The Legend of Zelda retrospective: The gold standard | NES Works

Ойындар

Nintendo's biggest and most consequential release for 1987, and one of the most important games of the year across all platforms, brings a newfound depth and maturity to the NES. Other ’87 releases have been flirting with the idea of merging action and role-playing concepts, but Zelda goes all-in with a sprawling, challenging journey across the land of Hyrule to rescue the princess Zelda and retrieve the Triforce of Power. And in the process, an instant classic is born.
(Note: The Hyrule overworld map image appearing in this video original appeared on nesmaps.com)

Пікірлер: 647

  • @CalaveraCandy
    @CalaveraCandy5 жыл бұрын

    True story: my first time playing Zelda was the 2nd quest. I assumed Zelda was the name of the hero and entered that as his name. I had no idea that would be automatically unlocking a harder version of the game.

  • @judgegroovyman

    @judgegroovyman

    5 жыл бұрын

    Calavera Candy awesome! How did you ultimately find out it was the hard version?

  • @CalaveraCandy

    @CalaveraCandy

    5 жыл бұрын

    @@judgegroovyman when my brother started a game using his own name, the dungeons were completely different.

  • @xxxaragon

    @xxxaragon

    3 жыл бұрын

    btw: and that's why I disagree with Jeremy regarding question like "who could possibly deduced on their own that blowing a flute on a certain screen would cause the lake where fairies don't live to evaporate?" it's either happening by chance or by players roaming endlessly to find out secrets to their favorite game. for example, while forty-year old me admittedly probably wouldn't have the patience for that anymore, ten year old me *loved* witnessing every tiny detail in adventures like "Monkey Island" - and would only attempt to get my hands on outside help after I had already been stuck for hours.

  • @retrogamepuppy1445

    @retrogamepuppy1445

    2 жыл бұрын

    Same here. Took me years not using the name Zelda to see the first quest

  • @pentelegomenon1175

    @pentelegomenon1175

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@xxxaragon Maybe I'm misremembering, but you know how the flute will take you to different dungeon entrances, I swear I remember the flute taking me to that lake which led me to accidentally open it.

  • @nate_d376
    @nate_d3764 жыл бұрын

    Oh man, my brother and I saved for months, by doing chores, selling lemonade, etc, to be able to buy this when it came out. The commercials were absolutely enthralling to two young boys in the 80s! Oh, and this remains my favorite game of all time.

  • @staguar
    @staguar5 жыл бұрын

    I remember beating Zelda for the first time. I was so excited I ran to the phone to call and tell a friend who was struggling to also beat the game. His mom answered the phone and didn't sound impressed when I blurted out what I'd accomplished.

  • @JeremyParish

    @JeremyParish

    5 жыл бұрын

    Take it from me, parents just don't understand

  • @jeffmckenzie7282

    @jeffmckenzie7282

    5 жыл бұрын

    @@JeremyParish not all parents. My dad play Zelda 1, both quest's, Zelda 2, and TLoZ:ALttP. He was in his forties at the time. Best memories I still share with him. He's 74 now, and will watch the grand kids play video games.

  • @snetmotnosrorb3946

    @snetmotnosrorb3946

    5 жыл бұрын

    Those moments were life milestone. @Jeff McKenzie Wow, great dad :)

  • @jedgrahek1426

    @jedgrahek1426

    4 жыл бұрын

    @@jeffmckenzie7282 My father also played Zelda 1 with me (we used separate files) when he first bought it, me being 7 and him being in his mid 30s... I could never get him to to play ALttP unfortunately, he just stopped playing games entirely pretty much after beating both quests of Zelda 1. But here's the cool thing: he actually made his own hand drawn maps of the final dungeon for both the first and second quest, which he of course succeeded at long before I did, and when I got to that point as a child, I was able to use his excellent maps to greatly ease the pain of those labyrinths. Those maps are some of my most treasured sentimental possessions from childhood, despite the rather rocky terms we've been on as father and son in more recent years. In that regard at least (lol) he was truly the best dad ever.

  • @LorenHelgeson

    @LorenHelgeson

    4 жыл бұрын

    My dad would have had the opposite reaction. To this day he still remembers those hours if me playing Metroid and Zelda way back in '88/89.

  • @gplechuckiii
    @gplechuckiii5 жыл бұрын

    LoZ was the first cart I got after getting my Nintendo for Christmas in '87. What I remember most was just how it was almost an alien experience playing it for the first time. For every kid I knew video games meant action or exploring, not both. There was this whole story you needed to know before you start. It was a very surreal experience.

  • @dugroz
    @dugroz5 жыл бұрын

    That battery is pretty amazing. I can still pick up my cartridge and play games that were saved in the late 80's.

  • @2yoyoyo1Unplugged
    @2yoyoyo1Unplugged5 жыл бұрын

    You _had_ to start it with the OG Zelda commercial playing in the background. Nintendo’s never gonna live that one down. Lmao

  • @LorenHelgeson

    @LorenHelgeson

    3 жыл бұрын

    Not nearly as cringe-worthy as the one at 1:27. One is a couple of kids doing a bad rap song. The other? I don't know. A beta tester for the NES localization who finally snapped?

  • @azforu29

    @azforu29

    3 жыл бұрын

    I still have vague memories of watching the M.A.S.K cartoon and the "Zelda!" commercial came on, followed by The Animal monster truck toy. 87? I was in 2nd grade. Nuts what we can recall given the circumstance.

  • @CarbonRollerCaco

    @CarbonRollerCaco

    Жыл бұрын

    And then Japan would have their own rap commercial for A Link to the Past. Marketing. It's something.

  • @andrewkaye2108

    @andrewkaye2108

    7 ай бұрын

    One of the most bizarre video game commercials I ever saw.

  • @MarginalSC

    @MarginalSC

    2 ай бұрын

    Wikki wikki wack

  • @FamilyMadeFilms
    @FamilyMadeFilms5 жыл бұрын

    When we were kids, we got the NES and Zelda for Christmas. We also got Simon's quest and Qbert, but Zelda ruled the NES, I remember watching my step dad play and was just floored by how great it was.

  • @rabiroden
    @rabiroden5 жыл бұрын

    I recall reading that Japanese arcades left notebooks with their Druaga cabinets where players would leave tips and strategies for eachother for getting through the game. I find this social aspect fascinating and it probably influenced some of the more cryptic aspects of Zelda. Unfortunately it's not really something that can exist again with the internet around, for better or worse. Though I suppose Miiverse came pretty close.

  • @PandaXs1

    @PandaXs1

    5 жыл бұрын

    hmm, might explain the messages in dark souls

  • @TJ1380

    @TJ1380

    5 жыл бұрын

    I kind of miss how social gaming used to be. Hanging out at arcades with friends and playing the newest games was fun, as was going to a friend's house and playing through two player games. And yes, sharing tips with friends on the playground was part of all of that. You couldn't figure out how to beat Zelda on your own, but that was the point. You were supposed to go out and talk to people to figure things out.

  • @hobojoe9337

    @hobojoe9337

    5 жыл бұрын

    Yeah, most video games of the 20th century were basically ARGs in that regard. Games like StarTropics especially embodied that when they gave you little interactive clues for the game in the box.

  • @darsparx

    @darsparx

    5 жыл бұрын

    miiverse was basically the same thing when it was around. I wish it hadn't died, I honestly think they could've ported it over somehow to the switch even if they had to end the mii monkier since it does make it sound like it's something for the wii systems. I'm not sure I understand the logic in shutting it down other than the fact of the U's failures(I still like the system....despite it's short comings. I also didn't see the need for 1080p or 4k on it, getting a good sized tv where the benefits are worth it are just too expensive tbh)

  • @PandaXs1

    @PandaXs1

    5 жыл бұрын

    @@TJ1380 man speak for yourself. this shit never happened if you were socially inept. in my case it was either I waited for an older relative to finish a game for me, or I got a hold of a magazine that talked about the game (or in later cases got a hold of game genie codes). and hell, we still do this today on the internet. destiny is one example of this, and I'm sure there's a lot more. it's not like games no longer have secrets lol

  • @dezm101
    @dezm1015 жыл бұрын

    one of my favorite qualities of your content is how you elegantly thread the historical context into the topic. Fantastic job

  • @_o_

    @_o_

    5 жыл бұрын

    You know Zelda is a special game when a random comment from 3 weeks ago is recognizably someone you know IRL. Serendipity, Mr. J.I...this is Mr. K.S.! See you on twitter again soon, I'm down low while applying for jobs.

  • @dezm101

    @dezm101

    5 жыл бұрын

    yooo! whats up man! thanks for the shout out! I was just thinking of you and looking at that little mudman statue you gave me way back when... hope you are well!

  • @_o_

    @_o_

    5 жыл бұрын

    @@dezm101 Doing good, just moved to Portland OR. On pins and needles currently waiting on a job offer for 100% remote from home work(!). Caught myself wanting the job too much and started getting anxiety (struggle with that when I'm running on all cylinders), watching some zelda review because the og zelda is my favorite, and there you are in the comments haha! Recognized your avatar immediately. Also will be setting up music studio in the next month or so, we can collaborate yes? I'll reach out to you on twitter when I have things setup. What's up in your world?

  • @Retrogameplayer8000

    @Retrogameplayer8000

    2 ай бұрын

    Not to mention that Lisa simpsonesque nerdy quality

  • @TheIronhide4ever
    @TheIronhide4ever5 жыл бұрын

    I've always found the religious iconography that was peppered throughout the first two games really interesting. The crosses on the shields, the bible, the gravestones; it all gave the series a slightly more grounded and specific medieval fantasy feel that was never going to survive Nintendo of America's localization in the long term.

  • @ThomasMHead

    @ThomasMHead

    5 жыл бұрын

    That stood out to me even more (when I was a kid) in Zelda II: crosses on churches, graveyards, and the Cross item you acquire. I guess it made sense at the time because the iconography was readily identifiable. But in retrospect, both of NoA's localization practices, and in-world logic of why that would be a holy symbol in Hyrule, it's a head-scratcher.

  • @TheIronhide4ever

    @TheIronhide4ever

    5 жыл бұрын

    @@ThomasMHead One theory my headcanon holds is that in-world in the first game and into the second, Hyrule has been in a period of darkness and dismay for so long, as the lore was forgotten by the people, the intricacies of religious symbolism that was long developed eventually devolved to reference the most base level symbols left over from before The Dark Times; the cross, the triforce, etc. The true sense of what these symbols meant and where they came from was mostly lost. I also don't subscribe to the Timeline Theory, aside from the 1st two games being explicitly connected, I also like to think that Every Game in the Legend of Zelda Series, is different because each game is another retelling by a different hyrulian culture of "The Legend"; similarities exist like Link and Zelda because of the enduring nature of the myth, but the details, such as a world trapped in water, or an ocarina, are a side effect of that specific culture's lens which retells the myth in the oral tradition. Perhaps in the first two games, the hyrulian culture retelling "The Legend" is doing so with a background of Christian-like icongraphy, which informs some of those details.

  • @cyankoopa8111

    @cyankoopa8111

    5 жыл бұрын

    @@TheIronhide4ever Majoras mask and ocarina of time are also directly linked. and the oracle of ages/seasons is linked with a link to the past and links awakening. and theres phantom hourglass and windwaker. which again. share links. And then the oot/mm link also appears in twilight princess as the heroes shade. there are a lot of zelda games that *link* together like that. (badumtsss), Not just zelda one and zelda two.

  • @snetmotnosrorb3946

    @snetmotnosrorb3946

    5 жыл бұрын

    @ThePoey @Cyan Koopa I think you both are right. My own idea about it is that every Zelda "era" is like it has its own director that gives it a specific style and adds their own touch to it. It's like there is a grand storyline to follow, and every game tell a different piece, but it's a bit loosely followed and things are added for dramatic and entertaining effect that doesn't really add up when you think about them and try to connect everything. And then there's the element of history repeating itself, which is the overall legend. I also think that Wind Waker is a clear successor to Ocarina of Time, despite them being from different "eras". I'm pretty sure the Deku tree is the same in both (young one in OoT). I haven't played any newer, so no spoilers please :/

  • @angrytheclown801

    @angrytheclown801

    5 жыл бұрын

    I've always found the Christian imagery interesting myself. Especially since they wanted Christianity to be canon. I wanted to know if Jesus popped by. Did he have the triforce? Maybe the Triforce of Fish Portion Control. Did he kick Ganon out of Death Mountain?

  • @DrewPicklesTheDark
    @DrewPicklesTheDark5 жыл бұрын

    The Triforce fragments you collect are for the the Triforce of Wisdom (Zelda broke it up), Courage was not introduced until the 2nd game.

  • @The_Mimewar
    @The_Mimewar5 жыл бұрын

    The legend of Zelda. It’s STILL fun to play, and has been a part of my life like no franchise

  • @mdmenzel
    @mdmenzel5 жыл бұрын

    I think the relative non-linearity is a big selling point for the game that often goes overlooked in many of the retrospectives. Thanks for touching on it.

  • @Laserbryte
    @Laserbryte5 жыл бұрын

    "Triforce of courage..." *wisdom

  • @CODMarioWarfare

    @CODMarioWarfare

    3 жыл бұрын

    *One of the Triforce with wisdom

  • @jasongarrett768
    @jasongarrett7685 жыл бұрын

    Who else remembers looking at the animation cel-style artwork on the manual as a child and wondering about the cartoon from which they "obviously" had to be taken? The feeling that there was even more to learn about LoZ's world just added to the mystique. The manual as a whole and that map really expanded the experience of the game, which makes it a bit sad that younger players don't get access to them in digital rereleases. Sure there are online FAQs, but those don't come with strange clay-sculpted backdrops representing the land you'll be exploring. I've always bounced off the run-and-bump style of adventure-RPG gameplay mentioned here and wondered at its persistence in releases like Fairune, but this video's rundown of that styles prevalence before and after Zelda helped put some perspective to that. I'll never begrudge anyone their Hydlide nostalgia, though I'll always prefer having active sword swinging. That "lone performance artist in an abandoned warehouse" commercial still baffles me to this day.

  • @willmistretta

    @willmistretta

    5 жыл бұрын

    Not truly a "cartoon," but here you go: kzread.info/dash/bejne/eHyd2aOdaL3cj9I.html

  • @jasongarrett768

    @jasongarrett768

    5 жыл бұрын

    Oh wow. Thanks for linking that, because that ties together some things I've been wondering about for years, like the vague similarities between Link and Takumaru and further details about the anime studio Nintendo commissioned to produce that Zelda artwork as mentioned in Art and Artifacts(IIRC). Now I wonder if the same holds true for Zelda 2 and any potential sibling games in production alongside it. That video also showed off some interesting differences from the final release, such as the first old man in a cave giving a choice between weapons. I wish Murasame Castle was more familiar so I could tell if the same held true for that.

  • @willmistretta

    @willmistretta

    5 жыл бұрын

    @@jasongarrett768 No problem. I found it myself when I was researching my own Murasame review last month. Funny enough, that weird guy in the Zelda commercial was John Kassir, who's best know as the voice of the Crypt Keeper from the HBO Tales From The Crypt series. How I wish I'd known that when I ran into him at a horror convention a few years back! I'd love to have heard the backstory on that ad.

  • @Tarquin23

    @Tarquin23

    2 жыл бұрын

    Quite cool is that the NES Classic allowed you to scan a QR code and access all scans of the original manuals, which was super useful for some games.

  • @codekhalil6437
    @codekhalil64375 жыл бұрын

    Been saving this video on my "watch later" for a while. It did not disappoint. Then when I thought it couldn't get any better, I nearly fell off my chair when I saw that Metroid is next! KEEP...DOING...THESE!

  • @RayRayZ28
    @RayRayZ282 жыл бұрын

    In my opinion, the most iconic NES intro theme of all time. Love this game, miss these days of gaming

  • @MNicolai
    @MNicolai5 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for pointing out the common elements that Legend of Zelda has with Tower of Druaga! Atari's Adventure and LoZ were indelible parts of my childhood, and finding Druaga as an adult, it felt like a missing evolutionary step between the two.

  • @akxmedia0
    @akxmedia05 жыл бұрын

    The Legend of Zelda was also one of the last rereleases on the famicom from Nintendo (along with Wario's Woods) back in February '94.

  • @bigtone7824
    @bigtone78245 жыл бұрын

    It truly is the Gold Standard, no game captivated the imagination of me and my friends as kids in the late 80's more then Zelda. Hence why it still my favorite series to this day! Hell for my 8th bday party which falls around Halloween I had a costume party and dressed as Link, this was in 1988 and I was obsessed

  • @synthoelectro

    @synthoelectro

    5 жыл бұрын

    I too started playing Zelda in 88, so much fun, I was 11. I remember the giddy feeling of reading the booklet and learning all the names of the mobs, the map of Hyrule and rules. I wish I had never parted with my gold cart. Because of Zelda I was hooked on all things RPG, and still am to this day. Oh and A link to the past is my all time fav Zelda game.

  • @ajpiskel
    @ajpiskel5 жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much for including some of the pre-Zelda history that helped bring this title into existence. This was a fantastic retrospective that shows a lot of insight on what makes Zelda an amazing game from a design perspective that I feel the majority of people miss, from the way inventory is interacted with and managed to how the player upgrades their strength and defense, and of course the way the player is allowed to traverse the majority of the world without acquiring even a single item.

  • @JeremyParish

    @JeremyParish

    5 жыл бұрын

    Thanks. The evolution of JRPGs has been a key area of study and developer interviews for me over the past decade (in fact, I just recently grilled Koichi Nakamura about the topic via Skype), so I'm glad I was able to put it to good use here.

  • @jasonjuneau
    @jasonjuneau5 жыл бұрын

    Still have the gold cartridge in the original box with the maps.

  • @johngordon6792
    @johngordon67924 жыл бұрын

    An excellent retrospective! NES The Legend of Zelda is still my favorite game of all time. This video does the game justice.

  • @yuberus
    @yuberus5 жыл бұрын

    Fun bit of trivia: Before his death, this was a favorite game of Joe Weisbecker, game pioneer and the RCA engineer behind the Studio II console's development!

  • @RB-jt4jm
    @RB-jt4jm5 жыл бұрын

    Excellent video as always but I must point out: not just pedants you know, no kid I knew back in the day considered the first Zelda to be an RPG. In fact back then we where psyched that the second game actually had RPG elements and we prefered it by a long shot.

  • @JeremyParish

    @JeremyParish

    5 жыл бұрын

    When we were playing the original Zelda, my friends and I had no idea what an RPG was. Well, that's not quite true. I read a lot of G.I. Joe comics, so I knew it meant "rocket-propelled grenade."

  • @RB-jt4jm

    @RB-jt4jm

    5 жыл бұрын

    @@JeremyParish We didn't know what an RPG was either until the releases of Dragon Warrior and Final Fantasy, but then we figured RPG meant ¨games that you can level-up in by getting experience points¨ so Zelda 2 was the only Zelda to pass the test for us haha.

  • @ScottALowe
    @ScottALowe5 жыл бұрын

    The surefire way to kill a dodongo is to feed them bombs, but if you blow one up in front of them (smoke in their face) then you can kill them with one swing of your sword. I would have never known this before speedruns.

  • @TheSmart-CasualGamer

    @TheSmart-CasualGamer

    5 жыл бұрын

    Isn't that the ONLY way to do it?

  • @JeremyParish

    @JeremyParish

    5 жыл бұрын

    It's the budget approach, because it only uses one bomb. The one-percenters feed 'em TWO bombs.

  • @MissAshley42

    @MissAshley42

    5 жыл бұрын

    The first time I did that, I thought I broke the game. Then I realized that makes so much more sense with the whole "Dodongo dislikes smoke" tip.

  • @merendell

    @merendell

    5 жыл бұрын

    I remember figuring it out on accident as a kid (was 6 or 7 when this game came out and I got it). I "missed" with my last bomb and ended up smokeing him instead. with no more bombs I tried the only thing I could think of poked the thing with my sword, I was rather surprised when it worked.

  • @snetmotnosrorb3946

    @snetmotnosrorb3946

    5 жыл бұрын

    Didn't the manual say how to kill Dodongo?

  • @darktetsuya
    @darktetsuya5 жыл бұрын

    oh the stories I could tell growing up with The Legend of Zelda... hands down my favorite NES game of all time! Admittedly it wasn't until this decade that I finally got around to completing the 2nd quest, growing up it was just way too intimidating for me. But I could basically finish the first quest almost blindfolded!

  • @ArcaneAzmadi
    @ArcaneAzmadi Жыл бұрын

    When I was a kid, seeing that unique, eye-catching box on store shelves was like getting a glimpse of the Holy Grail- only this time picking the shiny golden trinket was the CORRECT decision. "You have chosen... wisely" indeed! Unfortunately I never had a chance to play it, because I never owned a NES, much to my ongoing despair, although when I finally got a SNES one of the first games I ever got was A Link To The Past, which I played countless times.

  • @sleazyfellow
    @sleazyfellow4 жыл бұрын

    This is definitely one of my favorite games of all time.

  • @Meachumz
    @Meachumz4 жыл бұрын

    You absolutely hit it out of the park with the script you wrote for this episode. Fantastic work!

  • @MykeBatez
    @MykeBatez4 жыл бұрын

    My ears pricked up at the Eva ost at the end. Cheers, thanks for a great video

  • @hw5091
    @hw5091 Жыл бұрын

    such a great game. Man the nes was just full of great, original games.

  • @86twin
    @86twin3 жыл бұрын

    My sister had the game since the late 80’s, and when I powered it on, the file I had from 2005 was still there.

  • @skyvader1238
    @skyvader12383 жыл бұрын

    Maybe it is weird to say but for me one of the best things about the original loz is the game manual. The Zelda universe came to life because of it. The game manual had backstory, lore and great artwork. Also the hints and a piece of the overworld map they included were great. I spend hours of reading the game manual (I was very young lol). I can't imagine playing the loz without the game manual.

  • @andrewkaye2108

    @andrewkaye2108

    7 ай бұрын

    Yeah, the poster with the overworld map and hints helped me greatly, though it never said the solutions out right, you still had to figure it out yourselves

  • @barowt
    @barowt3 жыл бұрын

    Just the games beginning intro gives me goosebumps, flood of memories..

  • @davidbowne122
    @davidbowne1225 жыл бұрын

    Just checked today, the battery still works in my 31 year old copy of "The Legend of Zelda"!

  • @Tarquin23

    @Tarquin23

    2 жыл бұрын

    It’s two years on now - how’s it holding up? =D

  • @stephen22890
    @stephen228905 жыл бұрын

    Since people are talking about what is and isn't an RPG, I figure I'll add my take. The genre developed from D&D-style tabletop games into video games that inherently couldn't be as open-ended as human players and a human dungeon master interacting, so they basically shed almost all of the character and world customization that was so central to tabletop games being true "role playing games" and retained three key mechanical aspects: character/enemy stats, turn-based combat, and dice rolls (in the form of RNG in video games, and usually isolated to combat interactions only, although in particular some Western RPGs have kept stats that don't pertain to combat and stat-based interactions outside of combat). In time, video game RPGs would come to have larger scale, more ambitious stories than most other types of games, retaining some of the spirit of the pen and paper roots of the genre, but there aren't many video games that we could really say were on an equal level in the mid-'80s. I can see how Zelda has some RPG influence, but I don't think that makes it an RPG, either by contemporary or modern standards. Game genres are usually defined by the actual gameplay rather than setting or story. I don't think a Halo or Call of Duty-style first person shooter where you rescue a princess or use magic would correctly be classified as belonging to the adventure or RPG genre. I can see how Zelda has settings and story elements in common with hallmark games of the RPG genre of the time, but combat is not turn-based and it has no stat system that interacts with other stats or a random chance element to determine the end result of actions taken (an attack with a certain item or by a certain enemy *always* does the same amount of damage to its target; there are no critical or less effective hits. Link gets different equipment that increases damage given or lessens damage taken, but has no attack or defense stat of his own further modifying either of these). Wizardry, Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy, etc. all do have these things. Without them, I think Zelda is missing the main thing that makes a video game an RPG. Zelda II, of course, has an experience and leveling system, stat building, a world map distinct from in-battle or in-location gameplay, and random encounters. These are all typical characteristics of RPG games, but real time combat with a lack of randomization or stat-based modifiers in interactions is what makes it an action game with RPG elements, rather than a straight RPG.

  • @justinmohns8279
    @justinmohns82795 жыл бұрын

    Wow... I never heard Jeremy's voice before. I only read his incredible library. Great video.

  • @JeremyParish

    @JeremyParish

    5 жыл бұрын

    I have a podcast! It's pretty OK!

  • @robdawg1017
    @robdawg10175 жыл бұрын

    TLOZ *_and_* this video are both masterpieces

  • @andrewkaye2108
    @andrewkaye21087 ай бұрын

    Still my favorite all time game. The only commercial I saw about it back then. Was some nut yelling, "ZELDA!" and acting weird, so I had no idea exactly what it was, when I took a chance and bought it. One of the best game purchases I ever made! Exploring a huge world, secrets galore, multiple uses for some items and a freakin SECOND QUEST!!! Epic and timeless. :)

  • @Matt_Desrochers74
    @Matt_Desrochers745 жыл бұрын

    Pure AWESOME! This game defined my teens. I guess I was 13 when it came out. I mapped every inch of both quests and found EVERYTHING. If there was such a thing as a Platinum Trophy for a game back then, I'd have had it.

  • @hobojoe9337
    @hobojoe93375 жыл бұрын

    10:32 Somebody online with some electronics knowledge did the math on various cartridge batteries and calculated that NES cart batteries should last on average 70 years in optimal conditions. So the records of your childhood adventures in Zelda 1 will probably outlive you. On a more downer note, most other carts don't last anywhere near as long. Most only have a lifespan of 20 years and some, like 2nd gen pokemon games, only last about 5-10 years. Which means most cart saves outside the NES are all starting to die off at this point, if they haven't already.

  • @snetmotnosrorb3946

    @snetmotnosrorb3946

    5 жыл бұрын

    Mine in Zelda I died already 1992 :( Aw man, I haven't touched my Gameboy games in 15 years! Is my complete Pokémon Blue run gone? Warioland II and 3? SMB DX?

  • @yourdirge
    @yourdirge5 жыл бұрын

    Every time I see that KZread notification with the big red NESWorks box it feels like Christmas!

  • @BainesMkII
    @BainesMkII3 жыл бұрын

    There was another difference between the FDS and US NES version of Zelda, the ability to use the microphone to stun Pol's Voices. Which led to much confusion among US players, as the clue about the feature was kept in the game.

  • @noside.foxhound
    @noside.foxhound4 жыл бұрын

    In one phrase: The Legend of Zelda is a MASTERPIECE!

  • @AlexRN

    @AlexRN

    4 жыл бұрын

    Noside Foxhound it was but sadly, unlike Zelda LttP, the two NES Zeldas have aged pretty badly.

  • @Riz2336
    @Riz23364 жыл бұрын

    Fitting the game contains the word Legend in the title, it certainly is a legendary game

  • @thaddeusmcgrath
    @thaddeusmcgrath5 жыл бұрын

    I remember X-mas 1988 getting this and beating it without any guides just word of mouth from friends at school. Best game experience I ever had as a kid with both Zelda and Link NES titles!

  • @SquareWaveHeaven
    @SquareWaveHeaven5 жыл бұрын

    My first open-world-feeling game was Jet Set Willy on the ZX Spectrum. Yeah, it's a flickscreen platform game with about 60 screens/locations, but back then it felt like a world inside the computer. The game was also cleverly designed to allow exploration of much of the game world without too much difficulty, with the more challenging jumps and platforming segments devoted to giving you a challenge to get the items. I bring this up because back then the concept of an actual miniature digital world to explore was something that wasn't exactly common or formalized.

  • @willmistretta

    @willmistretta

    5 жыл бұрын

    Pitfall II on the Atari 2600 got me before Zelda, but Zelda still completely captivated me a few years later.

  • @retrorami

    @retrorami

    5 жыл бұрын

    What about "Adventure" on the 2600?

  • @danielhaddix644
    @danielhaddix6445 жыл бұрын

    An episode on Kickle Cubicle would be totally awesome voraciously extreme

  • @TheJamison86
    @TheJamison865 жыл бұрын

    Jeremy Parish, your voice has become synonymous with the great video games of old. Thank you for your accurate depictions of these classic gems from my childhood.

  • @Ravuun
    @Ravuun5 жыл бұрын

    I was 11 when this game came out and I was immediately in love! We rented a NES and the game for a few weeks and I played it every free moment. This video really brought back some memories. Thank you.

  • @stephentrever1769
    @stephentrever1769 Жыл бұрын

    Still my favorite game of all time. To this day, I will pick it up and play it through about once a year. Last time I opted to play through without getting the wooden sword. Truly amazing how open world this game is for its time.

  • @wulver810
    @wulver8104 жыл бұрын

    So much fun playing with my bro and neighbors on this, Zelda II and A Link to the Past. Back then I didn't beat 1 and 2, but we all would hang out together and help each other. You would always go to the friends house with all the bikes in the yard, that is when you knew shit was going down. The last time I beat the original is sometime after I beat Ocarina of Time.

  • @MannyDer
    @MannyDer5 жыл бұрын

    I got chills when the Zelda music started :)

  • @Slash0mega
    @Slash0mega Жыл бұрын

    I read somewhere that, due to the rough translation of important hints, amarican players said the puzzles are the hardest part of zelda 1, japan players said it was the combat

  • @technicalmachine1671
    @technicalmachine16715 жыл бұрын

    No "be sure to expect lots of fanservice!" at the end…

  • @NESADDICT
    @NESADDICT5 жыл бұрын

    Great video! Zelda was just ground breaking and love that it is still so fondly remembered today.

  • @mattb1
    @mattb15 жыл бұрын

    This video is excellent. Well done as usual.

  • @400KrispyKremes

    @400KrispyKremes

    2 жыл бұрын

    Yeah my favorite part is where he refers to the Triforce pieces that Link collects as "The Triforce of Courage", instead of the Triforce of Wisdom like it says in the opening crawl of the game. You know the opening crawl that he included at the beginning of this video? Sure man. Top notch work. Exactly in line what I've come to expect from a self proclaimed "Games Journalist". lol

  • @mielthesquid6536
    @mielthesquid65365 жыл бұрын

    Jeremy Parish never disappoint when he talk about video game history.

  • @hazy33
    @hazy335 жыл бұрын

    I might not like or know all the games you showcase but every video is a fascinating study. So thankyou very much.

  • @joypadretro2797
    @joypadretro27975 жыл бұрын

    GREAT vid. i remember getting a second hand Zelda cart from my local video store and grinding it until i finished it.

  • @HighPriestFuneral
    @HighPriestFuneral5 жыл бұрын

    Great video! Just one minor nitpick... Link is collecting the Triforce of Wisdom. The Triforce of Courage wasn't around until Zelda 2, but I can see why you would make that mistake.

  • @JeremyParish

    @JeremyParish

    5 жыл бұрын

    Clearly I need to go on a quest to collect the Triforce of Reading the Backstory in the Damn Manual

  • @Smokydoggg

    @Smokydoggg

    5 жыл бұрын

    Just like in the lore thereafter Zelda had the Triforce of Wisdom but she split it into pieces to keep it away from Gannon. Gannon had the Triforce Of Power and Link gets it after defeating him. Link is attached to but can only obtain the Triforce Of Courage after going on a journey to the Great Palace.

  • @ThomasMHead

    @ThomasMHead

    5 жыл бұрын

    "Back in my day, Hyrule had only two Triforce: Power and Wisdom."--some middle-aged guy

  • @JeremyParish

    @JeremyParish

    5 жыл бұрын

    Triforce? More like Biforce!

  • @bfish89ryuhayabusa

    @bfish89ryuhayabusa

    5 жыл бұрын

    I've seen someone complain that they called it a triforce in this game despite there being two and not three of them, and all I could think was, "It's a triangle."

  • @treycoors2977
    @treycoors29775 жыл бұрын

    Happened to be listening to Retronauts #66 Zelda episode when this popped up in my feed 😊

  • @PapiFed
    @PapiFed4 жыл бұрын

    The NES was my first home console and it came with Zelda. Fond memories !

  • @treyduval5399
    @treyduval53995 жыл бұрын

    This video brings back such great memories of my childhood :) thank you!

  • @aman1632
    @aman16325 жыл бұрын

    That is an utterly spectacular video. I'm extremely glad I ran I to it. Thank you sir! You are doing a service to all us old guys who played it in our youths.

  • @400KrispyKremes

    @400KrispyKremes

    2 жыл бұрын

    My favorite part is where he calls the Triforce of Wisdom the Triforce of Courage. Even though it's in the opening crawl of the game, and he even shows the Triforce of Courage at 0:33 of the video. It's like he never even played the games.

  • @7thangelad586
    @7thangelad5865 жыл бұрын

    I love that there are still videos with the word “fulcrum.”

  • @VVK5W
    @VVK5W5 жыл бұрын

    Excellent content. This game was one of the best.

  • @macethorns1168
    @macethorns1168 Жыл бұрын

    I was at a friend's house and he had this game. I asked him if it was fun and he said "it's pretty good" and let me borrow it. I had it for several weeks and I *loved* it.

  • @IlGreven
    @IlGreven4 жыл бұрын

    "...even if you claim the sword in the cave on the very first screen." Spoiler alert!

  • @mraaronhd
    @mraaronhd3 жыл бұрын

    I remember being 5 years old, and playing this back in ‘92. I didn’t know what to do, where to go, and did I know how to read at the time. However, Zelda still drew me in. I knew how to get the sword, and sometimes found a dungeon. I never beat Zelda, but I still have fond memories of it.

  • @tjanas
    @tjanas5 жыл бұрын

    One difference between the FDS and NES version is that the latter does not support blowing into a microphone on the 2nd controller to kill the Pols Voice enemies (weakness changed to arrows in the NES version).

  • @azforu29
    @azforu294 жыл бұрын

    I still remember May 21st of 1988. It was 6 30am and I was standing on my porch with my new jean jacket eating an apple before school. 2nd grade. My mother stormed the room, apparently cross, not knowing what I did I started getting nervous. Haha she looks at me and says "open your present!" It was a vhs. I wanted Disney's live action king Arthur movie. Forget what it was called. Guy holding a sword on the clam shell cover at the time. I tore open, and it was NOT that movie, but Jackel by Konami and Zelda 2 The Adventure of Link. I cried. Loudly. My brother also cried, cause he wanted Mechanized Attack and didn't get it. Lol I'm dyin. You should of seen his face. I'm like dude it's my birthday, not yours!

  • @SirSquash
    @SirSquash5 жыл бұрын

    Second quest. The false walls in the dungeons were brutal if you didn't know they existed, It just seemed like you hit a dead end.

  • @azforu29
    @azforu293 жыл бұрын

    Man that rapier on the title screen, the crucifix on Links shield, Gannon exploding into gory paste. I miss this simpler, more unfettered version of the Zelda mythos.

  • @randywilliams6248
    @randywilliams62485 жыл бұрын

    I remember playing this at about or 5 or 6 and loving it but only being able to find and beat up to level 4. I didnt have the manual and my older brother/cousin were teens at this point so I was on my own! That's what I loved about it. I never beat it as a kid but it sucked me in and have loved the series since. Way cooler than Mario!

  • @j0nnyism

    @j0nnyism

    2 жыл бұрын

    But Mario bros 3 is just soo good

  • @Jonnynot1plate
    @Jonnynot1plate5 жыл бұрын

    I clearly remember having Legend of Zelda the gold cartridge for the nes but only have one memory of me playing it. It's the only Zelda game I've ever played. Maybe it just wasn't for me. I got an nes recently again and a copy of the game again. After cleaning it all up and firing it up. The instant opening song struck a cord and I just sat there and let the music play. Was a nice feeling. Now I want to go the games I never played, Adventures of Link, Awakening and Link to the Past and I'll stop there for now as I want to feel the nostalgia I missed.

  • @WrathOfNolla
    @WrathOfNolla5 жыл бұрын

    AHEM *pushes glasses up nose* ACTUALLY they were pieces of the Triforce of Wisdom, sir.....please don't throw eggs at me.

  • @davidgill7412

    @davidgill7412

    5 жыл бұрын

    You're not wrong.

  • @lounowell4171

    @lounowell4171

    5 жыл бұрын

    Glad I'm not the only one who noticed XD

  • @EspyLacopa2

    @EspyLacopa2

    5 жыл бұрын

    Indeed, the Triforce of Courage didn't crop up until Zelda 2, wherein you are questing to gain said Courage triangle.

  • @ReeseKaine

    @ReeseKaine

    5 жыл бұрын

    Though you may be correct, I DID just come back from the grocery store with an 18-pack of eggs...........

  • @AdamDane

    @AdamDane

    5 жыл бұрын

    @@EspyLacopa2 Link already had the Triforce of Courage at the start of Zelda 1, so it wasn't super relevant in the story.

  • @davidhill8565
    @davidhill85655 жыл бұрын

    The Legend of Zelda was released in North America during the summer break before my first grade year (though I was one grade behind). The game was already released in North America by the time my brothers and I got our hands on the NES for the first time.

  • @apex0824
    @apex0824 Жыл бұрын

    I love this game! This was actually the very first game that I ever owned. My parents bought me a NES and this game from a thrift store. I had no idea how to get past the main menu and hated the game for the longest time. It wasn't until 2010 or 2011 that I played through the game for the first time. I went in blind and only looked up stuff when I absolutely had to. The game held up very well imo and was very enjoyable to play.

  • @kenyonahenakew8206
    @kenyonahenakew82065 жыл бұрын

    great video. but I believe it's the triforce of wisdom. Also one more difference between the disk and cart is that they can yell at the controller to kill a specific enemy. but they took it out as the NA controller doesn't have it.

  • @RLomoterenge
    @RLomoterenge4 жыл бұрын

    You can beat the game in the amount of time this video runs

  • @MissAshley42
    @MissAshley425 жыл бұрын

    Excellent video. Of the NES games I first encountered at a Walmart demo kiosk, Zelda stuck with me the most. All of the others, like Ice Climber and Wrecking Crew, were up front with their experiences. Zelda, though, wouldn't give it all up in brief moments before the system reset. I remember watching the intro item crawl and being amazed at all the different things to collect and use. It looked like a big game in a way that was much more evident to me than Metroid, which I found confusing as a kid.

  • @NesNyt
    @NesNyt11 ай бұрын

    Why dont u have like a billion subs you got the best and most content ive ever seen and not just a one console love

  • @METR0lD
    @METR0lD5 жыл бұрын

    Fantastic as always Jeremy. Looking forward to the Metroid episode!

  • @RhubarbGames
    @RhubarbGames5 жыл бұрын

    Beat Zelda 1 for the first time last year and it's one of those games that ruined other games for me because of how good it was.

  • @TroyBlackford
    @TroyBlackford3 жыл бұрын

    Lovely take on this classic that meant and means so much to so many.

  • @chairmankaga101
    @chairmankaga1012 жыл бұрын

    I beat the second quest in 1988 and shot proof with a friggin’ Polaroid. I actually had that picture until we moved a few years ago, and I lost the album somewhere in the attic.

  • @DrWho2008t101
    @DrWho2008t1013 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for the video! I really appreciate your work!

  • @brillopad6901
    @brillopad69012 жыл бұрын

    I got this game in 88 when I was 15 and loved it it’s still one of my all-time favorite games and I play through it at least 2 to 3 times a year. What’s funny is right when I was playing this game a lot was when my mom was like OK you’re old enough now to start doing your own laundry which I agreed with her so I started doing my laundry while I was in the midst of playing this game all the time so whenever I do a load of laundry now I can’t not think about the legend of Zelda so it’s forever associated like that in my head. Lol

  • @ManSkirtBrew
    @ManSkirtBrew5 жыл бұрын

    I could not be happier to see Wizardry here. As a (ahem) seasoned gamer, Proving Grounds shaped my love for RPGs in the very early 80s. It really set the model for so many games going forward.

  • @danielolsson7134
    @danielolsson71345 жыл бұрын

    Lets not forget that the Legend of Zelda has in my opinion, the best creation/main influence of them all: Shigeru Miyamotos's own childhood adventures and discoveries outside his home town!

  • @davidolivier1773
    @davidolivier17734 жыл бұрын

    No game has blown me away like The legend of Zelda did. For 7 years the only game console i played was the Atari 2600 . To play a game where you can save your progress and continue where you left off at another time was something i never experienced before. I had close to 50 games on the Atari and all of them were point based. Even though games now are way bigger and way more advanced nothing made such an impression and amazement like Zelda did.

  • @evenmorebetter
    @evenmorebetter5 жыл бұрын

    My cartridge is -- I guess -- from the first run of the game where the save screen doesn't warn you about holding down the reset button yet, and that save battery still works over 30 years later all right

  • @jasonhunter2819
    @jasonhunter28195 жыл бұрын

    Great video, you pair excellently with Ahoy for video game histories!

  • @DanZero77
    @DanZero775 жыл бұрын

    At least by the time this game came up in the series, he was able to name the save file NESWORKS, not GDN10SHN!

  • @spidermcgavenport8767
    @spidermcgavenport87675 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Mr. Parish for this Legend of Zelda review it much appreciated.

  • @JohnHenrySheridan
    @JohnHenrySheridan3 жыл бұрын

    Awesome retrospective thanks!

  • @otakubullfrog1665
    @otakubullfrog16652 жыл бұрын

    When I finally beat the first quest, I had my mother take a photo of me next to the TV which I had her frame and still have to this day.

  • @ParadeTheGospel
    @ParadeTheGospel5 жыл бұрын

    I remember staying up late playing this game as a kid. Something almost magical about those early NES games that I just don't feel can be recaptured with today's games. But maybe that's just the old part of me talking, you know, how our parents or dad specifically would say how different and better his childhood was than the current generation? Lol

Келесі