I Played Zelda 1 NES in 2023, and it was NOT What I Expected

Join me as I play The Legend of Zelda 1 on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and review my experience as I complete the game!

[@OffbeatDrill]

For more Zelda videos in this same style of video format, look here!: Zelda 2: kzbin.info/www/bejne/lYLWkISFm65giMk A Link to the Past: kzbin.info/www/bejne/o6rPg5eDothgmbs Link's Awakening: kzbin.info/www/bejne/o5DcaIOfhNh4qac

[@R0YB0T]

Did you mention this game came with a physical map? A lot of games did including the original GTA and Everquest.

[@Davechow12]

The magic book from Level 8 adds fire to your magic wand from Level 6, that’s it.

[@EsotericBibleSecrets]

Everyone plays the first quest. I never get to see anyone play the second quest. I won't go out of my way to watch it or anything, but sometimes I'll watch videos like this. I love Zelda games, but even I don't remember much from the second quest.

[@patrickdaly369]

@@EsotericBibleSecretssecond quest just moved the dungeon locations and made enemies harder.

[@c.a.r.n.a.g.e4288]

39 I remember the layout like it was the back of my hand

[@loustandards2827]

As an old man of 45, it makes me so happy to see younger people enjoying the classic NES games that ruled my adolescent and teen years.

[@highdefinition450]

I've tried many times to like this game but I just can't lol

[@mielthesquid6536]

@@highdefinition450 you probably didn't play with the manual and map. They are an important part of the whole experience.

[@zerobyte802]

This is the first young play through I've seen who actually used the manual. That's key, as in-game tutorializing was rare. Space was at a premium.

[@justanotherlikeyou]

Getting older is what we all experience. "Old", however, is a state of mind

[@obmarte3803]

Hey man, keep your opinions to yourself! I'm 43 this year and feel fine... 😄

[@danielcastillo4301]

The grumble guy gave me fits when I first encountered him as a kid. I spent a whole week not knowing what to do. Then, one day at dinner, I was lamenting to my family about how I was stuck and there was this stupid guy in the way who just said "grumble grumble." My mom started brain storming ideas and then she said "Could it maybe be a stomach grumble?" I then shouted "That's it" and ran from the table because I knew giving him the food would work. One of my favorite video game breakthroughs.

[@aaronmoses6085]

A week? I put the game aside for years, until I met someone who had finished the game and told me what to do.

[@Lostmymind1]

Aw, that's a nice wholesome memory. Go hug your mom.

[@while.coyote]

It's hard to properly explain how much more fun this game was than anything else you could do back in 1986.

[@rgriswold012]

No explanation needed!

[@humandestiny3934]

@@rgriswold012 Well, what kin I do fer ya?

[@myfirstseven8316]

It was the music for me

[@Meidoification]

I just got a retro console and played it for a bit the other night. The game is still fun, albeit a lot more now as an adult than it was when I was a kid.

[@jonstiffer4994]

I mean, you could go outside and play with your friends, or play sports or build a tree house or lots of other things. I would say -86 was a time with more fun than today, since today every single thing is about staring at a screen.

[@mielthesquid6536]

Back then in schools people were talking about the things they found in the game, sharing secrets and tips, so the adventure was not only on the screen but continued in your real life as well, especially with the manual and maps which were crucial for a good experience. Playing it today on an emulator without that is clearly a different and more steril approach and I think this is why a lot of people are put off by it.

[@MaxOakland]

That’s really fun

[@crescendo5594]

Exactly. Kids would share game information about the mechanics, secrets, and a lot of funny myths.

[@mikedodge1322]

That’s exactly right. You weren’t expected to find all these secrets yourself. You would share things you found and then you and your friends would go home and write them on your map. It was funny how someone should try to explain the location of something only to go home and it was explained wrong. Sometimes it would take several attempts to get it right. We would always have several friends come over and work together with their knowledge. That was all apart of the adventure.

[@CCornelius-ot8dd]

yes everyone i knew worked together, we shared maps, i have some still my cousins made, it was a pretty global goal, kids, cousins, parents, everyone that had it was trading secrets and tricks. Breath of the wild brought back that collective sharing of the experience and I haven't beaten it yet because it makes me feel like a kid again, and I'll lose my whole day to it, just like i did to the first one. The first zelda, mario 3, and pokemon back in the day were hugely social games back in the day.

[@thinkandrepent3175]

I remember we'd get our desks together and make maps. So much fun!

[@TerryTrowbridge]

The good ol’ days of your parents driving you home from picking up a game and diving into the manual in the back seat.

[@bezoticallyyours83]

🥰 Yeah

[@anarchylotb1]

This!!!

[@I.D.I.O.C.R.A.C.Y.]

Right?

[@Mousse9]

Haha, yeah! When I got Super Mario 1, and The Legend of Zelda 1, I spent SO MUCH time browsing the manual, poring over the hints and clues.

[@TerryTrowbridge]

@@Mousse9 I miss all the hand drawn art.

[@TurquoiseStar17]

If you've ever read Miyamoto's old interviews, Breath of the Wild was basically the realization of the Zelda game he always dreamed of since creating it in 1986 - free exploration inspired by the forests and caves near his childhood house. Of course it would take several decades for the technology to get there.

[@JeremyS.-ug3sp]

BotW really is the spiritual successor to the original. Playing BotW for the first time made me feel like playing the original did all those years ago. I'm glad he got to make his dream a reality.

[@Mr__V]

I just wish there were dungeons in BotW. The beasts don't do it for me. And shines are not very rewarding due to how tedious they can be to find all of them.

[@JeremyS.-ug3sp]

@@Mr__V honestly I'm a big fan of BotW and that's my biggest complaint too. If they had 6-8 big dungeons like the original NES game instead of all the mini game puzzles in the shrines it would have been way better. Or even like 3-4 dungeons and the divine beasts. They should have leaned more into making it like the original instead of altering it to be sort of like the original.

[@Mr__V]

@@JeremyS.-ug3sp for sure. I loved the actual dungeon aspect of older Zelda's. Unique environment, unique items. Unique bosses. It was the best. And no other game really does it like that. If the divine beasts were more dungeon like that would have helped. They are big enough to have been. But they were just more of a minor inconvenience to go through than anything.

[@anpinfotainment7963]

​@@Mr__VConcur. I love breath of the wild but the one thing that it's missing is those interconnected dungeons, where you have to solve one puzzle to unlock two more. Stuff like a link to the past and ocarina of time.

[@riverdays533]

One thing you may not know about since you are young, is that back in '86 there was an actual number you could call to ask Nintendo what to do next. This was advertised as the Nintendo Hotline and a Gamemaster with all the answers in front of them could tell you where to go after describing your progress to them. This idea led to the creation of game guides, where players could buy the printed guide instead of calling someone at Nintendo with the guide. With the advent of the internet, guides fell out of favor as now players could just share information on game secrets with each other!

[@AbstractM0use]

I never called, or knew anyone that called that hotline because it wasn't toll-free. Another thing we don't have to deal with anymore: Long distance calls. lol

[@probably_afk]

@@AbstractM0use I actually called once because I had a question about FFII(IV) and I ended up chatting with the guy for way too long because it was just so mind-blowing to talk to another human that liked the same game I did (pre-internet, small town, small school, very few SNES owners).

[@AbstractM0use]

@@probably_afk Still one of the best FF games, imo. Probably the definitive FF game, for me. I went through the first one and loved it, and when I saw they released another on the SNES I jumped all over it.

[@andrewkaye2108]

I got the game just BEFORE Nintendo premiered the help line and a free issue of the first Nintendo Power, complete with Zelda maps.

[@HotBizkit]

Yeah I called the hotline like 2-3 times back in the days!

[@matttyree1002]

6:05 The Japanese translation of what the moblin says is more like "Now keep this a secret from everyone" - the implication is that the moblin is bribing Link so he doesn't have to fight him, but he doesn't want his evil friends to know.

[@PickleJello]

Interesting idea, an enemy smart enough to know he can't defeat the hero. A small way with the limited tech to make it feel like a real world, and not one that just revolves around the player. Especially because every subsequent portrayal of moblins had them pretty unintelligent.

[@joemck85]

I always took it to mean he's hiding out there and is bribing me not to tell anyone about his lair.

[@m.a.packer5450]

This game really did change the way we viewed games. Everything back then was spaceship shoot laser, get points. Zelda 1 was such a breath of fresh air.

[@AnthonyFlack]

I think its influence can be overstated. There were plenty of fantasy adventure games before 1986. Dungeons & Dragons has inspired video games since the very early days, as well as games like Zork, Rogue, Doomdark's Revenge... there was plenty of depth and diversity in computer games by the mid-80s.

[@Orange_Swirl]

​@AnthonyFlack Who the fuck is making modern video games that are inspired by "Doomdark's Revenge"? 😂 No, bro. You're right about the other games being influential (barring what I just said). However, you are most certainly wrong about the Legend of Zelda's influence being "overstated." It continues to inspire gamers and developers all across the globe, and will likely continue to do so for many years to come.

[@wyattE415]

And if there was no Pong, none of them would exist. Everything builds on the foundations of the past.

[@The_Gallowglass]

And a year later, Final Fantasy would come out :D

[@djlejeune-author]

The grumble grumble bit is my favorite puzzle in all of gaming. When I was a kid, me and my uncle play the original Zelda and we must have wondered for 30 minutes what the hell we were supposed to do there. Finally my uncle realized it was the guy being hungry, not angry and he gave him the food. That was such an amazing feeling figuring that out. But I saw in the manual when you put it on-screen they DO give you a hint. When it's showing how you should make your own maps, for level 7 it says a hungry moblin will confront you!

[@philbert006]

That's a really important thing. The manuals often held clues and hints, but a lot of them were not plain. Often they were presented as riddles or used misleading language, so there was an element of fun and mystery even when you were not actually playing the game. Everything about the Nintendo and the games were so well thought out and immersive in a way that had never existed before. People do not understand this, especially younger people, as they are born with the power of discovery at their fingertips, rather than having all day at school to obsess about a particular puzzle or trial. This video pisses me off a bit. He's got the master sword for lv.5. It took so many hours and play throughs to figure out where are the hidden hearts were, the secrets under bushes and statues, hidden caves, and he's got everything right at the beginning. I can't tell you how long it took to figure out how to get to Ganon. Lv9 was so devious. It was full of dead ends and loops. Then he's talking about the bosses being not difficult later in the game, shit. If you don't have all the extra hearts, or the magical sword, it was absolutely brutal. The world has just moved on. It sucks, but no point in being sad about it.

[@DanielSong39]

@@philbert006 Yeah that's like saying Metroid is easy with a complete map, walkthrough, and savestates LOL They have games for players like that. They're called Kaizo hacks

[@86twin]

@@philbert006my older sister had this and I used to read the manual. I decided to play through it when I got my great uncles Nintendo in 1999 when I was 13. I had used word of mouth from a friend to go through the game. I didn’t know about the bomb increase being so close to the recorder in level 5 and didn’t know the one in level 7. Nor did I know the three hidden heart containers making the master sword unobtainable until level 8. Went in to level 9 with 13 hearts and beat it with half a heart remaining. The instruction book helped and the internet was in infancy so walkthroughs weren’t really a thing. Then in 2002 I printed a walkthrough. Played again in 2005. In 2017, the file I had in 2005 was still saved. Now I wanna play it again Went through the game with 13 hearts and had half a heart left a

[@masonwheeler6536]

The dungeons weren't called numbered levels "to pay homage to" Mario; it's actually a bit more complicated than that. Mario and Zelda were being developed at the same time, and originally _the dungeons were the game._ So levels 1-9 were literally levels 1-9. The overworld was added fairly late in the game's development because they wanted something that was very different from Mario with its straight-line progression.

[@russellharrell2747]

That’s actually super interesting. I guess that’s why the dungeons have the more ‘ordinary’ monsters like skeletons, mummies, dragons, wizards, knights, bats and slimes and the overworks had super weird stuff like Peahats, leevers, octoroks and such.

[@justanerd4462]

@@russellharrell2747 That makes a ton of sense, I'm kinda amazed at the thought.

[@aaaaaaaaooooooo]

The rate at which games evolved during this era is already amazing, but I had always assumed Zelda was made one step after Super Mario. Super Mario was already a great leap from games like the original Mario Bros. that only had one screen and no exploration. To think that Zelda was already being developed is mind-blowing.

[@diyapia]

I’m 46 in the fall and yeah…playing these originals as a child was magical….It is special how a game like this tapped into your sense of adventure and exploration as you got to leave reality for the first time and immerse yourself in another world and BE a hero…there was nothing like it for a preteen and it moved me and my friends deeply….I’m so glad I experienced NES games as the world changed….ALSO…I think before the Internet we all helped each other figure games out because we interacted more and we were all going through the much more limited selection of games at the same time…

[@niksatan]

randomly clicking everything by kidz in the neighborhood and then sharing experiences at basketball was our "internet" !

[@AdamsOlympia]

We also had the free Nintendo newsletter that always included excellent game tips. Discontinued when Nintendo Power came out in 87 or 88. Good times, the 80s! .. I miss going to the local VHS rental or grocery store rental section, picking out a new NES game and a movie to watch for the weekend, back when most new movie releases were excellent. Also going to the arcade to play Pole Position, Pac Man, Centipede, Track and Field, Joust. Watching Knight Rider, Magnum PI, Thundercats, Inspector Gadget on TV .. Always something fun to watch or do... But we also spent a lot of time outdoors, making fun with the neighborhood kids. Pickup baseball like on The Sandlot. Biking everywhere. Was a great time to grow up.

[@navyman4]

I am 50yrs old..... Imagine going from SPACE INVADERS... to this. Mind blown. The MERE FACT that you can "save a game" was mind blowing. Nobody knew what "saving a game" meant. Much less "PLAY VIDEO GAMES IN YOUR HOUSE". Mind Blown!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@williamjameslehy1341]

The magic book makes it so that you shoot a fireball with the Wizzrobe wand, along with the normal magic missile-type projectile attack.

[@Nick-jb4xi]

Honestly, I found the book annoying. the fire would make the big slimes split, where the wand beam would outright kill them. If they split, they don't drop items. BOOO! Plus, I'd frequently walk into the fires. A lot of the tougher enemies were immune to fire anyway....

[@jescis0]

The only thing I can think of that would add to this, is that in the US and probably other regions, it's called the "Magical Book" while in the original Japanese version it's called the Bible! 😂😂😂😂

[@keleynal4424]

I loved the wand as a kid. I would raid level 8 for the book and get the wand super early and use it as much as possible. I was a weird kid.

[@ROBinJVILLE]

@@keleynal4424 arrows cost a rupie so the wand made sense

[@gregd6611]

Probably the last thing to add, is that the wand's melee attack is the same strength as the white sword.

[@Deranth]

"I unlocked a potion shop that I didn't use." "This bracelet lets me use these fast travel points across the map, which I didn't use because the map is so small I can cross it in 3 minutes." "I died so many times in Level 6, and the most annoying part was having to run back through the lost woods and graveyard to get there which took 4 minutes." Maybe you would have died less if you used the potions. There's one fast travel point a few screens right of the starting screen and one literally right beside Level 6, you could have made it back there in like 30 seconds if you'd used them.

[@JayDubWilly]

100% this... glad I am not the only one that found these statements both hypocritical and cringe.... Imagine dying in 6, then continuing, walk out go 1 screen down, 1 right, 1 up and taking the Any road to literally one screen away from a fairy and backtrack. Full health, 30 sec -- lets go!

[@lonreleaseday_6573]

Didn't realize until after seeing this that those little goats that launch swords are Lynels. Shows that they've been a problem since the beginning 😂

[@daderowley4514]

Especially since NES Lynels could 1 shot you if you were under leveled.

[@continuallyblessed44]

I remember when this game came out kids on the school bus brought the map that came with the game and was pouring over it swapping discoveries and strategies. What an amazing time that was. No internet to guide you, just your friends haha.

[@jasonhaynes2952]

I'll always remember that amazing feeling when a new discovery was made. I distinctly remember all of us being stuck on the grumble grumble part, then someone finally figured out that you had to feed him and the excitement I felt...the need to immediately going over to see what was past that part. Just an experience kids today will never know. Especially since they have the internet now and there are no secrets to uncover.

[@lydiasteinebendiksen4269]

The choice between the potion and the heart container comes from an earlier stage of development where you couldn't buy potions. So if you have six hearts and you're about to enter a hard dungeon, the choice would be "Do I want seven hearts, or do I want the ability to completely restore all of them twice?" at which point I'd call it a real choice.

[@msw0322]

I wonder if that sort of sparked inspiration for the choice between a heart container or stamina vessel in BOTW and TOTK?

[@themidcentrist]

@@msw0322 I would say they wanted you to choose between being able to better explore the world (stamina) or making the combat more forgiving (heart container). I like the exploration element in TOTK so at first I prioritized and eventually maxed out stamina and got just enough heart containers to be able to tank a hit or two without dying. Since you can respec and trade stamina and hearts back and forth, it does make the choice less crucial than it would be if you were stuck with your choice. I think being able to respec cheapens the game experience and I don't do it, but I think it is good that the option is there for people who want to use it. It's a legend of Zelda game that is meant to be player friendly, and not a Dark Souls game that pushes the player to the limits.

[@jeremygibson4531]

@@themidcentristI think the respec could be made better by requiring someone to finish the story and all shrines before they are able to respec, since it wouldn’t matter that late in the game

[@rathelmmc3194]

The problem is that the potion is still a one time effect whereas another heart lasts the rest of the game. Especially considering the magic sword and white sword requirements of how many hearts you have, its got to be better to just take the heart container.

[@JayDubWilly]

@@rathelmmc3194 one time effect for the blue potion, two for red - which it is the red one that is offered. This means less time grinding for cash and in the middle of a dungeon having 12 hearts with a red potion = 35 overall (cant use it if dead) where as 13 hears with no potion = 13 hearts. Stamina option... very valid choice especially later in the game.

[@andrewprahst2529]

I dont mind slowdown old games. Going into slow motion when there are a ton of entities maked me feel like I'm dodging bullets in slow motion like Neo

[@mielthesquid6536]

yeah, I always thought it was a god send because games were generally hard. And I much prefer that to frames skip we have nowadays which looks worse.

[@catsaregovernmentspies]

In shoot em ups slowdown was appreciated as it happened when things were getting nuts.

[@remixtheidiot5771]

in the genre of bullet hell games, a select few games nowadays actually intentionally put slowdown as a feature now even if modern hardware can handle all the madness. the only other game I know to do this is Space Invaders which did the opposite lol. limitations give way to creativity, and i do believe many conventions of games come from dealing with these issues that are now features such as the slowdown. pretty neat.

[@dycedargselderbrother5353]

Someone reprogrammed Gradius III on the SNES to remove lag. It's nigh unplayable at higher difficulty levels as a result since at some level slowdown factored into testing.

[@Sephiroth144]

See: Gradius III

[@jordanholley8146]

Being a gamer in the late 80's and early 90's was truly an adventurous experience. Games were prohibitively expensive back then. So if you did what most kids did, instead of having the luxury of buying a stack of games, you begged your parents to take you to the video rental store to rent a game for the weekend. In the earliest days, stores would include the manuals inside their rental boxes, but over time, the manuals would get destroyed or lost by other users. So, most of the time, you were renting games with zero instructions on how to play. This was long before game developers started including tutorial stages or built in help screens. I imagine this had much to do with the limited storage capacity of the old cartridge games. And the internet wouldn't become available (let alone common) for years. Back then, the only help you could possibly find was to buy the latest copy of a gaming magazine and hope that the game in question was being covered in that issue. But at any rate, this meant that you were going in blind to most new games that you were trying out. You were truly a lonely explorer and you really had to figure things out for yourself. And that's a big reason that "beating" a game or discovering a secret felt like such a major life achievement back then. We're all very spoiled now😂

[@JayDubWilly]

100% this.... beating a game back then was AMAZING.... hard levels, no hand holding.

[@PinkiePi]

Getting into level 6 without the blue ring or the magic shield is quite a feat. Even from my youth, the very first thing I did on a playthrough of Zelda was collect the 3 free heart containers, get the white sword, and buy the blue ring. Kinda makes the first 4 or 5 dungeons a joke. Also, within the first 2 dungeons, you can bomb walls to bypass locked doors. Thus, you can finish level 2 with 4 or 5 extra keys (I don't remember exactly), ultimately making the master key superfluous.

[@tmike2552]

He also didn't use any of the potions. The red potion fills your hearts all the way, then turns into a blue potion. The blue potion fills your hearts all the way AGAIN, and then turns back into the note for the old lady. You get two full heals, which is more than enough to beat any dungeon.

[@noseboop4354]

One thing is that back then games came with paper instruction manuals. The Legend of Zelda manual had a tutorial guide for the first part of the game. Because back then it was much more difficult to program in-game tutorials due to hardware limitations (especially memory space).

[@DeconvertedMan]

book of magic makes the magic rod shoot fire.

[@modernallie6326]

Figuring this game out in the late 80s as a 5 year old was awesome.. I had no hints and no manual and got stuck on 2nd quest for quite a while

[@stuffbenlikes]

First time my friend and I played it when it came out, we named our character Zelda. And were so confused when things didn't match the manual and hints.

[@tubezone666]

@@stuffbenlikes That is funny and sad xD

[@MaxOakland]

I’m amazed you managed at such a young age

[@MaxOakland]

@@stuffbenlikesoh nooo that’s hilarious 😂😊😊

[@thepolarphantasm2319]

Second quest of Zelda I is no joke, for those of y'all who don't know. Level 1 is in the same place, and it's somewhat more difficult to clear (your mileage may vary)... Level 2? Yikes. First of all, level 2 is (iirc) hidden under an Armos (those statues that come to life and chase you like crackheads) where the blue ring was in first quest... they didn't start hiding the entrances on you til 6 or 7th level of first quest. Then, once you get into the dungeon...? Most of the regular monsters are stuff from the fifth dungeon of first quest, but you probably don't have five hearts yet (therefore no white sword) so good f'n luck chopping at those Gibdos and Pols Voices all day 😅 Then you're just screwed because they started making the secret passages one or two way passwalls instead of walls you have to bomb through (usually) but nobody's told you this yet 😂 Making it through all 9 levels of first quest is a big accomplishment. Making it past Level 2 of second quest is basically the same thing. :) Oh, I forgot- to get the letter to give the little old lady so she'll sell you potions in second quest? You gotta go through the Lost Woods, the graveyard, get the power bracelet (same place as first quest), scale death friggin' mountain, go PAST where level 9 was like four screens and figure out which rock to push to make the stairs appear while blue Lynels use you for target practice. That's just how you get the game to let you buy potions. 😂

[@BillyTBum]

The "A" for the magic key is most likely hex code. Once your key count is 10 (A), they no longer decrease.

[@blackrat1228]

Also the 255 computation limitation in most NES games.

[@Swiftbow]

Could also just stand for "All."

[@DanielSong39]

@@Swiftbow It stands for "Almighty" according to the guide

[@pqsk]

@@blackrat1228 it's actually 256. what you're thinking of is what is: 256 - 1, which then includes 0. There are ways to include more than what the word size of the cpu is, so you can have beyond 256 on the NES. think of the score on SMB, it would be insane if 256 was the max score you could get.

[@booxmowo2684]

This is not true. The key counter can go up to two digits just fine.

[@OffbeatDrill]

Let me know in the comments if you want me to keep making videos like this, where I talk about my experience playing different games. The videos can be on old games, new games, or even obscure games that you've never even heard about. Or let me know if you want me to just stick with my usual music videos.

[@thatpaigeperson9877]

it's so cool to see a content creator branch out! it's interesting to see how well the game shaped up to today's standards keep up this type of content!

[@aking1591]

Same, it was an interesting video and it kept my attention. Keep up the good work 👍

[@iantaakalla8180]

I would say you should do both.

[@Meshamu]

I'd like to see more videos like this one, and covering obscure games sounds interesting. Whatever you want to play, though.

[@fusionspace175]

Warping with the whistle to all the different dungeons isn't to go into them, it's just a way to warp around the world that's better than the tunnels. They're scattered all over, so wherever you want to go, shop, a farming spot, etc, there's bound to be a dungeon nearby.

[@The_Gallowglass]

Yeah, basically a beat dungeon becomes a waypoint.

[@theraque1]

The reason the key count becomes an "A" when you get the skeleton key is because it's a single-digit counter that can only count 0-9. In hexadecimal, the next character is an "A" which is used as the other values are numbers. The counter could have easily been any letter from A-F.

[@deadstones1]

I really wish I had the manual growing up. I recently read it, and the amount of information it gives you is INSANE. It's also available online for free, courtesy of Nintendo. You should put a link to it in the description of this video!

[@drunkinmonkieez]

Awww I miss the 80s as a kid. Gaming was so new and majestic. Games created a magical feeling because it was so new, and the music made it even better.

[@wormskull2454]

Regarding bomb grinding: An NPC gives the cryptic hint “8th Enemy has the Bomb”. Basically every 8th enemy you kill of the same type will drop bombs. For instance, if you kill 8 Darknuts, the 8th one will drop bombs.

[@reverendB]

I'm 48. Played this when it came out. As kids we assumed that the A once you get the Magical Key was for "Always". I fucking roared when you said ass ton of keys.

[@cool32thegamer25]

You should have gotten the magic shield. It blocks magic on level six

[@JayDubWilly]

Yea even back in the day playing, that was something of a staple... Blocked Zora's projectiles, Wizzrobes beams AND those swords the Lynels throw. And yes oops it got taken by a Like-like, just don't let them touch you again.

[@jamesbrowne5496]

You got the book before the wand, so it makes sense you didn't know what it did. The wand just shoots the beam, the book creates fire when it hits something. Glad to see people are still enjoying this game for the first time. It's been a treasure for me since it came out.

[@ChrisG9978]

Level 6 is by far the toughest dungeon in the original Zelda...I remember going at this dungeon for days (back in the late 80s) before I got through it. It takes some cajones to go through Level 6 without the Magic Shield (it deflects the wizzrobe beams)...I always racked up the coin to pick up that Magic Shield early in the game. I most definitely loathed the Like-Likes the most because they'd steal that magic shield, and level 6 was filled with Like-Likes. That's why the magic wand is such a prize in level 6...you can snipe Like-Likes from a distance once you have it. Whenever I replay (Quest 1)...first matter of business is the magic shield, 2nd matter of business is the blue ring, but I'll usually blow through the first few dungeons before I have the coins to nab the ring. Level 8 has the lion key (as well as the magic book which upgrades the magic wand, producing the fire)...I mastered that level well enough to trudge through it to grab both items before playing through any of the other dungeons. No more needing to pick up keys in the other dungeons.

[@alfadorfox]

Yeah I almost always had to tackle 6 last! Wizzrobe "broo" does so much damage T_T

[@GeorgiaRidgerunner]

when i play loz obviously i get the wooden sword first then head right to farm coins from the tektites and the ground burrowing things then up a couple screens to get bombs then all the way back down to the beach for the first free heart container then continue right and up to get 30 free rupees and a heart container then to then up to the old lady for the letter and then onto the penninsula where the money making game is and walk through the wall for 100 free rupees then back to the way i came and a stop for the second free heart container then back to the store by the starting starting area to biy the blue candle then on my way to level 1 i stop and burn a bush to reveal a store and there i purchase the magic shield for 90 rupees then on to level one or to get the white sword

[@nanashinanashi1174]

Dude, it thrills me so much to see you enjoying this classic title. I was 5 or 6 when I first got my hands on it in the early 90s and it's been with me all these years.

[@xoSK3TCHox]

"This game requires a lot of thought, and brain power"... Us 80's kids must be damn geniuses! Beat this game when I was 5 without a manual, guide, or internet access... I do like seeing the younger generations going back to play the older games that brought life to everything they are growing up on today.

[@deeez00]

I played it when it first came out and hearing how you describe your experience makes me believe kids my age were much more curious. I believe that games today have dumbed down so much and it's basically a walkthrough.

[@desmondsgarage]

"so then I wandered around aimlessly for a while". Perfectly captures the experience. Gaming in the 80s truly was a different vibe.

[@ibrahimturan28]

the golden cartridge of Zelda was the best, i'm in love with this cartridge

[@Tigerlord4835]

2 things you missed.the book makes the wand shoot fire, and you didn't buy the healing potion from the old lady

[@joefarrow1599]

You're like 'I don't need the fast travel', but also 'it takes ages to get to level 6'. You can use the bracelet to get there quickly from the origin

[@OffbeatDrill]

Yeah, you're probably right. I guess I didn't spend much time trying to figure out the fast travel haha

[@ogeidnomar4601]

You have to take the long route initially since the bracelet is near level 6.

[@JayDubWilly]

@@ogeidnomar4601 Not necessarily... if you have the ladder and walk over the river you can get to it much faster. This may not be well known to the beginner, but even some stumble that route while exploring.

[@ogeidnomar4601]

@@JayDubWilly I was replying to the original comment since they said you can use the bracelet from the "origin". That may mislead people a bit.

[@kevinthealienfpv]

It's easy to forget how important the game manuals were. As in-game tutorials and the internet became more prevalent, game manuals went from very informative and helpful to being a single sheet of paper with advertisements for upcoming games.

[@cygnusactual1618]

I got this game and Metroid at the same time in 89. Both games will forever have a special place in my heart. Both games are still great to this day too!

[@vanyadolly]

NES Zelda was one of the first games I ever played, and the first I ever completed. Nothing else will ever quite compare to the feeling of awe and and excitement I felt exploring the world. I didn't really understand it at the time, but now I can trace my love for fantasy RPGs and open world sandbox games back to this.

[@zainredding3476]

I find it fascinating that you had almost the exact same experience I did in the 90s.

[@OzonebxGaming]

Finding that Gold Cartridge as a kid was magical.

[@Anguawolf007]

It's funny how the younger generation views things from how they have adapted to current games. "Levels" is just how it was done at the time. The higher the level, the more difficult it is. This was the birth of the game. Things were not as thought out.

[@chrisrush3513]

Do the second quest!!! But definitely play the dungeons out of order!! Hint. The magical key is in L8. Get it early and it’ll make life easier.

[@rathelmmc3194]

I'm only 10 minutes in, and also an old guy that played this when it originally came out, but the game came with a blank map, some spots were filled in. You were supposed to finish the map by hand as you travelled the screens.

[@stackflow343]

>you can still die from the fire in zelda's room Imagine seeing the hero defeat the boss and come rescue you , only to walk up, say nothing, and stand in the fire until he dies.

[@Lady_ETHNE]

This was a really interesting video! I have a lot of fun memories with the original Zelda cause despite being born in 2005, I had it on my 3ds from the eshop (RIP) back in like 2017. While it hasn't aged too well compared to other games like Ocarina or Wind Waker, I still really enjoy it! Defintely got my 5 dollars worth!

[@perryshawn]

Great video! The language of Overworld, Underworld, Dungeon, Level (as well as much of the rest of the game overall) all come from the games’ primary inspiration… Dungeons & Dragons! 😊

[@trueakuma777]

This was one of my favorite games as a kid and is still one of my all-time favorites today. Admittedly, gaming was different back then, the game manual and map were crucial to your success, as was word of mouth from other players of the era. It took me quite a long time, but I beat it after many attempts and I eventually even beat the second quest as well. Good times. Thank you for this nice trip down memory lane and stay safe out there!

[@brandonlewis3379]

As someone else commented below it's good to see the younger gen playing what we have grown up with in the past. I'm a late 70's 80's kid and had a pong console if you've ever heard of that one. Back then it wasn't all about internet and social media it was you went to the store bought a game and hoped for the best we didn't have reviews other than save friends if they bought it before you to try it out. Wish I could go back and stay during those times good memories I'll value for the rest of my life. I like you kid ya got a new sub from this old gamer fella.

[@sleepytatertots]

This video was super explanatory and entertaining. Keep it up!

[@billfrantz1638]

The weapon for dungeon 6 is the large shield. Though swallowed by like-likes if touched (just like tears of the Kingdom) the ability to reflect wizard attacks is a better way to tackle this level.

[@ryansmurda1552]

Yeah, that sheild was the key to surviving the wizards. It used to make me so mad when those damn like likes would eat it and id have to farm rupees for an hour to buy another. 🤣

[@OneCreator87]

Zelda 1 is the best! It's open, challenging, addictive, charming and engaging, it will have you on the edge of your seat.

[@Okapi540]

I watched all three of your Zelda videos (plus the one on weird enemies). I like them and I hope you continue them! You have a particular cadence and delivery that is nice to listen to and can be pretty funny. It's also interesting hearing a breakdown of your playthrough experience rather than a retrospective or an in-the-moment let's play. Feels like a genuine and thorough breakdown of the game! I also like that it is coming from a perspective of somebody who knows all the Zelda games, there aren't a lot of us, ha ha.

[@Nusma]

"Shoot the ghoma in the eye" is the most useless hint for someone in 1986 who doesn't have the manual on hand to look up what a ghoma is.

[@grw18]

"Grumble, Grumble" If not for a guide, i would never have understood what this means.

[@ericstaples7220]

We had the manuals on hand back then, because they all had useful information. They were basically mini strategy guides back then.

[@MindWandererB]

@@grw18 I think that in the Japanese, it uses an onomatopoeia more closely associated with a grumbling stomach.

[@mielthesquid6536]

@@MindWandererB exactly, the english version is a bit more criptic, yet I found the solution when I was 8. The game while being huge for its time as a limited number of things you can do to pass that, if you try all the items you'll find the solution.

[@jm505]

@@grw18The Japanese version says, “There’s a grumbly in my tummbly.” Much clearer, I think.

[@andrewkaye2108]

This is still my favorite game ever. The items having multiple uses, the dungeons shaped like animals or letters, the variety of enemies and challnges in each dungeon. Fantastic. I loved the hints in the manuel and fold out map and felt so proud when i figured a hint out. Grumble, grumble was my favorite moment, because except for the medicine, there were not any items that are edible...except..for what was the solution, it was one of many light bulb moments where you happily figure something out. 😂

[@tlee656]

Keep doing these man!! Great nostalgia trip! Thanks for this!

[@jamesriver3745]

I love the NES and Sega Genesis, and both will always hold a special place in my heart. Now at 40, everytime I play Zelda and Mario 3 I am taken back to my childhood. Better times. Better games. Better music. Better movies. BETTER TIMES

[@ryansmurda1552]

I agree man. It was better, especially the music. Im 43 and im glad i grew up in a time before the internet and smartphones.

[@lebendigesgespenst7669]

I’m sure wizrobes (? Is that what they were?) would be easier if you managed to stay full health so you could use your sword beam from a distance

[@msw0322]

The blue wizzrobes are a pain. Even with full health you still don't want to face them head on because they'll constantly shoot beams at you. To this day I still struggle to walk away with full health from them. Those same wizzrobes are also in Oracle of Ages/Seasons but at least they're easier to deal with there because you can spin attack them and jump/hover over them.

[@andrewkaye2108]

They fire at you fast and have no problem flying into you, to drain hearts, so the sword beam only helped so much

[@TimBitten]

Great vid, very interested in seeing more like it!!

[@bloopbloopbloops]

bro, you played this game exactly how it was meant to be played. ❤😊 thanks for the trip down memory lane! i was 7 years old when i beat this game. the user manual was supposed to be your map and compass for the game ;] i loved watching your vid, bro!! keep it up!!

[@tommj4365]

This game has great replay value, especially now with various hacks and randomizer programs

[@NoeLPZC]

And Zelda Classic, of course.

[@xdfeverdream8122]

"Its a secret to everybody" is a mistranslation. The moblin is supposed to bribe you to let him live and not tell the other monsters so they don't know he's a coward. Also this game is best played on 3DSen in my opinion. Playing this game from a real top down perspective is truly life changing.

[@macethorns1168]

wdym?

[@xdfeverdream8122]

@macethorns1168 Do you not Know what 3DSen is? Its an emulator that allows you to play NES games in 3D. You can also can also take the entire game and angle it however you want. I prefer it at a Yaw angle. You know, like more modern "2D" Zelda games are angled.

[@mielthesquid6536]

actually it's not, even Miyamoto talked about this one in an interview, it's really a good Moblin betraying its own race. Like humans there is good and bad.

[@xdfeverdream8122]

@mielthesquid6536 Where did he say that? Also it is a mistranslation. He's actually saying, "Keep this a secret from everybody. Ok?" in the Japanese text.

[@Fragdemented]

This was a nice take on a review. I would enjoy seeing more!

[@Steph_7d7]

I just subbed while watching this video, i like these kind of videos, doesnt have to be old or new games strictly just games in general. Your commentary is interesting and adds to the videos enjoyment and quality. I like that you refer to the newer games in this video also. The nes was my first console as a 12 year old.

[@bradymelo8952]

I played this game on an emulator at school. I thought I would hate it, but I actually really loved it. I moved on to playing Zelda ll after... I hated it

[@Nesseight]

GAME OVER RETURN OF GANON "HA HA HA HA HA"

[@bradymelo8952]

@Nesseight after I gave up on Zelda ll, I actually got pretty far into Link's Awakening...but then my stupid school blocked the emulator I was using

[@lukebobb]

I’m stuck on Dungeon 5 right now and I’m trying to find all 12 heart containers to get the master sword. I think this is the hardest part of the game so far because u have to light random trees on fire and place bombs on random rocks to find the last few heart containers you need.

[@KPMats10]

It took me a long time when I was a kid to find the two missing heart containers

[@ericthiel4053]

Man, the Joy of popping the shiny gold cartridge into the NES back in the late 80s as a kid was unmatched by the other games. It was one of the only ones that allowed for so much exploration which I thought was so much fun. Then SNES came out and a link to the past was mindblowing to me as a young teen lol. Some of my fondest gaming memories!!

[@LinkElfo5367]

My Favourite Game Ever. 💖 I will never forget the day I completed it. No other game gave me such emotions. Thank you for your video!

[@charlesgoodson5774]

This adventure lasts MUCH longer than the 9 hours he stated in the video. I have to echo what someone else recently said in the comments: The game spawned many discussions outside of actual playing time -- friends would discuss different secrets and strategies, in conjunction with extensive game manuals that often accompanied video games in the 80s and 90s. Pre-internet, people often used gaming magazines and hotlines for more obscure help. It's important to remember how seminal the original Zelda was. It almost single-handedly created the "action adventure" genre and, together with its sequels, would go on to influence decades of game design. Games from the 1980s don't always age well (mainly because play control has become smoother over time with advances in technology), and we must examine them through the lens of time for what they are.

[@tetuone11]

That's because this generation likes to speed rush through games. They are a spoiled, impatient and are what many call "the casual gamer". Anyway, take care and stay well.

[@playlistenthusiast]

4:23 You forgot A Link Between Worlds

[@msw0322]

That's right. People forget that ALBW was the first Zelda to allow you to visit the dungeons in any order and buy/rent items at any time.

[@amandaslough125]

That's expecting the common public to remember the handheld games exist.

[@RaymondAndrews55]

This was the 1st video game I beat! Loved it as a kid. Great video, really brought me back. Thanks.

[@samuraian5905]

The Legend of Zelda is a masterpiece in its presentation and innovation. It's an exploration exercise first, and you are invited to see the world through Link's eyes, the small protagonist in the oversized, living world. I studied the peripherals as if I were an archeologist with arcane scrolls and the game was never inscrutable for me like it was presented here, although it held mysteries I didn't crack even decades later. It's a shame that not everyone sees how the game presents a cohesive and vibrant quest, so simply and elegantly. Too much noise in the eras that followed.

[@Dicateaux]

Nice to see kids playing fun games

[@Novastar.SaberCombat]

I bought the NES with my own money in 1986. The next goal was to buy TLoZ, and I did. Still a fantastic game to this very day, because it was about EXPLORATION. So was Ultima IV & V on Apple II and PC. No hand-holding. You needed to do some brain work, and it really wasn't all that difficult. Today's "gamers" just expect everything to flow from one moment to the next. No thought, no pauses, no planning, no writing anything down, no Reflection. It's friggin' embarrassing. 🐲✨🐲✨🐲✨

[@yogidemis8513]

Being a 80s kid, I still remember the day like it was yesterday when I got Legend of Zelda as a bday gift about 37 years ago (Give or Take). I remember calling up a few friends and we straight to work playing until we passed out or until their parents came over to take them home. The feeling of beating the game after all that time and work was exciting and then finding out there was a second quest just made it that much better. I'm 44 now and I'm now introducing my 6 year old daughter to the Nes.

[@rlpittsjr]

Another "manual" people had was Nintendo Power magazine which would have had full maps and other tips. Love this overview. I never played the original game. My entry into Zelda was Link to the Past on SNES, and looks as the developers made it an upgraded from the original.

[@ClayAdams]

The magic sword IS required to beat the game, but you can get all the way to Ganon without a sword. It’s a really fun challenge

[@MindWandererB]

No, you can beat Ganon with any sword. It just takes more hits.

[@iantaakalla8180]

It’s the Magic Arrow that you need to beat Ganon

[@dabrams84]

I like that now that media has matured and popular culture is universally accessible that all generations can now enjoy all of it without prejudice. I think if we keep on this pathway, then we will be able to push all media, all art of all forms, to a new plateau.

[@Ken-fh4jc]

Games like this will always be good. It was a really well made game. Very thought out with memorable items and bosses.

[@SaitohYatate]

I play LoZ1 yearly since I was 14 (2004), and in each consecutive year, this game seems more beautiful.

[@stevejackson4340]

Playing this game was amazing when released and the thing that made it completely mind blowing was finishing it and then being given the ability to continue to play the game but this time in the underworld. That is something that I still remember fondly decades later.

[@RealtorNickCurtis]

If you enjoy the sense of mystery and discovery in this game, I recommend Maniac Mansion for the NES. Try to play it without a walkthrough online and you will get a sense of one my favorite memories from playing video games in my youth.

[@raymondturner6784]

You did a great job with this. Thanks a lot

[@lykanaslupus]

Nice seeing a video about the first Zelda! Liked it.

[@MrKneeV]

I played this game so many countless times as a kid, more than I've played all other Zelda games combined. As the first one, and the one I spent so much time on before playing any other Zelda games, there is a special place in my heart for it. I think that that is part of why I love Breath of the Wild so much. Playing that game felt so much like playing a beefed up version of Zelda I, and captured the spirit of the game so thoroughly. As a side note, my brother and I always referred to the Magic Key as the "All Key", due to the letter "A" and that it opens all the doors.

[@pr0ject_nihilist]

I was 5 years old when this game came out. I remember the NES freezing up and/or saving the game by pushing in the reset button while turning off the power would sometimes lose the game. I also remember the second quest. Which is the exact same game, just the dungeons are located in different places. I’d love to play this game again.

[@brianteague840]

Great video. I just turned 44. I got this shiny gold cartridge for my 8th birthday. Played it all the way to the end, but could never beat gannon, because i never found the silver arrow. Went back and finished it a few years ago. Recently just finiehed zelda 2, which imo is the hardest video game ever made. About to watch your video on that now. Well done, sir. Looking forward to watching more of your content.

[@nathanreed174]

I played NES Zelda when it came out. I remember waiting impatiently for Zelda 2 (Adventures of Link) to come out. I'm still a Zelda freak at 63

[@tocs777]

17:06 wow this song brings me back to late 90s, was this from wolf arms on ps1. Great video of a great game. I was 9 when it came out, spent countless hours playing this game. I love seeing retro games from my childhood being revisited.

[@jonathanross149]

I didn't grow up with an NES, I had the Sega Master System. The 1st Zelda game I played and beat was on the original Game Boy Links Awakening.

[@DmSayr]

When I opened my brand new Zelda, Xmas, '87, it comes with a big rectangle map broken into grids. It works hand in hand with that big gray box on the top left. Also, the overworld was a last minute addition by Miyamoto's team (the old designer only wanted Zelda an underworld affair), therefore the map was under developed.

[@billzoaiken]

This is some good content! I would be interested in seeing how the second quest goes.

[@Zyhorn]

Would love to see same type of video for second quest. Thanks for a very fun and informative video about my fav game as a kid. Im 43 now and this game is how I started playing and still am. Cheers!