Review
Release Date: 04.13.1992
Platform:
Super Nintendo Entertainment SystemDeveloper:
Nintendo EADPublisher:
Nintendo of America, Inc.Reviewed by
Brian J. Balsan on 4.26.2003
| Review Rating: 10/10 | User Rating: 9/10 |
This is how to make a videogame.
The Legend of Zelda series has been breaking ground from the very first game, as witnessed when it became the first cartridge-based title to have a battery-save. The legend took a strange turn in Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link, but went right back to the basics in this first-generation SNES game. It still ranks among some of the best games ever made, and with good reason.
In this particular story, there are two worlds, the light world and the dark world. In the dark world lies the mighty Triforce, which could currupt the world if it were ever to fall into the wrong hands. And it did, when a thief named Ganondorf stumbled upon it. In an attempt to seal the power-mad Ganondorf in the dark world, 7 wise men sealed the portals leading into the alternate world. Soon after, Ganondorf sent an evil wizard named Agahnim to rid Hyrule of the wise men so he can break open the seal and cross over into the light world. Princess Zelda, who had been captured by Ganondorf's forces, sends a telepathic message which reaches the house of Link's uncle, who takes the sword and shield and sets off the find Zelda. When he doesn't return, Link goes to find his uncle, not knowing that a bigger adventure awaits him.
From the moment you turn on the SNES and pass the "Nintendo presents" intro, you're in for something good. You're greeted to three beautifully animated triforce pieces entering the screen, followed by a sword falling from the top of the screen to form the logo. When you exit the house at the beginning of the game everything is a darker shade as rain is falling, the music giving off a sense of hurried-ness as you try to find where the princess is, while she continues to talk to you telepathically. And this is only the beginning.
Indeed, this game is much more streamlined than the first game was. For started, you know have an overworld map to look at, and there will be an X on it to show you where you need to go. Don't think for a moment that this means the challenge isn't gone; it just means that you won't spend nearly as much time getting lost. Of course, straying off the beaten path will allow you to find better items, like a set of flippers so you can swim in deeper waters, or a sword upgrade. When you reach the dungeons, the fun really begins. Especially in later areas, you'll now have holes you can fall in that will drop you to lower floors and many switches and floor-puzzles to work your way around. Just about every boss you'll meet takes up a good half of the screen and are very pretty to look at.
Music is simply fantastic. It can all remind us of a time when Koji Kondo knew how to compose music. From the very start to the last note, the score is fantastic, and only a few other SNES games comes close in terms of such diverse instrumentation and sound. The game controls great, and if you've played the first zelda, you'll feel right at home.
For everything that has gone right with a game like this, it's incredibly hard to find anything wrong with it. A Link To The Past defined a whole generation of adventure-genre gaming, And is considered one of the great gaming masterpieces to come from Shigeru Miyamoto.
