Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (NES) Playthrough

A playthough of Nintendo's 1988 action-adventure game for the NES, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link.

Zelda II, much like Super Mario Bros. 2, was a bit of an odd duck. Both titles were follow-ups to some of Nintendo's most successful games, but instead of adhering to the styles established in originals, they offered brand new gameplay experiences. Going this route was a risky gambit, but it paid off handsomely in both cases, as did the hype generated by the short supply stock of both titles on North America retail shelves throughout the 1988 holiday season.

Zelda II still revolves around Link's adventures in Hyrule, but this time, Zelda is playing the part of Sleeping Beauty, and she can only be wakened by the power of the Triforce. Instead of reusing the top-down perspective seen in The Legend of Zelda (   • The Legend of Zelda (NES) Playthrough  ), Zelda II is presented as a side-scrolling platformer. There are now towns full of people to talk to and quest objectives to fulfill, and though it still retains many of the exploration aspects of the first Zelda's gameplay, the sequel is more focused on dungeon-crawling and combat.

As anyone who has played it can attest to, Zelda II pulls no punches in its difficulty. The platforming is tricky, and the enemies are merciless. A few whiffed sword strikes can quickly bring about your end, complete with Ganon laughing at you on the game over screen. The enemy attack patterns are predictable, but the game doesn't tolerate sloppy play, and you will pay dearly for flubbing the timing of your hits. It's not unfair, but it can certainly be rage-inducing at times. I've always found it to be one of Nintendo's hardest games.

But it is fun, and it is a worthy follow-up to the original. The graphics and sound were terrific upgrades despite the game's age - Zelda II was released in Japan well before America ever got Zelda 1! - and the towns lend Hyrule a much-needed sense of being lived in.

It's amazing that Nintendo managed to create such a successful sequel out of a game that defied expectation in so many fundamental ways, but there is no denying that Zelda II was a smashing success and a damned good game.
_____________
No cheats were used during the recording of this video.

NintendoComplete (http://www.nintendocomplete.com/) punches you in the face with in-depth reviews, screenshot archives, and music from classic 8-bit NES games!