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The Legend of Zelda
The Legend Begins…

Review by Mark Heery (0musremit)


Game Information

Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
First Released: 1986
Players: 1
Save Data: Battery Back-up
Territories: All

Release Data
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Price: Less than £7 on eBay


The First. Yes folks, that’s right, this is where the Legend of Zelda started. This is the game that sent our hero, the almighty Link, to the realms of superstar. This is the game that some say made Nintendo and this is the game that began a legend. So sit back children, and let me tell you all a story, a story of legend, a story of heroics, a story of Stalfos (or is it stalfi?) and Ganon, a story that is engraved on the heart of every true gamer. But please, don’t forget your Triforce.




What’s the story, Hyrule Glory?
You would think they would learn. I mean, how many times does the princess in a Nintendo game get kidnapped, eh? And how often does a portly plumber or spotty, green-clothed elf youth have to save them? Well, in this case I think the Big N can be forgiven, because at the time of the first Zelda game it was a relatively new concept. Anyway, Princess Zelda has been captured and imprisoned by the evil Ganon, the King of Darkness. Ganon has escaped from Darkworld and is trying to obtain the Triforce of Wisdom. Fortunately, Zelda, before being all girly and getting kidnapped, managed to shatter the Triforce into eight pieces and spread them through the land of Hyrule. And so, with his trusty sword and shield, it is up to Link to reclaim the eight pieces of the triforce and save Zelda from the dastardly Ganon’s clutches. …

Wotcha lookin’ at?
This game is old. So old that any one sprite can only have four colours on it! However, at the time the graphics, if not groundbreaking, were nonetheless very nice. More than that however, we here at Cubed think that graphics are not everything, especially when you are looking at them in the terms of what is a top-notch retro title. As a result this game does exactly what it sets out to do, with the usual Nintendo aplomb.

Whistle while you play.
The music for The Legend of Zelda borders on the epic; remakes and remixes of the main theme have appeared in every ''Zelda'' game since then, and it's considered such a staple that some bands even cover it. The sound effects are not as forgiving though. After hearing the sound of Link's sword for the seven thousandth time, you'll want to mute your television.

A Gaming Revolution...
Imagine playing A Link to the Past for the first time, and then imagine it without those mind blowing 16bit graphics. This is essentially what you are getting. Like Ronseal, it does exactly what it says on the tin. There is very little to say about this game though. It is Zelda, it is the beginning and it certainly was a revolution.

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Cubed³ Score Breakdown
Advantages
# It’s Zelda!
# It’s Zelda!!!
# Did I mention it was Zelda?????…

Disadvantages
# It’s old.
# It’s Dated.
# It’s old.

Individual Breakdown
Graphics: 7.0
It ain’t a work of art, but then again it is only an 8bit game, for what it is the graphics are fine, and just as immersing as The Ocarina of Time, if you ask us.

Sound: 9.0
Zelda Tunes! Lame sound effects though.

Gameplay: 9.5
Classic, and we mean classic, top down Zelda Gameplay. Does it get any better? ‘No’, we cry.

Length: 7
Very short but the second game that becomes playable after the first sort of makes up for this minor short fall.

Final Cubed³ Rating: 8.9 / 10
It may not be the best Zelda game ever but it is the first. It was the one that spawned a legend and brought all the other Zelda games into being, if nothing else just play it for that!