History YMMV / ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink

* SophomoreSlump: When the game is retroactively seen as an OddballInTheSeries. It is by ''no'' means bad, but it did and still does stand out for lacking many of the series' conventions that were established in this game's [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaI predecessor]] and then codified with its [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast sequel]].

* SequelDifficultySpike: The dungeons are much easier to get lost in, and since there's no maps, you have to keep close track of where you are at all times. Death Mountain appears ''way'' [[DifficultySpike too soon]]. Fans of the series might not be prepared to [[LevelGrinding grind]] as much as the game requires. The lopsided, grueling combat takes much more finesse. The puzzles are, uh, not ''totally'' impossible; there are hints for ''most'' of them in the game itself.[[note]]Nintendo had a Hint Hotline in 1989 and it cost $2 per minute. Just food for thought.[[/note]] Even with [[{{UsefulNotes/Emulation}} save states]], you will find yourself constantly getting reckd: some of [[PlatformHell the platforming]] is just so intense and precise that you could lose a ton of lives just missing jumps.

** Girobokkus. Armored floating eyes that are only vulnerable when their eyes are open. They do a ''ridiculous'' amount of damage, their movement pattern is infuriatingly random, and if they close their eyes just before Link stabs them, it can send him ricocheting off them and into a lava pit or another Girobokku for massive damage.

* UnfortunateCharacterDesign: The Wizzrobe's new design looks alarmingly similar to a Ku Klux Klan member, complete with white robes, pointed hood and a red cross on its face.

** The game features the first instance of the three-triangle Triforce symbol in the series. This is seen at the very end of the credits in-game. The symbol also appears in the Japanese box-art both as a large symbol behind Link and as a smaller one on Link's hand. The manual artwork again depicts the symbol on Link's hand.

** The Japanese box art also features the first instance of the three-triangle Triforce symbol in the series, both as a large symbol behind Link and as a smaller one on Link's hand. The manual artwork again depicts the symbol on Link's hand. It would not appear in-game, however, until ''A Link to the Past''.

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: Although artwork depicts him in a less-than-positive light, the text itself only says that he immediately asked Zelda about the Triforce as soon as he learned that she knew anything, nothing more. It was the wizard's idea to threaten her, and when that happened, the prince actively tried to ''stop'' him.

** The Fokkeru enemies also found in the Great Palace. It's not that hard to avoid their fireballs and close in to attack, but once they hit the ground, those fireballs have a high chance of quickly doubling back and running right into you, and they ''hurt''. Fokkeru also take six hits to kill at Attack level 8, making it difficult to end them before their fire starts inevitably hitting you from behind.

* The Fokkeru enemies also found in the Great Palace. It's not that hard to avoid their fireballs and close in to attack, but once they hit the ground, those fireballs have a high chance of quickly doubling back and running right into you, and they ''hurt''. Fokkeru also take six hits to kill at Attack level 8, making it difficult to end them before their fire starts inevitably hitting you from behind.

** Thunderbird. Having to use a ''lot'' of magic for the Thunder Spell to start depleting its HP means that there won't be much magic left for the other spells, so the player will have to survive most of the battle by dodging the fireballs and attacking the boss's weak point-- Pretty hard to once you get about three hits in and it suddenly starts spewing out those fireballs like a fountain of pain, ''directly over'' the spot where you have to strike it.

** Thunderbird. Having to use a ''lot'' of magic for the Thunder Spell to start depleting its HP means that there won't be much magic left for the other spells, so the player will have to survive most of the battle by dodging the fireballs and attacking the boss's weak point-- Pretty hard to once you get about three hits in and it suddenly starts spewing out those fireballs like a fountain of pain ''directly'' over the spot you have to strike it.

** Thunderbird. Having to use a ''lot'' of magic for the Thunder Spell to start depleting its HP means that there won't be much magic left for the other spells, so the player will have to survive most of the battle by dodging the fireballs and attacking the boss's weak point-- Pretty hard to once you get about three hits in and it starts spewing out those fireballs like a broken fire hydrant.

** Thunderbird. Having to use a ''lot'' of magic for the Thunder Spell to start depleting its HP means that there won't be much magic left for the other spells, so the player will have to survive most of the battle by dodging the fireballs and attacking the boss's weak point.

* MemeticMutation:
** "I AM ERROR" [[labelnote:Explanation]]This is a line said by an [=NPC=] who apparently refers to themselves as "Error". This was intended to be a joke on the fact that there's a PaletteSwap of the character in the same game named Bagu, which means "bug" in Japanese. However, Bagu's name didn't get translated unlike Error's, whose original Japanese name is Erā, prompting a lot of confusion by English gamers.[[/labelnote]]
** [[KillItWithFire "IF ALL ELSE FAILS USE FIRE."]] [[labelnote:Explanation]]A line said by an [=NPC=] in Rauru, which became famous for how completely random it is.[[/labelnote]]
** GAME OVER. RETURN OF GANON.[[labelnote:Explanation]]The message that appears when you get a GameOver. And considering how difficult the game is, expect to see it ''a lot''.[[/labelnote]]

* UnfortunateCharacterDesign: The Wizzrobe's new design looks alarmingly similar to a Ku Klux Klan member, complete with white robes, pointed hood and a red cross on its face.

** At one point, Link rescues a lost child, whom he holds over his head in the same manner as all the other items he picks up. It makes for a rather amusing visual. A similar visual would appear [[VideoGame TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening two games later]] in the series.

** Volvagia appears as the boss of Three-Eyed Rock Palace. In American publications contemporary to Zelda II's original release, his name was misromanized as "Barba," but both the ''Zelda II'' boss and the ''Ocarina of Time'' boss have the same Japanese name, Varubajia. In fact, a lot of the lore in ''Ocarina of Time'' in general is a callback to ''Zelda II.''

** A lot of fans who discovered the series with ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Ocarina of Time]]'' are surprised to learn that ''this'' game was the first appearance of Dark Link and the names of the Sages plus Mido. Also, Volvagia appears as the boss of Three-Eyed Rock Palace (in American publications contemporary to Zelda II's original release, his name was misromanized as "Barba," but his Japanese name, even then, was Volvagia.) In fact, a lot of the lore in ''Ocarina of Time'' in general is a callback to Zelda II.

** At one point, Link rescues a lost child, whom he holds over his head in the same manner as all the other items he picks up. It makes for a rather amusing visual.

** A lot of fans who discovered the series with ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Ocarina of Time]]'' are surprised to learn that ''this'' game was the first appearance of Dark Link and the names of the Sages plus Mido. Also, Volvagia appears as the boss of Three-Eyed Rock Palace (in American publications contemporary to Zelda II's original release, his name was misromanized as "Barba," but his Japanese name, even then, was Volvagia.) In fact, a lot of the lore in Ocarina of Time in general is a callback to Zelda II.

** A lot of fans who discovered the series with ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Ocarina of Time]]'' are surprised to learn that ''this'' game was the first appearance of Dark Link and the names of the Sages plus Mido.

** The manual also features the first instance of the three-triangle Triforce symbol in the series, depicting it on Link's hand. It would not appear in-game, however, until ''A Link to the Past''.

* BreatherBoss:
** Assuming you know how to kill him, Carock is another, and if you have enough magic for the Shield spell, he goes from pretty easy to a complete joke.
** Ironically, Dark Link, the final boss, in the American and European versions, can be this if you use a fairly well known exploit against him - [[spoiler: the trick of positioning yourself in the far left corner on the arena. This trick will not work in the Japanese version]].