Nintendo Power Update: 1993-1995

I’ve continued to update our Zelda Publications page of the website, adding several new Nintendo Power magazines to the listing. If you are unfamiliar with the project, the plan is to go through every single Nintendo Power issue and pull out all the Zelda related material. As long as there is a Zelda reference, outside of the top-listings of each month, the issue is listed on the Publications page, along with the cover artwork of the magazine, links to the pages, as well as descriptions of what is found within the issue.

The latest update takes us through the rather dead period of the Zelda series. The mid-90’s, after A Link to the Past and Link’s Awakening had a few years under their belt, and Ocarina of Time was still a long time away, there wasn’t too much going in the Zelda series within Nintendo Power. However, there were still several goodies to be found and they are listed below.

Counselor’s Corner
A regular feature of Nintendo Power since its initial launch in 1988. This was the ‘how-to’ portion of the magazine, giving gamers tips on how to progress in a particular game. Back in the early 90’s there was no Zelda Dungeon to walk you through the game, but instead, you had to rely on friends and game magazines such as Nintendo Power to guide you when you were stuck. Zelda titles have made numerous appearances in the Counselor’s Corner over the years and during this time period, it was no different. Link’s Awakening released in the Fall of 1993, but even two years after the games release, questions were still being answered about the game.

Issue #053 – October 1993
Issue #055 – December 1993
Issue #056 – January 1994
Issue #057 – February 1994
Issue #064 – September 1994
Issue #075 – August 1995

Classified Information
Much like the Counselor’s Corner, the Classified Information section of the magazine has also been a regular feature of Nintendo Power since the last 80’s. The Classified Information had more to do with cheats and glitches that could be exploited in the game, as opposed to just how to beat something.

Issue #054 – November 1993
Issue #055 – December 1993
Issue #057 – February 1994
Issue #058 – March 1994

There were a handful of over Zelda references within these years and I encourage you all to take a look at them if you have any interest in this type of thing. However, one of my favorite tidbits was a fan submission in the Player’s Pulse and it was in the form of a poem by a fan. The poem was originally found in Issue #065 – October 1994.

In the first adventure
Zelda’s no where to be found.
She scattered the Golden Triforce
All the world around.

In the second game,
The princess is under a spell.
Link has to find seven crystals
To make the princess well.

On the Super NES
Link starts out in Hyrule.
He has to beat two enemies,
He’ll use a lot of tools.

Now that Link’s on Game Boy,
He’s on the isle of Koholint.
He has to defeat the Sirens
To get their Instruments.

Now you’ve read a poem
About Sir Link’s adventures.
From Hyrule, to the Dark World,
And to an island full of treasures.

Be sure to let us know what you think about these classic Zelda references in Nintendo Power. Would you like to see more updates like this in the future? What did you think of that fan poem? Let us know by posting in the comments below.

Related: Zelda Publications