The Legend of Zelda

The very first Legend of Zelda-game released in 1986 in gold cartridge form indicating it's saving features. Best innovation ever for a video game. Other than that one of the best game series ever created and it began here. We got it as all other NES games in the early 90's and played it. But since I sucked (and due to me being the best gamer in the family) we didn't get further than the first dungeon. That is until the 2000's when I actually found and conquered the second dungeon. That was still on the old NES cartridge. Then we got the Zelda compilation on the GameCube and I actually got to dungeon 4-5. Without cheating I might add. But since it was on the current console and needed the TV to play I couldn't properly delve into it. Not until I got the 3DS and the 20 Ambassador games, where the original Zelda was one of them. I believe I didn't finish the game until the save state feature was updated and then of course with maps to show me where to go, find all heart pieces and such.

Of course, there's still the second quest to finish. That one I might actually try without a guide after getting a cleared file on the Wii U. Rather unique thing to relive the exploration part of a game almost 30 years old and it be completely new to me. It really brings me back to the old childhood days. Beginning the game and entering the first cave for the wooden sword and then go around looking for the first dungeon. Usually I gathered enough rupees to buy shield and candles since it was so scary to go into the dungeon... or even walk around the Overworld beyond the forest area. Really, walking around the first dungeon was so scary and when you go near the boss room the sudden roar that the NES could muster would scare me and then the wallmasters appearing dragging you back to the entrance. Really thinking about it makes me wonder how I even dared leave the house as a kid.

Maybe playing this over and over actually made me stronger cause I remember when I discovered the letter the old man had in a cave far to the north and then used it to get red or blue potions. And this with very limited knowledge of English. Or when I stumbled upon the stair case below the statue warrior leading to a shop with the blue ring and meat. The last great discovery I think I made on my own was finding the blue sword above the waterfall guarded by this centaur creature that killed me hard. Sadly the old man wouldn't give it to me, I didn't know why then, but now I know it was due to having to few hearts. Which led to the strategy of gathering all hearts on the overworld and then get the blue sword together with the blue ring making the first part of the game relatively easy.

There's really nothing else to say, it's one of the great video game masterpieces and the most annoying things one can say about it is the translation at times really makes it harder for you and that sometimes the enemies are rather obnoxious. For example Dodonga who dislikes smoke, his pattern is rather random and you need to put a bomb in his mouth. Problem is that the computer believes that swearing of right before my bomb is the best action, depleting all my bombs making me have to leave, buy or grind for more and come back. One is manageable, but when they throw 3 at you it can go on your nerves, especially if you haven't upgraded the maximum bomb-bag since leaving the room resets the damage done to them and leaving the dungeon resets the enemies. Other enemies that really gets on my nerve is the darknut that must be attacked from behind or the side, but they rather like going right at you draining your health. Especially in groups of 5-10. God I hate them. And lastly it's the Like-like, the shield-eating bastards of Hyrule. 120 rupees for each encounter, with a maximum wallet-size of 255. Really, best advice is to get good at the game... or heavy use of the save feature. There we have the latest great innovation of video games, save states so you actually can finish them.