It does feel a bit dated, but that doesn't mean that it is any less fun than the 3-D Zeldas!
User Rating: 9 | Zelda no Densetsu: Kamigami no Triforce SNES
Zelda: A Link to the Past gives you a taste of what the series was like pre-Ocarina of Time. I'll admit, OOT was my first Zelda experience so I was a little curious as to whether or not I would like the older style of gameplay. As it turns out, I do! The game is in an isometric view similar to Super Mario RPG where the camera is not directly overhead, but somewhat off to the side, making it a lot easier to see what is going on around you. You use the sword and a variety of weapons that can be accessed by using start. Unlike the 3-D Zeldas, you can only use one of these weapons at a time as opposed to three. The dungeon setup is very similar to Ocarina of Time (and is probably where OOT got it's setup from). There are three dungeons in the light world and eight dungeons in the dark world, giving you a total of 11 dungeons. You also get a variety of upgrades throughout the game, including upgrades to you sword and shield. The shield use was probably the most disappointing part of the game, because you cannot use it to defend against direct attacks, only projectiles. The sword, however, can shoot out projectiles if you have full health, a trait I have not seen in any of the other Zelda games. The game is fairly difficult. I don't think I've ever had to use so many potions in a Zelda game before. Some of the normal enemies can hurt you up to three hearts later in the game. Ouch! Thankfully, you can get mail equipment to protect you against the damage, but this does not come until the final dungeons. If any of you newbies like me would like to see how an early Zelda game played, A Link to Past is definitely the place to start.
