Summary
A series does not last as long asThe Legend of Zeldawithout taking a few risks and innovating upon itself. One could say everyZeldagame does something unusual, and they would be right. However, certain titles go above and beyond in this department, proving themselves to be themost unusualZeldagamesthat fans can experience.
It is not enough to do something new, and certainZeldagames did something downright weird and unexpected. The results range from somewhat disappointing to setting a precedent for the future of the series.
After a groundbreaking debut entry, the sequel did not make for another adventure of a similar ilk set on a different map.Zelda 2isa side-scrolling action gamemixed with top-down overworld elements that fans of the first game would be only slightly familiar with. Players explore the overworld for towns and dungeons. Once in one of the two, the game switches to a side-scrolling view.
The ability to only move left or right makes combat extremely difficult, since options for dodging are limited, and the ability to talk to townspeople was a step up fromthe men in caves from the first game. While the main series veered into a different direction for the third game,A Link to the Past,Zelda 2still has its fans who appreciate the risks it took. The spirit of trying new things is whatZeldais all about, after all.
The wait between mainlineZeldagames is so tedious that the spin-offs between them almost seem cruel. TakeLink’s Crossbow Training,for example. The game was clearly designed to take advantage ofthe Nintendo Wii’s unique capabilities, and it works surprisingly well. However, it is missing all the hallmarks of aZeldagame.
It could have been done with any IP, and it would have been the same game. A story or some segments allowing for exploration would have also gone a long way for fans who are always looking for their nextZeldafix. It is simply unusual and humorous to see such a prestigious series receive a light-gun spin-off.
4BS Zelda No Densetsu
Beamed Into The Living Room By A Satellite
For one, players do not control Link and are instead in charge of the main character from another Satellaview game, who could be seen as the service’s mascot. The unique broadcasting service also allowed for voiceovers to be played during the game,something far out of the SNES’s capabilities.
It is not every day that Nintendo lets an outside developer take a crack atZeldaseries. They were so taken with thedungeon crawler/rhytmn game hybridCrypt of the Necrodancer, however, that they had the developer make its ownZeldaspin-off.Cadence of Hyruletakes the same formatCrypt of the Necrodancerbut translates it to the well-known world of Hyrule.
Combat has to be in sync with the rythmn of the music to be most efficient in battle. Another unique aspect of the game is the cooperative multiplayer. While not the onlyZeldagame with such an option, it is not something often explored in the series.
The Philips CD-i represents perhaps the darkest chapter of the series' history. Nintendo’s hands were tied, and Philips gained the right to make severalZeldagames for their CD-i console. The three games were all considered nightmarishly bad.The Wand of Gamelonat least represents a rare occasion whereplayers control princess Zelda.
There are also some endearingly cheesy animated cutscenes. It is hard to imagine how Nintendo must have felt seeing their prestigious property being treated so badly, but it is easy to see why they do not talk about it and why the games have not been re-released in any official capacity since.
While this is not the first time players have been able tocontrol the titular princess, it is the first time she has starred in a game made for a Nintendo console.Echoes of Wisdomis unusual for more than just this, though.
The gameplay is completely different from the other titles, instead focusing on the Tri-rod’s ability to duplicate objects it has already touched. Though some of the objects represent traditional combat roles, more of them force the player to think creatively about the game world in order to solve puzzles and bypass obstacles. In this way, it feels like a little bit of theTears of the Kingdomformula seeping into 2DZeldaapproch.
