Had to do a thread on the best video game ever. I still remember playing this in early 1987 when I was 5, in fact I think it was the first "non Mario" game I got into. For overall adventure, the first one was ahead of its time for complexity. I still find it hard to beat the second quest! I even like the fluffy music for the overhead screen, and creepier soundtrack for the dungeons.

Overall, just like the 80's themselves, it was fun. 8)

I only ever played The Legend of Zelda a couple of times, but I played Zelda II: The Adventures of Link almost daily.  The hardest parts of Zelda II, I thought were:

- finding the boots in the maze of caves
- getting through that quicksand after you beat the river devil
- blowing the flute at 3 eye rock (took me a while to figure that one out)

Oddly enough, at the end, that indian and gannon were surprisingly easy

Yeah, the caves themselves were fun, but hard. Oddly, fairly early on in the game, I found #2 to be one of the hardest.

Especially that screen with the falling blocks (to the left is the item, but you need a key to get to it). I learned the hard way to keep moving, and fast! ;)

OMG yeah those falling blocks.  I forgot about them.  That was difficult, and somewhat fun trying to build tunnels out of them.  LOL

^ Sometimes I'd wait for 'em to fall (in a safe place) just so I could tunnel them (the bottom two levels).

Of course, this was much more fun later in the game when you had the downward and upward thrusts. I loved jumping on three or four layers of bricks and KA-Boom, BOOM BOOM.

Overall, just like the 80's themselves, it was fun. 8)


I remember that my younger broher had this one on his NES.  I grew up using an Apple II+ for gaming, and never could get the hang of the controller that came with the NES.  I do know that my brother was addicted to this game.

For overall adventure, the first one was the best - and way ahead of its time for complexity. I still have a heck of a time trying to finish the second quest! Perfect lighthearted and catchy theme music for the overworld, and creepier stuff for the 8 dungeons.

Overall, just like the 80's themselves, it was fun.

 I agree 100%, in fact I think I'll plug in the ol' NES and pop in Zelda..............aaaaaaaah the memories............the 80's.

Yeah ive played LOZ II aswell..... But only for a little bit though.....I only got up to the end of the palace at the start

My sister got me hooked on Zelda and I had to buy NES just to get that game. I have conquered the first adventure a thousand times (so it seems). Have only played the second adventure a handful of times and conquered that, too. But the first one was always my favorite. Haven't played it in years but at one time,  I knew where EVERYTHING was-every tree to burn, every rock to move, everyplace to bomb, etc. I have never played the Adventures of Link (wasn't that on Super Nitendo?). When we got our Nitendo 64, we got both the Ocerina of Time and Majora's Mask. We (my husband at the controls and me "guiding" him) conquered the Ocerina of Time many times but never did finish Majora's Mask. We should go back and try it again.




Cat

I've only completed the first Zelda game, A Link to the Past, and Link's Awakening for the GameBoy. I could never stand The Adventures of Link though... Possibly I'd be more appreciative of it now, but as a kid I found it too frustrating and difficult. In fact, my clearest memory of it is of Ganon's shadowy face and spooky eyes, telling me that I'm dead or something. I haven't played the game since I was maybe 8 or 9, so I must have seen that image a lot. ;)

But the others I played in the series were all great fun. If I ever buy a newer system (the last one we bought was the SNES in the early '90s - lol), the later Zelda installments are some of the first games I'd want to play.

It probably has the best video game theme music too, by the way... in my humble opinion.

Not to go off topic, but there was a great Zelda clone for the Turbo Grafx-16 called Neutopia (released in 1990) which remains one of the best RPGs I ever played.  The sequel Neutopia II (released in 1992) was even better and is the GREATEST RPG I've ever played.  The music, the game play ... It really puts you in the game play.  The other night I reconnected with this game, and played it for nearly 4 hours non-stop 8)

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c362/godeltsihw/neutopiaII.jpg

I've only completed the first Zelda game, A Link to the Past, and Link's Awakening for the GameBoy. I could never stand The Adventures of Link though... Possibly I'd be more appreciative of it now, but as a kid I found it too frustrating and difficult. In fact, my clearest memory of it is of Ganon's shadowy face and spooky eyes, telling me that I'm dead or something. I haven't played the game since I was maybe 8 or 9, so I must have seen that image a lot. ;)

But the others I played in the series were all great fun. If I ever buy a newer system (the last one we bought was the SNES in the early '90s - lol), the later Zelda installments are some of the first games I'd want to play.

It probably has the best video game theme music too, by the way... in my humble opinion.



I really like The Legend of Zelda for the NES. The second one was o.k. I'd say my overall favorite Zelda game may just be The Legend of Zelda:The Ocarina of Time for the N64.

They were good games.

I actually got a late start and played the SNES: A Link To The Past first, but I also enjoyed the original NES versions too, especially the first one.

Not to go off topic, but there was a great Zelda clone for the Turbo Grafx-16 called Neutopia (released in 1990) which remains one of the best RPGs I ever played.  The sequel Neutopia II (released in 1992) was even better and is the GREATEST RPG I've ever played.  The music, the game play ... It really puts you in the game play.  The other night I reconnected with this game, and played it for nearly 4 hours non-stop 8)

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c362/godeltsihw/neutopiaII.jpg



I remember the Turbo Grafx-16. I'm not sure if I remember that particular game, but I knew somebody that had a TG-16. It was a really cool system, and had alot of good games. It's a shame that it got overshadowed by the Genesis and later the SNES.

I used to love this game....but I never could beat it when I was younger.  I used to think that Link was pretty attractive for a cartoon/video game character! LOL! ;D :D

I didnt play LOZ in the 80's. I was more into Mario and Contra on my NES.

But then they rolled out the N64 and after getting the stupid Donkey Kong game, I found The Ocarina of Time! Instantly fell in love with Zelda and I still reply that game today, like many here have already said.
I havent finished Majora's Mask yet - although I am 75% through it. My son Sasuke has gamecube and we play the Minish Cap as well as Four Swords (we have the gameboy adapter on it) We just recently bought The Adventures of Link but he finds it confusing and too much of a challenge..... lol

Of course, we are now eagerly awaiting the arrival of LOZ - Twilight Princess (November '06)

But how I wish they still made games for my N64! ;D

I didnt play LOZ in the 80's. I was more into Mario and Contra on my NES.

But then they rolled out the N64 and after getting the stupid Donkey Kong game, I found The Ocarina of Time! Instantly fell in love with Zelda and I still reply that game today, like many here have already said.
I havent finished Majora's Mask yet - although I am 75% through it. My son Sasuke has gamecube and we play the Minish Cap as well as Four Swords (we have the gameboy adapter on it) We just recently bought The Adventures of Link but he finds it confusing and too much of a challenge..... lol

Of course, we are now eagerly awaiting the arrival of LOZ - Twilight Princess (November '06)

But how I wish they still made games for my N64! ;D



I like N64 Donkey Kong but I can't beat the "old" Donkey Kong they have in there to get the last key so I have never finished it because I couldn't get to the last level.  :\'( :\'(



Cat

I just came across this video: http://www.gametheater.org/detail.php?video=55. Someone speed running the original LoZ. It's pretty insane :o

Yeah...I loved the Zelda series on NES and on SNES. For those of you that dig this style of gameplay and have an XBOX (they have it on PC too) get Fable. Its like Zelda on steroids!

I just came across this video: http://www.gametheater.org/detail.php?video=55. Someone speed running the original LoZ. It's pretty insane :o


That one was pretty cool and slightly more believable than the SMB 3 guy. You can tell he spliced it at the Save points, which actually makes sense. Watching him work his way back to the start screen after beating certain levels, for instance, would just be needless extra time.

Plus, this guy showed himself getting hit a few times. ;D

One thing that threw me off at first was how he started with Level 2 and 3 before going on to 1, but since those are all accessible and beatable from the beginning without the advanced items (i.e. the raft), it works just as good.

That one was pretty cool and slightly more believable than the SMB 3 guy. You can tell he spliced it at the Save points, which actually makes sense. Watching him work his way back to the start screen after beating certain levels, for instance, would just be needless extra time.

Plus, this guy showed himself getting hit a few times. ;D

One thing that threw me off at first was how he started with Level 2 and 3 before going on to 1, but since those are all accessible and beatable from the beginning without the advanced items (i.e. the raft), it works just as good.



Yeah, I prefer to watch speed run's where the player doesn't cheat. I mean alot of times the tool assisted ones are more cool to watch, but IMO the legitimate ones are alot cooler.

I used to play it alot. I used to be anxious to see level 9 & beat Gannon.

The Legend of Zelda Suite by Koji Kondo

MriV_L0Hl5E

I did not realise how good the music is.

I played and beat both.  I didn't like 2 as much with the standup characters.  I preferred 1 for the simple overhead graphics and play, and liked the music better too.  Especially the underground music.

My uncle gave me both along with the Nintendo Power magazines with the clues given away.  As a kid I thought it was cool but looking back I wonder what it would have been like to have solved the game the old fashioned way.  Oh well.