A Look Back at the Legend of Zelda (NES)

The folks over at GameSpite.net have put together an article looking back at the original Legend of Zelda for the NES. Every so often we see these types of retrospective articles, looking back at games from the past, trying to re-imagine the experience, highlight the nostalgia that came with the game, and try to introduce older games to the younger audience. This article is no different but it is done very well that even as a fan who has read dozens of these, I still enjoyed the read.

The author talks about his experience at the video game store in the 80’s, looking for a game to pick-out. Game reviews were hard to come by back then and the difference between good and bad games was only experienced well after the game was purchased. It was luck of the draw, but thanks to the shining gold cartridge, the author ended up selecting our beloved Legend of Zelda.

The first of its kind in many ways, Zelda was unique in that unlike most games before it, the goal at the game’s outset was not immediately apparent. There were no foes to shoot initially, nor were you given any method to do so. You could not simply begin running in one direction to reach the goal, either. Instead, Zelda offered players a sprawling, open world to be explored. The player, taking the role of elfboy Link, is simply given a silly green tunic and what might be a hat — pixel art is ever so abstract — and is then left in the mountains to fend for himself. The grammatically questionable blurb on the game’s demo screen informs you know that your overarching goal is to save the titular Princess Zelda from the no doubt evil clutches of one “Prince Darkness Gannon,” and that at some point you’ll be picking up a laundry list of common adventuring gear, such as a boomerang, some candles, and a stepladder. From that point on, however, the game take a very hands-off approach.

The author goes on to talk about the games battery pack, some strange changes between the Famicom and the NES version, and other similar games that were greatly influenced by the original Legend of Zelda. It really is a great read and I highly suggest checking it out.

So what do you guys think? Did you have similar experiences with the original Legend of Zelda game, or any Zelda game for that matter? Did you purchase a game, simply not knowing what to expect just to be blown away by the experience? Let us know by posting in the comments below.

Source: GameSpite.net
Related: Legend of Zelda Walkthrough