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The Legend of Zelda (NES) artwork

The Legend of Zelda (NES) review


"The first Zelda game released to the world. This game introduces you to Ganon/Link/and Zelda who all appear in multiple Zelda games after. This game introduces the 8 dungeons, and the scattered Heart Pieces. This game introduces to you the mastersword, and the various shields and subweapons. There are potions and fairis, and skeletons and moblins. This game introduces you to all of that. "

The first Zelda game released to the world. This game introduces you to Ganon/Link/and Zelda who all appear in multiple Zelda games after. This game introduces the 8 dungeons, and the scattered Heart Pieces. This game introduces to you the mastersword, and the various shields and subweapons. There are potions and fairis, and skeletons and moblins. This game introduces you to all of that.

STORY (7/10): For a classic Nintendo game, the story is not that bad. You are a young Hylian boy, who is sent on a mission to save the princess from the Evil Ganon. There really isn't much more than that, but find me a non-RPG with a better story than that on the NES. You most likely won't!

GRAPHICS (10/15): For the classic nintendo the backgrounds are nice, and the enemies all look different (well besides the same ones, that our colored different for difficulty reasons). However all the people you meet are almost exactly alike. They could've been better, but the graphics are not that bad in this Zelda.

SOUND (9/10): Where all the Zelda games have shined, is in the sound category. This Zelda is no different. Sure, you probably won't be downloading these songs, but they are still nice, and the best on the Classic NES system. There is not much fault to Sound in this legacy.

GAMEPLAY (42/50): This is the game that started it all. There are the bow-and-arrows, with multiple different types. There are rings to increase your power. There are lanterns to burn trees. There are bombs to blow through walls. There are the dependable boomerang which always comes back. There are faeries and potions to heal you. And then of course, there are the sword fights Link has become famous for. All of this is present in the first Zelda game, and all of these are still used in the more modern Zelda's. There are 8 dungeons to trudge though, there are alot of heart containers scattered around. There are the underground rupee men even. There is a lot to find and use in the original Zelda, as much as the modern Zelda's have, and that is saying alot.

REPLAYABILITY (9/10): This Zelda has something no other Zelda game has in the replay category. There are 2 quests to go through. The easy one, which is not that easy at all, and then the master one you enter after you beat easy. This is a great addition, that very few games would ever have. Also there is so much to find scattered around the original Zelda that there is alot to do.

DIFFICULTY (5/5): The difficulty of the first quest is well controlled, and it will not drive you to near insanity. It is hard at points, but everything is beatable. You better be prepared however, for the 6th and 7th dungeons are extremely hard. The 2nd quest however is sick, for you diehard gamers. This gives you professionals out there something to push for, something to make you the best.

VINTAGE VALUE (+5): This game started a series which would lead to Ocarina of Time, Link to the Past, and Links Awakening. All great games, which would never have come around if it weren't for this baby. This game is well deserving of it's sequels, and it's sequels are well deserving of this game.

OVERALL (87/100): This is one of the classics for the original Nintendo, and definitely a must buy for all gamers. I still love this game, and play it from time to time. Some of the classic games are the best, just because the history you can remember of your younger days (of course I didn't play this until like 2 years ago, so I wasn't much younger). I almost believe this game to be the 2nd best Zelda game in the series, and I credit this game for using a system that would lead to Ocarina of Time, the high point in it's legacy that Legend of Zelda started.



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Community review by ratking (Date unavailable)

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