An amazing Zelda game , it's still a jewel and his influence on 3-D Zeldas is undeniable . Full-Review
Zelda II : The Adventure of Link is an unique game in the 2-D Zelda series - excluding the ones released by Phillips who actually seem to follow Zelda II's perspective - changing the top-view action game-play known in the first game - and commonly used for all later 2-D Zeldas - for a side-scrolling perspective . Thus the game still uses a top view perspective to move Link through the world map and make use of some items like the raft, flute, hammer and a winged boots - that let you walk above some portions of water - this perspective doesn't provide any real action to be aware of . By the way all the others items in the game works instantaneously .
All the action and battles take place on a side-scrolling perspective in which Link can walk, jump, crouch, attack with his sword - stand still lets you cover with you shield from some none-fire flying attacks - plus you can use some spells by selecting them on a sub-screen and then activate them with the select button - expending a portion of your magic bar depending of the spell used - and Link will have an upgrade until you walk out of screen . The magic upgrades include a high jump ability, a fire throwing attack, reducing damage taken or transform yourself into fairy-like creature to access higher places or fly above enemies if you need to . Other magic lets you heal yourself , attack all enemies on screen and transform all enemies into slimes . The enemies attack fiercely and constantly forcing you to use wisely your spells or save them for later if you don't see any magic jars around to replenish your life meter .
So you will travel across the world map looking for places like towns, caves, the palaces - some secret places that are not shown on the map may contain fairies or an extra Link - and random enemies that will appear when you're not on the yellow road or walking on water forcing you to enter into a small fight scene full of enemies that may vary depending of the enemy size displayed on the map or the place they trapped you in - like desert, swaps, forest or a graveyard - changing the battle setting too .
The cast of enemies include bats, slimes, Stalfos - soldiers resembling Ganon - fire-susceptible spiders and dogs, axe-throwing warriors, palace soldiers - coming in three different colors and aggressiveness levels - big flying eyes and deadly bird-like warriors to name a few . In order to beat the game you need to defeat a bunch of enemies to gain experience points - not money, you don't need money in here - and then decide which status you wanna improve : strong attack, strong defense or reduce the expend of the magic bar, besides you need to look for caves and secret places where you could find heart containers and magic containers to increase your life and magic bars respectively .
In the towns you can replenish your life and magic meters for free with the help of a friendly girl, talk to people for some information and look for the wise man of each town that may teach you a new spell in return for some favor that can be like bring him some water that it's just in front of his house or rescue a child who is captive far away in a cave - you don't know what are they gonna ask you for - and also remember to look for the two retired soldiers who will teach you a couple of stab techniques . The palaces can be tough, they are divided on various levels that you can reach from different elevators and some of the levels include collapsing bridges, fake walls, paths full of blocks or blocks falling from above and a bunch of keys, tons of enemies, a precious item that you surely gonna need and hard boss battle that gets easier once you know the drill .
The graphics are good - at least for a NES game - they are bright and colorful and the backgrounds look good too and depending where you are you're gonna be seeing a lot of houses, trees and clouds even in the palaces they are a few windows but don't expect too much . The music - i dare to say - is nothing but flawless from the start, is epic but different from some other Zelda's in a dramatic kind of way , it's a shame that Nintendo has not redone this score on later Zelda games - without counting the maze track used in the Smash Brothers Melee mission - even if they are only like eight tracks and you're gonna be hearing a lot some of them .
The hard and action-packed battles, the stabs techniques you learn, the grown-up Link, the big towns you visit, the lava rivers you past through, the bright yet realistic setting actually resembles Twilight Princess like no other 2-D Zelda game . Other references to later games includes the towns names which are actually names of six characters of Ocarina of Time - five of them sages - and the fact that this was the first game in which Link could use magic . It seems kind a hard to think of Ocarina of Time conceived as it is without Zelda II being created a few years early since his battle style and setting influence on 3-D Zeldas seems undeniable .
Ok this is an old game and a pretty different one from the first Zelda title but with recently 2-D titles being identical - Oracles series, Minish Cap - this Zelda is still a Jewel with epic music and an extensive world with some good secrets and quite a challenge including hard Boss battles and a very confusing and full of monsters last maze .