Zelda II: The Adventure of Link

Every great series has its black sheep, and in Zelda's case it is, without question, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. After the triumph of the first installment, Nintendo did something unexpected: it took the successful formula and threw it out the window. Instead of the top-down view we get a side-scrolling platformer with RPG elements, and the result still splits fans into two irreconcilable camps to this day.

When you appear in the side view, Zelda II offers surprising depth. You collect experience, raise levels, learn spells and gain extra lives. Combat demands precise blocks and high or low strikes, so fencing with enemies takes on an unexpectedly tactical flavor. Between the action sequences you return to the top-down map and pass through towns where you gather advice and magic.

And then there is the difficulty. Zelda II is demanding to the point of ruthless — enemies punish mistakes harshly, the dungeons are treacherous, and the final challenges will test even seasoned players. It is precisely this uncompromising nature that is the reason the game earned both stubborn detractors and a devoted base that considers it an underrated gem.

From a historical perspective it is fascinating how much of this detour the series eventually took back. Magic, towns and deeper RPG elements returned in various forms in later installments, even if the platformer format itself never got a second chance in the main line. Zelda II thus remains a unique experiment.

Today it is a title for the brave and the curious — for those who want to know the series in all its breadth and aren't afraid of a challenge that gives no quarter. It may be the black sheep, but it is an unforgettable black sheep.

Why play: For a fascinating and demanding experiment that shows a completely different face of Zelda — a platformer with an RPG soul, one the series never repeated.