[#04] The Legend of Zelda (NES)


Genre: Action-adventure
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Original release: August, 1987

August of 1987, that's where it all began. For any Zelda fan (or gaming fan in general), it would be a shame to jump into the new-generation without dabbling a little bit in what put us here in the first place. Trademarked by its puzzle action-adventure gameplay, The Legend of Zelda (NES) was training baby gamers in the overworlds of Hyrule not long after the Mario Bros. became Super.

Amidst hidden passages, dungeon labyrinthines and seedy merchants, The Legend of Zelda takes players on a journey to rescue Hyrule's Princess Zelda, but to defeat her captors Link must first assemble the eight split pieces of the Triforce Wisdom - a magical artifact bestowing great wisdom. It's not easy by any means, as the pieces are spread across the land of Hyrule, hidden away in 8 underground dungeons, with each entrance guarded heavily.

Graphics have never been a major selling point of Zelda, and the original NES title is just another example of a great game under the guise of 8 bit characters. The enjoyment a player gets from advancing in a game as difficult and epic as Zelda is really unrivaled on our list, and watching Link become more powerful as you understand the game better is truly a fulfilling experience.

Pick this up for sure, if nothing more than to see how adventure games grew to become the wide open paradises they're aspiring to be today.


Green tubes, blue outfits and high score addiction ahead. Can you figure out what #03 is before curiosity gets the best of you?