And the Master sword sleeps again……Forever!

Game Title – The Legend of Zelda: A link to the Past

Start Time – February 13, 2012

End Time – February 29, 2012

System Played on – Nintendo Wii Virtual Console

Total Play Time – 14 Hours (Estimate. Wii doesn’t let me total my play time. Boo.)

Another one bites the dust. I just finished this great game, although I am left wanting. The final dungeons were fun, but they seemed a little too easy. After making my fingers bleed on Zelda 2, this one seemed rather pedestrian.  I made it through the last dungeon without evening needing a walkthrough at all. In fact, the only time I used a walkthrough was to find  two missing heart containers. It turns out that I forgot them at the very start of the game. One of them was still in the village. I forgot to bomb something.

The Ganon fight was rather straightforward. I knew there were silver arrows required somewhere, and I assumed that when he was white that is when I should use them. It seems to me that the best way to beat a Zelda game is to have played previous Zelda games. All the clues are already there. As for the good, I will say that I did enjoy the music in this game. Especially the ending theme. It was heartwarming. I also noticed that Link resurrected his uncle at the end. I wonder if there is a future for zombie uncle.

I wonder if the Aquifina Ocarina of Time will let me use the same hints that I’ve learned from previous Zelda’s. We’ll see. Now to finish Link’s Awakening.

Turtle Rock Anthem

Whaa?

Let me tell you something. I have not had much of a problem with A Link to the Past until now. But then I get to Turtle Rock. Oh, and then I get to this little area (pictured on the right.) Pardon my french, but holy s**t! Either I’ve lost all my muscle control, or that was one of the most annoying areas in any Zelda game. Whenever I wanted to turn, it decided that I wouldn’t be turning.  The boss was actually quite easy to figure out once I got to him. Way easier than that ridiculous maze.  Pro Tip: Color coding your bosses goes a long way into helping people figure out how to defeat them. I suppose next they’ll be collated. Haha. A little office humor. But I digress.  I just discovered that I am missing two heart pieces. I didn’t rely on a walkthrough, so somewhere along the way, I missed a couple. I did check the walkthrough to try to get an idea of where I could have misplaced them, but I don’t know. I’ll have to start looking in order when I play next. I’m hoping to wrap up this game by the weekend. Then I’ll attack Link’s Awakening and start the Okinawa Ocarina of Time 3D. From that point on, it’s turtles all the way down.

 

Weathercocks R Us

Just a quick update:  I’ve been plugging away at A Link to the Past when I’ve had a chance to. I decided to focus more on it than Link’s Awakening. I will finish the portable one a bit later. It’s tough to follow both games at the same time, given they both contain many similar elements and items.

 So far I’ve been able to collect a number of items without have to resort to a walkthrough. I even tricked that bat into halving my magic use by powdering his blood supply.  I also figured out how to beat the monsters in the first two dark world dungeons. Though I bombed one rather than hammering him. But, whatever works, right? I really hate those hoppy things (I guess they are called ropas) that take two hearts away from you in the dark work. I went to the witch’s house to top up my hearts, flashed back to the dark world and got into a fracas with one of them. I ended up down to four heart and having to backtrack back to the witches houses again. As much as I love Zelda games, I really suck at them.  I’m hoping to wrap this up in the next couple of weeks. I am not really rushing through it, however, since it is such an enjoyable game. So far I’d say the worst enemy is that damn bug eyed thing that forces you off the edge and makes you come back up to fight him again. I don’t know how many times he pushed me off that ledge. Grrr.

This dude sucks balls. 

A Link to The Past – (3 of 16)

Game Title – The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

Game Release date – 1991

Start Time – February 13, 2012

End Time – TBD

System Played on – Nintendo Wii Virtual Console

Walkthrough Used - Zelda Dungeon

I got some free time last night and decided to start A Link to the Past. I remember beating the game when I was younger, but for some reason nothing looked familiar. The music, the graphics and even the menus are very foreign looking to me.  It has been a long time. The game is, however, much much easier in the first two hours than Zelda II.  I’m actually glad I don’t remember playing the game the first time as it now feels like a brand new game.

There are many aspects to A Link to the Past that make it very different than the first two games. The first is that there are many clues all over the place. People will tell you exactly where you need to go and how to get there. This allowed me to find a whole ton of stuff early on (Ice Rod etc.) and complete the first palace within an hour. I died once during the boss battle, but I wouldn’t say it was hard at all. Overall, the game is quite enjoyable. I just love putting fairies in bottles. I also noticed that the music is a step up over previous games. I really love the warping effects in the songs. They add a ton of mystery to the game.  I’m looking forward to playing more of this game when I get some time. I have a feeling I can warp this up by the end of February.

Housekeeping:  I also started playing Link’s Awakening last night before bed. I will post about that tomorrow in a separate article. My goal is to have two games going on at the same time. One portable, and one on the TV. I think I may be able to wrap up this adventure in less than a year.

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.

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!