In short, you need to play this game...

User Rating: 9.5 | The Legend of Zelda NES
Many gamers can pinpoint the exact moment they fell in love with video games. While the majority of them credit Super Mario Bros. for their initiation to the world of Nintendo, The Legend of Zelda is the game that showed them something different, as well as something that would keep them coming back for more.

An adventure so deep it couldn't be completed in one sitting, the first entry in the now immensely successful Zelda franchise introduced many new elements to home gaming consoles. An expansive map for the character to explore, a vast collection of items to use, open-ended gameplay with different possible strategies, as well as non-playable characters that helped guide the player through his journey.

Also, for the first time on a Nintendo system, a battery-backed memory could be used to save the game's progress. With a land vast enough to explore many times over, The Legend of Zelda sucked players into searching for those elusive hidden caverns and rupees in more than just one sitting.

The plot is simple, and common for that particular era of gaming. The hero, the diminutive Link, sets out on a quest to rescue the Princess of Hyrule, Zelda. Setting off with his wooden sword and shield, Link begins his quest by battling through a fierce hoard of enemies in the dark dungeons of the land. Before long, Link's itinerary has grown to include useful items, such as the boomerang and bow and arrow, among many others.

The music also added that immersive element so often missing from games of the time. The soundtrack, composed by Koji Kondo, fits perfectly with the rhythm the game takes. Whether it's the adventurous overworld theme or booming dungeon music, the player always feels like a part of the scenery.

While not a complicated game, The Legend of Zelda broke barriers that many tried to duplicate in coming years. It really boils down to this - if you've never played The Legend of Zelda, you need to. Now.