it shall never die
basically, the game has a new take on an old story, yet much more intricate and developed. according to legend, there was a sacred realm where a coveted golden power was hidden. this realm was sealed by 7 sages, since evil beings and waves of dark energy flowed forth from them. a fiendish wizard named Agahnim is kidnapping maidens descended from the sages in order to open a gate to the forbidden realm. our hero, link, seeks the legendary holy blade, the master sword, in order to defeat him. although your agenda may seem trite at times, there are some refreshing twists along the way.
this was the defining game for one of the franchise's draws, puzzle solving.
whether you're pushing blocks, blasting walls, going down a dangerous or convoluted path, etc., a load of obstacles will be thrown at you in the dungeons. although frustrating, you'll definitely get a sense of satisfaction and the feeling that you have a sharp mind or quick reflexes. combat is also a high point in the game. it's a lot smoother than in the first zelda, since you can move diagonally, and link's trademark move, the spin attack, makes its first appearance! you'll be charging up hundreds upon hundreds of spin attacks, and it never seems to get old. there's also a wide variety of weapons and support items to choose from that you will happen upon during your travels. it's a tad vexing to only be able to use one at a time, but that's the breaks. its tons of fun to use classics like the bow, boomerang, bombs, magic rods, and such. plus, there's magic medallions to help you obliterate all your foes! also essential are the empty bottles for your potions, fairies, and such. one luxury you will love are the pegasus boots, which are great for covering lots of ground if you are lazy.
a couple minor weaknesses would be the backtracking and poor feedback from the game about your next objective. i suppose this is to pad out the length of the game, but time is better spent progressing than wandering aimlessly and stagnating. if you're lost, though, you can always search for heart pieces, a few mini-games, optional items, or rupees (currency). even running around killing things is a great way to pass the time.
the graphics almost never fail to deliver, even by today's standards. the ambitious spatial feats, like different elevations, are achieved quite well. it can get hard to tell what you are looking at though, on a few seldom-occurring occasions. the sound is without a doubt the low point in the game. the sfx are only a bit grating, but the dungeon themes i can hardly stand, since they are all the same and too short and repetitive. i don't mind the overworld theme one bit, though.
there's no solid reason to replay the game, but i can imagine that one would enjoy playing it again for the heck of it.
this is one gaming experience you cannot pass up, especially if you consider yourself a zelda fan.