The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is a video game that consists of 2 releases

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The third installment in the Zelda series makes a return to the top-down 2D game play found in the first game. This time around, Link needs to travel between the light and dark world in order to set things straight in the kingdom of Hyrule.

Overview

Originally released in Japan in 1991, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past was released in North America and Europe in 1992 on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). This game featured the series trademark hero, Link, on a quest to save the Princess of Hyrule, Zelda, who had been kidnapped by the evil wizard Agahnim.

Plot

The story of Link to the Past follows a young boy named Link who is contacted by a princess named Zelda. After rescuing her from a wizard named Agahnim, Link sets out upon a quest to retrieve the Master Sword. With the Master Sword eventually in-hand, Link defeats Agahnim, but is subsequently teleported into the Dark World version of Hyrule. Once there, Link sets off to find and defeat Agahnim yet again, but must first find the seven descendants of the Seven Sages throughout temples in the Dark World. After freeing the descendants throughout the Dark World, Link does battle with the Agahnim, and upon defeating him finds Ganon where Agahnim's remains lie. The final battle against Ganon ensues.

Gameplay

A major concept in Link to the Past is that a dark version of everything in Hyrule exists in a realm known as the "Dark World". This world was once a Sacred Realm until Ganon arrived and used the Triforce to bend the realm to his will, covering the land with darkness and despair. Throughout the course of the game, Link must travel between the Light World and the Dark World in order to complete certain puzzles and progress through the game's story. Some areas of the Light and Dark worlds are identical, but others have minute differences that alter Link's ability to travel through them. At first, Link is transformed into a reflection of his inner self whenever entering the Dark World, which leaves him unable to use items or wield a sword and shield, but eventually he collects an item that allows him to maintain his form while traveling through the Dark World (much to the surprise of the world's natural inhabitants).

About half of the game takes place in the Light World. Link must win three pendants in order to obtain the Master Sword, as well as defeat Agahnim at the top of Hyrule Castle. Most of the second half of the game takes place in the Dark World, where Link must revisit the 7 temples which differ from their Light World counterparts significantly. While traversing the Dark World dungeons, it is sometimes necessary to travel to the Light World to manipulate an object, and then return to the Dark World where a consequence of that manipulation will allow Link to progress further. An example of this can be found when traversing the Dark World's water temple, as Link must first open two flood switches in the Light World's counterpart in order to allow him to venture further.

While this "parallel world" mechanic made it's first appearance in Link to the Past, it certainly wasn't the last Zelda game to use it. Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess both included the ability to travel between a parallel world, and many believe that this mechanic played a significant role in the success of each of these Zelda games.

Equipment

Sword
Shield
Armor
Pegasus Shoes
Power Glove
Titan's Mitt
Zora's Flippers
Moon Pearl

Items

Lantern
Boomerang
Bomb
Bottle
Bug Collecting Net
The Book of Mudora
Bow
Mushrooms
Magical Powder
Magical Mirror
Magic Hammer
Hook Shot
Shovel
Flute
Ice Rod
Fire Rod
Ether
Bombos
Quake
Staff of Somaria
Staff of Byrna
Magic Cape

Game Credits

Producer - Shigeru Miyamoto
Director - Takashi Tezuka
Executive Producer - Hiroshi Yamauchi
Script Writer - Kensuke Tanabe
Assitant Directors - Yasuhisa Yamamura
Assitant Directors - Yoichi Yamada
Screen Graphics & Object Designers - Soichiro Tomita
Screen Graphics & Object Designers - Takaya Imamura
Background Designers - Masanao Arimoto
Background Designers - Tsuyoshi Watanabe
Program Director - Toshihiko Nakago
Main Programmer - Yasunari Soejima
Object Programmer - Kazuaki Morita
Programmers - Tatsuo Nishiyama
Programmers - Yuichi Yamamoto
Programmers - Yoshihiro Nomoto
Programmers - Eiji Noto
Programmers - Satoru Takahata
Programmers - Toshio Iwawaki
Programmers - Shigehiro Kasamatsu
Programmers - Yasunari Nishida
Sound Composer - Koji Kondo
Coordinators - Keizo Kato
Coordinators - Takao Shimizu
Printed Artwork - Yoichi Kotabe
Printed Artwork - Hideki Fijii
Printed Artwork - Yoshiaki Koizumi
Printed Artwork - Yasuhiro Sakai
Printed Artwork - Tomoaki Kuroume
English Script Writers - Daniel Owsen
English Script Writers - Hiroyuki Yamada
German Script Writer - Susanne Pohlmann

General Information Edit

Game Name	The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Platform(s)	Game Boy Advance SNES Wii Shop Satellaview
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Developer(s)	Nintendo EAD
Genres	Add a new genre Action Adventure
Themes	Add a new theme Fantasy
Original US Release	Nov. 21, 1992 need a fuzzy date?
Original US Release	know the real date?
Aliases	Zelda III