Zelda II: The Adventure of Link - LeakyFaucet Review

"The Legend of Zelda" was a shocking experience for many gamers when it was first released back in the 80s, especially for North American console gamers. Its focus on exploration and progression was a big deal in an era when so many were still used single-screen games that essentially boiled down to just being tests of the player's reflexes. "Zelda II: The Adventure of Link" may have been a similarly shocking experience, albeit for different reasons. It's known for being the black sheep of the long-running franchise, and many fans tend to either love it or hate it. Despite being a horse of a different color, it also has a larger legacy than it's often given credit for. Of the big changes from the first, some of them actually did stick around as permanent additions to the formula, while others would resurface again at some point later down the line. Over the course of my life, I have seen this game's reputation change a little bit. In the early days of the internet, people were much more likely to hate on it or dismiss it as a failed experiment when compared to today. I guess more people have come around to giving it a fair shake and judging it on its own merits rather than simply play for five minutes and turn it off because it doesn't fit quite as neatly into the stack of "Zelda" games we've gotten since. This video is all about "Zelda II," its legacy, and how it stands on its own as a singular, revolutionary game, as well as about its place in the legendary franchise.

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All game footage in this review was captured using an OEM Nintendo Entertainment System console (NES-001 model), authentic "Zelda II: The Adventure of Link" game pak, and Elgato Game Capture HD.