Legend of Zelda: A History of Hyrule Part 1

By: Nick Saul
Date: Sunday, December 03, 2000

Over the past 14 years one game series has stood the test of time on the Nintendo consoles. That series is called the Legend of Zelda. After it's original release in 1986, there have been 5 sequels, all of which have lived up to the exceptional standards laid out by the first one. Most recently released is Majora's Mask, which has also lived up to the original standards, although it doesn't follow the same stereotypical Zelda theme. Even though Majora's Mask is a beautiful game, who can forget the first time you played the Legend of Zelda.

I remember when I was a kid in 1987 and my father brought home a new game for our Nintendo. It had a gold box and a gold cartridge; it was Legend of Zelda. I was instantly drawn into the fantasy world of Hyrule and its hero, Link. Little did I know that this game would spawn one of the most popular and successful series for the Nintendo consoles. To this day I have my original copy of Zelda, and I still play it when I have the chance. Now for a little history on the Zelda game series.

Legend of Zelda (1986)

In 1987 Nintendo owners were captivated by the story of a young boy trying to recover 8 fragments of the magical Triforce and save Princess Zelda. He had to travel the world of Hyrule and get several special items, go into dungeons, and fight the minions of the evil Ganon.

This game was revolutionary for the Nintendo; it was the first RPG that had a non-linear environment, so the player could explore the world without being confined to a pre-defined path, although you did need to complete the dungeons in a pre-determined order. It was also the first cartridge game that had a built in lithium battery, which allowed the user to save three game simultaneously.

It wasn't long before Nintendo users were begging for a sequel.

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (1988)

In 1988 Zelda fans got their wish when Zelda II was released. This time, Link had to save Princess Zelda from an enchanted sleep placed on her by the resurrected Ganon.

Zelda II had a different type of gameplay than the first Zelda. This game had more of a side scrolling view, and this time you had a certain number of lives before Link died and you'd have to save your game. This game also had a point system, whereby you advance your skill. All this gave Zelda II more of an arcade feel, which separated it from the original Zelda quite a bit. Despite this design, the game was still non-linear, so you could explore the world of Hyrule again. This time there were towns incorporated into Hyrule, where you could visit people who could give you information or help youif they weren't Ganon's minions in disguise! The use of towns brought a more realistic feel to the game, as if other people in the world of Hyrule existed.


But this game is probably the only Zelda game considered a disappointment. Many did not like how the game was laid out and how it was played. They preferred the original interface and wanted that for the next Zelda title. Zelda II is not a bad game, but it is generally regarded as the least popular out of the Zelda series.

A Link to the Past (1991)

After the Super Nintendo was released, gamers anxiously waited for a new Zelda game for their new system. After what seemed like forever, their wish was finally grated. In 1991, the Zelda series was finally put onto the Super Nintendo with 'A Link to the Past'. The new game was a prequel to the first two, in which Link is called to save the world of Hyrule from Ganondorf's forces, who have found their way into the Golden Land. With the help of the wizard Agahnim, Ganondorf has kidnapped Princess Zelda and gone to the World of Darkness. After collecting talismans from the World of Light, Link can move back and forth between the World of Light and the World of Darkness to recover the 8 pieces of the Triforce. At the end, the final fight happens in the Dark Pyramid, where Link must battle both Agahnim and Ganondorf.

This game went back to the original interface that the first Zelda had. Although the interface was the same, there was a great increase in the graphics and gameplay. The improvements drew gamers into making this one of the most successful Zelda games ever released.