Source: coolrom.com

by Kristian Calalang

Hello gamers! It’s time for another retro game review. We will be focusing on a really old Zelda game, Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. The game starts in Link’s house with Princess Zelda pleading for help from Link as Aghanim the wizard imprisoned her in the royal castle. This begins Link’s adventure to get the Master Sword and eventually save the princess from the evils that lurk around Hyrule.

A Link to the Past is a top-down adventure game released back in 1992. The basic controls are simple enough, and can easily be mastered a few hours into the game. You have your sword and shield, and you can equip yourself anytime with one of the many other tools you get along the way. The tools that you get are often necessary to progress with the game. Some are fun to use, like the hookshot which allows you to get to places with ease and at the same time unlock previously inaccessible places. There are also upgradable tools: the master sword fires a projectile once you unlock the upgrade; the upgraded boomerang is faster and has more range which makes it easier to stun lock enemies. The map is also huge to give way for a big adventure that you are about to embark on.

One of the things that make this a great game is the way the maps are designed. There are many dungeons which you will have to go through in order to complete your mission, with each of them full of puzzles, treasures, and tools which can be used to advance the dungeon. The difficulty per dungeon also progresses, with the first one being very linear, to the last ones taking hours to beat on your first try, so expect to spend a good few hours when going into a dungeon. Bosses are also challenging enough on your first try, especially since some have annoying attacks, or are in a room that gives annoying obstacles. You will need to use your wits and combine what you have to defeat it. This often involves the intelligent use of a tool you recently found in that specific dungeon, instead of just hacking away at the big scary boss like crazy.

Source: gamespy.com

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 The world map is also massive, and lets you roam freely around the world; there are also markers in the world map which guides you to where you have to go next, so you won’t get lost. The world map is full of secrets that you can miss, and those secrets might help you on your journey, be it an extra life or an upgraded tool. The exploration is also fun, and various places contain mini-games and tools open up more places for you to discover.

Sources:

http://www.coolrom.com/screenshots/snes/Zelda%20-%20A%20Link%20to%20the%20Past.gif

http://files.sharenator.com/the_legend_of_zelda_a_link_to_the_past_profilelarge-s400x300-57097.jpg