With the Legend of Zelda, video game players were introduced to a world of mystery and danger unlike any seen before. Today it remains a classic. The overhead view of the world in which the central character fights his own battles marked a radical departure from traditional RPGs. The variety of settings, from underground dungeons to overworld deserts and the huge cast of enemies added depth to the playing experience. Most players were equally absorbed by the many puzzles within the game. You needed brains as well as brawn � witness the grumbling Miblin in Level 7 who requires a snack of Bait. Some of the secrets go even deeper, such as the code name "Zelda" that allows access to a second quest. Perhaps the biggest strength of The Legend of Zelda is that it creates an entire world in which players become legends in their own times.

The Saga of Link and Princess Zelda

When The Legend of Zelda hit the U.S. market, it changed the way people looked at video games. It was very popular in Japan, but U.S. players had never seen an adventure of its depth! And because it was the first battery-backed Game Pak, now they were able to save their progress. For the first time, a game became an on-going challenge. While earlier games challenged dexterity, this one challenged players� wits as well. Now they had to ponder clues and plan strategies. Link and Princess Zelda introduced not only the mythical land of Hyrule, but also a whole new world of possibilities for adventure games. As the tale begins, the once-peaceful Hyrule is invaded by Ganon, a mysterious entity who rules by force and terror. When he kidnaps Princess Zelda, the people are powerless to help her. Then a young lad, Link, steps forward and vows to return the Princess to her rightful realm. Link�s quest took him to the far corners of Hyrule and to nine Underworld labyrinths.

The Adventure Continues, With a Twist

The Adventure of Link combines the overhead exploration aspect of The Legend of Zelda with the side-scrolling combat of traditional action games. Since its release in 1988, it has remained one of the most popular NES games. In The Adventure of Link, people were living in towns, and these people talked to Link and asked for his help. Many of the puzzles in the games are solved through clues given by townfolk. For instance, the key to reaching Death Mountain and the Hammer is to find a fellow named Bagu. The clue comes from a Bot in the town who tells you to look for his master in the forest northeast of Saria. With more fighting moves, Link also shows growth as a character. The game also gives the player a wider variety of activities.

Zelda II � The Adventure of Link introduced a new perspective to adventure. When Link walked through the country, he�s seen from overhead, but when he enters a battle or a village, he is seen from the side. Villagers give him information, and sometimes they also give him special items and teach him special techniques

The Struggle With The Dark World

Set in an ancient time of fabulous palaces and bold warriors, A Link to the Past chronicles nothing less than a cataclysmic struggle between the forces of Light and Dark. Indeed, Link must venture from Hyrule into the Dark World, a place of overwhelming misery and suffering.

Unprecedented Beauty

Taking full advantage of the Super NES�s 16-bit processing power, A Link to the Past brought unprecedented detail and richness to adventure games. Link must explore multistory castles, towers and pyramids. Vivid touches like the fog shrouding the Lost Woods enhanced the player�s sense of action and drama. For A Link to the Past, developer Shigeru Miyamoto and his team created one of the most memorable casts of characters ever to grace a video game, including the elusive lord of Hyrule�s waterways, Zora; the telepathic sage, Sahasrahla; and Agahnim.

Questioning and Trading

Link�s Awakening displays the same attention to graphical detail as a Link to the Past, including lush forests and intricately detailed stonework in towers and dungeons. The game emphasizes exploration, as Link must interview the human and non-human denizens of exotic Koholint Island and engage in elaborate trading cycles to obtain the items he�ll need before he can solve the mystery of the Wind Fish that dominates the island. The game contains many secret areas, such as Faerie Springs and trees concealing treasures, and even more unusual characters, including the irascible Shopkeeper in Mabe Village, the Legendary Flying Rooster of Koholint and Crazy Tracy, bearer of a mystical ointment. You�ll even encounter Goombas.

Enter the Ocarina

Link�s Awakening marks the first appearance of an ocarina in a Zelda game. As in The Adventure of Link: Ocarina of Time, Link�s mastery of the instrument is vital to solving the game�s many mysteries. Link must learn such tunes as Mamu�s Frog Song of Soul, used to awaken the dead.