What’s this? Number 3? Yes, I can still count; don’t worry! There’s a reason for this. I haven’t played Zelda 2 in AGES, so I want to get a grip on it again before I review it. Got it? Got it. Good. So with that said, on to Hey! Listen! – The Golden Age. This time around, we’re looking at The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past; also known as Zelda III for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. One of my favourites of the series, though it’s hard to choose just one favourite. This game, however, is one that stands up even today as one of the greatest classics of all time.

Boxart!

I actually remember when I got this gem. I don’t remember how old I was at the time [and am too lazy to do the math] but it was shortly after it came out. I remember having seen it somewhere, and watching the player get the Magic Powder, and for some reason that is the image that stood out in my mind. I somehow managed to convince my dad to buy it for me–though it was a total surprise. He just gave it to me when he got home from work. I wasn’t complaining, in any case.

Zelda 3 was much like the previous Zelda games, in that you were yet another silent protagonist named Link, there was a Triforce, and a princess named Zelda that probably needed rescuing. Actually, the first lines of the game tell you that Zelda is imprisoned in the castle, and urge you to go save her. Oh no! The difference this time around, is that you actually save Zelda during the first bit of gameplay, leaving her in the Sanctuary as you proceed through your first set of dungeons and obtain the Master Sword. Alas! After that, Zelda goes and gets herself kidnapped again!

Of course, your uncle goes out and tells you to stay home. Do you listen? Nah!

This is where the game takes a turn from the previous games; one that becomes a trademark in many more Zelda games: a parallel world arises called the Dark World–a ruined version of the land called the Golden Age, a place where the Triforce was prominent, and the people lived in peace. It was turned into the Dark World by Ganon, who used the Triforce’s power to corrupt the land. So now, not only did you have to save Zelda, but you needed her help to defeat Ganon, and restore the Triforce and the Golden Age.

Of course, being Link, you manage to pull this off, but not before working your way through several dungeons [at the moment, I can count thirteen, but it's late so I could be wrong], defeating many a boss, and collection a plethora of useful tools and weapons. A Link to the Past seemed to be a pioneer for the Zelda weapons, however–many that appeared in the first two titles didn’t come back, and several that DID appear in LttP stuck around, and can still be seen in the more recent games. The Hookshot, the Boomerang, and the Magic Hammer, to name a few. This is also where the Ocarina [called the Flute in this game] first appear, if I remember correctly.

One of the more annoying bosses: the first in the Dark World.

A Link to the Past has actually had several iterations over the years. First, of course, hit the SNES in 1992. A whole ten years later, we saw it once again, but this time for the Game Boy Advance, paired with Four Swords. Most recently, the Wii Shop Channel released LttP for the Virtual Console in early 2007.

Where does Zelda 3 fit into the Zelda timeline? It’s hard to say–though stick around; I’ll definitely be posting my theories in the near future.

As long as there is a Triforce, there will be a Zelda.
As long as there is a prosperous kingdom, there will be an evil bent on destroying it.
And as long as there is an oppressing force, threatening Hyrule…
There will be a boy. In a green tunic, with a silver shield, and a magic blade…
To stand against it.

In the end, I think this game gets a well deserved…

…9/10! It’s not quite perfect, but it comes pretty damn close. In my books, it’s the gem that made the Zelda series what it is.

Hey! Listen! If you’re not sick of that phrase already, well… I admire your patience. Tolerance. Whatever. Even though it was only ‘featured’ in one of the Legend of Zelda titles, it still got annoying fast. That said… Well, we’ll get to that title when we get to it. What’s up first, then? The first, of course! The Hyrule Fantasy begins its legacy of [currently] twelve games–excluding three terrible, non-Nintendo produced titles, and most gamers don’t consider them part of the series. We’ll mention them in a later post.

The Legend of Zelda was actually originally released in 1986 for the Famicom Disk System, a console only released in Japan. It later came to the NES in 1987. The game broke down the fourth wall [so to speak] at the time by combining elements from several gaming genres. As Link, you adventured your way through enemies, puzzles, dungeons, and much more. But I’m sure most of you already knew that, right? The game shows you, as Link, in a top-down environment on a fairly large overworld map [well, large at the time] seeking out secrets and dungeons. Unfortunately, the only hints you had as to where to go were from the map included with the game.

You start off totally unarmed, but quickly obtain a sword, and later a shield. Through each dungeon, you find new equipment, such staples as the bow and arrows, the boomerang, or the candle [which became the lantern in later titles]. The ladder and raft were items that never appeared again after this game.

What exactly is Link’s quest, though, beyond trekking through the eight dungeons? Well, each dungeon holds a fragment of the Triforce of Wisdom, put there by the Princess Zelda. The Prince of Darkness, Ganon held the Triforce of Power already, and was seeking its counterparts. Long story short, Link emerges to save Zelda and battle the evil Ganon–but to do so, he needs to reassemble the Triforce of Wisdom. In the end, our hero rescues Zelda, and triumphs over Ganon.

While this game was ‘revolutionary’ during its time, looking back at it now… Well, the later Zelda titles overshadow it in gameplay, story, and pretty much every other facet that a game can have. Hardcore gamers still love it though, and it has been re-released a plethora of times since it’s original debut. The Legend of Zelda has made it’s legacy known by appearing not only on the NES, but also had ports to the Game Boy Advance, Gamecube, and most recently on the Wii’s Virtual Console. It also appears in games like the Gamecube’s Animal Crossing and Wii’s Super Smash Bros. Brawl as a timed demo.

The Legend of Zelda was also released as a special 'Gold' cart, representing the colour of the Triforce.

The success of The Legend of Zelda as a series has resulted in five world records in Guinness World Records: Gamer’s Edition 2008, including Highest-Rated Game of All Time, First Game with a Battery Powered Save Feature, and the Longest Running Action-Adventure Series.

Next up? Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, the second installment of the series, and also the most controversial in terms of its relation to the rest of the series.