History VideoGame / TheLegendOfZelda

* WideOpenSandbox: Quite possibly the UrExample.

* TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon: You know you're there: "Spectacle Rock" is the overground architecture in the first quest, the music is ''much'' creepier than that used in the first eight dungeons, there are much stronger enemies that only appear in Level 9 in either quest, and these levels are much more mazelike than their predecessors. In addition, if you don't have all eight Triforce pieces, a guardian awaits in the first room beyond the entrance with some gratuitous Engrish.
** [[AC: ONES WHO DOES NOT HAVE TRIFORCE CAN'T GO IN.]]

** On top of that, your nice, expensive Magic Shield was nastily prone to being eaten by Like Likes, monsters that resemble [[http://brawlinthefamily.keenspot.com/2009/05/08/160-pancakes/ a pile of evil pancakes.]]

** In both quests, there are old men who offer you a choice between a heart container or a red potion. You can buy red potions, you can't buy heart containers.

* CreepyCoolCrosses: All the tombstones in the graveyard have crosses on them, as do Link's shields and, oddly, the Magic Book. WordOfGod explains that the motif is caused by the fact that the original plan was to have Christianity as the main religion in Hyrule; the [[CrystalDragonJesus three goddesses]] weren't invented until after the two NES games were released.
** The Magic Book's cross is only odd in the states; the tome is explicitly a Bible in the Japanese version.
*** One common suggestion is that religion has waned over the centuries and, with the land quite ravaged, the old Hylian religion was left behind in favor of a Christianity {{expy}}.

* AffectionateParody: ''{{The Legend of Neil}}''.

* BlindIdiotTranslation: To the point that it actually severely increases the difficulty of the game. To name perhaps the most infamous example, a message revealing the location of the Magic Key in the first quest's eighth dungeon got rendered as "10th enemy has the bomb". Needless to say, a lot of the trial-and-error aspects of the game would have been averted if the messages had been rendered properly, and indeed Japanese speakers who played the Japanese version have traditionally cited the enemies as being the primary reason for the game's NintendoHard difficulty, rather than the difficulty of finding dungeon entrances and hidden treasures.

The story, as told through an {{Engrish}}-filled opening title scroll (though revised in later rereleases), is that the evil Ganon had stolen the Triforce of Power, and captured Princess Zelda, holder of the Triforce of Wisdom. However, to keep the Triforce from falling into Ganon's hands she had split it into 8 pieces and hid them in the eight dungeons across Hyrule. Link, the hero, must gather the 8 pieces, allowing him to enter Ganon's lair, defeat him, claim the Triforce of Power, and SaveThePrincess. Unlike the later games, there was little character interaction other than the vague hints given by various old men, and not much in the way of sidequests. There weren't even Pieces of Heart - instead, full {{Heart Container}}s were found around the map.

Not to be confused with [[ZeldaClassic Zelda Classic]]

* AdamSmithHatesYourGuts: Especially bad since you can only hold [[PowersOfTwoMinusOne 255]] rupees in this game, and it takes some serious exploring to find the best deal on the magic shield.
** Not to mention the Blue Ring costs 250 rupees. Granted, it is an arguably more optional item than even the magic shield.
** On top of that, your nice, expensive Magic Shield was nastily prone to being eaten by Like Likes, monsters that resemble [[http://brawlinthefamily.keenspot.com/2009/05/08/160-pancakes/ a pile of evil pancakes.]]
* AffectionateParody: ''{{The Legend of Neil}}''.
* AnimatedAdaptation: The [[WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfZelda cartoon]] was primarily based on this, with elements of ''VideoGame/ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink''.
* BatOutOfHell: Vire and Keese.
* BlackoutBasement: Starts and is most prevalent in Level 4 of the first quest, where nearly every room is pitch black. However, Level 5 is a close runner-up. In later dungeons it becomes more of a random gimmick.
* BlindIdiotTranslation: To the point that it actually severely increases the difficulty of the game. To name perhaps the most infamous example, a message revealing the location of the Magic Key in the first quest's eighth dungeon got rendered as "10th enemy has the bomb". Needless to say, a lot of the trial-and-error aspects of the game would have been averted if the messages had been rendered properly, and indeed Japanese speakers who played the Japanese version have traditionally cited the enemies as being the primary reason for the game's NintendoHard difficulty, rather than the difficulty of finding dungeon entrances and hidden treasures.
* BoldInflation: The intro scroll.
* BossInMookClothing: Darknuts.
* ClassicCheatCode: Naming your saved game ZELDA (or at least ''starting'' the name with ZELDA) starts you off on the second quest.
** Pressing Up+ A on the player 2 controller takes you to the [=Continue/Save/Retry=] screen immediately, so you can save without having to die.
* ComicBookAdaptation: The ValiantComics [[ComicBook/TheLegendOfZelda series]] authorized by Nintendo was based on this and ''ZeldaII''.
* ConvectionSchmonvection: Every dungeon located on DeathMountain in the first quest has lava in place of water. Not only is Link unaffected by it, but he can also cross narrow flows of it with a wooden ladder. It gets better: [[LavaIsBoilingKoolAid The lava is completely invisible in the dark.]]
* CreepyCoolCrosses: All the tombstones in the graveyard have crosses on them, as do Link's shields and, oddly, the Magic Book. WordOfGod explains that the motif is caused by the fact that the original plan was to have Christianity as the main religion in Hyrule; the [[CrystalDragonJesus three goddesses]] weren't invented until after the two NES games were released.

* DamageDiscrimination: Played straight with Bombs, averted with the Candles and [[strike:Bible]] "Book of Magic"-enhanced Magic Wand.
* DeathMountain: The TropeNamer.
* DenialOfDiagonalAttack: Link is only able to move in four directions and his main attack is a straight-forward stab, which makes it difficult to attack things that you'd rather not be standing directly in front of.
** With a little finesse, you can throw the boomerang diagonally, but that's it.
* DiscOneNuke: If you know where to look, are somewhat good at evasion, and willing to grind rupees for a few minutes, it is possible to get three of the five overworld [[HeartContainer Heart Containers]] and therefore the [[InfinityMinusOneSword White Sword]], ''and'' the Blue Ring before entering the very first dungeon in the first quest. The three extra hearts and the White Sword can easily be gotten quickly and will allow you to breeze thru at least the first half of the game, but the ring is ''very'' expensive at 250 rupees (5 away from the maximum) and thus requires more time spent finding hidden rooms in the overworld for larger caches of Rupees if you want to buy it quickly (and without savescumming or rupee-farming), but it is also a major boon to have itself. (You can also manipulate the money-making game with SaveScumming, which will greatly cut down on the time necessary to farm rupees).
** It's also possible to get the Magic Key in the first quest with the treasure from just one dungeon, namely the bow. Granted, it's rather ''difficult'', but doing this makes the rest of the quest a breeze.
* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: Rather minor since it isn't explicitly mentioned in the game itself, but as mentioned above, the crosses are because Christianity was supposed to be Hyrule's religion; the mythology of the Golden Goddesses came later. A less minor example is the fact that there are no NPC-filled towns and [=NPCs=] are rather rare; oddly enough this was rectified in [[ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink the next game]], which is generally considered to be the OddballInTheSeries.

* EmptyRoomPsych: While most levels were fairly straightforward, the ninth dungeon and several second quest dungeons tended to feature these.
* ExactWords: One of the old ladies in the cave says "Pay me and I'll talk". So, you give her a good chunk of rupees, hoping for some great information about what to do next... and she says "Boy, you're rich." Well, she ''did'' say that she would talk if you gave her money...

* FlashOfPain: Both Link and the enemies, when hit.
* FlipScreenScrolling

* GiantEyeOfDoom: Tektites, Digdogger, and ''especially'' Gohma and Patra.
* GiveMeYourInventoryItem: [[AC: GRUMBLE, GRUMBLE...]]
** [[AC: LEAVE YOUR LIFE OR MONEY.]]
* GoForTheEye: Again, Gohma and Patra.

* GrowlingGut: The abovementioned "Grumble, Grumble..." screen. "Grumble, Grumble" is the noise the Goriya's stomach is making.
* GuideDangIt: Try to get through the second quest without looking at a map. Just try. You'll probably get to about Level 3 before giving in.
* HeartContainer: The TropeNamer.
* HereThereWereDragons: Unlike later games, magic (while it does show up) doesn't play a large role. The artbook ''Hyrule Historia'' officially calls the NES games "The Era of Hyrule's Decline".
* HeroesWantRedheads: The sprite and artwork of Princess Zelda are shown with red/brown hair.
* InstantAwesomeJustAddDragons: Multi-headed dragons (Gleeoks) as bosses.

* InterchangeableAntimatterKeys: Used to a higher degree here than in any other title in the series. Not only would keys transfer over from dungeon to dungeon, but you could even buy extras if you somehow managed to fluff the puppy and run out.
** There was also a "Magical Key" that left off the "antimatter" part.
* InvincibleMinorMinion: "Bubbles" were flaming skulls that disable Link's ability to use a sword for awhile. There was absolutely no way to kill them. This was even worse in the Second Quest, where two new versions were added -- a red one which took away the sword ability completely, and a blue one which restored it. Touching the first required touching the second, which was sometimes in a completely different ''room''.
* KidHero: According to the [[AllThereInTheManual Hyrule Historia]], this incarnation of Link is only ten years old.
* KillItWithFire: The Candle, and the Magic Wand after you find the Magic Book.
* {{Knockback}}: Both with Link and the enemies, some of which are [[PunchedAcrossTheRoom sent flying all the way across the screen]]. Link can actually get knocked back into another enemy and take more damage.
* LawOfChromaticSuperiority: If a monster has a red or orange version and a blue version, the blue version is generally tougher. The only exception is the blue bubbles, which are far less annoying than the red versions.
* LostForever: In the second quest, some of the old men in the dungeons ask for 50 rupees, and if you don't have that you must give up a HeartContainer. Not as in one unit of health, we mean ''one heart of your life capacity.''[[hottip:*:Of course, you can attack the old man and wait for the resulting fireballs from his flames to kill you instead.]]

* MacGuffin: The pieces of the Triforce.
* ManEatingPlant: Peahat, Manhandla, and (arguably) Leever.
* TheMaze: Two of them - TheLostWoods and the Lost Hills.

** Arguably, Level 9 in both quests, and the majority of the labyrinths in the second.
* NewGamePlus: As was not uncommon in those days, there is a "second quest" with a remixed [[NintendoHard extra-hard]] layout.
* NintendoHard: Only somewhat more forgiving than the second game. Focusing more on combat than puzzles, this is the hardest of the standard style games. If you started on the later games, it even combines with SurpriseDifficulty.
* NoSwastikas: Averted, as the third dungeon in the first quest forms a manji symbol. Even WebVideo/TheAngryVideoGameNerd lampshades this as he calls it a swastika at the beginning of his review for ''ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink''.
* {{Oculothorax}}: You'd never guess this from the game itself, but [[http://zelda.wikia.com/wiki/Digdogger_%28The_Legend_of_Zelda%29 Digdogger]] (who hates a certain kind of sound) is one of these.

* PyroManiac: Link has always had a thing for bombs, and this is the only game in the series that requires you to start several forest fires in order to progress.
* RainbowSpeak: The intro.

* SaveGameLimits: Sort of. Unless you know the Player Up+ A code, the only way to save is to die. In the VirtualConsole version, this doesn't even work... for some reason, the VirtualConsole re-release is ported from the ''GameBoyAdvance re-release'', which doesn't even begin to make sense.
* SchizophrenicDifficulty: The game hits a major difficulty spike about halfway through the first quest with the introduction of tough enemies such as Wizzrobes and Darknuts. The beginning of the second quest is even harder, as you must deal with such enemies much earlier on and with less equipment/life at your disposal. The difficulty rapidly subsides as you near the end of the second quest, however, as you continue to get stronger while the game's challenge begins to come more from increasingly complex/confusing dungeon layouts than from strong enemies (whom you see less of at this point than you did in the first quest).
* SelfImposedChallenge: A number of players have worked out how to get through the entire game (except for the final boss) without using a sword.

* SequentialBoss: Level 6 in the second quest ends with a battle against Manhandla in the room immediately before Gohma at the end of the level.
* SpellBook: It's not necessary for Link to be able to use the Magic Wand, but it does make his shots [[KillItWithFire burst into flames]]. Ironically, this actually ''weakens'' the power of the wand, as enemies who would be injured by the magic but are impervious to fire stop being affected by wand shots. Many GenreSavvy players don't bother picking up the book, since it's not a required item for anything, just so they can keep using magic.
* StockSoundEffects: Aquamentus, Gleeok, and Ganon all use a pterodactyl roar lifted straight out of a HannaBarbera cartoon, just in low-quality (and low pitch.) Something similar may also apply to the noise made by Manhandla, Digdogger, and Patra.
* SwordBeam: If your life meter is filled to maximum capacity, you can fire these at distant enemies.
** Notable because the beam, unlike many later ''Zelda'' titles, carries the same power level as the blade itself. Needless to say, getting the Magical Sword as early as possible is a major boon; even the White Sword is an improvement.

* UnfortunateName: Seriously, ''Manhandla''?

* WallMaster: The TropeNamer.

Both the original adventure and the "second quest" would eventually be remade as ''BS-Zelda'', an enhanced version for a satellite-based Super Famicom add-on, and the game was also re-released five times afterwards: as a hidden NES game (which only ended up being available through hacking) in ''AnimalCrossing'', on the ''Collector's Edition'' bonus disc for the NintendoGameCube[[note]]alongside ''[[VideoGame/ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink Zelda II]]'', ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Ocarina of Time]]'', ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask Majora's Mask]]'', and a demo version of ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker Wind Waker]]''[[/note]], as a part of the Game Boy Advance Classic NES Series, on the VirtualConsole, and as part of the 3DS Ambassador Program. It is also present on ''SuperSmashBros Brawl'' as unlockable content, one of the "classic games" made available by completing a specific challenge; however, once the game is started, the player only has a limited amount of time to 'sample' the gameplay.

The story, as told through an {{Engrish}}-filled opening title scroll (though revised in the ''Collector's Edition'', GBA rereleases, and Wii Virtual Console; all based on the Japanese cartridge re-release), is that the evil Ganon had stolen the Triforce of Power, and captured Princess Zelda, holder of the Triforce of Wisdom. However, to keep the Triforce from falling into Ganon's hands she had split it into 8 pieces and hid them in the eight dungeons across Hyrule. Link, the hero, must gather the 8 pieces, allowing him to enter Ganon's lair, defeat him, claim the Triforce of Power, and SaveThePrincess. Unlike the later games, there was little character interaction other than the vague hints given by various old men, and not much in the way of sidequests. There weren't even Pieces of Heart - instead, full {{Heart Container}}s were found around the map.

Both the original adventure and the "second quest" would eventually be remade as ''BS-Zelda'', an enhanced version for a satellite-based Super Famicom add-on, and the game was also re-released five times afterwards: as a hidden NES game (which only ended up being available through hacking) in ''AnimalCrossing'', on the ''Collector's Edition'' bonus disc for the NintendoGameCube[[note]]alongside ''[[VideoGame/ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink Zelda II]]'', ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Ocarina of Time]]'', ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask Majora's Mask]]'', and a demo version of [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker Wind Waker]]''[[/note]], as a part of the Game Boy Advance Classic NES Series, on the VirtualConsole, and as part of the 3DS Ambassador Program. It is also present on ''SuperSmashBros Brawl'' as unlockable content, one of the "classic games" made available by completing a specific challenge; however, once the game is started, the player only has a limited amount of time to 'sample' the gameplay.

Both the original adventure and the "second quest" would eventually be remade as ''BS-Zelda'', an enhanced version for a satellite-based Super Famicom add-on, and the game was also re-released five times afterwards: as a hidden NES game (which only ended up being available through hacking) in ''AnimalCrossing'', on the ''Collector's Edition'' bonus disc for the NintendoGameCube[[note]]alongside ''[[VideoGame/ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink Zelda II]]'', ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Ocarina of Time]]'', and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask Majora's Mask]]''[[/note]], as a part of the Game Boy Advance Classic NES Series, on the VirtualConsole, and as part of the 3DS Ambassador Program. It is also present on ''SuperSmashBros Brawl'' as unlockable content, one of the "classic games" made available by completing a specific challenge; however, once the game is started, the player only has a limited amount of time to 'sample' the gameplay.

Both the original adventure and the "second quest" would eventually be remade as ''BS-Zelda'', an enhanced version for a satellite-based Super Famicom add-on, and the game was also re-released five times afterwards: as a hidden NES game (which only ended up being available through hacking) in ''AnimalCrossing'', on the ''Collector's Edition'' bonus disc, as a part of the Game Boy Advance Classic NES Series, on the VirtualConsole, and as part of the 3DS Ambassador Program. It is also present on ''SuperSmashBros Brawl'' as unlockable content, one of the "classic games" made available by completing a specific challenge; however, once the game is started, the player only has a limited amount of time to 'sample' the gameplay.

* GoodBadBugs: Entering and immediately exiting the first dungeon will somehow open the first locked door, netting you an extra key. This glitch was fixed in the Gamecube edition but left intact in the GBA re-release.

-->''MANY YEARS AGO PRINCE DARKNESS [[color:red:"GA[[GannonBanned N]]NON"]] STOLE ONE OF THE [[color:cyan:TRIFORCE]] WITH POWER. PRINCESS [[color:red:ZELDA]] HAD ONE OF THE [[color:cyan:TRIFORCE]] WITH WISDOM. SHE DIVIDED IT INTO "[[color:cyan:8]]" UNITS TO HIDE IT FROM [[color:red:"GA[[GannonBanned N]]NON"]] BEFORE SHE WAS CAPTURED.''

* VideoGameCrueltyPunishment: Attacking the old men usually triggers them to respond by having their campfires shoot fireballs at you until you went away.
** But only if you encountered them in the dungeons. The ones in caves would do nothing, nor would they even give any indication of being hurt.

* AnimatedAdaptation: The [[Animated/TheLegendOfZelda cartoon]] was primarily based on this, with elements of ''ZeldaII''.

* BreatherLevel: Level 7 in the first quest, Level 8 in the second.

* DegradedBoss: Gohma, Manhandla, Dodongo, and Digdogger become somewhat common enemies. All but Manhandla are actually stronger than the boss versions:
** Dodongo comes in sets of three in most subsequent encounters.
** Digdogger splits into three mini-Digdoggers starting with Level 7 in the first quest.
** Gohma takes three hits instead of one in all encounters with him after your first (see also "Law of Chromatic Superiority" below).
** Gleeok makes a single non-boss appearance, at which point he has three heads instead of two (although you have to fight a ''four''-headed version as an actual boss even later on).

** [[TheLegendOfZeldaCDiGames "I WON!"]]

* NoSwastikas: Averted, as the third dungeon in the first quest forms a manji symbol. Even WebOriginal/TheAngryVideoGameNerd lampshades this as he calls it a swastika at the beginning of his review for ''ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink''.

* TalkingWithSigns: As Link is a HeroicMime in the series proper, perhaps this is the only way he could truly talk. He holds up sign "[[ReadTheFreakingManual PLEASE LOOK UP THE MANUAL FOR DETAILS]]" in the opening scroll.

* UnfortunateName: Seriously, ''Manhandla''?

* {{Unwinnable}}: In a way, possible in the second quest. Several rooms have all their doors slam shut until you defeat all of the non-Bubble enemies in them. If you get tagged by one of the red Bubbles (which remove your ability to use a sword until you touch a blue Bubble) in such a room without a blue Bubble, then you're down to whatever subweapons you have on hand. It's quite possible to be out of uses (if you haven't gotten unlimited-use ones like the wand or the red candle yet) and stuck in the room. Fortunately, you can just quit and retry even should all those conditions apply.
* UselessUsefulSpell: Part of what makes the second quest so difficult is that certain "useless" items get a lot more mileage on their next go around, as they become essential to finding many helpful power-ups. The [[GuideDangIt only indication you receive of this]] is finding said items much earlier in the game than before.
* VideoGameCrueltyPunishment: Attacking the old men usually triggers them to respond by having their campfires shoot fireballs at you until you went away.
** But only if you encountered them in the dungeons. The ones in caves would do nothing, nor would they even give any indication of being hurt.
* VillainForgotToLevelGrind: In the first quest, Aquamentus, boss of level one, returns as the boss of [[BreatherLevel level seven]] with no improvements whatsoever. Two hits is all it takes and the Magic Shield can block its beams.
** Averted in the second quest with originally weak enemies such as Stalfos, who can now throw swords, and the Rope snakes, who now take more hits (and flash).
* WallMaster: The TropeNamer.
* WarpWhistle: The Whistle. Link can also use the Power Bracelet to access {{Warp Zone}}s between four areas.
* WideOpenSandbox: Quite possibly the UrExample.
* AWinnerIsYou: "THANKS LINK, YOU'RE THE HERO OF HYRULE."

* {{Knockback}}: Both with Link and the enemies, some of which are sent flying all the way across the screen. Link can actually get knocked back into another enemy and take more damage.

* LostForever: In the second quest, some of the old men in the dungeons ask for 50 rupees, and if you don't have that you must give up a HeartContainer. Not as in one unit of health, we mean ''one heart of your life capacity.''

* UnfortunateCharacterDesign: Both Link and Ganon have odd sprites. Link's eyes, particularly, look like weird little dots.
** Also, the Octoroks and their big sucker mouths...don't think about where those things could go...