ZELDA 2: THE ADVENTURE OF LINK

I suppose while I've got my head in a Zelda mindset I may as well talk about Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link on the NES; the second installment to the Zelda series and the only other on the Nintendo Entertainment System. Released two years after Legend of Zelda in 1988, Zelda 2 saw the progression of Link's life into a  teenager where following the events of the first game and the destruction of Ganon he soon discovers a sinister plot to revive the Prince of Darkness. The story is a little confusing in terms on continuity but essentially Link has to revive the maiden Zelda (not the Zelda from the first game) who has been in a slumber for years, Zelda's watcher Impa entrusts Link with six gems which when placed in the palaces across Hyrule will open the way to the Great Palace and ultimately the Triforce of Courage. Link will then be able to revive the maiden from her slumber and once again bring peace to Hyrule. Something that i'll touch on again and again throughout this review in the difficulty level and just how hard this game is. Zelda 2 is relentless and will endeavour to kill you at any chance, the game is fun and rewarding but the difficulty can sometimes outweigh the experience at times and can lead to many rage moments. Honestly I still have never finished the game, I've made it up to the final boss on many occasions but have never been able to seal the deal and I've been at it for nearly twenty years! I've played a lot of hard games in my lifetime but this is right up there; it's Dark Souls challenging, maybe even harder.

This time round The Legend of Zelda is presented in the format of a sidescroller with RPG elements. Much like the first Zelda there is an over-world but unlike the first game there are no enemies to fight, instead the over-world just acts as a sort-of map which you traverse. Many people didn't enjoy this aspect as they felt it made the game a little boring at times but it's a great way to make a large world easy to explore. When you stray from the paths in the over-world map you can trigger monster encounters where you jump to the sidescrolling aspect of the game, there is no turn based combat, just monsters to fight. There are many areas of the world which you can't explore immediately, you'll have to complete palaces and find helpful equipment to aid you in your quest before being able to do so. Touching again on the RPG elements, throughout the game you obtain XP from killing monsters and completing palaces which in turn allow you to level up your health, magic or attack skills. This is an interesting element that I have only ever seen in this Zelda and feel it would be a fun addition to the newer instalments. The magic in particular is used for spells which can range from allowing you to jump really high to restoring your life and even turning into a fairy to get through those tight and tricky situations. These interesting ideas coupled with the sidescrolling style of gameplay makes for a really fun adventure and while it is a difficult journey the pay off and reward for your efforts and exploring is always high in the end.

For a sidescrolling game, Zelda 2 is heaps of fun. This is an example of the genre done right with little extras added to make it that extra bit enjoyable. You can discover sword techniques throughout Hyrule which allow you to execute downward thrusts and upward thrusts which implement smoothly into the combat and exploration. The Palaces you complete are scattered throughout Hyrule each with their own enemies and bosses. Something that's always stood out for me are the boss battles, while hard they are exceptionally fun. Sure I've raged many times at the TV but the challenge comes experience and your decisions, it's not all about cheap shots and bad controls like some games. Every boss is different with its own unique combat method and weaknesses which serve to add variety to each palace and always keep you guessing. The hardest boss of all is the final boss, which is terribly fitting for a game like this. Even before you get to the boss of the game you have to access through the mountains to the great Palace which will generally result in a death or two (and remember you only start with 3 lives). Once you navigate the labyrinth that is the Great Palace you need to fight not only the Thunderbird but then Dark Link! It's a marathon, a seriously hard but fun marathon. I love this game to death much like its predecessor but it doesn't get a full 10 just because it is just that hard, maybe I'm just not a good gamer and I strongly urge you all to give it a crack but ultimately I'm always going to choose the original Zelda. Let me know if you beat it because I'd love if it's actually possible or not!

Genre: Action Adventure
Platform: Nintendo Entertainment System
Score: 9.5 / 10