Customer Rating:  
Summary: Good, but the first one is better.
Comment: This game is a lot different from the original Zelda. Unlike the first one, which was a top view adventure game, this game shifts genres to an RPG with side scrolling combat and dungeons. For its time it was quite innovative, and in some ways helped lay the foundation for future role playing games. However, as a Zelda game it just wasn't quite the game that a lot of fans were hoping for. It's still a good game though, and it's a must have for any NES collection. And if you're hardcore, you'll get the gold cartridge version!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Still a classic
Comment: Although many hated this game as it mainly was a side scrolling adventure, this game was one of my favorites when i was younger and the difficulty was harder then the original as I had trouble with the last 4 temples, mainly the great palace. It kept with the original though as once you finally beat it another second story began with you haveing all your magic spells at the start of the game. Since the game was remade on the GBA i went out and bought myself a copy so i could place my nes one away as the game could not be saved since of its age. Overall one of my favorite Zelda's other then A link to the past
Customer Rating:
Summary: I must have died 80 times. Darn skeleton fish.
Comment: I've played harder games than this one, but its certainly no cakewalk in any way, shape, or form. It will definitely test your ability to inflict and dodge attacks. Your life preserving strategies will get quite a workout too. You've got to be on the ball if you want to get through this game. Even with maxed out stats, you can't just plow through the game and take hits. Heck, even with max strength I wouldn't mess with those knife-throwing eagles. I just ran away from them, and still somehow lived.
There's no way you can beat this game without a walkthrough. No freaking way. Way too many dangerous mazes and unobvious methods to get items. And you need ALL of the items to get through the game. You can't just pick and choose. You need to have the thunder spell to beat the boss, and you need to have all the magic containers to get the spell, see.
There are really only two places where you'd get stuck in this game. Unfortunately one of the places is right at the beginning and the other is right at the end. At the beginning, Death Mountain really is DEATH mountain. I can't think of any way to get through it except by building up experience points like crazy and leveling up several times. Those red alligator cavemen are monstrous.
And at the end, well, just walking along the path from the giant spider to the Great Palace is a heck of a challenge. Dinosaur men throw barrages of rocks at you with the accuracy of snipers, and one-eyed ghosts fly around randomly, knocking you into lava and zapping away whatever lives you have. Thank goodness if you actually make it to the Great Palace, you can continue from there.
What really makes this game so different from the other Zelda games is the jumps. In Zelda 1 and 3, there aren't really any jumps, and if you miss a jump in Zelda 4, its not really all that big of a deal. Start where you left off and try again. But if you miss a jump in Zelda 2, it costs you dearly. Miss three of those and you're back at the beginning, and believe me, there are plenty of enemies around to help you miss those three.
The odd thing though, is that while the combat system and the required jump-dodging are what makes this game hard as heck, they also are what make the game good. After some practice, you'll be impressed at what you're able to do. Especially once you figure out how to get past those boomerang guys. The controls are practically flawless, and my only complaint about them is Link's sword is too short for the upward thrust to be particularly effective. Half the time I'd use that attack I'd take damage instead of give it.
Quite primitive, and definitely not as good as Zelda 3 or 4, but it has some neat items and spells, and its definitely a man's game. Play it if you dare.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A diiferent Zelda game, but still worthy of the name Zelda
Comment: Many will say this game is not worthy of the name Zelda, but I say they are just afraid of change. Many people playing Zelda II might expect a clone of the original Zelda, but at what point in the rest of the Zelda series has that ever happened? Every new Zelda game has added some new element to the gameplay, and changed the story. This is the only one to be a direct sequel, and it changed the gameplay drastically.
For those not familiar with Zelda II, the basic idea is that Princess Zelda has been placed into a deep sleep by an unknown person. The only thing that can wake her is the Triforce of Wisdom. (If you remember Zelda I, Ganon had the Triforce of Power, and Link collected the Triforce of Courage.) The triforce of Wisdom is securely locked away in the Golden Palace. But Link can't just walk in the front door of the palace. He must first break the magical seal around the palace. He does this by placing six crystals in statues scattered throughout Hyrule. Each statue is in a palace, guarded by some VERY difficult bosses. That's really all there is to the story.
The gameplay is the part that seems to cause the most grumbling among the nay-sayers. I won't lie, it is VERY difficult, because it focuses on sword-fighting, and you don't get to fall back on some other weapon if you suck with the sword. But if you can master the basics of sword fighting, the rest of the game is just about finding your way, and discovering an enemy's weakness. There are many helpful characters in the game, who give you ample hints to get you pointed in the right driection. You still have to solve the puzzles, and find a lot of things yourself, but how fun would it be if they spelled the answers out for you?
There is a level-up system using experience points which is unique for the Zelda series, and if you try to go straight to the first palace from the get-go, you will die quickly, and often. But, like many of the Final Fantasy style RPG's, you can always earn XP in random battles, and beef yourself up at will. So you CAN make the game easier, with minimal effort if you go to the right places.
Some have said that if you finally manage to beat it, you're dissappointed by the ending. I say, it's 8-bit! What did you expect? A DVD-quality animatic? Anyone who's ever felt their pulse pounding when they approach a boss in any game, and felt the rush of joy when they stomp that boss into the ground will be able to feel the same feeling when they beat Zelda II. The game is difficult enough that just beating it is a badge of honor.
Replay value? Some games in the RPG genre lose a lot of their appeal when you know all the puzzles, and know where all the extras are. But not Zelda II. Combat is challenging enough that the game can still be fun the second time, or even the 20th time through. Sure, it took me almost a month to beat it the first time, and now I can do it in about 6 hours, but I still enjoy it every time.
I urge anyone who's passed this title over because of negative reviews to take another look at it. Pick yourself up a copy, and play it. I don't mean just a half-hearted attempt either. Give it a chance to either shine or fail on its own merits. Stop comparing it to the rest of the series, and give this amazing game a chance! If you really didn't like it, you're only out a few bucks right? and you can propably resell the game.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Quite Possibly The Best Game Ever Made for Any System
Comment: I don't know what is wrong with some of my brethren. I do not see how anyone could conceivably award this game less than 5 stars. If you have not played this game before, then ignore the cynics, skeptics, party-poopers and naysayers who ignorantly and stupidly sully this game's rating. Know that this is quite possibly the best video game ever made for any system.
What makes this game so good? The plot is compelling, the characters are well-drawn, the theme music is absolutely and undeniably genius and the game is appropriately challenging--it is difficult, but not too difficult. You will not be able to beat this game quickly, and there will be points in the game where you are frustrated, but the journey will be worth it. One of the greatest experiences of your life will be thrashing Ganon and bringing peace to Hyrule.
Do not pay attention to the nincompoops complaining that this game is 2D. First of all, they're wrong. Much of the game actually IS 3D, particularly when Link travels in Hyrule. Only the battle scenes are in 2D, but this is a good feature, because 2D battles emphasize swordsmanship more. With time you will master the upward thrust, the downward thrust and the jumping swipe. Look for the swordsmen in the villages to teach you these tricks. And, for the final time, ignore the haters of this game. These people have poor judgment and they should be tortured and fed to lions.
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