The Legend of Zelda - Classic NES Series

by Nintendo

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0001ZZNME
• Product Dimensions: 5 x 5 x 1.2 inches ; 2.9 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: June 7, 2004
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (56 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,657 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Embark on a quest to find the Triforce, slay Ganon and save Princess Zelda in this enduring epic that single-handedly invented the adventure genre. It's part of the NES Classic Series of specially priced masterpieces!

Features

• Link's legendary first adventure, now portable!
• Explore dungeons, solving baffling puzzles and defeating scores of menacing enemies
• A quest bristling with secrets: Unlock dozens of hidden passages and caves
• Weapons include swords, boomerangs, bombs and arrows
• Collect rupees to buy swords, shields and other special items

Before she was captured by the Dark Lord, Ganon, Princess Zelda scattered the pieces of the Triforce across her beloved Hyrule. Link must reassemble the Triforce and defeat Ganon before he can free the princess.

Product Description

The Legend Of Zelda - Classic NES Series brings back the best-selling adventure that made Nintendo a household name. You'll become Link, the daring young man who goes on a quest to save Princess Zelda from the wizard Gannon. Free the fairies, collect pieces of the Triforce and save the land of Hyrule, in this classic Nintendo game!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

46 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars LONG AGO, GANON, PRINCE OF DARKNESS, STOLE THE TRIFORCE OF.., June 15, 2004

By 

Christian H. Kim (California, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Legend of Zelda - Classic NES Series (Video Game)

I was overwhelmingly glad when I heard about Nintendo's release of old classics, however, only one game came to my attention; Legend of Zelda, which literally created new genre in the video gaming history(although Super Mario was pretty good too except I happened to have GameboyColor version, which has this 'another' version for the advanced player). It was truly a GREAT game along with Super Mario and Metroid back in late 80s, and playing this classic once again proved that it still is.

I recently finished GameboyColor version of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and was still playing its continuation, Oracle of Ages, when I got this classic (by the way, they are GREAT games!). It became very apparent to me immediately that the series has evolved considerably by comparing with the NES version. I was bit disappointed with its simplicity compare with 'evolved' series, however, playing the first dungeon convinced me that this classic is not about just simplicity; it's actually challenging. It gives out heart or fairy MUCH LESS frequently, meaning that you would have to play every single part of dungeon cautiously (man, I got killed in the first dungeon three times straight!...ok..may be I happen to be a below average player..).

So is this a direct transport from NES counterpart? Yes it is, and I am glad they didn't change or add anything to it. However, I thought the volume of music could've been louder, LOUDER!

I simply bought this game because of nostalgic factor. I still remember vividly how much I loved this game, holding onto the Nintendo Power Magazine with Zelda strategy section; it was my Bible. Finding out about secret stair by burning a tree or finally finding the way in the Lost Wood section... wow...it was an incredible, incredible experience in the eyes of 12 years old boy...

So is this classic worth Five Stars? Definitely. I believe not only just having a classic of this magnitude itself is worths Five Stars but also being able to play this release of retro game, which ACTUALLY provides enough challenge and fun factor at your fingertip is more than enough.

Witness once again the very root of this most-beloved franchise of video games.

PS: starting a game with name 'ZELDA' gives totally new, more difficult version.

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Of all the Classic NES series THIS is the one to get!, June 10, 2004

By 

S. Rhodes - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Legend of Zelda - Classic NES Series (Video Game)

Compared to the rest of the Classic NES series, The Legend of Zelda is by far the best to get. Unlike a couple of the other big name classics (like Super Mario Bros.) it hasn't been released an abundance of times. In fact, Zelda has only been re-released once and that was with the limited edition Gamecube. Other than that, this re-release is the one you should be getting!

Journey back to 1986-87 where you DIDN'T have 3D games. Take a look at "The Legend of Zelda". This is THE game that truly defined adventure and was one of the first to allow you to save your game!

Anyone who hasn't played Zelda either because you didn't have it on the NES or weren't around for the NES era should play it. Not just to see how far the Zelda series has come but to see how far gaming has come!

The story is classic! The Evil theif Ganon has come to the land to steal the Triforce of courage. But Princess Zelda broke the Triforce into 8 pieces and hid them from Ganon. Angry at this Ganon kidnapped and imprisoned Princess Zelda. Now a hero must come forth and rescue the Princess, find the eight pieces of the triforce and save the land of hyrule! One of the few early games that had more to it than just "Saving the Princess".

The game is unbelievable and of all the Classic NES release games THIS should be the game to get. This was almost undoubtably the greatest game on the NES and now you've got the entire original ported to the GBA. Keep in mind its a DIRECT port. There are no bonus features and that sort of thing.

Perhaps my only gripe with this game (and it sounds stupid I know) is that the GBA cartridge isn't a Gold cartridge. The original NES version had a Gold cartridge and I was hoping that the "Classic NES Series" would recapture that Gold Cartridge. Either way, this doesn't make a difference to the experience of the game. If there is one Classic NES game you should get... this would be it.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars CLASSIC NES's best release. Wish they had included Zelda II, June 15, 2004

By 

Mike London "MAC" (Oxford, UK) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Legend of Zelda - Classic NES Series (Video Game)

(Four stars for the rerelease. Five stars for the actual game.)

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA, one of Nintendo's most famous NES games, finally sees a rerelease on Gameboy Advance. People have been waiting a long time for this. The Super Mario series got its update (including a graphic overhaul) over a decade ago on the SNES as SUPER MARIO ALL-STARS, including a brand new (for the American market) game called THE LOST LEVELS. The two NES Zelda games, however, never got rereleased until the Game Cube (!), and on top of that, it was a promotional, free rerelease. All this being said, is the long wait worth it?

Well, sort of. Although it's great to play the old school Zelda without hooking up a working NES, it's rather pricy at twenty dollars and the graphics may very well turn off younger video gamers. Not only that, it's very odd NINTENDO gave Zelda fans four Zelda titles in the ZELDA COLLECTION for free, and here they just released the original without any bonus material or extra features. Nintendo could very easily have included ZELDA II on this cart as well. That being said, THE LEGEND OF ZELDA, of all the classic NES games re-released, is one of the few that justify's its pricetag. The rest could easily have been put in an anthology of classic NES games, instead of bringing each one out separately.

The gameplay of THE LEGEND OF ZELDA sets up the template followed by all subsequent games in the series. (Only the NES sequel has any real amount of deviation from the Zelda formula, bring in more RPG elements into the mix). You play as Link, a hero in green, who has to rescue Zelda from the evil megalomaniac, Gannon. Not to much of a story, but about as good as you got in the mid 1980s. You have to rescue eight pieces of the Triforce, which is a mystical triangle (one of three). These triforce fragments are hidden throughout the world map in various dungeons. Items you get in one dungeon gives you access to other dungeons, and as you progress, you get various upgrades for your sword and pick up new items. After you beat Gannon the first time, then a second quest opens up, with items, dungeons, and shops in entirely different locations. I wish they had released a special edition of SUPER MARIO BROTHERS with the Japanese version of SMB II as a `second quest." But oh well. Unfortunately, the second quest never really caught on with other games. The Second Quest is harder than the first. To get to the Second Quest at the beginning of the game, put "ZELDA" as your name.

The game itself is very nonlinear, which is what made it such a popular game. There was the incredible depth of adventure that just permeated the entire thing. Released during a time when most games were side-scrollers, this set you in a world where you could explore and find items. There is the now standard item list, where you obtain items and use them to interact with the world about you. There are hidden dungeons that you must find, and you can burn bushes and push rocks, etc. It radically opened the power of the NES console up, and the gaming world would never be the same.

Ironically, though, some may find ZELDA too challenging for this very reason. Bereft of any real narrative, ZELDA doesn't give you any real direction where to go next, save for the infamous, sometimes incomprehensible old men who give you `clues' on where to go next. If you don't know where you're going, you'll find yourself wondering around a lot, mostly directionless. That's what made the game so popular in the first place, but for modern games it may be off-putting how difficult it is to find some of the dungeons without some internal direction from the game. (As a perfect example, just think how many bombs you would have to use to find the very obscure ninth dungeon on the second quest.) The SNES installment gives you visual indicators on where to bomb, etc; the original ZELDA does not give you visual ques on anything. So unless you know the game well or you have access to walkthroughs, expect a lot of time just trying to figure out where to go next.

The graphics, while looking rather archaic by today's standards, holds up rather well given its age. The sprites are bright and the scenery is colourful. There's only a few instances where you can tell that the screen was squished to adapt to Game Boy Advance's screen, but this isn't very noticeable. The music is a near perfect port too, making this a very faithful recreation of the original. For those old enough to remember the NES glory days, the graphics will bring back a lot of memories; for new gamers, however, they may find it difficult to get over the primitive graphics and into the game itself. Their loss.

Conclusion: One of the few NES CLASSICS worth shelling out twenty bucks for. Still, it's rather puzzling they didn't include anything extra, or even the second NES Zelda game, given they released both ZELDA and ZELDA II, plus the two N64 games, on one spectacular, free collection for GameCube. For those who never played the original Zelda, this will hook you for life. There's no better way to start playing this historic series than the original. For those of us old enough to remember the NES, this is a great game, and a great way to relive very fond memories. Still, if you don't have the Zelda Collection, this is a very worthwhile purchase.