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Zelda II

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 3 / 12
Date: July 29, 2001
Author: Amazon User

I am a big fan of the zelda series. This is a terrible insult to the zelda series. buy the first one for ninetendo, buy the super nintendo one, and buy all the game boy ones and 64 ones, just do your self a favor and dont buy this one. its nothing like the other games in the series. u fight from a side view but walk around from an overhead view, the dungens r awful, just spare your self of this one.

What were they thinking

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 2 / 6
Date: May 25, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Unfortunately although I do own this game I feel it was nearly a deathblow to the entire series. Zelda games are a classic the first game with saving capacity. It truly was a ground-breaking game because in stead have your old school side scrolling games you had freedom of movement, different items to utilize, and puzzling dungeons to master. I feel whoever cam up with idea for a side scrolling zelda game owes us hard-core Zelda fans an apology.

What is this?!?

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 3 / 5
Date: January 01, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I am a huge zelda fan, I have beaten every game in the series except for this one. I have tried multiple times and can not play for more than an hour. This is bar-none the worst game I have ever played...for any console...ever. I love the NES and the Zelda series is the best ever, but who came up with this game? The bottom line is, this game is nothing like the rest of the series...so you must judge it for what it is...which is trash. I hate this game.

Not Much of a Zelda Game

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 0 / 3
Date: December 09, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I love Zelda* games! When I got the Collector's Edition disc, I thought I would try this one out. This is not a very good game. The story goes that on Link's sixteenth birthday, he discovers the Triforce on his hand. Princess Zelda's attendant, Impa takes Link into a room where Princess Zelda is sleeping. Impa says that a mysterious man put her to sleep. Link sets out to find pieces of a crystal that will wake Zelda up. Link doen't realize that Ganon's minions want to revive Ganon by sacrificing Link.
Unlike all the other Zelda games, this one is mostly a side-scroller. You also collect lives, so if you run out of lives you start back at the palace where Princess Zelda is sleeping. You also have HP(hit points) and MP(Magic Points). Luckily, this was the only Zelda game where they did that.

ZELDA II: MISSING A LINK

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 3 / 5
Date: July 05, 2001
Author: Amazon User

If you've played the first Zelda for the NES, then prepare for shock, because this second installment is WAY different. In some ways better, in some ways not. Graphics and sound are better this time around, but nothing that really blew my socks off--even then. Once again the story is dreadfully weak, but I don't really expect that much from an NES title. When you start off, Princess Zelda is unconscious or something--too many beers at the Ganon-is-dead party? Once again, Link goes out to save the world. The biggest change in this game is this: Maps are top-down like Dragon Warrior or Final Fantasy (semi-random battles, too), but the towns and dungeons are in the side-view. The side-view graphics are good, but I wish they'd stick to the original format that was used in the first game. Throughout the game, Link can learn different sword techniques--up thrust, down stab, maybe one other. It certainly adds more strategy to the game. Also, Link can use magic spells. Once again there're tons of dungeons to go into, with the only differences being the ending bosses, mazes, and colors. The last battle in this game is pretty interesting--Link fights his own shadow--but is either too hard or too easy. At first I had the hardest time because the shadow mirrors your every move. But after about the fifth time, I figured it out and whooped him good in under a minute. So much for the ever-so-difficult ending boss. I personally have never found the Zelda series all that exciting, but this game is not too bad.

Its good but its hard, and complicaded

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: November 05, 2002
Author: Amazon User

Zelda II here we go

a cool Game in deed the caracther is painted well and nice colors in the graphics
Its a mix between platformer and adventure

there is loads of levels everywhere and you have to go in search of keys,light(to see in the cave levels) and ofcource)

but entering the castle going for the keys and the big boss is very hard, also going thrugh all these caves, castles and villiges that are spread allover the map, i never know if im going the right way and all the deserts and forests!

its a very cool game Link walks around with his sword and sheild and you can get difrent types of magic... this game has variation and all kinds of levels in the villige it mainly about talking and finding yer way to the magic or geting clues how to finish parts of the game if any of the people living in the villige turns to a bat watch out!

well its a cool game but very comfusing and hard
so i can only give it three stars because what happens when i play is im not always sure if i go the right way(because there is so many levels) then i end up in a castle pr a dark cave and then soon enough, I die
and the clues you get from the people like " to find light go south" or somthing like that really doesn't tell you much

The Failure of Link?

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 24 / 29
Date: November 17, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link* is the black sheep of the Zelda franchise. One of the most controversial games of that era, players sent a clear message to Nintendo, saying the sequel didn't live up to its predecessor. People still bought it, but the general consensus was it was not as good as the original "Legend of Zelda". The biggest controversy of this game was it was a 2D scroller, instead of an overhead game like the original was. You navigated in an overhead view. Then the battles and actual dungeons are in the side scrolling format. Another big factor is this game is HARD. VERY HARD. It's also the only Zelda where you collect lives. If you run out of lives and continue, instead of starting back at a particular dungeon's beginning, you begin at the very start of the game. When we're talking about trying to beat the Great Palace, this turns into a nightmare. There is also an unwieldy magic and leveling up system. The magic continued in the Zelda series. The leveling did not. But because it was such a radical departure, and not wholly successful, Zelda II is viewed as a flawed, if interesting, game.

The Zelda name does great damage here, because people come in expecting overview. Zelda II tries to be innovative with an uneasy hybrid of side-scrolling and overworld. Had it been released as just a fantasy game, I think Zelda II would be something of a cult classic. As it stands, people constantly judge this game on the Zelda name alone, instead of giving the game a chance. That's what really hurts Zelda II.

Zelda II is a misunderstood game. The true question, which cannot be answered, is this: "What would the public think if this had been released first, instead of The Legend of Zelda?" Who knows? No one does. People expected the wrong things from this game. People wanted traditional Zelda action, and this game didn't have that. It's a hybrid of overhead and platform gaming. This was one of Nintendo's biggest missteps in its history. They had misread the audience. All this has forever damaged Zelda II. It will always be viewed from the perspective it is not as good as the other Zelda games.

Without Zelda II, the structure of this seminal series would be drastically different. In terms of lessons learned, this is by far the most important game in the series. What if Nintendo hadn't done this game? It is possible they might have tried the hybrid on SNES version. Nintendo learned from its mistake, and never tried this again. In the Zelda context, that is a good thing.

Zelda is a great series, and without this under their belt, Nintendo might have put out a disappointing Zelda game at a much more crucial time in the series' evolution. It's a great game in and of itself, and had it been redesigned in terms of story and not making it Zelda, it would be considered a classic. But for Zelda it doesn't go with the others, and Nintendo learned what the public wants in a Zelda game. In terms of sticking to the formula, this is the best thing that ever happened to Zelda. If they had not released this game on the NES, they might have tried the hybrid experiment on the SNES game, and instead of getting what is arguably the greatest game on the SNES, and in the Zelda series, we would get a game like this. Then, we wouldn't get a game for the SNES comparable to Link to the Past. If Nintendo had not made this game, they would have made this mistake (remember, it's a mistake only in context of the series) at a much worst time.

What about Super Maria Brothers 3? Although Zelda II was viewed as a disappointment, I think it had direct influence on SMB 3. SMB 3 is the game Zelda II could have been. SMB 3 successfully combined a type of overview world, but then you moved and played the stages. Of course, the world in Zelda II was much more expansive. The SMB series was already a side scroller. It is hailed as one of the greatest NES games ever released. And yet, earlier when they tried the same thing with Zelda II, it was viewed as a disappointment because Zelda was not a side scroller to begin with. Nintendo took the hybrid idea into Mario, of which it was much more suited. Mario was not an overview game to begin with. When they did make the hybrid, they stuck with the basically formula of side scrolling, but they had a little overview too.

In this view, Zelda II is out of balance. In the series' context, they should have made more of the action overview, instead of all side-scrolling. Some main parts of the game should be like that though, but then there should be more old-school Zelda overview. As it stands in the series, its out of balance. But without it, we might not have the hybrid of the overview/side scrolling found in SMB 3 and Super Mario World, which both are great games. Independently, Zelda II stands proud.

After all these years, Zelda II still occupies that weird uncle status in the Zelda family tree. I personally think that it's a great game. It stands as a failure in the context of the series. Had it been released without the Zelda moniker, I think history and players would have been much more receptive to this charming (if entirely too difficult) game.

*An interesting note about its title. This is the only Zelda game it incorporate the numerical sequence into its official title. Its also the only title in the series that does not have "The Legend of Zelda" in it. Its just "Zelda II: The Adventure of Link." It sounds better than "The Legend of Zelda: The Adventure of Link." Too long I guess for those days

The Hyrule fantasy continues...

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: November 18, 2001
Author: Amazon User

I apologise for borrowing the title from the box of the game itself, but I can't think of any other. When I first saw this game in action, I already had the first one and was deeply in love with it. Understandably, this game turned me off instantly! I couldn't bear to see Link with sqare bars in his life gauge and with three continues. Early the next year (1996) I bought Zelda 3 and beat it in less than a month. Then towards the end of that year I decided to try this out again. And so it is worth noting that I had conquered both the first and the third game when I finally bought this. Now to the game...

In Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, a Princess called Zelda (not the one from the original) has been put to an eternal sleep by an evil magician long ago. Link decides to remain in Hyrule after his first adventure, and on the day of his 16th birthday, a mark appears on his hand. When he seeks Impa's help, he learns that as the chosen one he himself must undo the "binding force" and enter the Great Palace in the Valley of Death. For what? To win back the Triforce of Courage, of course. Only the combined power of the Triforces of wisdom, power and courage can awaken the princess from her slumber. Well that's the story. You can draw your own conclusions...

This game has two types of scenes: the "land map" and the "action scene." In the land map a minuscule Link moves through various landscapes like roads, forests, plains and deserts, until he bumps into one of two types of enemy symbols. When Link runs into these or enters a town or palace, the land map quickly changes to the action scene. Here is where you can use the sword and magic as well as interact with people and objects. This is basically how Zelda II plays. Yes, it's different but unique. After all, it would've been a bit lame if Nintendo just released a replica of Zelda 1 labelled Zelda II, would it not?

Now to the graphics. The land map graphics are primitive (even for NES standards), but the action scene graphics (where it really counts) are quite good. They are much better than Zelda 1. Link is not dwarf-ish anymore and the villages, palaces and end-bosses are decent, even today. Music-wise, again it's quite good. The village theme is lovely. The cave and palace music fit their atmosphere very well. The Great Palace music is also great! The Zelda theme is a little different in this game. Anyway, it's a refreshing change. The sound effects are fair too.

The game controls are fluid. But Link's jumping capacity (till you find the "jump" magic) is low and his sword is more like a knife (and you can't upgrade it)! As for gameplay, there are no boomerangs, bombs, rupees and arrows. Was that a scream I heard? Don't worry, things really aren't that bad, though. Link has a life bar and a magic bar which can be increased by finding heart containers and magic jars. Rupees are replaced by experience points. Once you reach a required level you can upgrade either your life, magic ability or strength. All three can be upgraded to level 8. In the eight or so towns you can learn new magic and sword skills. The game is also quite challenging to boot. Enjoy the Great Palace! Ganon makes a cameo each time Link dies, but he is not a boss in the game.

In ending my review, I have to say if you still have an NES, you should buy this game. Zelda fans should definitely give it a try. Even if you don't like the other Zelda games, this may appeal to you. This game was ranked number 72 in EGM's top 100 games of all time list 4 years ago. Just look beyond the surface and you might be surprised with what you find!

I must have died 80 times. Darn skeleton fish.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: June 23, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I've played harder games than this one, but its certainly no cakewalk in any way, shape, or form. It will definitely test your ability to inflict and dodge attacks. Your life preserving strategies will get quite a workout too. You've got to be on the ball if you want to get through this game. Even with maxed out stats, you can't just plow through the game and take hits. Heck, even with max strength I wouldn't mess with those knife-throwing eagles. I just ran away from them, and still somehow lived.

There's no way you can beat this game without a walkthrough. No freaking way. Way too many dangerous mazes and unobvious methods to get items. And you need ALL of the items to get through the game. You can't just pick and choose. You need to have the thunder spell to beat the boss, and you need to have all the magic containers to get the spell, see.

There are really only two places where you'd get stuck in this game. Unfortunately one of the places is right at the beginning and the other is right at the end. At the beginning, Death Mountain really is DEATH mountain. I can't think of any way to get through it except by building up experience points like crazy and leveling up several times. Those red alligator cavemen are monstrous.

And at the end, well, just walking along the path from the giant spider to the Great Palace is a heck of a challenge. Dinosaur men throw barrages of rocks at you with the accuracy of snipers, and one-eyed ghosts fly around randomly, knocking you into lava and zapping away whatever lives you have. Thank goodness if you actually make it to the Great Palace, you can continue from there.

What really makes this game so different from the other Zelda games is the jumps. In Zelda 1 and 3, there aren't really any jumps, and if you miss a jump in Zelda 4, its not really all that big of a deal. Start where you left off and try again. But if you miss a jump in Zelda 2, it costs you dearly. Miss three of those and you're back at the beginning, and believe me, there are plenty of enemies around to help you miss those three.

The odd thing though, is that while the combat system and the required jump-dodging are what makes this game hard as heck, they also are what make the game good. After some practice, you'll be impressed at what you're able to do. Especially once you figure out how to get past those boomerang guys. The controls are practically flawless, and my only complaint about them is Link's sword is too short for the upward thrust to be particularly effective. Half the time I'd use that attack I'd take damage instead of give it.

Quite primitive, and definitely not as good as Zelda 3 or 4, but it has some neat items and spells, and its definitely a man's game. Play it if you dare.

Sequel to "A Link to the Past"

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: May 29, 2002
Author: Amazon User

"Zelda II: the adventures of Link" is possibly the best one that ever hit the NES. With "Zelda 3"(which is actually the prequel), and the other 2 "Z" games which are the sequels.

I wasn't TOO much into "The Legend of Zelda", which came to the NES in 1987, but this one got me quite impressed. The puzzles are great, the weapons,items etc. are awesome, and the bosses have an excellent challenge.

This one may be for more of the advanced players though, due to that its much harder than any of the others in the series. Be sure to also check out: "Ocarina of Time" on N64.(another classic "Zelda" game.)

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