Home >
Legend of Zelda > Legend of Zelda Gameplay
The Legend of Zelda incorporated elements from action games, adventure games, role-playing games, and puzzles, which had never been seen before. The game begins with the player controlling Link from an overhead perspective, armed with a small shield. A sword is available to Link as he enters into the cave seen on the starting screen. Link spawns in the overworld as at the start of the game. Merchants, gamblers, old ladies, and other people guide Link through the game with cryptic clues, these people being scattered across the overworld and hidden in caves, shrubbery, or behind walls.
Slowing down Link's journey are creatures he must battle to locate the entrances to the the nine underground dungeons. Each dungeon has unique, maze-like layout of rooms connected by doors and secret passages and are guarded by monsters different from those found on the overworld. Link must journey through each dungeon successfully to obtain one of the eight pieces of the Triforce of Wisdom. Dungeons also hide useful items, such as a boomerang for retrieving items and stunning enemies, and a recorder with magical properties. The first six dungeons have visible entrances, but the remaining three are hidden. Except for the final dungeon, which cannot be entered until the previous eight have been completed, the order of completing dungeons is somewhat flexible with many dungeons only able to be reached using items gained in a previous one.
The ability to take different paths to complete this game separated Zelda from its contemporaries. Link can freely travel the overworld, finding and buying items at any point. Nintendo of America's management initially feared that players might become frustrated with the new concept, left wondering what to do next. As a result, the American version of the game's manual contains many hints, tips, and suggestions for players.
After completing the game you get access to a more difficult quest, which is officially referred to as the Second Quest, where dungeons and the placement of items are different and the enemies are stronger. Though a more difficult "replay" was not unique to Zelda, few games offered it. Entering "ZELDA" as the player's name starts the second quest immediately. The Second Quest can be replayed each time it is completed.
