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"The game that changed video games forever."

-- Introduction --
This was one of, if not the first game with a useful save feature. It was said that this game was not one to be played in one sitting, and that is correct. Here we are, over 20 years later, and it still stands out among other games. The idea is simple: search the land for the 8 pieces of the Triforce, each in their own dungeon, each guarded by a beast that must be slain. Only then can you proceed to the final dungeon to rescue Princess Zelda, and complete the game. This is the grandfather of all adventure games, the one that started it all and set a high standard for future video games.


-- Gameplay -- 10/10
The Legend of Zelda will test your abilities to the limit. It takes a wise mind and a strong determination to make it through some of the later dungeons. There are many items to collect, many upgrades to be found many monsters to kill, and many, many secrets to be uncovered. Your standard Zelda arsenal consists of your sword, tunic (armour), Bow and Arrows, Bombs, and a boomerang. Upon completing later labyrinths, you can find better, more useful items, each with it's own unique use. The overworld map is huge, with many secrets to it. For example, there could be a normal-looking bush above-ground, but when burnt down will uncover a stairwell leading to a dungeon, shop, etc. Rupees are the form of currency in Hyrule, often dropped by monsters or won in gambling games. Using these rupees, you can upgrade your items, buy new items, or pay someone to tell you about the land. Another example of this is bombing walls. In some dungeons, and in some walls in the overworld (above-ground), you may place a bomb against a wall to reveal a cave. There are several of these scattered throughout the land. Your life meter is represented by hearts. You begin your adventure with 3 hearts, and attain one from completing each dungeon. Heart containers can also be found in secret locations in the overworld, giving a total possible amount of 16 Heart containers. In each dungeon, there will be a wise old man who will give you a hint about the dungeon, the beast guarding the piece of triforce, or help you increase the amount of bombs you can carry. This game has many traps and puzzles to solve if you want to make it to the end of the dungeon, making it even more challenging. You can't rely solely on your fighting skill to get you through a dungeon, but you must be able to find your way through the dungeon - which is very much easier said than done. After completing the game, you are given the chance to play again, but this time even tougher! The item locations are all changed, dungeon locations are hidden, and invisible walls make the various labyrinths even tougher than they were before.

-- Graphics -- 10/10
For the NES, these graphics are very nice. It is simple to tell things apart from one another, such as which type of rupee is on the floor, and which enemies are harder than others. Unlike some NES games, these graphics don't make the game harder to play, or make your eyes hurt within minutes, but, in my opinion at least, make it easier to play. Sprites (game items, characters, enemies) flow nicely with one another, and make the game a much more enjoyable experience. The only downfall I can think of is when many enemies flood into an area at once - some may begin to flash or even be invisible for a short amount of time. However, this is common on early video games when many things are on the screen at once.

-- Storyline -- 10/10
It is very simple to understand the storyline. At the beginning of the game, it explains the background of the game, and the quest you must go on to rescue Princess Zelda. Some may argue that the storyline is too simple, and not deep enough, but it is one of the very few games on the NES which rely alot on the storyline. It may be simple, but I don't believe that a simple storyline is a bad storyline at all. In fact, a simpler storyline lets the gamer focus on the task at hand, instead of confusing him or her with irrelevant information.

-- Music -- 9/10
The music in this game is very catchy, and known by almost every nintendo gamer worldwide. There are very few "songs" in this game though, which is why I gave it a 9/10. There is the main overworld theme, the dungeon theme, the final dungeon theme, and the credits theme. Considering the fact that you will be spending hours upon hours on the overworld, searching for secrets, the overworld theme can begin to annoy some.

-- Controls -- 10/10
Simple concepts make for easier gameplay. The directional pad did just that, made you walk in four directions. Start brings up your inventory, Select will pause the game, A is always your sword, and B is your secondary item. Anyone can pick up and learn these controls in under 30 seconds, and never forget what to press. The control is very responsive - when you press a button, the action will happen.

-- Replay Value -- 10/10
This game could possibly have more replay value than any other NES game in the world. After completing the game, as I said earlier, you can go on yet another quest which is harder than the first. There are tons and tons of secrets to be uncovered in the overworld, many new upgrades to be found and many new places to be settled. If you haven't already uncovered every one of the heart containers, there is also that task yet to complete, giving The Legend of Zelda a great replay value.

-- Difficulty Level -- 10/10
Assuming you don't use a guide, this game is a very, very challenging one. Seemingly never-ending hoards of enemies will attack you, at times almost seeming unfair. However, there is a strategy to defeat each and every enemy - they all have a weakness. You can get hints as to how to complete dungeons, where to go, and how to kill certain enemies, which encourages the player to delve even deeper into the game. The challenges you will encounter gradually increase in difficulty. As you learn more about the game, you are expected to be able to take on harder enemies, more of them at once, in a tigher space, etc. As I said at the beginning, this game will test your abilities to the limit.



-- Overall -- 10/10
This game recieves a perfect score from me, and many other fans out there. No NES is complete without this game. This game alone changed the way future games were made. Not only future adventure games, not just strategy games or RPGs, but literally every type of video game. The Legend of Zelda set a very high bar for newer video games - many tried to be better than it, but none have succeeded. Even today, Zelda is among the ranked best video games in the world, being on the charts of gaming magazines for longer than any other.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 11/19/07

Game Release: The Legend of Zelda (US, 08/22/87)