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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

A Classic! Simply the best game ever on the NES!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 9 / 11
Date: November 13, 2002
Author: Amazon User

I am one of a few people that think, that Zelda II: The Adventure Of Link, surpasses it's original (The Legend Of Zelda).

There's something really mystical and magical about every aspect of this game., that was severely lacking in it's predecessor. (That is severely lacking in most games that are on the market today!)

From the moment you turn the game pak on, wonderful, mystical/fantasy music hits, which soon turns eerie and frightening; a sort of a feeling that the land of Hyrule has suddenly changed. It's a nightmare province now; we feel we're in a fantasy within a fantasy. The rest of music, thought the game thoroughly reflects the moods generated. So unlike many other games there's no lost of feeling of what your quest is about, and how you must desperately trying to get rid of this horrendous and fearful evil. Now very few games have that sort of effect on people, I can tell you.

The story is that it's been years since an inexperienced Link had defeated the evil Ganyon (the original game) But now the Ganyon has returned, causing yet more treacherous murder as he tries to overthrow the power of awe inspiring Princess Zelda. Removing six precious crystals from palaces across the land of Hyrule, he uses the powerful wizardry from them to put a sleeping spell on the beautiful Princess Zelda.

Hyrule's only hope is her close and best friend (really her boyfriend!) Link. Now bigger and more mature and skillful. Who sets on, on what feel surely a traitorous and grueling quest.

As you might have gathered from playing Zelda games is that the land of Hyrule is HUGE! Your first main task is to return the six precious crystals to their origins, in six stone statues. Only by defeating the six guardians you will be able to gain access to the seventh palace. Once the palace has it's stone returned the palace will turn to stone! But the first task itself is not at all simple: On your way helpful villagers from town you may want to visit will encounter clues and lot of secret info that is almost essential to your quest. That's not all! You can learn a variety of magic spells and learn new moves with your sword! As well as a complex way of extending life and magic power.

I could go on and on about this game, because the whole game is just so well planned out! I can see that people were put off with this game because of the complex elements during gameplay. It's not just an RPG action adventure scrolling game.

very difficult, but a great game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: June 25, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Zelda II: The Adventures of Link is the direct sequel to one of my favorite games of all time - The Legend of Zelda. Zelda II expands on the story, having a grown up Link fighting to save the princess (who has been cursed into sleep) and Link is also trying to stop the forces of evil from reviving Gannon (the bad guy from the first Zelda game).

While the first Zelda game was a straight adventure game, Zelda II mixes in RPG elements in how you search the towns, talk to people and try to discover what to do and where to go next. When you are in the overworld, you control link from the top down and this is very similar to an RPG. As you walk, you get into random battles (which are partially avoidable) and the action is now side-scrolling. You can fight with your sword and cast magic. Throughout the game Link levels up as he gains experience and can earn more magic points, health, or strength.

This is one of the more difficult Zelda games and it was only until I replayed the game a couple years ago that I was finally able to make my way through the final dungeon to defeat the game (I could never find my way to the last boss). Even with the advanced difficulty, this is a stellar game and fully lives up (or helps to set up) the Zelda dynasty and is part of the reason why this is such a well respected and beloved video game franchise.

Quite Possibly The Best Game Ever Made for Any System

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 5
Date: September 07, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I don't know what is wrong with some of my brethren. I do not see how anyone could conceivably award this game less than 5 stars. If you have not played this game before, then ignore the cynics, skeptics, party-poopers and naysayers who ignorantly and stupidly sully this game's rating. Know that this is quite possibly the best video game ever made for any system.

What makes this game so good? The plot is compelling, the characters are well-drawn, the theme music is absolutely and undeniably genius and the game is appropriately challenging--it is difficult, but not too difficult. You will not be able to beat this game quickly, and there will be points in the game where you are frustrated, but the journey will be worth it. One of the greatest experiences of your life will be thrashing Ganon and bringing peace to Hyrule.

Do not pay attention to the nincompoops complaining that this game is 2D. First of all, they're wrong. Much of the game actually IS 3D, particularly when Link travels in Hyrule. Only the battle scenes are in 2D, but this is a good feature, because 2D battles emphasize swordsmanship more. With time you will master the upward thrust, the downward thrust and the jumping swipe. Look for the swordsmen in the villages to teach you these tricks. And, for the final time, ignore the haters of this game. These people have poor judgment and they should be tortured and fed to lions.

Zelda II is a brilliant game.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: June 13, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Zelda II is different. I will admit right off the bat that this game may not be for everyone. When it was released, it recieved a lot of negative feedback because it was not what people were expecting from a "Zelda" game. This game, at it's heart, is an action-sidescroller, and a VERY difficult one at that.

Having said that, you should definitely try it out. The game uses rpg-zelda-like adventuring, but zooms in for a 2D sidescroll view for combat sequences, and the result is a VERY engaging and creative game. The combat is more complex than most action games, lending a high degree of difficulty to the game. (fighting advanced opponents often involves sword-and-shield combat that required more thinking and reacting than simply "button-mashing.")

The graphics are way better than they have any right to be for an 8-bit game and the music is quite good. (much better than Zelda I's music.) There are only 7 temples, but they are challenging and will take you quite a while to defeat. The last temple is a MONSTER and it's big secret has stumped *many* excellent gamers for years.

The game builds nicely throughout and the gameplay never relents. There are very few opportunites for "metaplay" this game. (metagaming = "programmer-allowed cheating." as in: finding a way to defeat an enemy that the computer cannot possibly defend against.) The final battle is fast and ferocious and the identity of your oponnent will surprise you! (hint: he makes a cameo appearance in Zelda 64! Well, Now you HAVE to try the game, don't you?? :D)

As a fellow game-developer myself, I have to commend Nintendo for their ingenious design of the last temple and in fact, the whole game. This game has rightly become a cult-classic in recent years and should be required material for any action-rpg game fan.

Be warned though, if you are expecting a game like Zelda I or III, you will be surprised, though not necesarily dissapointed.

Highly recommended.

A diiferent Zelda game, but still worthy of the name Zelda

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 4
Date: February 05, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Many will say this game is not worthy of the name Zelda, but I say they are just afraid of change. Many people playing Zelda II might expect a clone of the original Zelda, but at what point in the rest of the Zelda series has that ever happened? Every new Zelda game has added some new element to the gameplay, and changed the story. This is the only one to be a direct sequel, and it changed the gameplay drastically.
For those not familiar with Zelda II, the basic idea is that Princess Zelda has been placed into a deep sleep by an unknown person. The only thing that can wake her is the Triforce of Wisdom. (If you remember Zelda I, Ganon had the Triforce of Power, and Link collected the Triforce of Courage.) The triforce of Wisdom is securely locked away in the Golden Palace. But Link can't just walk in the front door of the palace. He must first break the magical seal around the palace. He does this by placing six crystals in statues scattered throughout Hyrule. Each statue is in a palace, guarded by some VERY difficult bosses. That's really all there is to the story.
The gameplay is the part that seems to cause the most grumbling among the nay-sayers. I won't lie, it is VERY difficult, because it focuses on sword-fighting, and you don't get to fall back on some other weapon if you suck with the sword. But if you can master the basics of sword fighting, the rest of the game is just about finding your way, and discovering an enemy's weakness. There are many helpful characters in the game, who give you ample hints to get you pointed in the right driection. You still have to solve the puzzles, and find a lot of things yourself, but how fun would it be if they spelled the answers out for you?
There is a level-up system using experience points which is unique for the Zelda series, and if you try to go straight to the first palace from the get-go, you will die quickly, and often. But, like many of the Final Fantasy style RPG's, you can always earn XP in random battles, and beef yourself up at will. So you CAN make the game easier, with minimal effort if you go to the right places.
Some have said that if you finally manage to beat it, you're dissappointed by the ending. I say, it's 8-bit! What did you expect? A DVD-quality animatic? Anyone who's ever felt their pulse pounding when they approach a boss in any game, and felt the rush of joy when they stomp that boss into the ground will be able to feel the same feeling when they beat Zelda II. The game is difficult enough that just beating it is a badge of honor.
Replay value? Some games in the RPG genre lose a lot of their appeal when you know all the puzzles, and know where all the extras are. But not Zelda II. Combat is challenging enough that the game can still be fun the second time, or even the 20th time through. Sure, it took me almost a month to beat it the first time, and now I can do it in about 6 hours, but I still enjoy it every time.
I urge anyone who's passed this title over because of negative reviews to take another look at it. Pick yourself up a copy, and play it. I don't mean just a half-hearted attempt either. Give it a chance to either shine or fail on its own merits. Stop comparing it to the rest of the series, and give this amazing game a chance! If you really didn't like it, you're only out a few bucks right? and you can propably resell the game.

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!

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.

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.

This is the best Zelda Game ever :)

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 3
Date: February 17, 2004
Author: Amazon User

This Game is amaizing, I first played it in 1990, and didnt master the game untill this year 2004!! I took a loooooong break from it then started to play it for full. The graphic is very good considering its on Nintendo 8 bits, and the challange is amazing. Sure its difficult but thats why its so fun. The Palaces are amaizing especially the last one and 5 one. You go in cities to ask for help then u must find different things to go futher into the game. Its very logic. I dont like any of the other Zelda games, I wish they were more like this one.

I recommend u to try to download it or buy it(if u still have Nintendo 8 bits).

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