Ask any long-term Nintendo fan about the black sheep of the family and they’ll point a finger right at the gold cartridge sitting awkwardly on the shelf. Zelda II: The Adventure of Link is a weird game. It’s famously difficult. It’s jarring. Coming off the heels of the original The Legend of Zelda, which basically invented the non-linear open-world genre on consoles, this 1987 sequel felt like a total left turn into a brick wall. Instead of a top-down perspective where you could wander anywhere, you were suddenly thrust into a side-scrolling action platformer with RPG mechanics that felt more like Castlevania or Metroid than anything Link had done before.
It’s frustrating.
But honestly? It’s also brilliant. People love to hate on the combat or the "I am Error" memes, but Zelda II actually introduced most of the tropes we now consider "core" to the franchise. It gave us the Triforce of Courage. It gave us the Magic Meter. It gave us Dark Link. It’s the game that proved Zelda wasn’t just a camera angle; it was an atmosphere. If you’ve ever wondered why Nintendo took such a massive risk—or why the game still holds a 73/100 on Metacritic despite being decades old—you have to look at what Shigeru Miyamoto and his team were actually trying to achieve. They weren’t trying to make "Zelda 1.5." They were trying to invent a new genre entirely.
The Brutal Reality of Combat and Leveling
Let’s talk about the combat because that’s usually where players quit. In the first game, you just poked things with a wooden stick. In Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, combat is a high-stakes game of "high-low" rock-paper-scissors. You’ve got to actively manage Link’s shield height. If an Iron Knuckle throws a spear at your head, you stand still. If it aims for your shins, you crouch. It’s rhythmic. It’s sweaty. It’s nothing like the hack-and-slash simplicity of its predecessor.
The game also introduced an experience point system. This is the only time a mainline Zelda game has used a traditional "Level Up" mechanic where you choose to upgrade Attack, Magic, or Life.
The penalty for failure is legendary. Lose all your lives? You go back to the North Castle. Sure, you keep your levels, but you lose all your progress toward the next level up. It’s punishing. It’s mean. It’s quintessentially 80s. But this system added a layer of tension that A Link to the Past eventually swapped for "Heart Pieces" and "Bottle" upgrades. While modern Zelda games focus on exploration, this sequel focused on mastery. You didn't just find the hammer; you had to survive the path to get it.
Why the Side-Scrolling Perspective Actually Worked
The shift to side-scrolling wasn't just a gimmick. By moving the camera to the side, Nintendo could emphasize verticality and platforming. You weren't just walking across a screen; you were jumping over pits of lava and using the "Downthrust" (the coolest move in the game, hands down) to bounce off enemies' heads. This move was so iconic that it eventually became Link’s "Down-Air" in Super Smash Bros. and influenced the "Pogo Jump" in Shovel Knight.
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The World-Building Most People Miss
The map in Zelda II is massive for an NES game. It’s not just the scale; it’s the sense of a living world. You visit towns like Rauru, Saria, and Nabooru—names that should ring a bell for anyone who played Ocarina of Time. Those legendary Sages from the Nintendo 64 era? They were named after the towns in this 8-bit sequel. That’s how deep the DNA of this game runs.
The lore here is surprisingly dark. Link is 16 now. He’s got a mark on his hand. Princess Zelda is in a magical coma because of a curse from a wizard. Oh, and every time you die, Ganon’s minions are literally trying to sprinkle your blood on his ashes to resurrect him. That’s what that famous "Game Over" screen with the laughing Ganon silhouette is all about. It’s high stakes.
The Problem with Translation and Guidance
One of the biggest hurdles for players is the cryptic nature of the NPCs. "I am Error" is the most famous example, but the game is full of mistranslations and vague hints. Without a manual or a guide, finding the Hidden Palace or figuring out that you need to jump into a specific hole in a floor is almost impossible.
- The Bagu Situation: You have to find a guy named Bagu in the woods to get a letter to cross a bridge.
- The New Kasuto: You literally have to use a hammer on a random patch of forest to find a hidden town.
- The Water Walk: You have to find boots that let you walk on water just to reach the Eastern Continent.
It’s not "fair" by modern standards. But in 1987, this was how games were designed to last. You talked to your friends at school. You called the Nintendo Power hotline. You experimented.
The Great Palace and the Shadow Link Legacy
Everything in Zelda II leads to the Great Palace. It’s the final dungeon, and it’s a nightmare. It’s a sprawling labyrinth of false floors, invisible walls, and the "Bird Knights" (Fokkā) that can drain your health bar in seconds. If you manage to make it to the end, you don't fight Ganon.
You fight yourself.
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Shadow Link (or Dark Link) is the final boss. This encounter is a masterpiece of game design. He mimics your every move. If you stab high, he blocks high. If you jump, he jumps. It’s a psychological battle that forces you to realize that Link’s greatest obstacle isn't a pig-demon; it's his own skill. Most people just crouch in the corner and stab at his shins—the "cheese" strategy—but fighting him fairly is one of the most rewarding experiences in the entire NES library.
Is It Actually a Good Game?
Look, if you go into Zelda II: The Adventure of Link expecting the breezy charm of The Wind Waker, you’re going to have a bad time. It’s a product of an era where "longevity" meant "difficulty."
However, calling it a "bad" game is factually incorrect. It sold over 4 million copies. It was a massive hit. It’s just... different. It represents a timeline where Zelda could have become a hardcore RPG series. When you play it today, you see the seeds of Dark Souls. The focus on stamina (simulated through the magic bar), the punishing death loops, the reliance on parrying and blocking—Zelda II is essentially the grandfather of the "masocore" genre.
Addressing the Misconceptions
A common myth is that Zelda II was "rushed" or that Miyamoto hates it. Neither is true. In various interviews, including the "Iwata Asks" series, it’s been noted that the team wanted to experiment with what the NES hardware could do. They wanted a more "active" combat system. While Miyamoto has mentioned that the game could have been more polished in terms of load times and hardware limitations, he has never disowned it. It’s an experimental masterpiece that just happened to be the successor to one of the most perfect games ever made.
How to Actually Play It Today
If you want to experience Zelda II without smashing your controller, there are better ways than firing up an original NES.
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- Nintendo Switch Online: This is the best way because of Save States. Being able to save right before a difficult boss or at the start of a palace floor removes 90% of the frustration.
- Zelda II: The Adventure of Link - SP: This is a special version on the Switch that starts you with a maxed-out Life, Magic, and Attack bar. It lets you enjoy the exploration and music without the brutal grind.
- The "Zelda II Redux" Mod: If you’re into emulation, this fan-made patch fixes the translation, speeds up the leveling, and adds a map. It’s arguably the way the game was meant to be played.
Key Takeaways for New Players
- Grind early: Don't leave the first area until you've leveled up your Attack at least twice. It makes the first two palaces significantly easier.
- Shield is everything: Your shield is always active when you aren't attacking. Stop mashing the button. Let the enemies hit your shield, then counter.
- Don't ignore the towns: Every town has a hidden "Wise Man" who gives you a spell. You cannot beat the game without the "Shield," "Jump," and "Thunder" spells.
- Learn the Downthrust: Go to the town of Mido. Get the Downthrust. It changes everything. You can bounce on enemies to reach higher platforms or just bypass combat entirely.
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link isn't a mistake. It’s a challenge. It’s a strange, difficult, beautiful outlier that refused to play it safe. Whether you love it or hate it, you have to respect it for being bold enough to change everything. If you’ve skipped it because of its reputation, give it another shot with a guide and a little patience. You might find that it’s actually one of the most satisfying journeys in the entire series.
To truly master the game, focus on perfecting the "Shield" spell timing and memorizing the path through Death Mountain. This area is the first major "skill check" of the game, and surviving it without losing a life is the true indicator that you're ready for the Great Palace. Once you've conquered Death Mountain, the rest of Hyrule opens up, and the game's unique rhythm finally starts to click.