Zelda Megathread

[Waffles's iconWaffles]

I think people are way too hard on the game because it's not the first one... But if you want the sequel to look, feel and play like the first one, then why do you want a sequel?

 

[Deleted member 560402]

The fan remake is the better version. If only it were possible to get on a hardware-playable NES cartridge.

If you haven't checked out Zelda II by Hoverbat, and you like the original Zelda 2, you owe it to yourself to try it.

is that the widescreen one for PC?

 

[Cardboardtubeknight Cardboardtubeknight]

It's great. I like how Link is more like a spellsword in it

 

[KaiserMk7]

I think people are way too hard on the game because it's not the first one... But if you want the sequel to look, feel and play like the first one, then why do you want a sequel?

Counterargument: Bravely Second

 

[Morgana Veil]

It's a good game. Yeah it's hard, but what good NES game wasn't? It's a fun sequel to a good game.
I agree with @Waffles. If you just want another of the first game, replay the first game. Zelda II isn't a bad game. Sure, it has flaws, but most games did at that time. Hell, most can't get shipped without a day-one patch now.

For the time and hardware it's on, Zelda II is a damn fine game in my opinion. I replay it every now and then and still enjoy it. I've only beaten it a couple of times and still love the game. That's probably why I liked Rambo on the NES.

It's basically a carbon copy of AoL but with a Rambo skin.

 

[Graw]

When I was a kid we had both Zelda 1 and 2 and I played both of them equally. I'd just switch between them whenever I got stuck in one and go back to the other one when I eventually got stuck. As an adult I'd recommend the Zelda 2 Redux Hack which basically fixes all the problems with the game and turns it into a quality Zelda game with pretty fun fast paced combat. It's still tough but not time wasting and ridiculous. I wouldn't even bother with the original any more. It's the way the game should have been from the beginning.

 

[Scotty Scotty]

I like it. It's flawed, sure, but certainly not as bad everyone makes you out to be.

 

[KaiserMk7]

Do we have any respect for people who play harder-than-vanilla zelda 2 romhacks without savestates?

 

[Nebulon_Galaxy]

Link gets laid so its kino in my book

 

[Kamako]

I really like the visuals and the challenge. Requires a fair bit of trial and error though, if not consulting a guide.

 

[χKai]

is that the widescreen one for PC?

Yes, and it's fantastic.
I got close to beating it but stopped playing on that computer since then. It no longer has a working monitor.

 

[Deleted member 560402]

 

[Isegrim]

I liked it well enough to buy 3 issues of VG&CE to win my Japanese copy. I never got to play the puzzles and exploration part properly, just the fighting part. I made up for that by completely beating Getsu Fuuma Den which is sort of similar.

I remember getting particularly weirded out by the people who turned into bats and Link going into a house with a girl (doing what???) to get his life refilled.

 

[KaiserMk7]

Yes, and it's fantastic.
I got close to beating it but stopped playing on that computer since then. It no longer has a working monitor.

Link?

 

[χKai]

Link?

ZIIAOL by HoverBat

 

[Johan]

Zelda 2 is a portrait of the time it was release - a time when video games were far from the popularity they enjoy today, and the people who worked on them had more freedom and flexibility to do whatever they wanted with their products.

Even with its mistakes and flaws, I like this game. When it comes to video games, I prefer games that failed because they were too bold than those that were terrified of changing the formula and became repetitive for fear of losing their customers.

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Now, for something more or less off topic, I'd say that the content of the NES Zeldas would be enough for a second season of the Legend of Zelda animated series.

 

[Adrastia]

AoL was my first Zelda. I didn't play the original until a few years later. I initially thought that the original Zelda was awkward because it wasn't a platformer with top down overworld. It was all top down. And to me that wasn't Zelda. It took a little longer for me to get into it. But after playing ALttP I liked the original a lot more than I did in the beginning.

People sometimes forget that AoL was only the second game in the series. I could see the annoyance if they just sprung side scrolling action at you after a few more games. You have to remember that platformers were very popular and games with gameplay variations like AoL seemed really neat from a variety standpoint.

That said, it took me over 20 years to beat AoL. I wanted to do it on real hardware and ended up using the Gamecube version from that promotional disc. I even made a post on GameFAQs to commemorate it.

 

[Ikagura Ikagura]

View attachment 98293

I can hear it now.

Blame the Gameboy soundchip having similar sounds around.

On the other hand I kinda liked Ralph as a "pseudo rival" character to Link that had his parallel adventure.

 

[Ikagura Ikagura]

I would say that without savestates nor a guide I would've quitted it because of how unforgiving and cryptic it could be.

Sure, that's not Simon's Quest-tier of bs moments in the game but the idea of having a live system in an action/adventure series such as Zelda was one of the worst idea to add since the entire point is to get upgrade and explore around, having lives is basically like having a timer or a score system, too arcade-like for Zelda.

I've noticed that this was also one of the most polarising episode of the saga because people either hated or loved it with barely any middle ground.

Sure, it has introduced important elements to the gameplay and lore like the hammer (yes, the magic hammer from ALTTP and Megaton hammer from OoT both came from this game), the complete Triforce (showing three triangles instead of one like in Zelda 1), Dark Link as a recurring antagonist after Ganon himself and the magic system that would come back in almost every mainline games until Twilight Princess but I sincerely think that there's a good reason why ALTTP went back for the top down view. Also somehow for a game that came after Zelda 1 and had more details than it I find the spritework a bit ugly because of the over-detailing for a 8-bits

I'll even be quite daring but even Zelda 1 hasn't aged nearly as well either, those were the drafts for something bigger and better overall.

Finally: if you want a good side-view adventure game you should check the competing hardware's own action adventure series: Wonderboy (especially with the Dragon's Trap)

 

[Turbo Kid]

I beat it back when it came out and loved it. I loved the sword play and I loved that the final boss wasn't Ganon, but something different. I understand that it probably hasn't aged well though.

I think this and Simon's Quest influenced the excellent Infernax.

 

[Ikagura Ikagura]

and I loved that the final boss wasn't Ganon, but something different.

Just curious but which other antagonists you liked? I appreciated DeathI, Vaati and even Null.

I think this and Simon's Quest influenced the excellent Infernax.

If it's like Adventure of Link/Simon's Quest but more refined I'll try that.

 

[Turbo Kid]

Just curious but which other antagonists you liked? I appreciated DeathI, Vaati and even Null.


If it's like Adventure of Link/Simon's Quest but more refined I'll try that.

I haven't played all of the Zelda games, so I'm not the best person to ask who the best villains are. I thought fighting a dark version of Link in Zelda II was pretty cool though.

Infernax is worth trying. It's kind of like a polished version of Simon's Quest with a few Zelda II influences. The game is a bit hard, but nowhere near as tough as Zelda II was.

 

[Ikagura Ikagura]

I haven't played all of the Zelda games, so I'm not the best person to ask who the best villains are. I thought fighting a dark version of Link in Zelda II was pretty cool though.

Dark dopplegangers is an overused trope nowadays but I do appreciate it because it was quite novel back then in video games.

To be honest I'm a bit tired of the overuse of "hijacked by Ganon" in most Zelda games. Zant could've been the primary antagonist of Twilight Princess it would've still been a great game.

Infernax is worth trying. It's kind of like a polished version of Simon's Quest with a few Zelda II influences. The game is a bit hard, but nowhere near as tough as Zelda II was.

Hard as in punishing and having to remember the level design or just hard as in challenging?

 

[Questless Knight]

Just like Castlevania II I think it´s a good game that got to much hate when it came out because it was not like the first game.

 

[Ikagura Ikagura]

Just like Castlevania II I think it´s a good game that got to much hate when it came out because it was not like the first game.

I'd still argue that the cryptic hints and even some villagers telling some blatant misinformation was not a good game design idea.

Sometimes it's not just "because it was different".