Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (Japanese: The Legend of Zelda II リンクの冒険, Rinku no Bōken) is a video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System, and the second title in the Legend of Zelda series of games. It was originally released in Japan on the Famicom Disk System, but just as its predecessor was, was converted to the regular NES cartridge format when released in the US and other countries. It was re-released on the Game Boy Advance in 2004 under the Classic NES Series.
Emboldened by the massive, widespread success of the original Legend of Zelda, Nintendo envisioned a radically different gameplay engine when the time for a sequel came around. Zelda II: The Adventure of Link was born shortly thereafter, setting off debates that continue to this day. Zelda II carries far more RPG-style elements than other titles in the series, and perhaps because of this many players are left disappointed by Nintendo's second installment, who believe that it does not live up to the first game's success.
This time, Link is off on a quest to awaken Princess Zelda, who was put into an enchanted sleep long ago. Link's only chance of reviving her is retrieving the Triforce of Courage from the Great Palace. To do this he must unravel the "binding force" that protects the Great Palace by placing six crystals in other palaces around the world. This crystal theme reappears in later Zelda games. It is an element that many latter-day RPGs seem to share.
Gameplay
Zelda II resembled the original very little; rather than the top-down view of the previous title, Zelda II featured side-scrolling areas within a larger world map. The game also incorporated more role-playing game elements, including an experience system, magic spells, and more interaction with non-player characters.
Experience
In this installment of the series, Link gains levels, another gameplay feature more common to other RPGs than to the Zelda series. He starts at level one for attack, magic and life, and by fighting enemies to gain experience he can raise these all the way to level 8. Raising a Life level will decrease the damage Link takes each time he is hit, while raising a magic level will decrease the cost of spells, and raising an attack level will strengthen his blows. During his journey, Link can also find heart containers and magic containers that increase the amount of life/magic he can have at any given time. Although the Heart Piece theme appears in later Zelda games, Zelda II is the only game in the series that allows Link to build levels.
Like many other RPGs, Zelda II allows the player to fight large amounts of weaker enemies in order to raise their levels before tackling more difficult challenges, while most other games in the Zelda series provide players with only limited means to raise their abilities.
Overworld and Side-View
The second Zelda also welcomes players to a two-mode world. The Overworld mode, once home to all battles, labyrinths, graveyards, etc., now serves simply as a means to get from one place to another. Whenever Link arrives at a place that can be explored, the game switches to a side view mode. The Palaces and towns are all viewed in this new way, giving Link the opportunity to access his sword and his magic, since the Overworld mode doesn't allow him to. Likewise, if Link strays from the road of the Overworld, wandering into forests, deserts and swamps, black enemy symbols chase him across the screen. If outrunning them proves too much a challenge, then a random battle ensues, and the side screen mode comes into use again. Even though the fighting is still action-oriented, not menu-based like later RPGs, the difference in battle mode and traveling mode is very characteristic of later RPGs, and is yet another point of contention.
Some gamers have noted the resemblance between the area south of Death Mountain in Zelda and the Overworld of the original game. Specifics include the placement of the graveyard, the forests, river, and the reappearance of Spectacle Rock, down to the cave which Link had created in the previous game. The implication is that, since this area is a rather small corner of Zelda II's Overworld, this game has a much larger scope than its predecessor.
Palaces
Along the path of Link's journey are the seven Palaces: large, labyrinthine areas which feature enemies more difficult than those found in the Overworld, each of which contain a special item and a guardian at the very end. After defeating these guardians, Link embeds a crystal into a special statue, weakening the binding force that prevents him from accessing the seventh and final Great Palace.
Items
Items like the raft, candle, magical key, and the flute make a comeback, but other favorites are noticeably missing. In addition, these items are not actively used in combat and exploration such as in other Zelda games, but either enhance Link's abilities in some way or allow him greater access to areas on the Overworld.
- Candle - Allows Link to see in dark caverns
- Hammer - Destroys roadblocks and chops down trees
- Gloves - Enables Link to break certain stones with his sword
- Raft - Used to sail between the Western and Eastern sections of the Overworld
- Boots - Allows Link to walk over certain bodies of water in the Overworld
- Flute - Used to destroy a monster, and to reveal a previously hidden area in the Overworld
- Cross - Allows Link to see certain invisible enemies
- Magical Key - Can unlock any door
Towns
Zelda II was the first in the series to feature towns. Here Link can refill his life and magic meters, and talk to the locals for advice. (In some towns, however, many locals are enemies in disguise.)
In addition, each town offers Link a chance to gain a magic spell or a sword technique, provided he completes a small favor. In this way, Link learns magic that allows him to jump higher, morph into a fairy to fly through keyholes in palaces, and refill his life, among other things. Swordsmen will also teach him to upward and downward thrust with his sword, sword techniques which are unique to Zelda II (though they appear in Super Smash Bros. Melee) and are vital to defeating certain enemies. The role of these non-player characters (NPCs) in Link's quest is also a typical RPG element that the original Zelda lacked; however, it is especially noticeable in N64's The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time that NPCs are again vital to Link's quest.
The towns are:
Long time fans might notice that the first six towns bear the names of important characters from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Since the latter game takes place before Zelda II, the implication is that the towns are named after those people.
Story
Zelda II is Nintendo's version of Sleeping Beauty. Shortly after the events of The Legend of Zelda, near Link's 16th birthday, he notices a strange mark on the back of his left hand. He seeks out Impa, and she tells him the "Legend of Zelda." Long ago, the King of Hyrule ruled the land of Hyrule with a son and daughter. When the king died, the Triforce should have passed onto the Prince. However, he could only inherit the Triforce in part, and thus sought the remaining pieces. When he learned Zelda knew of their location, he questioned her. She refused, and so the Prince sent his wizard to question her. When he failed, he became furious and cast a sleeping spell on Princess Zelda. The wizard fell dead, but the Prince was left with the grief of what he caused. At the same time, the Prince moved Zelda to the North Castle and laid her on a bed hung with rich curtains with a red rose in her hand, and hoped that one day, she would awaken. To ensure this event was never forgotten, the Prince ordered all female royal members born from that point on to be named "Zelda."
Impa tells Link this because they have found an old chest containing six crystals and an old message that claims that the restoration of the crystals to the six palaces in Hyrule will open the path to the Triforce of Courage. Taking the crystals, Link sets out to restore them to their places, defeating powerful palace guardians and learning magic spells to aid him as he seeks to break the enchantment on the sleeping Zelda.
Legacy
Though Zelda II is seen by many fans as the misfit of the Zelda games, it has developed a loyal fanbase, and many elements of the game have remained in the series. For instance, all Zelda games now prominently feature NPCs, who almost always play a pivotal role in Link's quests. The use of metered magic and spells has also carried over into modern Zelda games. The Adventure of Link version of Stalfos, which make use of defense techniques, seem to be the basis of later incarnations of the enemy (as opposed to the earlier Legend of Zelda version, which simply walked blindly around dungeons, making no attempts to defend themselves or evade attack). One enemy, Barba, seems to have been the inspiration for Volvagia in Ocarina of Time. Shadow Link also appears in Ocarina of Time as well as Four Swords Adventures. The idea of a hammer used to destroy path obstructions was first introduced in Adventure of Link, and was seen in later Zelda games such as Link to the Past and Ocarina of Time (in the form of the Megaton Hammer) and Wind Waker (in the form of the Skull Hammer).
The Black Sheep?
The Adventure of Link was the sequel to the highly acclaimed Legend of Zelda, and the second Zelda game ever to be released. (Not counting the Game & Watch Zelda) It is by many considered to be the "black sheep" of the Zelda series, mainly because of its attempt to break away from what would later define the 2D Zelda games, the overhead view. Many saw this as attempt to fix something which wasn't even broken in the first place, and were therefore slightly disappointed with this game. On top of that, its sound track wasn't composed by Koji Kondo and didn't properlly reflect the series, and Link's health was measured in squares as opposed to Hearts.
Pros
The game didn't really feel like a Zelda, but it did have some saving graces. It contributed largely to the overall storyline, introducing such concepts as the Triforce of Courage, characters like Impa and Dark Link, and names like Mido, Rauru and other sages. It also utilised a more RPGish gameplay style with level ups, and a full magic system, though this really didn't improve it at all.