Zelda II - Enhanced Remake (PC) - Review

[@AAAaaaaaeeeeeeeee]

I don't know how you find all these great works, but please keep doing what you do. No-one else ever talks about these things.

[@subtledemisefox]

It's really risky to talk about Shitendo products on KZbin these days. Especially if it's being played in an "unsanctioned" way.

[@EnigmaHood]

This is amazing, I've been waiting for a fan remake of Zelda 2!

[@exactspace]

The Zelda game that has been so unfairly hated has got the remake it deserves!

[@AkaiAzul]

Agreed. I don't think I can replay the original anymore.

[@TectonicImprov]

Happy to see you finally cover this. This is such a great project and I'm glad that Hoverbat has passed the source code along for others to pick up where they left off. Who knows maybe one day we'll have hacks ported to this version of Zelda II.

[@RetroFrito]

This is the definitive way to play Zelda 2 IMO

[@the1ucidone]

This is unreal. I cannot wait to play this, like right now. Thank you for showing us this.

[@prolefeed101]

You won't be disappointed and you're welcome!

[@hericiumcoralloides5025]

It's the definitive version. The game was extended and embellished to it's full potential.

[@HoopleBogart]

This looks amazing. Totally gonna play this later. Cool channel btw. Easiest subscribe of my life :)

[@prolefeed101]

Thank you.

[@Dimensiom]

I had been aware of this project for awhile but only decided to play through it after seeing your review. I just finished the Second Quest today and I had a great time.

[@anthonysoleau6087]

I got and played through this months ago. It 100% lives up to the hype. If this is what was released originally, it would have done MUCH better and people wouldn't have hated on it so much. Really great work here.

[@Nomaph]

Hi, im the Steel Crescent guy (i never had HB changed the ost names). I'd love to know which ost's you liked the most! Thanks for playing this and making this awesome video! The program i used for making music was Jummbox, Ultrabox for the Skug ost.

[@prolefeed101]

Hey! Honestly, as I said in the video I stuck with either the FDS or the NES music most of the time but I DID switch it to your stuff for the temple themes frequently. I like that bass.

[@Nomaph]

@@prolefeed101 Thanks, nes plus btw is mean to emulate the nes ost but with the added tracks.

[@ShareHolder-gp9il]

I’m glad you’re here because I was wondering why the music sounds so good?

[@Nomaph]

@@ShareHolder-gp9il Glad you like it so much. I can't say why, i just did what i thought was good.

[@analogmoz]

I didn't know I needed the _bonbonbonbons_ as much as I did; thank you. Excellent work as usual. Happy new year!

[@prolefeed101]

Happy New Year!

[@worldoffood123]

It's so good!! Love seeing my favorite Zelda game reimagined in such a masterful way.

[@MazinGo-1972]

I've played the original several times, so I absolutely loved playing this. I wasn't aware of the newer updates, so thanks for giving a reason to play this a few more dozen times.

[@analogmoz]

As of January 2025 this is your third-most viewed video and it's a damned good one. It's not at the excellence of _Zany Golf_ but that isn't for casual viewers. May all your projects get the attention they deserve!

[@itsnotblurryitsbeta1591]

My guy doing the good work as usual :)

[@TRex-fu7bt]

The cucco form here is brilliant. guacamelee also had a chicken transformation for its Metroid-ball puzzle parts

[@AkaiAzul]

The ending also changes slightly depending on which form you finish in....

[@victorkuruk238]

Dude I'm in love with this game😍

[@cactrot83]

This is probably my favorite fangame I've ever played, and I love to see it getting more recognition.

[@prolefeed101]

I'm with ya!

[@HeroC14]

I don't know why for me Sundays always bring me back to my NES and classic game playing urges. I need to hunt this down and play it ASAP. Happy Sunday!

[@thedude5295]

Looks like they didn't stop working on it. When I played there was no sprite swaps for link or music randomizer. Dude did a great job. Nice to hear him get some recognition for it.

[@DrCorndog1]

I simply adore Zelda II. I have to play this.

[@capgorski]

I'm a huge Zelda II fan also and this is SUCH a good remake. You'll love this.

[@DidWeWin1]

Zelda 2 has always been an uncut diamond. Most people just see a worthless rock, but those who know it well insist there is a lot of value there. This version is the game cut into the gem we all knew it to be. Hats off to HoverBat!

[@Baphomets_Kid]

I’d say a fixed hack, LoZ:LA is really fun but there’s so many frustrating details.

[@ShareHolder-gp9il]

Why does the music sound so good?

[@capgorski]

This review nailed it. Hoverbat produced the very best version of Zelda II in existence. The Isabella Chiming version of this soundtrack is ridiculously good. Hoverbat's version of Zelda II is now my default way of playing my favorite NES game.

[@lazm3518]

Excellent game ... 1/2 way through it right now!

[@HPRshredder]

The moving clouds do a lot for me. Game looks great. The original still feels like all I need, but I get the appeal.

[@erichanson420]

Holy. Moly. Awesome.

[@thatdonparkerVODS]

Zelda II always had good ideas. It's great to see people keep expanding them.

[@prolefeed101]

Hey! It's Dan Parker from Dan Parker streams! Yeah, I never get tired of revisiting Zelda 2.

[@nimaiiikun]

reminds me of that flash game Super Mario Crossover, where characters from Contra, Metroid, Ninja Gaiden, Zelda, etc were in. But now its in Zelda II

[@sunderark]

I gotta go get this one! I have the perfect setup for it.

[@prolefeed101]

Thanks for all the channel support! Happy New Year!

[@BlastMaster]

Ever since this came out, I've seen in mentioned in various places and it's always spoken VERY highly of - everyone seems to agree that it's great. Unfortunately it came out right after I replayed Zelda II, so I'll need a bit before taking another bite of Z2... but when I do, I'll check this out. There's also another Zelda game that got the 'Enhanced PC Remake' treatment in 2020 - a pair of games, in fact! The Faces of Evil & The Wand of Gamelon. That's right... the CD-i games. If these remakes let you define more than 2 buttons, they'll already be an improvement!

[@nnickplays9713]

Here's my biggest question. Should I track down the original or a "fixed" version of the original, or play this instead for a first ever playthrough?

[@prolefeed101]

There really was nothing to be fixed about the original. This version introduces new ideas to an already great game so I'd say try both!

[@CoachRosenblatt]

How do i download this to a Mac?

[@peacefulscrimp5183]

You have a new subscriber 👍

[@turbohusque]

I watched a playthru of this game, and i have to say its a masterpiece. Its everything Zelda II should have been.

[@theSHELFables]

I like your videos a lot

[@prolefeed101]

Thank you.

[@cassandralyris4918]

BRB, adding this to my Itchio account immediately !

[@skilarbabcock]

So it added stuff too?

[@nthdgree5078]

Yeah, the game has like 2x as much content.

[@capgorski]

Yeah, new items, new locations, expanded locations, more bosses, remixed bosses and a whole new final confrontation for the 2nd quest. It's totally worth a replay for fans of Zelda 2

[@derivesrurale]

looks great. the only thing that could have been even better is to complexify the attacks and defenses with "combos".

[@Chadjessup41]

Great video Great videogame Great youTube player

[@erickmoralvocal8586]

Hey I tried running this but Windows Defender does not allow me to do so, is this a false positive?

[@analogmoz]

Windows Defender will trigger if you sneeze. This is not a damned rootkit.

[@blaides2707]

you might want to include a download link.

[@analogmoz]

His name is Link?!

[@VitoVitonerLanci]

Is there something similar for Castlevania 2?

[@fierceblade2]

You should try Bloodstained Ritual of the Night. There is a classic 2 mode that feels like a tribuite to Castlevania 2

[@VitoVitonerLanci]

@fierceblade2 backed and finished multiple times, including classic mode etc

[@lennoxdebra2751]

any chance of this getting on a cartridge?

[@dragonchaserkev]

I love the NES game but cannot finish it... This looks like it is worth a try

[@spelv1104]

I know that there’s so many bomb ass improvements but all I needed to hear is that when you die in dungeon you respawn there instead of respawning at zeldas palace. Easily biggest flaw with the og imo, easily playing this later

[@checkoffgames]

Seems bangin'. Would you reccomend for casuals?

[@prolefeed101]

It's the same basic mechanics of the original. Maybe there's a way to tweak the difficulty in the robust settings? I don't know.

[@jaymesjmathias9390]

Is there anyway to get this on a NES Cartridge? Obviously a finished/all choices made if your given them on the pc port which.

[@AkaiAzul]

Sadly it's not possible: it's too much for the NES to handle.

[@jaymesjmathias9390]

More my idea is like the ff7 demake nes version though do them with all the perks. Heck! Imagine a series of nes cartridges, 10 or more dedicated to just botw, that would be so cool. (Big imagination I know 😊)

[@JM-co6rf]

how to play it?

[@HeroC14]

With your hands

[@nthdgree5078]

Just download it to your PC, the software is self-contained. I used an XBox controller connected by usb (so no batteries are needed) because it seems the creator mapped the buttons to Xbox. I tried to use PS5 and Switch controllers first but they didn’t work right because the d-pad and left analog stick are swapped compared to Xbox.

[@smujohnson]

Can’t find any link to this game or anything about it other than people talking about it.

[@AkaiAzul]

Google Zelda 2 Hoverbat and it's the itchio link, probably second one.

[@SpaceGhost_24-7]

Did they make the combat better?

[@AkaiAzul]

Same combat, though there are additions to spruce it up. The core isn't changed.

[@rudeboyjohn3483]

I need this

[@iangriffinadams]

I'm on the record on this very channel saying I wouldn't go back to this game but...this might make me do it Pro.

[@prolefeed101]

Oh? What turned you off initially?

[@hitomikagewaki31]

Link and Zelda: Panoply of Calatia, a Zelda classic quest feels like a Zelda 2 remake and its pretty good.

[@prolefeed101]

I'll give it a spin next time I circle around to Zelda stuff.

[@ultraspinalki11]

You should check out the enhanced PC version of Metroid called "Metroid Planets"!

[@prolefeed101]

I have! I'll be doing Metroid stuff in the future but my backlog is already insane for projects.

[@Kaitri]

i would download this, but ive never done anything with hacks/homebrews related to zelda 2 so i have no idea how or where :D

[@analogmoz]

Live a little!

[@potolinski]

this is so cool

[@kentendo44]

Thanks.

[@ACEC0ND0R]

How do you play it? What do I need in order to actually play the game?

[@nthdgree5078]

Just download it to your PC, the software is self-contained. I used an XBox controller connected by usb (so no batteries are needed) because it seems the creator mapped the buttons to Xbox. I tried to use PS5 and Switch controllers first but they didn’t work right because the d-pad and left analog stick are swapped compared to Xbox.

[@claudiocucinotta2097]

Amazing! Does this work on any NES emulator?

[@AkaiAzul]

It's stand-alone. No emulator needed.

[@alchemi8085]

Came here for the memes, stayed for Zelda 2.

[@SeveredLegs]

If I have a single gripe with this game, it's simply that it's too expansive and too perfect. I know that sounds dumb, but that's my only gripe. I tried doing some of the more advanced kind of post game stuff, but it got too annoying and I quit. In the same way I get annoyed with a lot of modern pseudo retro games that add in extra stuff. But if you're just playing it to play the original game in a more enhanced fashion, and you want a modern experience with the truly retro feel of an enhanced 8-bit game.... This is the experience! But if you want something that is on actual NES hardware and reflects the original Zelda 2 as sort of a sequel, then you want Amida's Curse.

[@douglasdyer366]

Let's not talk about this to much. Nintendo is sue friendly right now and a cease and desist order might be in this remake teams future if not careful

[@Jammineyeonline]

Did they just turn the hardest game imaginable even harder?

[@capgorski]

No. It starts out a little a bit harder because you have 3 hearts, but by mid-game the additions make it an overall easier game.

[@AkaiAzul]

To clarify further, by the end game, your max levels can be 9 (up from 8), and you can upgrade Link beyond just his levels and spells.

[@Jammineyeonline]

@@capgorski ohh.. so basicly 2D Elden Ring!

[@KairuHakubi]

for the record, it's コッコ _Kokko_ if you say it, it sounds like a sound chickens make.

[@prolefeed101]

For the record the mispronunciation was a lead-in to a cuck joke. For the record.

[@KairuHakubi]

@@prolefeed101 Nice. Jokes should always come first ; D

[@skins4thewin]

Not on the actual NES? Meh...

[@ugh.idontwanna]

Looks cool, but a shame they only compiled it for Windows.