Zelda2 the xtreme
When it comes to presentation values, this game has it. It's got a bright colorful atmosphere brought to life with unforgettable characters, dungeons, bosses and just about every theme that a Final Fantasy misses on. Zelda has a very accessible pick and play feel to it that allows the player to explore the land in the way they desire... allowing players to pick up items when they see fit to. It gave players the ability to approach the story in the way they wanted to. Zelda players were never forced to read a novel when playing this game, IF a player wanted more back story, they had to go out and investigate on their own. This was a Zelda built on the principles of the original with major improvements that would only add in great lengths to the total formula.
Visually compared to today's standards... the game may feel lacking. The style does have a cartoon like approach, but that doesn't discredit the focus. Yeah, the areas aren't too detailed and the characters may not look stellar.. but this is a game, an RPG if I may say, that has the heart of an action adventure classic. There's no need to for the most flashy visuals. This game exists because it's insanely fun and never lets up.
When it comes to the use of the soundtrack, this game is hands down phenomenal. It was the catalyst that would lay the track for impressive future sequels like Ocarina of Time, the greatest Zelda game to date. It would even lend character to a game that is dark and disturbing like Twilight Princess... It was this game's bubbly and exciting score that lead this game to be a multimedia masterpiece. Who can forget Zelda's Lullaby? How about the Hyrule Under Attack theme? Each piece is attention grabbing and only helps but amplify the mood that this game builds. The sound effects certainly sound dated but it doesn't take away from the character of the game. In conclusion, the sound is most deserving of high regards.
Gameplay is definitely where the game stands as mighty titan. The player is given a relative idea as to where he must go to continue the story. The game doesn't force the player to take on the quests and therefore leaves an open ended variety of paths for you to choose. For some people, they will want to jump right onto the story path and follow it to the end, going dungeon by dungeon. For others, they will explore Hyrule's every nook and cranny for collectible, story bit, mini-games, hidden trails and paths... the variety of things to sift through are almost limitless. When going through dungeons, you are entitled to a methodical labyrinth that can either be a breeze to complete or hell at its darkest trenches to live through. It's never the boss difficulty or the enemy difficulty that stands as the greatest challenge because those portions are easily manageable... IF you know how to beat the puzzle aspect of the game. Each dungeon has a solitary goal that you must achieve to gain a ticket to the bosses' lounge. Even when finding passage to a meet and greet with a dungeon boss, does not guarantee a breeze of completion because trying to figure out how to beat the boss can be JUST as difficult. After achieving the win and newly acquired dungeon item in hand, you venture onward either facing the next dungeon or looking for the newest item- unlocked secret. I repeat, there is a great focus on doing things your way, so you will find moments where you can even complete dungeons in an order that best suits your curiosity. This anything and everything unlike a Final Fantasy and with quick action gameplay that doesn't revolve around turn based battles, the game flows smoothly without a single hiccup thus trampling your progression.
After completing the game once or twice, flying through the game is quite easy and doesn't stand as the massive challenge it was. However, there's always the option of trying to find every collectible or trying to get through the game in a slightly different order... it's things like these that really give the game a lot of backbone.
Ultimately, Zelda: A Link to the Past remains perfectly preserved from its Super Nintendo origins of the year 1993. For $8, it's certainly worth it and for those of you who may have skipped this one, do yourself a big favor and take the plunge now.