In 1987, Nintendo created a fantasy adventure game that captured the hearts of its players with The Legend of Zelda. A sequel followed, but rather than continue in the same vein, it had a side-scrolling system more reminiscent of Nintendo's other popular franchise, Mario. Five years later with the release of a new console, Nintendo revisited the top-down, free-roaming mode and produced The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. This in many ways is the true sequel to the original from the NES. By improving on its forebear in every way possible, not only is this installment one of the best in the series, it is one of the best games of all time.
For any fan of the series, the story is a relatively simple one. Evil forces capture Princess Zelda and it is up to Link to right the wrongs and rescue the princess. In order to be able to handle the nastiest of foes, Link must acquire the Master Sword, another trademark of the series. When Link faces the main boss, a wizard called Agahnim, he realizes that Ganon is really behind this scheme. The catch is that Ganon is in the Dark World and is using ancient magic to open up a portal to send his forces to battle in the Light World. The Light World and Dark World are mirror images of each other and certain actions will affect on both worlds. From this point, Link will have to teleport between the two worlds to achieve his goal and defeat Ganon.
The gameplay is very similar to its predecessor, only better. Link has greater range of motion and can move diagonally. Enemies appear right on the screen and are fought in real-time. This gives the game more of an adventure feel because the enemies are threatening in an immediate manner. Although Link cannot jump, he will be able to leap from ledges where available to lower areas. Big additions are his running charge attack, which becomes available after the first dungeon, and the weapon charge attack. Link is able to sprint with his sword facing out and effectively charge into his enemies. The weapon charge attack works by holding down the attack button. Link will then release his sword in a 360-attack that is slightly more powerful than his normal attack. When the Master Sword is acquired, Link will be able to shoot beams from his sword when he is fully healed, like in the original.
While the action remains a big part of the game, the puzzle aspects are even more prominently evident in this edition. Everything from lighting all the torches in a room, to using the hookshot, to moving blocks in a certain pattern will be implemented in advancing through the dungeons. The puzzles, though, are not only the physical tasks, but especially later in the game, the dungeons themselves. Complex workings of maze-like proportions make up the ten dungeons and are the game's highlight because most of the time will be spent figuring out how to navigate around, while avoiding traps and enemies. The final boss found in each dungeon presents some challenges, but once it is realized that whatever weapon or item found in that dungeon is used to defeat him, it then becomes relatively easy.
Dungeon crawling may be the highlight, but exploring the expansive world is just as fun and rewarding. There are several shops where items like bombs and potions can be bought and even where advice can be given if Link gets stuck on his quest. Hidden areas are explored by moving a statue or bombing a suspicious looking wall. These areas usually yield coins, items, or heart containers, which increase Link's life meter. All in all, there is a lot to find by searching in every corner of both worlds, which not only make the game easier, but more enjoyable.
The items that Link uses are crucial in his adventure and there will be a wide range at his disposal. The requisite bow and arrow, bomb, and boomerang are available with new additions including a hookshot, hammer, and shovel. Although the use of the select menu to change items slows down the game, it becomes second nature after playing for a while. In fact, this allows for a nice break in the action while planning the next move. Another nice feature that carried over from the original is the map, which is indispensable for an action-adventure such as this one. The map feature especially comes in handy in the dungeons because the new implementation of multiple levels makes navigating a more difficult proposition.
While the gameplay received numerous upgrades, the graphics really benefited from moving over to a new console. Take the graphics from Super Mario World, which uses an almost cartoon-like look with smooth features and transplant it into The Legend of Zelda to get A Link to the Past. The same top-down look is still here, but characters and environments have a much more polished look. Enemies are more interactive with the graphics upgrade and more detail is evident. The only downside is that nothing really jumps out to grab attention. This gives the graphics a settled in feeling, but it still looks amazing for a Super Nintendo game.
The music of The Legend of Zelda was one of the most memorable aspects of the original and this incarnation follows true. The audio receives much needed refinement to the tinny sound that plagued the original, despite having a catchy tune. More variety in the music is also found as Link adventures into different areas of Hyrule and this definitely heightens the adventure experience. As far as audio from aspects other than the music, there isn't much but what is found is serviceable. The biggest asset comes from the soundtrack and that is enough to overcome any lack of audio from other sources.
The value of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is not in replay because there honestly isn't much after the first playthrough. That first adventure, though, is really enough for most gamers. The action should take 20-25 hours, which is very good for an adventure game. The experience of this game also raises its value because it belongs in a wonderful franchise and could arguably be the series game in the series.
Overall, A Link to the Past is a fantastic game that improves on its predecessor in every possible way. There aren't many games available that offer the experience and adventure that can be found here. As the last of an older era in gaming history, The Legend of Zelda: A Link of the Past truly is one of the best games of all time.
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