I’m diving into all the Zelda games I missed, including the original Zelda and its sequel, Adventure of Link. After completing the first game, I jumped right into Adventure of Link, and while I enjoyed the platforming initially, I hit a wall with the enemies in the first dungeon. When facing the first skeleton enemy, I struggled to get the hang of how to attack effectively, and then I encountered knights that alternate between high and low attacks. I learned to crouch for low attacks and stand for high ones, but my reactions were a mess, and I kept dying. I’ve heard this game is notorious for its difficulty, but I wasn’t prepared for its mechanical complexity. I love a challenge and have faced tough bosses in other games, so it’s frustrating not to grasp this core mechanic. I’m playing on the Switch through the NSO collection and relying on the save feature, but even that gets tiresome. Did anyone else find these combat mechanics really challenging at first, and does it get easier with time? I’ve taken a break from it to start Oracle of Ages, but I’d prefer not to skip Adventure of Link altogether.
2 Answers
This game is definitely tough, but the fun comes from mastering the enemy patterns. There’s a nice sense of accomplishment when you finally figure it all out!
It definitely requires a lot of practice, but the mechanics will click eventually. I first beat it when I was around 12 on the NES. A quick tip: use the d-pad instead of the joystick on the Switch for better input precision! Also, double-check for any lag if you’re playing on TV, it could mess you up. I like to boost my Attack skill early on; starting with 2 attack points in the first dungeon really helps speed things up later!
Can I choose what to upgrade? It prompts me for different upgrades, but it always stays on the last option. I thought it was showing the next upgrade.