Review of A Link to the Past

by DesertDweller

So as always I've been playing through the Zelda games.  I'm currently almost finished with A Link to the Past.

Many think it's the best of the series

 

I've heard that it's the opinion of most Zelda fans that A Link to the Past is the best Zelda game of the series (and if not, then it's second to Ocarina of Time).  While this may be the case with the majority of people, it wasn't quite with me.  Nevertheless this is an excellent game that I think was almost certainly the best of its time.

The world for ALttP took on a view similar to the original Zelda, but more at an angle, pokemon style.  Link was fitted with an absolutely adorable sprite and animation set, making this version of Link win the Cutest Link Award in my book. :)  It was just too much fun to run around, especially with the Pegasus Boots, and zoom into random walls, jump off cliffs, and the like.  Just as cute is Link's rabbit sprite character.  A+ on Link's art. :P

ALttP also introduced a lot of the enemies better known by those who have played the less ancient Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Wind Waker, and I assume Twilight Princess but I haven't played it so I can't say.  It was almost funny to realize while playing some new enemies that they were the same as ones I remember from Wind Waker.  It was almost humiliating when my brother, who has little interest in playing the Zelda series but watches me occasionally, could tell me how to beat the Stalfos after I had already died wondering why my sword wasn't working. :S

Furthermore ALttP had a gigantic world.  Even after you thought you had explored everything, eventually you get to explore the parallel Dark World, in which most everything exists but in different states, so some things are accessible that were inaccessible in the original Light World, or different enemies are encoutered, or people are located in different shops.  There were so many different things to do in this game if you got bored of the dungeons for whatever reason.

 

Light World Map - It's bigger then it looks!

 

Finally, another aspect unique to the Zelda series that I found well done in ALttP is the management of rupees.  You actually needed them occasionally!  This is both a combination of difficult gameplay that required potions more potent than a meager faerie, and of well-thought-out plot lines that forced Link to choke up a couple of rupees occasionally, such as the fortune-teller who gives Link advice about what to do next for a small fee.

One thing I absolutely loved about this game was that the enemies were more predictable, and I mean that in a good way.  While the game wasn't quite as hard as the Adventure of Link, when you did die it was entirely your fault.  There was no question as to why the enemies moved one way or another, if you were going to die you actually knew it a few seconds in advance.  No random guys appearing out of absolutely nowhere (except for the green foot soldiers hiding in blades of grass...that was weird o_0).

One disappointment for me was the game's soundtrack.  Most of the tracks were kinda meh, only a few I would actually listen to without playing the game.  While the sound quality is better than the original Zelda or the Adventure of Link, I think the tunes of the first two, particularly AoL's Battle, Title, and Overworld themes, were better done than those of ALttP.  And because I'm so big on music, that cost this game big points. :(

The main reason I didn't like this game, however, is the story itself.  Now, before I go on, let me say that this is considered to be one of the better stories in the Zelda game, and it certainly was an improvement on the first two. (which had lame cliche' storylines).  Unfortunately ALttP too had what I consider to be a typical storyline (was all new and exciting back when it was made though!).  I guess it, along with the Ocarina of Time, have what is considered to be the main Legend of Zelda plot, with the ultimate defeat of Ganon in his most wicked form and whatnot.  Somehow, for some reason, that's not what I like in a game.  I much prefer the more emotional Wind Waker, which concerns itself a lot with WHY Ganondorf did what he did, or the plot-rich Majora's Mask, which concerns itself a TON with each individual character's story and purpose in the game.  For the story alone I can't rank this game as high as it would otherwise be. :(

Yes, there is treasure inside your house!

 

Great game anyway.  I can see why people like it so much, the story just wasn't my type though.

Off to Link's Awakening,

Desert

 

Ooh, time for the spiffy scoring system!!!

• Gameplay: 9/10 - Excellent, one of my favorites of the Zelda series
• Graphics: 10/10 - Especially Link, great given it's time period

• Music + SFX: 3/10 - Ack!  how horrible!  Why was my favorite the Guessing Game House!?

• Story: 5/10 - Me no likey compared to the others

• Originality + Immersion: 7/10 - Brought a lot of new things to the table
• Total score: 34/50

Yes I am a hard grader.  You're probably lucky I don't grade your math papers. ;)

Word to the wise: After beating the final boss, don't fall off to the side into the pit thinking when you come back Ganon will be as dead as he was thirty seconds ago.  You'll come back disappointed.  :(

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