Classic Games

The Legend of Zelda

A world to explore

Miyamoto's action-adventure masterpiece gave players an open world, battery-backed saves, and a sense of discovery that defined a genre.

NES action-adventurenintendones-essential 1986–2024

Overview

If Super Mario Bros. defined platform games, The Legend of Zelda invented action-adventure. Released in 1986 with the revolutionary Famicom Disk System (and later on battery-backed cartridges), it dropped players into Hyrule with minimal guidance and maximum freedom. Find the sword. Explore the world. Save the princess. How you did it was up to you.

Fast facts

  • Developer: Nintendo R&D4.
  • Director/Designer: Shigeru Miyamoto, Takashi Tezuka.
  • Release: February 1986 (Japan), August 1987 (North America).
  • Innovation: open-world exploration, battery-backed saves (no passwords), non-linear progression.
  • Gold cartridge: the distinctive gold NES cartridge signaled something special inside.
  • Second Quest: complete the game once, replay with remixed, harder dungeons.

The world

Hyrule was revolutionary in 1986:

  • Screen-by-screen map: 128 screens of overworld, each its own tableau.
  • Non-linear access: most areas reachable from the start if you could survive.
  • Secrets everywhere: bomb walls, burn bushes, push blocks—experimentation rewarded.
  • Day-one freedom: you could walk into high-level areas immediately. You’d die, but you could try.

The dungeons

Nine labyrinths held pieces of the Triforce:

  • Labyrinthine: genuinely maze-like, easy to get lost.
  • New items: each dungeon introduced tools (boomerang, bow, raft, ladder) that opened new paths.
  • Boss battles: climactic fights guarded each Triforce piece.
  • Order flexibility: some dungeons required items from others, but sequence-breaking was possible.

Design philosophy

Miyamoto drew on childhood memories of exploring caves near Kyoto:

  • Discovery: the game didn’t tell you where to go. You figured it out.
  • Player knowledge: learning the world was the real progression, not just stat increases.
  • Interconnection: items opened areas; knowledge opened possibilities.
  • Mystery: NPCs spoke cryptically. Secrets stayed secret until found.

Technical achievements

Zelda demanded more than typical NES games:

  • Battery backup: saved progress without passwords—a first for consoles.
  • Disk System origin: extra storage enabled the sprawling world.
  • Cartridge conversion: Western release used battery RAM, proving the technology viable.

Legacy

Zelda established the template for action-adventure games: items that unlock areas, dungeons with unique challenges, an interconnected world rewarding exploration. From Metroid to Dark Souls to Breath of the Wild, the genre traces back to that gold cartridge.

See also