The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

Story-

On a dark and stormy night, a young boy named Link is awakened by a telepathic message from a mysterious maiden called Zelda that she has been imprisoned inside of Hyrule castle by the dark wizard Agahnim. Armed with nothing more than a lantern, the clothes on his back and a heart full of courage, Link sets off to find the troubled girl and aid her in any way he can. Little does he know, a sinister plot has been set in motion to bring about the greatest evil the land of Hyrule has ever known and now only Link can stop it.

Overview-

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is the third installment in the Zelda franchise and a spiritual successor of sorts to the original Legend of Zelda in terms of gameplay and design. Just as before, you'll take control of Link and set off on an adventure to find and rescue the princess Zelda who has been captured and imprisoned inside of Hyrule castle (this time by the dark wizard Agahnim). The gameplay is similar to previous installments (utilize your sword and different items to defeat enemies, explore Hyrule to progress story, conquer dungeons and bosses, etc.) however this edition adds an all-new "light-world/dark-world" system that sees Link traveling back-and-forth between mirrored but altered versions of Hyrule which changes the layout of the map and opens up new pathways to traverse.

After obtaining the legendary Master Sword, you'll be tasked with rescuing the seven maidens (including Zelda) who have been trapped inside various dungeons within the dark world by Agahnim. As with previous entries in the series, each dungeon is filled with enemies and traps that must be navigated as well as locating the unique item found within which is needed for progression. Make your way through both versions of Hyrule and use the power of the rescued maidens to open up the pathway to the final labyrinth of the game and defeat the evil that lurks within in the last encounter to complete the game.

Critical Analysis-

• Gameplay: 5/5 (I love it)
  There's no denying A Link to the Past's contribution to the Zelda franchise as a whole with so many fun new mechanics that became series mainstays (such as collecting pieces of a heart container, throwing bombs, swimming, etc.). While the overall pathway is more linear than the original games adventure, the feeling of freedom to explore your surroundings is as good as it's ever been here especially when you pair it with the very interesting light world/dark world design that literally doubles the size of the map and adds many more potential hiding spots for all the elusive treasure chests lurking around Hyrule. As with most Zelda games, the gameplay in A Link to the Past alone is enough to warrant a must-play and we haven't even touched the other aspects yet but hang on for a sec... let's see what else this game's got in store!
• Controls: 5/5 (I love it)
  The controls feel great in A Link to the Past in every way which is nice considering all of the additional new items you'll be using as you plod your way through this dungeon destroying adventure. Whether grappling like Batman with the super-awesome hookshot (BOING!!!), picking off enemies from afar with the old faithful bow or landscaping the infestation of bushes in Hyrule with your trustee sword, the controls execute smoothly and respond in unison to your button presses at the speed of thought. Additionally, Link feels perfectly as you guide him from screen-to-screen and reacts as quickly to your commands as he ever has which means that you can't blame him (or the game) if you wander into any nearby holes.
• Music/Sound: 5/5 (I love it)
  No great Zelda game is complete without an awesome rating in the ear department and A Link to the Past delivers with a beautifully varied musical track combined with some of gaming's most memorable sound effects EVER. From the instantly nostalgic overworld theme to the regal sounding riffs in Hyrule castle, the music brings the most variety heard yet in a Zelda game and accompanies Link's adventure like a baked potato next to a perfectly cooked steak. The sound effects in A Link to the Past belong in the video game hall of fame (such as the always exciting jingle from finding a hidden object, the happy "sprinkle" sound from touching a fairy or the satisfying "pluck" noise your hammer makes when you pound down a stake just to name a few) and provide even more brain relaxation throughout your journey.
• Graphics: 5/5 (I love it)
  WOW does this game look amazing! While every other aspect mentioned previously has been rated at the top of the scale, it's the visuals of A Link to the Past that made the biggest jump when the series made its first release on a new generation console. From the highly-detailed sprites to the amazingly bright colors found in every corner of Hyrule, the graphics are absolutely magnificent and serve the eyes like a masterpiece at an art exposition!
• 'Tude Meter: MODERATE (Coolness not guaranteed)
  The 'Tude Meter rides the middle on this one and it's logical considering the light and dark worlds (makes sense I guess) and the differences that they represent. Additionally, the rating reflects the yin and yang of stabbing enemies in the face while also fretting around in a wooded brook with fairies which is always a deterrent from a maximum score. Link may be traveling between good and evil dimensions but unfortunately, we're playing in a moderately cool one (just like in real life... meh).

Final Verdict: 5/5 (Great game)

What a tremendous introduction into the 16-bit generation as The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past provides both a faithful reverence to the NES titles (top-down gameplay of the original/magic bar from the second) and innovative mechanics that would become franchise staples (collecting heart pieces, keeping items in bottles, etc.) showcasing exactly how a sequel is supposed to be done! Pretty much every aspect is perfect or near-perfect and the feeling of quality permeates at all times during your bush-whacking, chicken-chucking journey through Hyrule's 16-bit iteration. Besides A Link To The Past's tangible qualities though, its VAST reaching power to the masses was/is beyond measure and I cannot thank it enough for being able to persuade my mom into giving gaming a chance during her "don't-rot-your-brain-phase" which helped us bond in a special way. To this day, the very mention of A Link To The Past and we're both instantly transported back to the times when she would point at the screen and shout out orders to me in restrained frustration since she had absolutely no controller comprehension whatsoever but a fervent and admirable desire to see the quest to the end. It's memories like these that have seemed to correspond with my experience playing Zelda games (whether playing with friends or family) and quite frankly, I wouldn't trade em for all the Triforce triangles in the world!

Utilizing the magic mirror magnifying glass, only a few flaws are noticeable on this precious gem but they certainly do little to tarnish the shine any overall. My 2 biggest complaints center around comparisons to its predecessors, feeling a little less linear than the original (I mean you get full reign to the surrounding world but not at the beginning) and not quite as challenging as Adventure Of Link (the blue iron knuckles OWN just about anything here). Not to mention, many of the enemies look ridiculously G-rated (cower in fear to the evil jumping sack of french fries) which does little to instill any fear in your chances at overcoming them. Overall though, there's simply no denying the masterpiece that is A Link To The Past acting as a true cornerstone to not only the brand it's attached to and the console it's associated with but to video games as a whole brandishing all that's RIGHT within the medium. Now that's legendary!

Parting Thoughts-

• Pros-
  *Absolutely gorgeous graphics
  *Innovative light world/dark world design adds new layer of depth
  *Music and sound quality is top-notch
• Cons-
  *A little easier challenge from previous entries
  *Many enemies look harmless and dumb
  *Geez, how many faeries are in this game?

The 'Tude Dude's Bottom Line-

The first sequel in the venerable franchise to achieve unilateral popularity, The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past evolved the original's already pristine hack and slash formula to an even greater plateau utilizing the increased power of the Super Nintendo to sword-tempered perfection.

Thanks for reading!