Category: The Adventure of Link

To me, The Legend of Zelda has always been a series of dungeon-crawling headscratchers rather than combat-focused action games. Except for the franchise’s earliest entries, figuring out what one is supposed to do is usually the primary challenge; the actual execution is often trivial. Whether it’s a specific puzzle, the layout of a dungeon, or a sequence of actions that need to be performed, the Zelda series has consistently delivered brainteasers that are both creative and memorable. What has often…

With every new iteration in the franchise, the Zelda series finds some new way to innovate on itself. Some are smaller changes or developments, like Ocarina of Time to Majora’s Mask or Phantom Hourglass to Spirit Tracks. Others are huge sweeping changes, like the N64 era to The Wind Waker, or Skyward Sword to Breath of the Wild. While many of the fundamentals remain the same from entry to entry, the games still find ways to make themselves unique and…

Journey back with me to 2005: an odd year to talk about Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, for sure. That was, however, when 10-year-old me first became acquainted with the game. I remember standing in a rural Southern U.S. Walmart, transfixed by the bright blue of the brand-new Game Boy Advance SP that was soon to be mine. That day I also got to pick out a clearance-priced game. My choice? The Adventure of Link, my first handheld game….

Now this is a loaded question because there is a difference between difficulty in terms of how challenging a game is, and difficulty because of the lack of motivation to finish a game. In my case, The Adventure of Link is most difficult for me in both senses of this question. I still haven’t finished it out of pure frustration at the unfairness of the challenge level! And despite returning to it, I also don’t have a lot of drive…

I’m not sure how out of the ordinary this is, but I replay games more often than I play new ones by a mile. Not just new releases; even older games I haven’t played have a hard time squeezing into my schedule when there’s so many that I want to experience again (and again, and again). The Legend of Zelda is my favorite franchise and it makes me want to revisit their worlds many times to learn more and deepen my appreciation…

A good or bad gimmick can elevate or detract from a game, and the Zelda series is unique in that every single game has a distinct, unique gimmick associated with it that makes them ripe for examination! This week, we’re diving in and discussing what’s worked and what needed improvement over the years with Zelda gimmicks; Dual worlds are a favorite staple, but maybe stylus or motion controls weren’t for everybody. Transforming via masks was likewise awesome, so why did…

This week, we’re giving some love to an often overlooked and underappreciated game in The Legend of Zelda: Adventure of Link! Okay, maybe it’s not all love, but we do answer all of your questions about the game and come away with some really engaging discussion! What’re our favorite spells? Did the XP system help or hurt the game? What were our favorite bosses? Did we like the random encounters on the overworld? Did the lack of map hurt this…

I love the Zelda series for its immense adventure, unique puzzle challenges, and various storylines. Most of the time, I find them to be quite easy with some difficulties thrown in; games like Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask, I can play with absolute confidence. Meanwhile, there are others I will not play again because the struggle was not worth it.  When I was young, I had trouble with Zelda II: The Adventure of Link for the Game Boy Advance…

After reading the fantastic editorial my colleague Mike Midwood penned about enjoying Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, I felt compelled to go back and visit it, maybe not playing from start to finish, but at least doing a dungeon or two. There were two options available to me: playing on my Switch, or playing on my Zelda Game & Watch. I remember a few months ago while I was reviewing the Game & Watch thinking about how… unplayable and…

There’s something truly unique that is captured by the sights, sounds, and feel of classic arcade cabinets. Whether it’s the sound of the quarters dropping in, the snapping and clicking of the joystick and buttons, or the atmosphere of the arcade setting, there is an undeniable sensation of nostalgia and history that washes over anybody who steps up to one of these machines. While indeed packed with its own nostalgia and history, the Legend of Zelda series was never directly intended…