The Adventures of Link was released by Nintendo in 1987 less than a year after the original hit shelves in Japan, and m ore than half a year before The Legends of Zelda made its way to the West. The gameplay is entirely different than the original. There are random battles that appear on the map. If a creature touches you, you'll enter a platforming section resembling the tile you're standing over. So if you want to avoid battle stay on the path. There's also an experienced based leveling system, where you can upgrade your attack, magic, and health. There's 7 palaces you have to seek out where you'll discover items that'll help you on your journey. There's also these different towns you visit where you can learn new spells and listen to all the interesting things people say.

Link's sword has been downgraded to a dagger, and secondary items can be used on the overworld or simply take effect, like the candle lighting caves, or the glove breaking blocks. You can thrust, duck, jump, and use your shield to absorb and reflect shots. The combat is solid, and dueling is fun thanks to the tough and clever enemies. Bottomless pits mean death in Zelda II, and there's a lot of them, and they'll make you mad. Spells are chosen from the pause menu and activated with select, and they have to be reinitialized through the pause menu each time, kind of odd. There's 60-70 different enemies you'll encounter, and about 8 or 9 items you'll equip. But most of them feel a bit too proprietary. There's also side quests you need to fulfill, which actually makes them main quests. Because you can't really complete the game without the fairy spell or downthrust.

The adventure is much more linear this time around, although there is a little room for flexibility. One thing I like to do is skip the first few experience levels and hold out for attack. Put all my xp into this early and reap the benefits of higher payouts at the end of each palace. In general it's good to watch your experience so you can earn the most from the free upgrades. Overall, The Adventure of Link is a complete departure from the original Zelda, and is geared towards action-heavy RPG fans. I really enjoy Zelda 2, but I know it's extremely difficult and only fun for competent gamers. So if you're looking for a sidescrolling adventure game with a strong focus on trading stabs and artful maneuvering, then why not take walk through Zelda 2. B+