Zelda II - The Adventure of Link (NES)

Oh, now this one was interesting....


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And EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING!


I've played this game several times, and I technically beat it once, but it didn't quite get to the: "You saved Hyrule and you are a real hero!" scene, due to a power surge shutting off my computer. Such is life though. But many people believe that this game is terrible, but there are also those that love this game. I like how they did it, and how it poses a challenge but it does get frustrating.


Trust me.


After the events of the first game, where you defeat Gan(n)on and restore the Triforce, saving Zelda, time passes, things happen, and a magician puts Zelda to sleep. So you must find the Triforce of Courage to wake her from her sleep spell. But to do that you have to conquer six palaces to break the barrier to the temple where the Triforce of Courage was hidden.


Meanwhile, Gannon's followers try to bring him back by killing Link and pouring his blood over Gannon's ashes to revive him, thus giving us some antagonistic force. That and the fact that the townspeople either a) know nothing at all (literally, some say "SORRY I KNOW NOTHING") b) have typoes/errors or just say their name (i.e. "GET CANDLE IN PARAPA PALACE, GO WEST" when it's actually in the east, or "I AM ERROR" the most famous quote from this game if memory serves) or c) send you on sidequests to get spells. For example finding a trophy, a mirror, a...kid?, etc..


So unlike all other Zelda games, this one is a side-scroller, barring the overworld map. You fight randomly encountered enemies, gain EXP, and level up in either SWORD, which is Attack power, and the hardest to level up because of that, MAGIC which is how much Magic points you have available to use, the second hardest to level, and LIFE, which is the arbiter of how many hits you can take, and the easiest to level.


You can obtain large magic containers, adding another bar to your MAGIC meter, and heart containers, adding a bar to your LIFE bar. In addition, you can find "Link Dolls", which are even rarer, due to the fact that it adds to the amount of lives you have, one use only, so it's best to collect them before going to the Great Temple, the final dungeon of the game.


So you go through the game, fighting various enemies with some of the oddest names, conquering palaces, interesting bosses, Horsehead, Helmethead, Reubenok, Carock, Gooma, and Barba. You also have to go through Death Mountain halfway through the game, the source of much of my frustration when it comes to this game, and then after conquering the six palaces, venturing through the Valley of Death. Which is even more frustrating.


And lastly, the Great Temple. It's kinda long, but that's to be expected of the final challenge. Fighting bird-like creatures, walking through walls (literally, one section there's a spot where you walk through the wall), and at the end, fighting Thunderbird and your Shadow.


And after all of that is over with, you get the Triforce of Courage, and you awaken Zelda, and are told you are a real hero.


And that's game.


So really, when all is said and done, it's a great game, but frustrating.


I give Zelda II: The Adventure of Link 4 Downward Thrusts out of 5

Final Fantasy (NES)

The other day, I heard a song that a group called Duane and Brando did. It was about Final Fantasy. Now I had never played the original, or even heard of it.

So, I happened to stumble upon an NES and a copy of Final Fantasy, and I put it in. Well. It didn't work so well. After this I decided to pick up an NES emulator, and started it up.

It starts off with a small prologue that goes like this:

"The world is veiled in darkness. The wind stops, the sea is wild, and the earth begins to rot. The people wait, their only hope, a prophecy...
.'When the world is in darkness, Four Warriors will come....'
After a long journey, four young warriors arrive, each holding an orb."

So our story begins, selecting "New Game" will bring you to a screen with four sections, each with a class of character. You are able to choose between the following:

Fighter - The Fighter is one of the best classes in the game; It has excellent HP and Strength, and is an excellent asset to one's team. Can upgrade to the Knight, which can equip the strongest weapons and some White Magic spells.

Thief - The Thief is a lesser version of the Fighter, being unable to wield as many weapons and armor as the Fighter and having less strength, but a higher hit count, agility, and luck. Upgrades to the Ninja, who is able to wield just about everything, and gets some Black Magic spells even!

Black Belt - The Black Belt is somewhat of a mixed bag. It has good physical strength and bulk, but isn't too effective with items equipped. You cannot equip heavy armor to it, but has decent enough defenses without it. Upgrades to the Master class, which is one of the best classes in the game; A team of four is able to defeat Chaos (The final boss) in about two rounds, a rather astounding feat.

White Mage - The White Mage lacks in offense, but makes up for it with the ability to use White Magic effectively. Upgrades to the White Wizard, who learns FADE (later called Holy), which is one of the best offensive spells in the game next to the Black Magic Spell NUKE (later called Flare).

Black Mage - The Black Mage also lacks in offense (moreso than White Mages), but gets Black Magic, which is a great asset to any team. Upgrades to the Black Wizard, who gets NUKE, which is an extremely powerful spell.

Red Mage - The Red Mage is not only offensive, but can get both White and Black Magic, although it cannot get very high-leveled, compared to the other Mages. Upgrades to the Red Wizard, who gets higher-leveled spells. Considered as a jack of all trades, but a master of none.

Now that that's been covered, the story starts with the team going to rescue the Princess from Garland, a good knight gone bad. Weak to Fire, and weak overall, Garland will be "defeated" and the princess rescued. As thanks for saving her, the king will order a bridge be built to the next continent. And thus, the Final Fantasy begins.

You must go through pirates, rough waters, corrupt elves, and a myriad of other trials to restore the four Orbs and defeat the four Fiends.

SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! MAJOR PLOT POINT COMING!

Garland had made a pact with the four fiends to summon him two thousand years in the past while they are sent into the future to cause destruction. This creates a time-loop allowing Garland to live forever. After defeating the fiends, the team returns with the orbs to the Chaos Shrine to travel into the past, where they find Garland, who remembers them and seeks revenge. In the process, he becomes the demon Chaos after absorbing the powers of the fiends. He is vanquished, destroying the time-loop and restoring the land. Garland is in the present, though, but whether or not he's still evil is unanswered.

All in all, the gameplay is excellent. Square-Team did an excellent job on the game, thusly why we are up to thirteen main series games and numerous spinoffs and remakes.

I give it four and a half Black Mages out of five!

Until next time, look to the skies, for hope burns bright!