

While The Legend of Zelda's eight dungeons were meant to be completed in a specific order, finding them all wasn't the easiest task. That answer was ultimately up to the individual player. That's before even getting into the game's dungeons. Hyrule was sixteen blocks wide and eight blocks high, for a total of 128 different areas, many of which could be explored out of the gate. There was no fast travel, no waypoint system, and the world map was a primitive set of boxes. It felt so much bigger because in the early days of the NES, many of the features that players take for granted were not available. The ins-and-outs of Hyruleīefore the open worlds of a World of Warcraft, a Grand Theft Auto, or a Skyrim, there was the intimidating land of Hyrule. In front of him is the world of Hyrule, a massive world unlike anything seen in gaming to that point.

Only a young hero named Link has the power to stop him. The evil Ganon has abducted Princess Zelda and seeks to rule the world through the power of the Triforce. They're the words that players would expect to hear when they embark on an epic adventure.Īnd it's an epic adventure that awaits. It's been referenced in other games, television, merchandise, memes, and much more. More than that, it's seeped into the greater world of pop culture. This quote has become synonymous with gaming in the 35 years since they were first spoken. All that players remember are his words to Link: "It's dangerous to go alone." Who is he? Where did he come from? How did he get where he is? Why does he have a sword? Why is he offering it? These questions are never answered. When this game first released on the NES, it was only instinct that prompted players to enter. It's second nature today to enter that cave. They can explore the rest of this perilous landscape. The player is not prompted on where to go. The game begins with Link in the middle of Hyrule. The Legend of Zelda's appeal can be summed up in its opening introduction. What made The Legend of Zelda such a phenomenon? How did it become what it is today? Let's look back at the original NES adventure and break down some of what made it such an incredible journey that still holds up to this day.
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Today, Nintendo's beloved adventure series celebrates its 35th anniversary. If Mario helped pioneer the side-scrolling platformer, The Legend of Zelda did the same for action-adventure games. The Legend of Zelda is one of those franchises. Very few of them defined gaming as everyone knows it today. There are video game franchises that are recognized around the world.
