The Legend of Zelda was introduced to North American gamers in the fall of 1987, and was
an immediate hit for the NES.
The popularity of the Zelda series has not waned since, and continues to be a system
seller for Nintendo.
If for some reason, you are not familiar with the original Zelda, I'll give a brief overview.
You take control of Link, grab a sword, and explore the overworld.
While exploring, you will stumble upon nine different dungeons, the conclusion of each
rewards you with a piece of the Triforce.
As you progress, you'll receive new items, upgrades, and additional health, to help you
progress through the game.
The entire experience is presented in the overhead view, you can map any item you'd
like to the B button, and Link's stabbing action with the sword feels primitive by today's
standards.
And that, is the Legend of Zelda.
Zelda succeeds at being a great game as soon as you are placed in the world.
You have absolutely nothing, but there is a cave in front you, and you can't help but
feel compelled to walk in.
Your curiosity is rewarded with a sword.
The Legend of Zelda immediately encourages you to explore, and teaches you that exploring
will be rewarded with new items and weapons.
The biggest issue most folks have with the original Zelda is the lack of direction the
game provides.
However, I find this to be it's biggest strength.
Much like Minecraft, you aren't told what to do.
You are placed in a giant sandbox, and are free to do whatever you wish.
Perhaps you just want to kill enemies to collect rupees, and then buy all the items in the
shops.
Perhaps you want to go and find all the secret heart containers.
Or maybe your goal is much simpler, you just want to see every single screen of the overworld.
Whatever you decide, you'll soon discover entrances to dungeons, nine of them in all.
In the Dungeons, Zelda functions similar to the overworld, however these have clear goals.
Collecting the compass will reveal a blinking dot on the map.
It's obvious you need to make your way towards this marker.
You can also find a map, which let's you know where you've been, and gives you clues on
how to proceed.
Upon arriving at the blinking marker, you fight a boss.
Defeating the boss will reward you with another heart container, and a piece of the triforce.
After returning to the menu screen, we see part of the triangle has now been filled.
Now we have a long term goal: fill in the remaining parts of the triforce.
The Legend of Zelda didn't have to tell us where to go, what to do, what the goal is,
or how to achieve the goal.
You just sort of figure it out.
This is what makes Zelda so incredibly special.
Zelda is about adventure and discovery, and these magical moments are mostly missing in
modern adventure games.
Every single screen is a surprise, because you don’t have map telling you what’s
ahead.
Rather than a map, you have a grey rectangle, letting you know your relative position.
The next screen could be anything.
There could be a secret heart container, a dungeon entrance, or a secret shop.
Another common complaint is the lack of direction when fighting certain bosses and enemies.
These triceratop looking creatures can only be defeated by placing bombs in front of them.
A clue is provided indicating they don't like smoke.
It's a bit obscure for sure, but Zelda provides audio queues when you use an ineffective item.
With a little trial and error, and some pattern recognition, nothing in The Legend of Zelda
should be too difficult.
For what it’s worth, The Legend of Zelda did come with a map giving you an overview
of Hyrule, and the instruction booklet even walks you through getting to the first two
dungeons.
On your first time through, I would recommend using an online map or guide if you find yourself
lost.
Lastly, the final dungeon is far too confusing, and I use a guide to get through it.
Generally speaking though, there is little in Zelda that should be too confusing for
a gamer with just moderate skill and patience.
For a 1987 release, Zelda actually get’s quite a bit right.
There are two upgrades to your sword, which increase your damage output.
There are two rings, these change the color of Link, in addition to reducing the damage
Link takes from enemies.
A shield upgrade blocks additional projectile types.
Link can obtain a magic wand, which gives him access to a projectile weapon, which can
be upgrades after finding the Magic Book.
Throughout most of the adventure, Link is constantly finding upgrades to make himself
more powerful.
There are optional items in the game as well.
After finding the power bracelet, link can move blocks which exposes some warp areas,
letting him navigate the world of Hyrule more efficiently.
There is also a letter, which we are told to give to the old woman.
Upon receipt, she lets you buy Life Water, allowing you to replenish your health at any
time.
Everything feels so intricate and deliberate, and I never feel overwhelmed at any point
in the game.
The balance here is perfect, and The Legend of Zelda feels like it was released much much
later than it actually was.
My favorite part of The Legend of Zelda are the dungeons.
With the exception of the ninth dungeon, these are all an absolute treat to play through.
There is a minor puzzle element here, with a limited amount of keys given to progress.
Additionally, sometimes you’ll have to bomb walls to proceed to the next area.
With the map, and the compass, it’s a fairly straightforward process to progress.
Later on, secret passage ways are introduced, which can warp you around the map, making
things a bit more complicated.
As movable blocks are only movable after clearing a room, you’ll find yourself killing every
enemy, on every screen, to make sure you don’t miss anything.
These dungeons are truly the highlight of the game.
For the most part, the combat is fairly satisfying.
Link can basically stab forward with his sword, which limits his attack radius to what’s
directly in front of him.
This usually isn’t an issue, but will feel a bit strange after playing A Link to the
Past or the Game Boy games.
After getting through the learning curve, it works just fine.
When you are at maximum health, Link can actually fire his sword across the screen, which is
incredibly useful, and rewards you for being cautious.
You obtain a boomerang early on as well, which can stun most enemies, allowing you to hack
away without fear of attack.
Some enemies are annoying however.
These knight looking things, called Darknuts, cannot be attacked from the front, and they
are constantly changing directions.
When you have fireballs coming at you, it can be extremely frustrating.
Finally, if a Bubble touches you, you’re sword is disabled for a few moments.
This is also a bit frustrating at times.
Their movement is random so it can be tricky to avoid them in a room full of enemies and
projectiles.
Generally, the enemies are satisfying, but their chaotic behavior can feel sloppy at
times.
If there was one thing I would change with the original Zelda, it would be giving some
of these enemies actual patterns that could be learned, eliminating some of the more frustrating
moments.
Graphically, The Legend of Zelda is a good looking game.
It’s basic for sure, but I find there is a certain charm to the game’s simplicity.
If you use your imagination, you’ll see mountains, waterfalls, forests, caves, and
graveyards.
The enemies are where the game really shines, each looking unique and distinct, and really
helping the world of Hyrule feel like a real place.
The way The Legend of Zelda uses such primitive hardware to create a massive world is an incredible
achievement.
Finally, there is the awesome music.
The overworld theme is iconic, and the simple melody is instantly recognizable to nearly
anyone who has even a passive interest in video games.
It fits the game so perfectly, giving you the same sense of wonder and adventure the
game play provides.
The music in the dungeons is also excellent, giving a slight sense of danger, and is a
nice contrast to the overworld theme.
Despite there being just two tracks for a majority of the game, they never get old,
and are the ultimate ear worms.
Overall, the Legend of Zelda is a wonderful experience.
The game manages to create a large world to explore, yet it’s not too big and it’s
tough to get lost.
The progression feels excellent, with Link gaining additional life and upgrades at just
the right pace to conquer what’s ahead.
And finally, the actual game play mechanics work well.
Link’s ability to have a selectable second item offers just enough flexibility to keep
the game feeling fun and fresh.
Perhaps this is the biggest compliment I can pay to The Legend of Zelda.
Every single time I play the game, I am having an absolute blast.
Despite playing through dozens of games that have slowly evolved the formula, improved
combat, added useful maps, helpful NPCs, and more engaging stories, it’s easy to come
back to this basic little adventure game from 1987 and experience joy.
The Legend of Zelda is like a classic car.
Sure it's missing disc brakes, headrests, cruise control, and seat belts, but it’s
still timeless.
Just like The Legend of Zelda.
Five out five.