016 – Introduced into the World Video Game Hall of Fame
Information also contributed by 雷堂嬢太朗 -jotaro.raido-, Big John WV, Captain Canuck, Guy Chapman, Indra was here, Maw, ModestMr.Green, Son of Kyuss and vedder
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Related Sites +
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Classic NES Series for the Game Boy Advance
Covers the line-up of the new Game Boy Advance series of NES Classics. -
LegendZelda.Net
Game-dedicated page for The Legend of Zelda. -
Links' Legends
A very informative site about the history of Link and Zelda games -
NES Manual
The complete manual for The Legend of Zelda is reprinted here -
OC ReMix Game Profile
Fan remixes of music from The Legend of Zelda. -
RPG Classics' Zelda shrine
Contains lots of useful information on this game, including maps, descriptions of items and enemies as well as complete walkthroughs. -
Zelda.Com
Nintendo's Official Website. -
Zeldapower.com Forums
Message board for all Zelda games
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Contributors to this Entry
Game added by NetDanzr.
Nintendo 3DS added by ResidentHazard. Wii U added by Michael Cassidy. Game Boy Advance, Wii added by Guy Chapman. Nintendo Switch added by Kam1Kaz3NL77. NES added by Servo.
Additional contributors: PCGamer77, Jeanne, Guy Chapman, chirinea, Exodia85, NH, Alaka, monkeyislandgirl, samsam12, Zaibatsu, Patrick Bregger, sgtcook, Thomas Thompson, yenruoj_tsegnol_eht (!!ihsoy), FatherJack, firefang9212, SoMuchChaotix.
Game added February 24, 2001. Last modified May 5, 2024.