Zelda II - The Adventure of Link - HD Full Playthrough No Commentary

Zelda II likely needs an introduction as much as any other Zelda game, not very much at all. This game is notorious for it's difficulty, and boy does it deliver! While most of the game's difficulty stems from it's battling and platforming, it can also be exceedingly difficult to tell what you are suppose to be doing in places as well, and the cryptic, short, mostly useless responses from townsfolk don't help much most of the time.
All that being said, it does feel like an accomplishment beating this game, though I couldn't imagine doing it on a real NES! Without savestates and doing difficult parts over and over I may have quit before I finished.

[@ianipoo]

Well excUUUUUUUUUUUUUssssse *ME* Princess!!

[@evolvingminds]

Yo it’s the tv show reference

[@bort_license_plates1374]

@@evolvingminds baby love my baby love!

[@markjohnson7910]

As a kid I found this game to be punishing and difficult. As an adult I replayed it and found it to be punishing and difficult.

[@heywoodfloyd9]

Agreed. It's the only LoZ game I never wanted to own/play.

[@eugenebennett5966]

😂😂

[@shnagashnaga3831]

Same. This is probably the hardest one for me.

[@GAM3playfact0ry]

@markjohnson7910 Also that’s a really big sword on the main screen

[@thetailsof2rescues835]

Losing momentum when jumping was very hard to adapt to after playing Mario Brothers for years.

[@rogerrivera3268]

I want to thank you for this video because I played Zelda when I was 12 years old in 1989 and couldn’t finish it because of the complexity of this game and the language barrier because I’m from Honduras and understood little English back then and thanks to this video and the help of my 12 years old son I was able to finish it yesterday 8/15/21. Still took me a while 😄🙏💪🏻

[@RetroGameStream]

Nice job! And you're very welcome, thanks for the nice comment.

[@madsnack]

Yay, and merry Christmas.

[@jgomez00305]

That was my 24th Birthday lol

[@youtubemarty]

I had a hard time with it as well. Went back 20 some years later and beat it as well. Fond memories thank you Nintendo

[@elgabo17]

Alguien de Honduras wtf 👀

[@dogmeat436]

Long before the days of internet walkthroughs, I remember my Dad mapping out the more advanced palaces by drawing them out on paper as he went from screen to screen. For some of them he had multiple sheets of paper taped together as the palaces were so complex.

[@BWBDCan]

We had a couple of note books. for every game.mario Zelda what ever games we could get our hands on. Just so the next person to play wouldn't get stuck.

[@eliroiko3297]

That so cool

[@knight2night826]

Dog Meat I did the same thing when it came out,as I had done with the original Zelda. Thanks for the memories

[@cfofra]

Back when Gamepro and Nintendo Power Mags were passed around between friends.

[@RetroRogue.]

Always people who gotta make sure the world knows they did it as well. Can’t let one person share a memory with someone else trying to share the spotlight.

[@asymptoticspatula]

I love the music in this game.

[@ZELDA-up1sk]

me too my fav is the palace theme

[@mathewhorodner2000]

@@ZELDA-up1sk Especially the Great Palace!! :)

[@dmpmediany6799]

The good old NES days. Check out my cover of this.

[@AlexFeltcha.k.a.SonicAL]

Hell yeah! Same here! Very fitting & powerful! I've got the Soundtrack itself! 😀😉😁😊

[@erickyairpicazo3715]

yes

[@bringthedarth]

This game was such a pain in the butt back in the day, but I still loved it! Thanks for the video.

[@tylerkeller8869]

bringthedarth definitely agree with that one. It was aggravating as hell.

[@BWBDCan]

Loved how hard it was. Couldn't just jump on Google and find the answer. If I wasn't getting ready to move I'd go play this on my new classic.

[@stoneeh]

The first one, I loved. Also the one on the SNES. Also the one on the (Super) Gameboy. This one I stopped after 5 minutes and never played it again. What a crappy, crappy game.

[@alucard624]

This is still the only Zelda I have yet to completely finish thanks to the overall difficulty and the constant having to start all over every time you lose all your lives. It's very frustrating but I'm gonna try again sometime this year and see if I can finally beat it.

[@miggybe4577]

@@alucard624 I always die before getting to last palace, or I have very little life left when I get there. :_)

[@nomad-81-25]

Back before Internet. Shout out to all those friends who found the secrets for the rest of us.

[@RedDragonsFire]

25:41 a m a z i n g defense skill

[@bamsgian9759]

blocking 100

[@eduardomancia4958]

1:06:13 is also kind of impressive life or death moment

[@sambeckett4092]

Both of these time stamps above are golden! Thank you for posting these. Awesome catches.

[@paologoitia3513]

@@eduardomancia4958 I couldn't breathe on this one. haha!

[@narilcrow]

Он точно человек? :)

[@cruciferousvegetable]

I beat this game back in the day. I was obsessed with it at the time.

[@mathewhorodner2000]

Back when I played this as a kid, I didn't realize that bird is called Thunderbird in the Great Palace. The funny thing is that I live 1/4 mile from Thunderbird Rd in Phoenix, AZ...lol

[@KareemPinkston]

1:06:56 is that magical moment when life and death harmonizes ;) Miss this game much! 2018 Represent!!!

[@breakdowns8099]

to Kareem Pinkston: Did you ever beat this game? I never knew where to go and just stopped playing it. I only got as far as getting the jump hire power.

[@flore1709]

2021

[@codenamexelda]

Towns: Rauru town 3:33 Ruto town 23:05 Saria town 29:56 Mido town 45:47

[@BossKitty4626]

Hats of to you for beating the hardest zelda game ever

[@williamhummel6235]

Watching this inspired me to play the game again. I got frustrated after about 10 minutes. It's not as easy as you make it look.

[@etherraichu]

Its extremely brutal. We had to play through the game so many times to get good at it, and its still hard. We've basically memorized the entire game.

[@tonygunk4850]

It's SO HARD! Everything is timed out to hit you ! It's definitely Brutal, I still haven't been past the second dungeon to this day. And I remember not playing it with my friends because we all thought it was too hard lol

[@rashomontv7033]

If you picture Links sword as his arm it looks like he's holding the shield with both hands lol

[@volvoguy804]

My favorite Zelda out of all of them! I remember it took me about 7 months to finish it without a sub to Nintendo Power.

[@jujuondatshhhhh]

Impa is that old lady in botw that says she knew him over 100 years ago and this is the debut of the Triforce of courage

[@danieldevito6380]

The level of nostalgia right now is off the charts!

[@opalplayz1379]

Don't mind me- These time stamps are for my needs 😅 feel free to use them if you want! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Entering Death Mtn: 24:49 Leaving entry cave: 26:33 Entering Bagu's cabin (River Man Note): 28:18 Walking across bridge to city: 29:01 Small woods(extra point pouch): 29:25 Entering Water Town Of Saria: 29:55 'Helpful' Magic glove hint: 30:33

[@dangirl2565]

This game started my intrest in zelda..

[@sonicworks7322]

Mine too

[@BWBDCan]

This one and the first. Zelda is my console game.

[@Fenyx_Birb]

so how much did ypu rage at the unfair game

[@lenengquist592]

This was actually my first Zelda game, no joke.

[@13aldixon]

please tell me someone else noticed how often the sound effects synced up with the music in the dungeons

[@AB-80X]

Please tell me someone else noticed the super annoying reverb added to the sound.

[@lenengquist592]

@@AB-80X Lol IKR.

[@djsksjdh4751]

I just noticed that the names of characters in ocarina of Time are based off this games towns

[@michaeltylermedia]

This was the very first Zelda game I played as a kid...28 years later replaying it on the Switch online...noticing this as well and thought how stinking brilliant Nintendo is!!

[@BWBDCan]

Well this is part of the timelines of the land. so they took the names of the hero's and sages and names the town's after them. For luck seeing this is the link sucks time line.

[@seandobson6221]

I loved this game! I always walked around the grasslands and powered up my attack and life before I went anywhere. Attack and life are the most important when you’re trying to get ahead. Then you can power up the magic

[@vj498]

I keep yelling as I watch you play. One trick you miss... when you find a blue or especially a red jug of magic, stop and use the life spell to refill your life, THEN pick up the jug.

[@RetroGameStream]

I can't hear you yelling at me.

[@ronniejohnson6445]

This is THE ONE GAME back in the late 80's that I never completed! Could not get past that last stage...

[@juddroy9897]

When will you complete it?

[@yetiiiiiiiiiiiiiii]

this is how my dad be saying he got to school

[@Dzagamer]

1 year later and still a beautiful comment

[@RetroRogue.]

The dungeon music is my favorite. Also the Underground Depths on Super Metroid.

[@stickerupthe14743]

time goes by so quick i use to play this game everyday as a kid and now its just not the same.

[@musicandcoffee2853]

This game was my jam back in the day, still love it.

[@benishmael9451]

Same here

[@lenengquist592]

Yeah same, I don't get why some people didn't like it.

[@Booze129]

Wow thanks for the throwback great memories playing this as a kid

[@sanichuuu]

I remember playing this from a collection game on the gamecube. It was super tedious but it was so much fun!

[@matsujonen]

This game and link to the past are the only two legend of zelda games I ever completed

[@RetroRogue.]

You should go beat the first.

[@adrianwaynereavill7899]

Those are also the same games i also ever completed.

[@puppiesarepower3682]

My favorite Zelda game; I don't care what anybody says. Interesting thing to note: The hammer is located at the entrance of what would latter be the Fire Temple in OoT.

[@TheSufferingDarkness]

Also, Barba was supposed to be Volvagia, but the translators dropped the ball

[@laukis9149]

First apparition of dark link!

[@jujuondatshhhhh]

Laukis no shadow link what is wrong with Nintendo they get characters mixed up

[@bradhirsch4845]

This guy is good. Whoever is playing this is good. I never made it to the end of this game.

[@kkelsey8811]

This was my favorite nintendo game when I was 7, 30 years later it's still my favorite nes game.

[@WaldoBagelTopper]

❤❤❤

[@cclowney]

The way you play reminds of watching my brother play growing up. He is the reason I’m such a HUGE Zelda fan now!!! Awesome play through???

[@bradd9326]

Doesn't use the shield spell often enough to wind up wasting three full magic jars

[@Highlander_Vega]

I could listen to this intro music all day.

[@josh4106]

This game was a fucking nightmare when I was kid ... to date I still don't think I ever completed the llast dungeon.

[@soulmass8904]

first time I played was on the Collector's Edition and I found it the most difficult tbh

[@arellartchannel6311]

Yo I remember playing this game on the Gamecube as part of the Zelda Collector’s Edition. Boy this game was so difficult as heck even to this day, and this was also where i found Smash Melee’s Temple Theme came from.

[@aquatadevore9335]

I've had this game for years, it's the original with the gold colored plastic, but I've never been able to play all the way through, someone said that I have to be patient and spend hours playing at the beginning building up link just so I can complete the first quest! So I'm hoping this video will help me out, I swear some of these old games that I grew up with are more difficult than the new ones 😄

[@stephenbenson1455]

Me to also when I was 12 in 1988 with no internet beat it and this one later in 1994 when I bought it myself but played this earlier at other peoples but still had no internet until the 2000s

[@imkrakenup5031]

2:19:59 I love how the music messes up.

[@bradhedgehog12]

What’s with the jumps like that? And I know them Floating heads take too long to kill but it’s worth it. You get massive points. And lvl up quick in the early going

[@ryno_8848]

I feel like I'm one of the only people on the planet that I actually loves this game it's one of my favorite Zelda games

[@rujakcingur7865]

1:38 i love it

[@goldenrage1399]

2019 STILL HERE BABY

[@meatpopsicle6244]

Golden Rage 2020 here, you might want to stay there. We now refer to 2019 as “the good times”.

[@jimdavis6833]

I realize it's been 4 1/2 years since you posted this but I just ran across it. I wanted you to know(if you haven't already been told) that Zelda II does have save states. It has a battery just like the original.

[@javier_chavarro]

Playing it again using an emulator and save states on 2022... when I was a kid, yes, I passed the game :) I remember spending hours and hours, days, weeks and months repeating from the beginning just to be killed by shadow link... I needed to find maps on magazines to solve some of the puzzles. Great video.

[@LauraAnn309]

You can play it again? What’s an emulator? It would be great to play some of these games again.

[@javier_chavarro]

@@LauraAnn309 yes, an "emulator" is an application you download and install usually on your Mac, PC or modern game console. The old games are out there in the internet in files called "ROMs". You can open the game ROM and play it again, without having the original old game console.

[@cainster]

NO SAVE ABILITY. DAMN IT. - me, in 1989.

[@RetroRogue.]

Actually the original and the second have saves on the nes cartridge. You could have saved.

[@rodneydangerman9616]

Yup

[@jess.mck76]

Ah, the music makes me young again! Love it!

[@Narc51423]

Some epic moves at 25:45

[@MelanieWhitt]

i love this game my game my fav boss is Link's shadow

[@realDannyBoi111]

AKA Dark Link

[@ZELDA-up1sk]

@@realDannyBoi111 yes

[@jujuondatshhhhh]

DannyBoi111 incorrect they are two separate evil, versions of link.

[@cainster]

I always gave my characters names like 'Loser', 'Shithead' or 'Deadman'. Seemed to follow with the mood of trying to play this game to the end.

[@LauraAnn309]

😂😂😂

[@Alexandra-fz7lk]

I used to get downward thrust and Jump magic before taking on Horsehead in Parapa Palace. Just bounced up and down on his head. Lol

[@Reno17]

I bet you bounced up and down on his head lol

[@WaldoBagelTopper]

I remember I would put this on just to watch the intro. I thought it looked amazing, but when the real game starts, I was too little to understand what to do or the goal or how to play. So I pretty much just wandered aimlessly. I had to be like 5 or 6. Seems so simplistic now that I played the more modern Zelda games when I got older and understood. I was today years old when I even realized this has a "skill tree" element when you can power up your attack power and magic and such with the points in the upper right hand corner. Makes me think if I could have enjoyed this so differently if I had just understood better.

[@toniroberts8117]

As a kid, I’d have dreams/nightmares of the music of this game. This game and faxandu. ❤️ I remember in about 1988 my uncle got severely hurt at work. He was disabled awhile. I bought a Nintendo and he loved this game. I remember he made very detailed maps of his own 😂 I think it took him a month or so to complete the game. It was just funny visiting him as a kid. I just got my own Nintendo and only played Mario and duck hunt. My dad had donkey Kong and lemonade stand on his computer I’d play too. A green screen computer. I just thought it was funny and cool my uncle made maps he’d draw up to help him complete this game. Lol. I wasn’t that clever. I spent months playing original Mario bros and I did make it to the last level 9th I think , but couldn’t ever win it. I could play the first few levels blindfolded though 😂

[@joshstevens76]

I finally beat this horrible game! I’ve only been trying since 1988! 🙄 Thank you!

[@shellyblanchard5788]

The guy in town of Saria that is asleep you have to him up to talk to him. It looks like a blob kind of thing , but when you wake him up , he says let me be and gives you some imformation.

[@tylerkeller8869]

The music was great, but this game drove me craaaaaaazy as a kid!!! It was a dramatic departure to go from birds eye view to side-scroll. Also, the mechanics were terrible as you can see in this video. It became so tedious having to try multiple times and mashing the “A” button to talk to someone or pick up an item. Thank god this franchise was dramatically improved when the SNES dropped and Link to the Past (one of my favorite games of all time) was released. Also, it only got better with each new title.

[@bullnation9]

I love this game, and learn more stuff from you such as the attack, I thought it had to have 8 like the 8 Magic and 8 life before you finish. lol also I was trying to understand why you were not using your magic to fill your life up in the beginning when you had fill up magic. You went out like a true champion, and you could have finish early if you didn't waste your time on getting the extra life when you never died on the 1st one. Also last but not least the way you handle your shadow was amazing and you made it look easy. You backed up in the corner and destroyed him. I always aim at the face which now I see why it takes so long. I watch the whole thing, and have respect for you. Link for Ever.

[@RetroGameStream]

Hey thanks! Yeah this is definitely not the most efficient run of the game. I played through more than I needed to for somewhat of a completionist reason, even if this isn't a true completionist run. I just wanted to show most or all of the game. I should have chosen my upgrades with more thought in a better order though. Thanks for watching!

[@ElGatoLoco698]

It only took until 38:00 to learn to jump properly. Stopping before jumping was driving me crazy.

[@KrautGoesWild]

Played it when I was 13... turning 46 this year.

[@papsiisaac3084]

Ur never too old too play Zelda tho

[@Velo1010]

Oh thank you for taking me back to my childhood 😊

[@bort_license_plates1374]

nice technique on the axe throwers

[@ismaeltevenal7492]

Tx fr the sweet childhood memories. I remember playing without end when I was 8 or 9 years old with my elder sister helping me with the dialogue and all. 👍😊

[@TheRisingTide89]

What an atrocity this was after playing the first one as a kid.

[@Alexs23743]

"Return the crystal to the palace in Parapa -the Rapper- ." -Some old woman, 1987. 8:25: Hey, it's Temple's theme from the Smash Bros. games! :D

[@zorosenhu]

31:25 to 32:41 I'm playing the special version from nintendo switch and that man doesn't tell me that, what can I do ??

[@vanguze]

Damn man I wish i could dance around hit boxes like this

[@thomasisland1]

There were other Zelda games that had side scrolling sequences too but it'll never match the difficulty of adjusting to a side scrolling stab and slash that Zelda II had. Look at the Oracle games, they learned from the disastrous second game by incorporating side scrolling elements from the first. The music has aged well for a game that was the most difficult of any Zelda game.

[@shellyblanchard5788]

The lizard guys were the ocarina of in the time in the goron cave where you hd fight the big lizard of them all to get the jewel to put in the temple of time. It looks a bit strange in this game.

[@herbataczerwona191]

I love how in old games you don't even get single sentence of explanation the story xD

[@johntp185]

Actually in the original you would get a text story if you stayed still on the title screen.

[@shellyblanchard5788]

If you lose while playing the game it will say , the return of ganon.

[@naushadkhedarun2004]

the 720p80 quality the pure hd the graphic looks so smooth.

[@dosito86]

16:23 gave me a good chuckle.

[@britneyspearsvillarosa]

Very underrated Zelda game

[@Inklingboy21442]

2:28:35 bienvenidos al nivel final

[@michaelolsen2348]

The one Zelda I could never figure out how to beat. Lol. Loved every minute of watching. I would do fine until the invisible enemies came around. Instant death every time. Lol

[@WhiteVastNinja]

Damn i played this on the zelda collection for gamecube when i was like 8 and couldnt get past the first dungeon because i didnt know the trick was to jump and hit them in the head

[@yurikoshokugan4395]

This game is just too tough for me! Thank you for the walkthrough, I'll just watch it in my free time xd

[@clay.t1802]

Fk hell he managed to end this game in 2 h and 40 min it took for ever for me to end as a kid but I end it 😂

[@meatpopsicle6244]

When you finally get that downthrust so you can bounce over enemies.

[@tallbianca]

yet the player rarely used it, including on the boss it's specifically designed to be used on

[@perdavidnygren2636]

The way he beat the shadow... I never knew.

[@pharaohatemiguess4862]

i have a nes :D

[@ValExp543]

the ancient version of Zelda CD-I

[@greg24hoareau]

Well done ! Every player should call the hero Link!

[@elmultiversodejoaquin405]

This the most Hard Game Of all Franchise

[@anthonyhardy2946]

This Game Was So Difficult But Great Fun 💚

[@ToTheeOBlessedJoseph]

BEST. NES. GAME. EVER.

[@tonygunk4850]

This game is so Hard ! For months now I cannot beat the the second castle/dungeon. I just ordered "A link to the past and am going to skip trying to beat this one.

[@Merlo_parlante]

When I was a kid I started to curse because of this game: difficult and frustrating.

[@Happymealthief]

Damn, nice work on the graphics people say it looks bad I think it looks great 👍

[@novacodyperez176]

Ilove old videogames

[@train548preium6]

Watching this there’s some weird things you’re doing. Just there easier alternate routes from what you did and how you did it. But oh my it was so enjoyable. Palace clearing was proper I’ll give you that.

[@RetroGameStream]

Yeah definitely not the most efficient run, I tried to play a fair amount of it without any guides and that ultimately means I made some mistakes. Thanks for the comment.

[@train548preium6]

@@RetroGameStream overall I’m so happy you’re playing this. Legit when I was a kid this game put fear and hatred into my head making this game an accomplishment to complete. I thank you for the childhood

[@TheMechanicj]

I can’t get into the last castle what am I missing I also noticed the brown swamp had to be completed in the dark but here he does it in the light

[@joshuawilliams3455]

Good job playing this classic!

[@faykathrynatkinson996]

I think this game gets hated on just because it's different and that makes it easy for people to point at. This is personally my favorite Zelda behind A Link To The Past. I think the combat is just incredibly fun.