@@Eric-eu1rl oooh very interesting contender here. I’m still giving the edge to downstab. Didn’t even feel the need to grab the screw attack in my Metroid run. Couldn’t complete this one without downstab though.
This was one of the first games i bought as a kid. I kinda remeber not liking it because it was way harder than the original Zelda, and I couldnt get very far in the game. Thanks for doing a long play of it, and keeping the video clean!
This will always be one of my favorite Zelda games, in part because it was my intro to the series. I haven't had the chance to play the updated expanded version, nor have I really allowed myself to get into the first game. Both goals, for sure.
First game is still good and a necessary play at some point. I didn’t enjoy it as much as the 2nd but there are so many things from 1 that make an appearance in 2. I never understood those tie ins until finishing the original.
There is something cathartic about watching somebody play through this game and describe every detail/aspect of the gameplay, mechanics, and strategy. I was so excited for this game after having fallen in love with the original Zelda game, but was too young and unfamiliar with the mechanics to really get anywhere. It was also really hard! It left me feeling like I was left behind. Thanks for the great video!
@@JohnTerhorstPhD very kind of you to say thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed. This was my intro to Hyrule so it holds a special place for me, but mostly because of how my dad and I connected around it. Playing through it brings me back to sitting on the couch watching him meander his way through and trying to serve as his guide.
@@MichaelWorthy25 another commenter mentioned that that region is in fact the map from 1 and the quest in 2 takes place north of the very same death mountain. Really interesting to consider
2:30:00 Link: “Oh boy, smooching time!” Thanks for the walkthrough! You inspired me to open this up on the Switch and finally beat it, thus filling one of my own blind spots. Super fun!
When I was in high school, my best friend lived across the street. Even though by the time we were in high school both the N64 and PS1 were both available (between he and I we had both of those platforms covered lol) we'd both grown up playing NES games. He had a few that I'd either never played but wanted to (Willow) or games like Zelda 2 that I also owned and loved but never quite made it all the way through... We spent a lot of hours in his parents garage playing Willow all the way through and MANY hours playing Zelda 2 until we finally beat it. After watching this video I want to go play it again and manipulate the leveling properly to make this game MUCH easier lol
@@jedirayden I remember my father who was just figuring this out spending HOURS killing those little slimes in the field encounters right by the starting palace. It was the only way to help clear parts you weren’t able to. I really need to dig into Willow this year. I’ve played a few minutes worth and I liked it
Willow is a relatively simple to understand RPG-lite kinda game, that I remember enjoying way back when. Also, loved seeing you pull out the fairy trick to save a death. Always super satisfying.
Town person: "Please talk to the old man in my basement!" Link: "OK!" Fade to black as Link's head is struck from behind while he is standing at the top of the stairs...
The old man, the Triforce Keeper, is probably there to test Link's courage, pitting him against his most formidable and dangerous enemy, himself. The first ever appearance of Dark Link, and he will go on to be quite the fan favorite.
Oh i hate all the hand holding of modern games. This game gave little hints and no help. Games these days are all about hand holding. Even remakes are made too easy. This shit….damn it was a fun but wicked challange. I had many midnight sessions as a little kid in front of my nes trying not to die. Id get mad and give up and mom would come over with hot coco and sit next to me. A little hot coco and my midnight gaming session would pick up again . I adore this game.
@@StarFox_SNES I enjoyed so much the faster paced battle action of this one. For Zelda purists, I can see how the departure from the original would not be preferred, but this one always presented such a unique challenge that I found it intoxicating.
@@retronateAha now we figured it out That's why you like this so much you were drinking the magic potions instead of giving them to link That's why you were intoxicated and fell for the spell hahaha your ruse has been exposed
@@retronate well played, narrated, and commented! Earned my sub. I'm also on team Zelda II. I loved it when I played it back in the 80s and possibly even more today thanks to the nostalgia factor. Next stop on your Zelda tour could be the rom hack remake of this game? If you haven't already done it, lol. It's fun!
I love Zelda 2. this is my first time video, I can hardly awake because I have a fever so I may have to multiview this. your commentary help me follow along even if I'm not looking And that's a plus for me. The second time I leave a comment I will actually have a better visual
My appreciation for this game has grown in the past few years, ever since I saw a play through of the Remastered game mod. There really is a lot of great content in it. I just didn’t have the patience as a kid to get proficient at the later levels.
This was one of my favorites in the series. Very challenging, so on each new game we would take some extra time grinding early. Getting through death mountain was often the hardest part.
@retronate A little further into the run now. 1:26:39 The magic shortage is real. I can recall at times making an early exit and then re-entering the stage to spawn a red potion at the statue. It's been ages, though, so not sure now.
man... you skipped the final P bags in palace 3 and started skipping P bags in East Hyrule.... free XP!!!! but i gotta say... this is BEYOND refreshing and validating to me..... finally SOMEONE ELSE WHO UNDERSTANDS HOW TO PLAY THIS GAME!!! :)
@retronate well, im not sure if you fully skipped the east gyrule p bag uet. I commented as you walked past the forest by the coast... you kight go back for it ;) palace 3 - at the end.... there was a drop, and then you skip the final p bag due to the darknuts.. :) i love this upload btw.... this rules.
7:57 fun fact: you can bank keys if you don’t use them. On a typical run, you will use all keys in each palace, but if you wanted to move on before completion a palace, you will keep any collected but unused keys.
@@retronate there aren’t any extras, but you can move on from a palace without completing it first. So I could collect the raft from palace 3, get a key or 2, then die. When I restart, I could use the raft, go to palace 4 and start with those keys. You can actually get the master key before you finish any palace if you really wanted to. Great videos though! I just found your channel and will be watching more. Watched the CV3 one and am in the middle of this one. Love the old games! Zelda 1 and 2 are my favorites. I know the games inside and out and have done almost every challenge run on them.
@ ahhh ok I see what you’re saying. Very interesting! I love CV3. Incredible presentation, depth, soundtrack. The use of allies and all the boss battles and varied paths are exactly what was needed to punch this installment up from the others
I beat this about once a decade since whenever it came out (the was not yet a teenager, that’s so I’m guessing late 90s). I never found jumping useful for the “angel” battle at the end. It always caused me to jump to high and miss the hit box. Once I gave up on the jump spell the boss became easy. I also never knew the trick to beat shadow link. I didn’t know it could be that easy.
@@JasonJrake I remember my father and I basically breaking into a sweat trying all the techniques we could think of a nothing ever worked. Didn’t learn that trick til later in life
I'm not sure what your goal with your channel is but long-form educational content like this I'll always watch even though I don't care much about the game. It's mainly background noise and I think a lot of other people are looking for long videos to put on as background noise.
@@Kaewin5510 personally my goal was to simply create a library documenting my completing every NES, SNES, and Genesis game in the North American library. This format seems to be one that resonates and that I enjoy producing.
Like you, this was the first Zelda game I owned as a kid, so there was a lot of nostalgia attached to it for me too. I could never beat it when I was a kid, though I did get to around the 6th palace. I went back to it years later and finally finished the game, and now I've played through it countless times. I agree that it gets a lot of undeserved hate just for being a different experience, because it's a whole lot of fun.
Back in the days I was obsessed with this game, the feeling when I beat it for the first time didn't compare with any other game I beat. I still play it once a year, kind of a ritual. On my last run I beat it without the candle, it's surprisingly doable. AOL was really ambitious for its time, maybe a little too much....if the game was not rushed, if the team took its time like they did for SMB3, it would be the best game on the system.
Another fantastic walkthrough Nate, keep up the great work. How was anyone even able to complete this game back in 1989 before the internet?! Love from Down Under
Crazy to think right??? We’d sit there and grind levels, go over clues over and over and if we were really desperate, there was always the Nintendo help line!
@@nickgagliardo6360 had to lean on that mechanic to avoid level grinding. I’ve also heard of a tactic to kill the boss but exit the palace how you enter and only return the crystals at the end for the most expensive levels
Awesome run down. Thank you sir from a fellow Ohioan who has only played BOTW in the Zelda series. I still need to know why Zelda gets so much credit when she was snoozing the whole time!
Awesome playthrough! This game is fun. I like seeing different approaches to these games we've all played as kids. But if I'm being honest, what I like more about Zelda 1 is that the sword beam is stronger and can travel across the full screen. Now that I watched it, I will explain what I meant before. I saw a playthrough where the player went through and returned the crystals at the end of the run. I forget if he fully completed the first palace only. So you go through the palaces. Get the treasure. Fight the bosses or not and leave. Makes for a longer game to go through the palaces twice, but by the time he started returning crystals, he managed to get all skills to level 8 by the end of the 6th palace. Also earlier in the year, in the same vein of Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy Renaissance, a game maker recreated this game and called it Zelda 2 Remastered. It's a bigger adventure with a lot of the same elements of Zelda 2. Some parts were changed (for instance the Reflect spell reflected MUCH more than Wizrobes' and that 1 boss's magic). I haven't played it, because I don't have a controller for my PC.
@@darkjjak3804 fair point about the beam. Link’s sword beam was quite useless for most of the game. I see what you’re saying. Earn all the xp first and level up that way. Then return crystals to finish the leveling process. I’d be very interested in the remaster. This game brings back so much nostalgia for me
I loved this game as a kid and still love it to this day. This game is dark, hard and very moody. I love how the castles are…..so lonely, dark and kinda creepy with their black backgrounds. Such a great game. Sorry Zelda 1, i never did get into you like i did into 2.
I was born in 79. I had that game and I played it Gold Cartridge. Great game. Amazing fun. On a dpad Beat it and all the final fantasy had all the great games. Ogre Battle ;)
How old are you? Nice play & narrative of Z2. I'm 50 & was fortunate enough to be published in NPM 2x when I was much younger(NPM #1 & #10). Plus, being the 1st to beat Gannon in the 2nd Quest OG Z1 Jan 1987. Obviously, you know the Easter egg/Hack for getting 8000 to allocate to all 3 to start a new game. Appreciate you putting the time to put this together, my friend. Take care!
@@chadharrigan68 as one college football coach said in a famous rant….I’m a man! Im 40! I don’t know that hack and this is me leaning forward with interest… Lastly, I’d have those NP issues taped to my chest at all times. That is so stinking cool
Appreciate your reply. The Z2 8000 works similar to the 255 rupees in Z1. It's been a very long time since I've done it. You do the hack when putting the crystal in its statue. Usually it's the last palace but could be an earlier palace. B4 the 8000 starts counting down, you bring up your exp data. Switch to controller 2 & press select A&B sametime. That should bring up the option to con't or quit. I believe you quit then pick new character & start new game. When game starts you will get 8000 counting down. Your able to load up many power ups. Take care my friend.
Holy shit, I thought I knew everything about this game inside and out for decades but I never knew about those secret rooms in the elevator shaft in the final palace! I'm completely floored!
@@JeffCirillo if this is former Milwaukee Brewer Jeff Cirillo I will LOSE MY MIND Yeah I found out about those during many a struggle going through the great palace as a kid. They can sometimes help to give you a red magic jar if you’re desperate
@retronate Cirillo is my favorite player, so I'm just a fan of his. He still has the highest career batting average in Brewers history and he's also my vanity license plate.
The palace theme is one of my favorite game themes of all time. And then when you get to the Great Palace, once you hear the different theme, you just know it’s about to GO DOWN. Kind of a shame that you only hear it once.
I loved this game as a kid!!! I couldn’t get past the second dungeon… until I bought the game genie, but this was my very first video game!! Great memories of my mom and I playing this!!! The rom hack that came out called 2nd quest adventure of link was such a cool concept and I wish I could play it. I love watching people play tho
@@stephiepefie1588 my dad and I spent hours searching around and farming those little slimes for 2 xp a piece just trying to level up to get through the next cave. Such great memories
Nice to see it done without a speed run 👍. I never beat it but was very close based on what I remember, as i remember beating the dragon in castle 6. Half the game was death Mt from what I remember and was very difficult 😂
I enjoy both Zelda 2 and Final Fantasy II, they're both great. There's strategies for getting through Final Fantasy II and can even make it a breeze to play.
Love the vid! Didn't ever beat this as a kid but finally did as an adult. If u like Z2, there is a PC remake available online with updated music, a few extra mechanics and puzzles, and a new game + mode!
You totally have to play Zelda II remake from Hover Bat. It is the definitive edition of this game. Don’t get me wrong the classic is legit, but the remake is the best way to play it.
You can absolutely kill the small spiky guy without the downward thrust. If you jump and hold down while landing right next to it, press attack right when you land. Your sword will just barely hit them.
I dont even know how i beat this game when i was little. I just stumbled onto standing in the corner and attacking till shadow link fucks off. lol. It was awesome to be a kid with games like this. No hand holding, no stupid gimmicks. Just a hard and fun game.
@ i agree. Cozy comforting games are not bad. Youre right. But i do to prefer the challange. But when im feeling like shit, i do like a cozy game to raise my spirits.
1. All the Sages in OOT were named after the towns in Z2 and Mido was the kokiri that blocked you from getting to the Deku Tree. As Z1 and Z2 take place late in the timeline, it (retroactively) makes sense. 2. When I was a kid, my grandmother would run the Tektite encounter outside of Nabooru over and over until we had 9 lives to take on the Sealed Palace. 3. I may be the only person that fights the Ironknuckles on the ground without using the jumping. 4. I'm one of the few people that actually liked this game.
The sages point is SO COOL. A few names rang a bell but it clicked when you and some other commenters said that. I don’t know that there are only a “few” people who enjoyed this game. History seemingly has treated it kindly
14:23 - You jinxed yourself here. 1:00:52 - This area is sooooooooooooooo much easier if you dig a staircase down to the key instead of going straight down and trying to dig your way out. 1:55:27 - If you skip the level up, you could go to the end of the dungeon and boost your EXP up to 9999 and use that to possibly get multiple level ups. You can also use FAIRY to get through Key Holes but that violates the rules of 100%AK
@@BrianD0313 ooooh interesting points here. Duly noted on digging the staircase down. The level mechanic is really interesting…have to try that next time.
My stepdad played through this with me and my bro when we were little. We made it to Thunderbird and hurt him, but couldn’t breakthrough. One of those games on my old man revenge list! Lol
The combo of spells I use really helps at that point. I used to make the mistake of saving and casting Life if I got low but reflect, shield, and jump are key
I had a friend who had the original, I had the second... I'm the only one of us who has beaten either (both) game. and I always liked the second better. This was a great play through, shame you didn't get it deathless.
So this is the third time watching this video. It was pretty good. If you do this game correctly the beginning palace you can get up to attack 5. I never go for the health or magic and I have always gotten attack 5 when the first temple is finished.
@ no I do not. I have mapped out the number coordinate to bottle drops and xp gain. What I do is I do the bottle, the the shield spell then the heart. I should be halfway to level 2 attack by now. I do the temple but I count and stop killing enemies every time I kill 5 enemies and kill a blob or skeleton to force a bottle out. Every 10 kills without taking damage drops a high value P bag. Then from attack 4 comes from the boss himself. I then go to the statue and jump over the bottom of it to skip putting the status up and do the temple again but this time only to pass the first health and magic levels and then put the crystal up for attack 5.
Regarding 34:30 it's more than just a easter egg. That IS meant to be the region you explored in the first game. You were south of Death Mountain in the first game. In the second you work on the north. This is also why it seemed so deserted. You were traveling in a small, deserted region far from the nation to hunt for the triforce of wisdomhidden by a princess in a hurry. This game you are traveling across the entire nation for a triforce hidden a long time ago by who knows what. It's a great continually piece.
"for a trifoce hidden a long time ago by who knows what." is actually answered in the manual for the game. A king was dying and had the full triforce (power, wisdom, courage) and he knew his son (prince) was not of the kind with balance in his heart and told his sister Zelda about the power of the triforce. Then the king passes and the prince finds out about the triforce and wants it for himself and finds a wizard to help convince otherwise. The wizard then puts Zelda to sleep (and dyes while doing so), the prince tries to use the completed triforce and it separates. Zelda gets her triforce of wisdom and her descendant inherits it for the first game, while the power piece was given to Ganon, and the courage piece was placed at the Great Palace for a hero showing courage. Link defeats Ganon in the first game to get the triforce of power (in addition to the wisdom piece he fuses together). Zelda 2 then is the journey to acquire the triforce of courage. Ganon's minions need to defeat Link to resurrect him (which is why he's on the game over screen). So at the end Link proves his courage by defeating Dark Link (and restoring the crystals to the 6 palaces) and awarded the final piece and uses the entire triforce to awaken (an older Zelda, not the one from the first game) with the full triforce assembled. - A towns person informs Link that when this Zelda was put to sleep, the prince made a law to name all maidens Zelda as he felt bad about attacking his own sister with that wizard (and why there was a 'second' different Zelda in the first game).
Fun fact, when making the game they wanted what is called a "chanbara" (sword clash) feel like old samurai tv and movies. That's why there's lots of one on one sword fights in the game.
Huh. I wondered if you were going to tackle Zelda II, and now here it is as your next video upload! I played this as a kid and didn't get very far. This game ramped up the difficulty severely, and while it is certainly not a bad game just because it's difficult, it's more difficult than I like from a game. I like to unwind and relax when I play. So I respect anyone who can play this all the way through, and I certainly don't mind watching playthroughs of the game, even though it's not for me.
This is a great video about the game! Worth to mention is that these dolls are 1-time use only, so only for the session you play. You have to choose wisely if you wanna pick each one up in the current gaming session or a future one. Also worth to note is that the japanese Zelda 2 is pretty different! I would say that game is kind of "Zelda 2's difficult edition". I've beaten the US/EU version but never the japanese version.
True, they did the same with Rock Man 2. Rock Man 2 = Mega Man Difficult/Hard mode. SMB2 became Doki Doki skinned as Mario plus some minor tweaks. That could be a great video actually: games localized for USA and became easier. Maybe even more example of games...
@@retronate Nintendo (of America) didn't think we could handle the original Super Mario Bros 2 (or known to us as 'Lost Levels'). Probably were right in a sense as while I have beaten it, there's definitely lots of trolly and BS that probably didn't need to be in there (like the backward world warp - like wtf).
What a great play-through!! Well done sir! Little guy at the end is the Tri-force keeper. Still debatable whether he summons dark link for a final test before earning the Tri-force or just books it during the fight to keep the Tri-force safe lol cheers 🤘🤘
Great video I love this format - explaining as you play. Don't you think it's weird how link has momentum when he moves and is like kind of slidey? I think that's what struck me as weird when I first played this.
@@bwhipp not too dissimilar from the original Mario Bros, but yes that momentum takes a bit to learn. He also takes so time to get up to full speed for jumping which can be tricky at times
Overall, I think you did a great job with the walkthrough. Similar to you, I definitely prefer Zelda II over the original Legend of Zelda. There are 2 sets of enemy drops, so you need magic just defeat 6 weak enemies (less than 50 points drop) will net either a Blue Jar or a 50 point bag, while the 6th defeated strong enemies like an Iron Knuckle will drop a Red Jar or a 200 point bag. Sometimes in the a few palaces an endless waves of Bots (blue blobs) will spawn you can defeat 6 of them to farm Blue Jars to refill your magic. Another trick if you have no keys, you can use the Fairy Spell to get through a locked door like if you wanted to grab an item from a palace.
@@retronate Oh cool, Zelda 2 is new for me and Rambo is new for you, this is one of the great things about retro gaming. I never bothered with Zelda 2 because I was so bad at the first one. Ends up they were very different games. Thanks Retro Nate!
@@darkjjak3804 that’s always the interesting part of this game. This run wasn’t perfect but it went largely how I wanted it to. Won’t be streaming until the new year so one more week of rest (and prep) before coming back in 2025
That was fun watching. Have you tried a retro gem called Infernax? It is a love letter to Zelda 2 and Simon's Quest. Maybe also Faxanadu. Definitely recommended.
What an awesome and fun game, a little underrated I'd say. This game got a lotta hate because it's so hard. The soundtrack is a masterpiece, I often listen to it while working! Thanks again Nate, great video!
Glad you enjoyed it! Agree that it was a bit underrated. Either because it was a different style than what people were accustomed to, or it could’ve been the difficulty. Glad to see that it’s getting appreciated more now than it had before.
The towns of Rauru, Saria, Rito, Darunia, and Nabooru share their names with Sages in Ocarina of Time. Curiously, the town of Mido shares its name with the Kokiri jerk who blocks the trail to the Deku Tree.
I remember getting this game as a kid, having expectations it would be similar to Zelda I, then being confused and hating it. I kept it in my collection and picked it back up out of boredom one day, trying to keep an open mind. To my child self's delight, I reached a point where everything just kind if "clicked," and I fell in love with it. I remember feeling like it was one of the hardest games I had beaten (no guides/cheats), and I had a newfound appreciation for it. Today, it fills me with so much good nostalgia. Definitely underappreciated at the time (and in some ways, that's still the case).
I enjoyed Metroid thoroughly. As I go through all of these I also rank them by which games I think are the best - Metroid was the best of the first 30 games I played but I’d put a couple ahead of it now. Simon’s quest I liked more than the original but not as much as 3.
@@retronate I'm also a huge castlevania 3 fan, but my nostalgia runs deep for NES games that had a map you could backtrack in, rather than only progress, as they require you to log key details and really pay attention. Back in the day that often involved making notes on paper to remember.
Ahhh yea let's go! The most interesting take on the Zelda franchise. From difficulty scale to introducing actual Metroidvania esk open world travel. I love this game , I'm so glad you are covering these it's such an interesting take into the Zelda timeline
@@asakashigure well said. It’s not as non linear as some of the other Metroidvanias are, but it’s got that feel. I loved this game. Was great to go through it again.
Recently played ZIIAOL gamemaker remake of Zelda 2 it was really good, same game with a few differences in the first play then second quest gets way more challenging.
@@retronate ugh tried giving you a download link but TH-cam deleted it, funny because TH-cam has videos of its gameplay with download link in the description. Look up magnificent remaster of Zelda 2. The download is on hoverbat, that is if you’re interested in it.
I'm so here for this!! I also like Zelda II better. No shade to the 1st Zelda that was also groundbreaking. But my 8 year old brain couldn't figure out the 1st one.
@@retronate Absolutely. Surprised there were not more bald children when I was in school. Nintendo was the anti-Rogain, lol. And ironically, one of the best teachers of how to overcome an obstacle in life. Nintendo prepared us for adult-hood and showed us the value of hard work and overcoming life's little (and sometimes big) bumps we venture through.
You mention never beating the game deathless, but I'm curious if you've tried the "low level" challenge and beating with as minimal levels as possible. That could be an interesting video for sure too.
@@retronate I'd have to check if there's any info on it, but I think at magic level 3, Thunder would use 100% of your magic with max containers. Unsure if it's the same cost at level 1 as normally most players wouldn't have it that low. My record was 5 (attack), 3 / 3. There was a contest I did back on the 3DS for the low level challenge. Probably could do better, but it is pretty rough. Thunderbird takes so many more hits, and harder without using shield and/or reflect.
awesome gameplay! from NES era I prefer Zelda 2, but I think Link's Awakening was the best "8bit Zelda" (and one of the best Zelda ever!)... it's incredible how Miyamoto & Co. made a perfect downgrade to fit ALTTP for the portable console!
Originally played it way back when as a kid and i always thought Link's Adventure gets a lot of unfair badmouthing in more recent years. It's a fantastic game for its time, and as it released, it was the second ever and the "franchise" if you will, had no mold. It's a great action-adventure. Re-played it some ten years ago and i still enjoyed it greatly.
My only real complaint about this game is the various sub weapons from the original weren't included. Could've made them work by holding up + B, just like Castlevania. Otherwise, I love this almost as much as the original, I don't think it deserves the hate.
@@godagon97 yeah his stuff is top tier. That all adds significantly to the editing process for me. There are times I might do one or two graphics like that, but generally to keep the schedule I’m aiming for I can’t. I could probably go back and slowly add that stuff in to past vids though.
Zelda II Downstab is the GOAT move of video games.
It’s the moment in this game when I feel like I can start shredding. Love that move
Better than the screw attack in Metroid??
@@Eric-eu1rl oooh very interesting contender here. I’m still giving the edge to downstab. Didn’t even feel the need to grab the screw attack in my Metroid run. Couldn’t complete this one without downstab though.
@@Eric-eu1rl yes! I find the Down-Stab to be SO satisfying. One of the reasons I like Shovel Knight too...
This was one of the first games i bought as a kid. I kinda remeber not liking it because it was way harder than the original Zelda, and I couldnt get very far in the game.
Thanks for doing a long play of it, and keeping the video clean!
@@steveg2298 glad you enjoyed! One of my childhood favorites as well
This will always be one of my favorite Zelda games, in part because it was my intro to the series. I haven't had the chance to play the updated expanded version, nor have I really allowed myself to get into the first game. Both goals, for sure.
First game is still good and a necessary play at some point. I didn’t enjoy it as much as the 2nd but there are so many things from 1 that make an appearance in 2. I never understood those tie ins until finishing the original.
There is something cathartic about watching somebody play through this game and describe every detail/aspect of the gameplay, mechanics, and strategy. I was so excited for this game after having fallen in love with the original Zelda game, but was too young and unfamiliar with the mechanics to really get anywhere. It was also really hard! It left me feeling like I was left behind. Thanks for the great video!
@@JohnTerhorstPhD very kind of you to say thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed. This was my intro to Hyrule so it holds a special place for me, but mostly because of how my dad and I connected around it. Playing through it brings me back to sitting on the couch watching him meander his way through and trying to serve as his guide.
34:30 Thank you for mentioning the Zelda 1 map here aka Death Mountain Area. It is one of the best video game Easter Eggs ever.
@@MichaelWorthy25 another commenter mentioned that that region is in fact the map from 1 and the quest in 2 takes place north of the very same death mountain. Really interesting to consider
WOW GREAT JOB. I could stop watch never knew anyone to beat this game.
@chancebelk2364 glad you enjoyed!
2:30:00 Link: “Oh boy, smooching time!”
Thanks for the walkthrough! You inspired me to open this up on the Switch and finally beat it, thus filling one of my own blind spots. Super fun!
@@BDMatthewson glad to hear! Yeah man cross this sucker off. Worth it to have it on the completed list
When I was in high school, my best friend lived across the street. Even though by the time we were in high school both the N64 and PS1 were both available (between he and I we had both of those platforms covered lol) we'd both grown up playing NES games. He had a few that I'd either never played but wanted to (Willow) or games like Zelda 2 that I also owned and loved but never quite made it all the way through... We spent a lot of hours in his parents garage playing Willow all the way through and MANY hours playing Zelda 2 until we finally beat it.
After watching this video I want to go play it again and manipulate the leveling properly to make this game MUCH easier lol
@@jedirayden I remember my father who was just figuring this out spending HOURS killing those little slimes in the field encounters right by the starting palace. It was the only way to help clear parts you weren’t able to.
I really need to dig into Willow this year. I’ve played a few minutes worth and I liked it
Willow is a relatively simple to understand RPG-lite kinda game, that I remember enjoying way back when.
Also, loved seeing you pull out the fairy trick to save a death. Always super satisfying.
I'm can't believe the P bag drops you are getting...... I'm jealous! 😆😆😆😆
I was on fire. It actually threw off my rhythm of using palace completion to level up lol
I can remember beating this game when I was 13. I truly love this game.
@@chaleowin7732 it was a radical departure from the original but it’s such a fun play from start to finish. A great one truly
Town person: "Please talk to the old man in my basement!"
Link: "OK!"
Fade to black as Link's head is struck from behind while he is standing at the top of the stairs...
@@kinglysandus hahaha has that kinda vibe doesn’t it?
The old man, the Triforce Keeper, is probably there to test Link's courage, pitting him against his most formidable and dangerous enemy, himself. The first ever appearance of Dark Link, and he will go on to be quite the fan favorite.
@@robin_the_red_fox4082 ahh very interesting. I’ve never known the story behind the old man at the end.
Oh i hate all the hand holding of modern games. This game gave little hints and no help. Games these days are all about hand holding. Even remakes are made too easy. This shit….damn it was a fun but wicked challange. I had many midnight sessions as a little kid in front of my nes trying not to die. Id get mad and give up and mom would come over with hot coco and sit next to me. A little hot coco and my midnight gaming session would pick up again . I adore this game.
I admire Nintendo for trying something different with Zelda 2, but this game still caused nightmares when I was a kid.
@@StarFox_SNES I enjoyed so much the faster paced battle action of this one. For Zelda purists, I can see how the departure from the original would not be preferred, but this one always presented such a unique challenge that I found it intoxicating.
@@retronateAha now we figured it out That's why you like this so much you were drinking the magic potions instead of giving them to link That's why you were intoxicated and fell for the spell hahaha your ruse has been exposed
@@billconrad7366 hahahaha I feel like I should hiccup and have cartoon bubbles float out of my mouth
@@retronate well played, narrated, and commented! Earned my sub. I'm also on team Zelda II. I loved it when I played it back in the 80s and possibly even more today thanks to the nostalgia factor. Next stop on your Zelda tour could be the rom hack remake of this game? If you haven't already done it, lol. It's fun!
@ glad to have you along! I’ve heard good things but haven’t gone through it. That sounds like something that might be fun for a live stream sometime.
I love Zelda 2. this is my first time video, I can hardly awake because I have a fever so I may have to multiview this. your commentary help me follow along even if I'm not looking And that's a plus for me. The second time I leave a comment I will actually have a better visual
Glad you enjoyed and feel better!
My appreciation for this game has grown in the past few years, ever since I saw a play through of the Remastered game mod. There really is a lot of great content in it. I just didn’t have the patience as a kid to get proficient at the later levels.
@@BDMatthewson it was significantly harder than 1 and you’re right, as kids we didn’t always appreciate the step up in difficulty
This was one of my favorites in the series. Very challenging, so on each new game we would take some extra time grinding early. Getting through death mountain was often the hardest part.
@@davezad I remember my father BEAMING when he made it through that part. Hated those enemies
@retronate I feel that! Red lizard man with the throwing axe. 😭
Thanks for covering this one.
@@davezad he is a psychopath
@retronate A little further into the run now. 1:26:39 The magic shortage is real. I can recall at times making an early exit and then re-entering the stage to spawn a red potion at the statue. It's been ages, though, so not sure now.
2:04:17 another use of the Fairy spell is that you can fly through keyholes, bypassing the need for a key.
Yes! I forgot about that. A little short lived since you need magic to do it, but useful in a pinch
man... you skipped the final P bags in palace 3 and started skipping P bags in East Hyrule.... free XP!!!! but i gotta say... this is BEYOND refreshing and validating to me..... finally SOMEONE ELSE WHO UNDERSTANDS HOW TO PLAY THIS GAME!!! :)
What did I miss in palace 3? I thought I grabbed them all. Also unaware of the missed ones in East Hyrule - lmk so I can check em out!
@retronate well, im not sure if you fully skipped the east gyrule p bag uet. I commented as you walked past the forest by the coast... you kight go back for it ;) palace 3 - at the end.... there was a drop, and then you skip the final p bag due to the darknuts.. :) i love this upload btw.... this rules.
@ ah ok. I’ll have to go back and look.
@retronate i mean, its not a big deal.. haha..i just got excited lol lol. this was fun.
@retronate but yeah, im pretty sure there is a P bag in the single block forest by the raft ramp.
7:57 fun fact: you can bank keys if you don’t use them. On a typical run, you will use all keys in each palace, but if you wanted to move on before completion a palace, you will keep any collected but unused keys.
@@erichzaun4168 ah interesting. I didn’t think there were any extra keys in this game
@@retronate there aren’t any extras, but you can move on from a palace without completing it first. So I could collect the raft from palace 3, get a key or 2, then die. When I restart, I could use the raft, go to palace 4 and start with those keys. You can actually get the master key before you finish any palace if you really wanted to.
Great videos though! I just found your channel and will be watching more. Watched the CV3 one and am in the middle of this one. Love the old games! Zelda 1 and 2 are my favorites. I know the games inside and out and have done almost every challenge run on them.
@ ahhh ok I see what you’re saying. Very interesting! I love CV3. Incredible presentation, depth, soundtrack. The use of allies and all the boss battles and varied paths are exactly what was needed to punch this installment up from the others
I beat this about once a decade since whenever it came out (the was not yet a teenager, that’s so I’m guessing late 90s). I never found jumping useful for the “angel” battle at the end. It always caused me to jump to high and miss the hit box. Once I gave up on the jump spell the boss became easy.
I also never knew the trick to beat shadow link. I didn’t know it could be that easy.
@@JasonJrake I remember my father and I basically breaking into a sweat trying all the techniques we could think of a nothing ever worked. Didn’t learn that trick til later in life
I'm not sure what your goal with your channel is but long-form educational content like this I'll always watch even though I don't care much about the game. It's mainly background noise and I think a lot of other people are looking for long videos to put on as background noise.
@@Kaewin5510 personally my goal was to simply create a library documenting my completing every NES, SNES, and Genesis game in the North American library. This format seems to be one that resonates and that I enjoy producing.
Just the video I needed for me and my family to finish the xmas season! A new RetroNate video was on my xmas list! :)
@@thafutureonline619 hahaha so I got you a new video for Christmas.
Does that necessarily mean that am I Santa?
…
Yes. Yes it does. 😆
One of the best in the entire series.
It was a different type of wandering around…enough clues to lead you where to go and what to do. I loved the battle style.
I beat this at 7/8 years old. It takes time. But is and was a really cool game. Still one of my faves
@@JeepBully that’s quite an accomplishment! Wasn’t easy!
Like you, this was the first Zelda game I owned as a kid, so there was a lot of nostalgia attached to it for me too. I could never beat it when I was a kid, though I did get to around the 6th palace. I went back to it years later and finally finished the game, and now I've played through it countless times. I agree that it gets a lot of undeserved hate just for being a different experience, because it's a whole lot of fun.
@@TrianiiRanger I’m so glad to see so many more people appreciating this one nowadays.
NOW THIS IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, LET'S GOOOOOO!
And goooooo we shall
Back in the days I was obsessed with this game, the feeling when I beat it for the first time didn't compare with any other game I beat. I still play it once a year, kind of a ritual. On my last run I beat it without the candle, it's surprisingly doable. AOL was really ambitious for its time, maybe a little too much....if the game was not rushed, if the team took its time like they did for SMB3, it would be the best game on the system.
@@doc_louie I remember when my father beat this first and the satisfaction he walked around with was palpable.
Another fantastic walkthrough Nate, keep up the great work. How was anyone even able to complete this game back in 1989 before the internet?! Love from Down Under
Crazy to think right??? We’d sit there and grind levels, go over clues over and over and if we were really desperate, there was always the Nintendo help line!
Really enjoyed this video. Great game & great content.
@@Bizarb glad to hear! I’m enjoying going back through all of these a lot.
Thanks, Retronate! Great job!
@@chaos381 one more down. This brought a lot of memories back for me.
I love the info i didnt know about the lvl up for completing palaces no matter the exp needed to lvl
@@nickgagliardo6360 had to lean on that mechanic to avoid level grinding. I’ve also heard of a tactic to kill the boss but exit the palace how you enter and only return the crystals at the end for the most expensive levels
Thanks man i followed along with your video while playing this
@@joeyholubeck7066 my pleasure! Hope it helped!
Awesome run down. Thank you sir from a fellow Ohioan who has only played BOTW in the Zelda series. I still need to know why Zelda gets so much credit when she was snoozing the whole time!
@@StarlightGuard she took a nice long nap and I’m not gonna fault her for it
Awesome playthrough! This game is fun. I like seeing different approaches to these games we've all played as kids. But if I'm being honest, what I like more about Zelda 1 is that the sword beam is stronger and can travel across the full screen.
Now that I watched it, I will explain what I meant before. I saw a playthrough where the player went through and returned the crystals at the end of the run. I forget if he fully completed the first palace only.
So you go through the palaces. Get the treasure. Fight the bosses or not and leave. Makes for a longer game to go through the palaces twice, but by the time he started returning crystals, he managed to get all skills to level 8 by the end of the 6th palace.
Also earlier in the year, in the same vein of Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy Renaissance, a game maker recreated this game and called it Zelda 2 Remastered. It's a bigger adventure with a lot of the same elements of Zelda 2. Some parts were changed (for instance the Reflect spell reflected MUCH more than Wizrobes' and that 1 boss's magic). I haven't played it, because I don't have a controller for my PC.
@@darkjjak3804 fair point about the beam. Link’s sword beam was quite useless for most of the game.
I see what you’re saying. Earn all the xp first and level up that way. Then return crystals to finish the leveling process.
I’d be very interested in the remaster. This game brings back so much nostalgia for me
@retronate this also came out when the Zelda cartoon was around (Super Mario Brothers Super Show), so I just liked using the beam the way Link did.
@ this is perhaps the best reason to prefer the first lol
I loved this game as a kid and still love it to this day. This game is dark, hard and very moody. I love how the castles are…..so lonely, dark and kinda creepy with their black backgrounds. Such a great game. Sorry Zelda 1, i never did get into you like i did into 2.
@@foxdavani4091 the sidescrolling platformer format was tough to top on the NES. Add in the towns and clues and I was hooked
I was born in 79.
I had that game and I played it Gold Cartridge. Great game. Amazing fun.
On a dpad
Beat it and all the final fantasy had all the great games.
Ogre Battle ;)
How old are you? Nice play & narrative of Z2. I'm 50 & was fortunate enough to be published in NPM 2x when I was much younger(NPM #1 & #10). Plus, being the 1st to beat Gannon in the 2nd Quest OG Z1 Jan 1987. Obviously, you know the Easter egg/Hack for getting 8000 to allocate to all 3 to start a new game. Appreciate you putting the time to put this together, my friend. Take care!
@@chadharrigan68 as one college football coach said in a famous rant….I’m a man! Im 40!
I don’t know that hack and this is me leaning forward with interest…
Lastly, I’d have those NP issues taped to my chest at all times. That is so stinking cool
Appreciate your reply. The Z2 8000 works similar to the 255 rupees in Z1. It's been a very long time since I've done it. You do the hack when putting the crystal in its statue. Usually it's the last palace but could be an earlier palace. B4 the 8000 starts counting down, you bring up your exp data. Switch to controller 2 & press select A&B sametime. That should bring up the option to con't or quit. I believe you quit then pick new character & start new game. When game starts you will get 8000 counting down. Your able to load up many power ups. Take care my friend.
I played this for a little bit about a week ago. Yeah, better than I remember. I was having fun.
@@danbauer3669 that’s all that counts!
Holy shit, I thought I knew everything about this game inside and out for decades but I never knew about those secret rooms in the elevator shaft in the final palace! I'm completely floored!
@@JeffCirillo if this is former Milwaukee Brewer Jeff Cirillo I will LOSE MY MIND
Yeah I found out about those during many a struggle going through the great palace as a kid. They can sometimes help to give you a red magic jar if you’re desperate
@retronate Cirillo is my favorite player, so I'm just a fan of his. He still has the highest career batting average in Brewers history and he's also my vanity license plate.
@ hahaha awesome.
The palace theme is one of my favorite game themes of all time. And then when you get to the Great Palace, once you hear the different theme, you just know it’s about to GO DOWN. Kind of a shame that you only hear it once.
Yeah great palace music still gives me the goosebumps a little
I loved this game as a kid!!! I couldn’t get past the second dungeon… until I bought the game genie, but this was my very first video game!! Great memories of my mom and I playing this!!! The rom hack that came out called 2nd quest adventure of link was such a cool concept and I wish I could play it. I love watching people play tho
@@stephiepefie1588 my dad and I spent hours searching around and farming those little slimes for 2 xp a piece just trying to level up to get through the next cave. Such great memories
@ so did we lol
Nice to see it done without a speed run 👍. I never beat it but was very close based on what I remember, as i remember beating the dragon in castle 6. Half the game was death Mt from what I remember and was very difficult 😂
That path is among the more challenging. I found Palace 5 to be the toughest…aside from the great palace if you accidentally go the wrong way.
Mug club!..... lol. Love the first role of mug club.
@@chaos381 idk what you’re referring to…
I enjoy both Zelda 2 and Final Fantasy II, they're both great. There's strategies for getting through Final Fantasy II and can even make it a breeze to play.
Yet to tackle FF2. Looking forward to it when it happens
Renewed my membership that I was gifted. Keep up the great work!
@@oldbadgui3351 awesome man! Appreciate the support and hope you enjoy! I got another one I’m uploading today or tomorrow for members to preview!
Love the vid! Didn't ever beat this as a kid but finally did as an adult. If u like Z2, there is a PC remake available online with updated music, a few extra mechanics and puzzles, and a new game + mode!
@@wolfenjosh oooh sounds very interesting!
thanks, great commentry
@@alexd467 glad you enjoyed!
People hate this game but I think it’s pretty good.
@@JayAlfredoG it seems like more and more people are coming out in support of it now many years later. I’m in that camp as well
You totally have to play Zelda II remake from Hover Bat. It is the definitive edition of this game.
Don’t get me wrong the classic is legit, but the remake is the best way to play it.
@@fernandochaidez4791 I’ll have to take a look!
You can absolutely kill the small spiky guy without the downward thrust. If you jump and hold down while landing right next to it, press attack right when you land. Your sword will just barely hit them.
@@darthinvaderzim 🤯 I didn’t think it was possible!
Grats on 10k subs!! Might I suggest making the members' posts being the perfect(ish) playthrough?
I think you assume I can just churn out a perfect playthrough more easily than I actually can lol
YAY! Been looking forward to this!
@@kraigpeterson3667 glad to hear! I’m watching again now just because I like the game so much lol
I dont even know how i beat this game when i was little. I just stumbled onto standing in the corner and attacking till shadow link fucks off. lol. It was awesome to be a kid with games like this. No hand holding, no stupid gimmicks. Just a hard and fun game.
@@foxdavani4091 I love the tough ones. There is a place for the easier, more cozy type games but I do prefer the challenge
@ i agree. Cozy comforting games are not bad. Youre right. But i do to prefer the challange. But when im feeling like shit, i do like a cozy game to raise my spirits.
1. All the Sages in OOT were named after the towns in Z2 and Mido was the kokiri that blocked you from getting to the Deku Tree. As Z1 and Z2 take place late in the timeline, it (retroactively) makes sense.
2. When I was a kid, my grandmother would run the Tektite encounter outside of Nabooru over and over until we had 9 lives to take on the Sealed Palace.
3. I may be the only person that fights the Ironknuckles on the ground without using the jumping.
4. I'm one of the few people that actually liked this game.
The sages point is SO COOL. A few names rang a bell but it clicked when you and some other commenters said that.
I don’t know that there are only a “few” people who enjoyed this game. History seemingly has treated it kindly
14:23 - You jinxed yourself here.
1:00:52 - This area is sooooooooooooooo much easier if you dig a staircase down to the key instead of going straight down and trying to dig your way out.
1:55:27 - If you skip the level up, you could go to the end of the dungeon and boost your EXP up to 9999 and use that to possibly get multiple level ups.
You can also use FAIRY to get through Key Holes but that violates the rules of 100%AK
@@BrianD0313 ooooh interesting points here. Duly noted on digging the staircase down. The level mechanic is really interesting…have to try that next time.
Yes 🙌!! Thank you thank you 🙏!!! I really appreciate this!
@@tonydeluna8095 one of my personal faves
My stepdad played through this with me and my bro when we were little. We made it to Thunderbird and hurt him, but couldn’t breakthrough. One of those games on my old man revenge list! Lol
The combo of spells I use really helps at that point. I used to make the mistake of saving and casting Life if I got low but reflect, shield, and jump are key
I had a friend who had the original, I had the second... I'm the only one of us who has beaten either (both) game. and I always liked the second better.
This was a great play through, shame you didn't get it deathless.
@@silvercrystalct I’ll have to try again soon enough to get one in. Very pleased with it though.
A link to the past is the goat.
@@Mdroudian hard to argue. My personal fave as well
So this is the third time watching this video. It was pretty good. If you do this game correctly the beginning palace you can get up to attack 5. I never go for the health or magic and I have always gotten attack 5 when the first temple is finished.
5 always felt too ambitious…do you farm the bubbles?
@ no I do not. I have mapped out the number coordinate to bottle drops and xp gain. What I do is I do the bottle, the the shield spell then the heart. I should be halfway to level 2 attack by now. I do the temple but I count and stop killing enemies every time I kill 5 enemies and kill a blob or skeleton to force a bottle out. Every 10 kills without taking damage drops a high value P bag. Then from attack 4 comes from the boss himself. I then go to the statue and jump over the bottom of it to skip putting the status up and do the temple again but this time only to pass the first health and magic levels and then put the crystal up for attack 5.
Regarding 34:30 it's more than just a easter egg. That IS meant to be the region you explored in the first game. You were south of Death Mountain in the first game. In the second you work on the north.
This is also why it seemed so deserted. You were traveling in a small, deserted region far from the nation to hunt for the triforce of wisdomhidden by a princess in a hurry. This game you are traveling across the entire nation for a triforce hidden a long time ago by who knows what.
It's a great continually piece.
WHOAAAAAA 🤯
"for a trifoce hidden a long time ago by who knows what." is actually answered in the manual for the game. A king was dying and had the full triforce (power, wisdom, courage) and he knew his son (prince) was not of the kind with balance in his heart and told his sister Zelda about the power of the triforce. Then the king passes and the prince finds out about the triforce and wants it for himself and finds a wizard to help convince otherwise. The wizard then puts Zelda to sleep (and dyes while doing so), the prince tries to use the completed triforce and it separates. Zelda gets her triforce of wisdom and her descendant inherits it for the first game, while the power piece was given to Ganon, and the courage piece was placed at the Great Palace for a hero showing courage. Link defeats Ganon in the first game to get the triforce of power (in addition to the wisdom piece he fuses together). Zelda 2 then is the journey to acquire the triforce of courage. Ganon's minions need to defeat Link to resurrect him (which is why he's on the game over screen). So at the end Link proves his courage by defeating Dark Link (and restoring the crystals to the 6 palaces) and awarded the final piece and uses the entire triforce to awaken (an older Zelda, not the one from the first game) with the full triforce assembled. - A towns person informs Link that when this Zelda was put to sleep, the prince made a law to name all maidens Zelda as he felt bad about attacking his own sister with that wizard (and why there was a 'second' different Zelda in the first game).
@ love this. So interesting
Fun fact, when making the game they wanted what is called a "chanbara" (sword clash) feel like old samurai tv and movies. That's why there's lots of one on one sword fights in the game.
Makes total sense for those armos enemies (I refer to them mostly as knights).
The sages in OoT were all named after towns in this game. That's why Darunia sounds familiar.
@@dtcoas yes! And Mido is the annoying kid stopping you from the Great Deku tree
I loved Zelda 2 as a kid, much more than the first game. Yes it’s quite difficult but I still finished it with a bit of level grinding.
Same boat here.
Huh. I wondered if you were going to tackle Zelda II, and now here it is as your next video upload! I played this as a kid and didn't get very far. This game ramped up the difficulty severely, and while it is certainly not a bad game just because it's difficult, it's more difficult than I like from a game. I like to unwind and relax when I play. So I respect anyone who can play this all the way through, and I certainly don't mind watching playthroughs of the game, even though it's not for me.
@@clintonwilcox4690 totally get it. Glad to carry the torch for this one 😉
This is a great video about the game! Worth to mention is that these dolls are 1-time use only, so only for the session you play. You have to choose wisely if you wanna pick each one up in the current gaming session or a future one.
Also worth to note is that the japanese Zelda 2 is pretty different! I would say that game is kind of "Zelda 2's difficult edition".
I've beaten the US/EU version but never the japanese version.
@@cjeelde they always had to make it easier for us here in the US lol.
True, they did the same with Rock Man 2.
Rock Man 2 = Mega Man Difficult/Hard mode.
SMB2 became Doki Doki skinned as Mario plus some minor tweaks.
That could be a great video actually: games localized for USA and became easier.
Maybe even more example of games...
@@retronate Nintendo (of America) didn't think we could handle the original Super Mario Bros 2 (or known to us as 'Lost Levels'). Probably were right in a sense as while I have beaten it, there's definitely lots of trolly and BS that probably didn't need to be in there (like the backward world warp - like wtf).
@@NintendoFuse_Greg I’ve played the lost levels….they were right lol
What a great play-through!! Well done sir!
Little guy at the end is the Tri-force keeper. Still debatable whether he summons dark link for a final test before earning the Tri-force or just books it during the fight to keep the Tri-force safe lol cheers 🤘🤘
@@NESencyclopedia ahhh ok. Either way….that thing is OURS!
@ have to commend your skills sir. That is a though run with only 2 deaths. Ok taken up enough of your time lol. Always a pleasure, cheers.
@ not at all! Appreciate the comments. I gotta wait for a while til this goes public so I appreciate the discourse lol
This one is better than the first one. The next one is one of the best games ever. This ranks though.
And the one after that goes toe to toe with a link to the past. They seemed to step their game up with every iteration.
Great video I love this format - explaining as you play. Don't you think it's weird how link has momentum when he moves and is like kind of slidey? I think that's what struck me as weird when I first played this.
@@bwhipp not too dissimilar from the original Mario Bros, but yes that momentum takes a bit to learn. He also takes so time to get up to full speed for jumping which can be tricky at times
1:18:54 CLUTCH! Props to your dad! TIL this trick from you!
@@oldbadgui3351 he had a lot of experience getting knocked into pits lol
@23:52 I feel like you missed a big opportunity to comment on this guy in purple's costume. Doo wop hair do, mustache, necklace, and short kilt?
I did indeed looking back. He looks like how Meatloaf would always want to be thought of
Overall, I think you did a great job with the walkthrough. Similar to you, I definitely prefer Zelda II over the original Legend of Zelda.
There are 2 sets of enemy drops, so you need magic just defeat 6 weak enemies (less than 50 points drop) will net either a Blue Jar or a 50 point bag, while the 6th defeated strong enemies like an Iron Knuckle will drop a Red Jar or a 200 point bag. Sometimes in the a few palaces an endless waves of Bots (blue blobs) will spawn you can defeat 6 of them to farm Blue Jars to refill your magic. Another trick if you have no keys, you can use the Fairy Spell to get through a locked door like if you wanted to grab an item from a palace.
@@NewKasuto forgot about the fairy magic for the doors. Good call
I absolutely love Zelda 2.
@@Itwasme007 this is because you have good taste
Great video.
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed!
I have to say I have barely ever played this one. I owned Rambo though when I was a kid, and everyone says that it's similar. Should be a fun watch!
@@MikeSteele-g7y due to some incessant demands I’ll be covering Rambo later this year lol. Interested to see what that’s about
@@retronate Oh cool, Zelda 2 is new for me and Rambo is new for you, this is one of the great things about retro gaming. I never bothered with Zelda 2 because I was so bad at the first one. Ends up they were very different games. Thanks Retro Nate!
I know what I'll be watching Tuesday night, unless you're streaming.
I'm curious at your approach to the XP system.
@@darkjjak3804 that’s always the interesting part of this game. This run wasn’t perfect but it went largely how I wanted it to. Won’t be streaming until the new year so one more week of rest (and prep) before coming back in 2025
“We got an Axe Murderer!” 😂
The amount of "So I married and Axe murderer" quotes that I had running through my mind...
That was fun watching. Have you tried a retro gem called Infernax? It is a love letter to Zelda 2 and Simon's Quest. Maybe also Faxanadu. Definitely recommended.
Don’t think ive heard of it. NES also?
@@retronate nope, modern platforms. Should probably warn you that it includes quite a big amount of pixel gore.
@ interesting. I might take a look for it this week
What an awesome and fun game, a little underrated I'd say. This game got a lotta hate because it's so hard. The soundtrack is a masterpiece, I often listen to it while working! Thanks again Nate, great video!
Glad you enjoyed it! Agree that it was a bit underrated. Either because it was a different style than what people were accustomed to, or it could’ve been the difficulty. Glad to see that it’s getting appreciated more now than it had before.
@@retronate I think that, even if it's a niche audience, the speedrunning community and the randomizers did help a bit.
Hard cause it was trash game 😂 one of the worst Zelda games ever made
@ oooh give it another look. Had a lot of fun with this one.
The towns of Rauru, Saria, Rito, Darunia, and Nabooru share their names with Sages in Ocarina of Time. Curiously, the town of Mido shares its name with the Kokiri jerk who blocks the trail to the Deku Tree.
@@chrisadkins8321 YES!!! I knew I’d seen those names before. I recognized Mido, Rauru, and Saria.
It's all deliberate
I remember getting this game as a kid, having expectations it would be similar to Zelda I, then being confused and hating it.
I kept it in my collection and picked it back up out of boredom one day, trying to keep an open mind. To my child self's delight, I reached a point where everything just kind if "clicked," and I fell in love with it.
I remember feeling like it was one of the hardest games I had beaten (no guides/cheats), and I had a newfound appreciation for it.
Today, it fills me with so much good nostalgia. Definitely underappreciated at the time (and in some ways, that's still the case).
Growing up with this one it does the same for me, but I didn’t have Zelda 1 to compare it to.
Though it starts with Z, I filed this one under M for masterpiece. This game, Simon’s Quest and Metroid belong in the museum of perfection.
I enjoyed Metroid thoroughly. As I go through all of these I also rank them by which games I think are the best - Metroid was the best of the first 30 games I played but I’d put a couple ahead of it now. Simon’s quest I liked more than the original but not as much as 3.
@@retronate I'm also a huge castlevania 3 fan, but my nostalgia runs deep for NES games that had a map you could backtrack in, rather than only progress, as they require you to log key details and really pay attention. Back in the day that often involved making notes on paper to remember.
@ metal gear and blaster master come to mind for this…along with Rygar to some degree
Ahhh yea let's go! The most interesting take on the Zelda franchise. From difficulty scale to introducing actual Metroidvania esk open world travel. I love this game , I'm so glad you are covering these it's such an interesting take into the Zelda timeline
@@asakashigure well said. It’s not as non linear as some of the other Metroidvanias are, but it’s got that feel. I loved this game. Was great to go through it again.
I never understood the hate on this game either. It’s one of my top favorite Zelda games.
@@dkeener99 same here. The drastic difference from the first makes it understandable. But as an experience it’s a ton of fun.
Recently played ZIIAOL gamemaker remake of Zelda 2 it was really good, same game with a few differences in the first play then second quest gets way more challenging.
@@whocares4274 never heard of this. But boy a second quest of this sounds like a nightmare lol
@@retronate ugh tried giving you a download link but TH-cam deleted it, funny because TH-cam has videos of its gameplay with download link in the description. Look up magnificent remaster of Zelda 2. The download is on hoverbat, that is if you’re interested in it.
My go-to when I am bored.
@@kevinerosa it’s a beauty and now I’m glad to see it becoming more and more appreciated.
I'm so here for this!! I also like Zelda II better. No shade to the 1st Zelda that was also groundbreaking. But my 8 year old brain couldn't figure out the 1st one.
@@godagon97 NES had such a corner on the sidescrolling platformer market. This one played right into the sweet spot for the console.
One thing I found interesting is those orange horse head mobs in temple 1 do xp damage. not a mechanic seen in many games.
It is a loathsome mechanic and made me sad many a time as I took damage and XP drain
@@retronate Absolutely. Surprised there were not more bald children when I was in school. Nintendo was the anti-Rogain, lol. And ironically, one of the best teachers of how to overcome an obstacle in life. Nintendo prepared us for adult-hood and showed us the value of hard work and overcoming life's little (and sometimes big) bumps we venture through.
I almost had this game beat way back in the day… then the game erased itself and I lost the heart and drive to go through it again
@@kalaban2015 oooof that’s tough. I don’t blame ya
You mention never beating the game deathless, but I'm curious if you've tried the "low level" challenge and beating with as minimal levels as possible. That could be an interesting video for sure too.
Haven’t tried that but that sounds interesting!
@@retronate I'd have to check if there's any info on it, but I think at magic level 3, Thunder would use 100% of your magic with max containers. Unsure if it's the same cost at level 1 as normally most players wouldn't have it that low. My record was 5 (attack), 3 / 3. There was a contest I did back on the 3DS for the low level challenge. Probably could do better, but it is pretty rough. Thunderbird takes so many more hits, and harder without using shield and/or reflect.
Zelda II and Super Mario 3 are the two best games on the NES, imo.
@@misteree9 I don’t know if I would go that high when Zelda II, but I know it’s not nearly as bad as some would have you believe.
At 19:27, Im glad is not the other away around...unless Link is into GILF:s hahahaha
Yikes
I would love to see another Zelda game in this style on modern hardware. They've gone back to the overhead style for a couple, so why not, right?
@@airwolfpsu I bet it would cast some light on just how good this was
One of the theories is.... the raft trip between the two main lands is where links awakening takes place..... not sure if I believe that....
@@chaos381 idk enough about the lore but maybe we’ll examine that soon enough too
awesome gameplay!
from NES era I prefer Zelda 2, but I think Link's Awakening was the best "8bit Zelda" (and one of the best Zelda ever!)... it's incredible how Miyamoto & Co. made a perfect downgrade to fit ALTTP for the portable console!
@@78aerdnA I heard links awakening is awesome. I’m woefully deficient on my knowledge of games on handheld consoles.
Originally played it way back when as a kid and i always thought Link's Adventure gets a lot of unfair badmouthing in more recent years. It's a fantastic game for its time, and as it released, it was the second ever and the "franchise" if you will, had no mold. It's a great action-adventure. Re-played it some ten years ago and i still enjoyed it greatly.
@@ZeZwede it is still a fun and exciting experience. Holds up well
My only real complaint about this game is the various sub weapons from the original weren't included.
Could've made them work by holding up + B, just like Castlevania.
Otherwise, I love this almost as much as the original, I don't think it deserves the hate.
@@breandan3280 that’s a good callout. The items acquired engage automatically (mostly). That would’ve been a good feature to add.
What thou excels The battle of Olympus over Zelda is the coverart! I wanted it as a poster when I was a boy ^_^
I really have to play Battle of Olympus this year. Been recommended so many times
@@retronate Dont forget Star Force, please ^_^
@ if it’s in the US NES library, it’ll get covered at some point
@@retronate I think it is ;) Thanks!
Hey Nate, maybe do game facts or stats on the bottom left window?? Do you know UCBVG? Something like that.
@@godagon97 yeah his stuff is top tier. That all adds significantly to the editing process for me. There are times I might do one or two graphics like that, but generally to keep the schedule I’m aiming for I can’t.
I could probably go back and slowly add that stuff in to past vids though.
Hnnnggg, what I was waiting for.
@@MRSAUltraviolet just for you! This is a fun one