You Saved Hyrule and you are a Real Hero!

Game Title – Zelda II: The Adventure of Link

Start Time – February 5, 2012

End Time – February 12, 2012

System Played on – Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console (Ambassador Program)

Total Play Time – 15:44

Well, I finished Zelda II not minutes ago. This game felt a lot shorter than the first Zelda game, but it was also a lot more difficult. I died fifty-seven time during the game. Most of those deaths came at death mountain, the valley of death, and the Grand Palace.  I would have to say that thunderbird was the most difficult boss. Thought I will admit I did find a pattern to beating him. The key is to stay under him, have reflect on, then strike him when he comes down. After I figured all that out, he was no longer able to injure me at all.  But he injured me a whole lot before that point.

Then I got to shadow Link. This was a battle. I had two lives left when I began the fight with him. He took me out the first time, but I got my revenge the second time. I started the attack using the corner glitch as I didn’t want to replay this dungeon (I went through it ten times previously.)  That was enough to get him half way. Then, after that, I lept at him and we went at it. He got me down to three life bars and I was able to slash him as he came down, ending him right there on the spot.

My thumbs are reeling from this game. It took a lot of training to learn how to battle each enemy. But I am really happy that I was able to do it. 

It went a little like that, but with fewer bars.

     I’m just happy I was able to finish the game in a reasonable amount of time. I asked you earlier whether or not I should do a ‘second quest’ and the consensus seems to be that doing the game over again doesn’t add anything significant to the game itself. I’ve decided to move on to the next game.

Housekeeping:  From this point I might start playing a couple of Zelda game at a time now. One on my 3DS and one on the TV. That should give me a good pace. I’ll be starting Link’s Awakening on the 3DS, which I bought. And I also purchased a copy of A Link to the Past on the Virtual Console for the Wii. That should let me to get into both games and get a good rhythm going.

   I’m still missing the following three games from my game collection: Wind Waker, Spirit Tracks and The Phantom Hourglass. I’m going to have to figure out how I’m going to get them, and soon. I’ll probably pick em up form Amazon at some point. I won’t be able to complete the adventure without them.

Progress

I was really worried about how long it would take me to finish Zelda II, but things are moving along swimmingly. I breezed through the third, fourth and fifth dungeons, and I’m preparing to tackle the sixth next. Ironknuckles don’t pose a problem anymore, and Gooma, the boss of level 5, the boss I worried would be the most difficult, actually turned out to be the easiest. I figured out his little pattern, and it was so easy it wasn’t funny.

You’re not the boss of me.

     I know the biggest challenges are yet to come. I’m going to be humble about what’s next and assume I will get my butt kicked thoroughly before I finish this game. But if I know Shigeru Miyamoto and his team, there will be something there I can use to make my journey just a little more manageable. We’ll see.

Housekeeping:  I got my copy of Skyward Sword in the mail, but the back of the Wii case is damaged. This put me in a foul mood and I fired off an irate mail to Play Asia about it. I’ll see what they do about it. I don’t think it was damaged during shipping, as the packing it came it was in good shape.

  Also, after Zelda II I plan to start doing two Zelda games as the same time. I’ll play one on the TV and one on my 3DS. That was I can always enjoy a little Zelda on the road. Though I am concerned that at this pace it might become a six month adventure. Like I said before, we’ll see.

 Along those lines, I here there is a possible “second quest” in Zelda II, but there is much debate about whether or not this is a real “second quest” or not. The game is pretty tough as it is, so I’m going to put it out to you: Should I be require to play this “second quest” to complete my One-Year-Adventure? Let me know in the comments.

Learning Curve

[Spoilers]

I’ve been making quite a bit of progress in Zelda II since I started it. I eventually got by Horsehead and made my way to Death Mountain. It took me a long time to level up enough to clear the area, but I got the hammer, picked up the down thrust and fairy, and I breezed through the second dungeon. I’m really starting to get the hang of the combat in this game. It really takes patience and practice to get used to how you are supposed to attack each monster. It’s much more subtle than the first Zelda. I’ll be honest with you: I think I’m starting to like it, actually. We’ll see. I hear the later level are hell on Earth. We’ll have to see if I’m ready for the heat. 

I hate it when they do that!

   Housekeeping: I picked up a copy of one of the Oracle games. The blue one. It’s in Japanese, so I’ll have to figure out which one it actually is later. I got it for a hundred yen because the battery in the cartridge is dead. I reckon I can swap it out myself. I’ll leave that little adventure for another day.

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link – (2 of 16)

Game Title – Zelda II: The Adventure of Link

Game Release date – 1988

Start Time – February 4

End Time – February 12, 2012

System Played on – Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console (Ambassador Program)

Walkthrough Used - Zelda Dungeon, Gamefaqs

I just got into this one yesterday. I vaguely remember playing it when I was younger. Then I got to Horsehead. Horsehead! I don’t think I ever got by horsehead when I was younger. After that, I think I remember putting the NES cartridge in the oven and watching it melt. I think that was the last time I played any Zelda. That is where I am now, and sadly, that is where I may be for quite some time….:(

Goddamn you Horsehead!