Zelda II: The Adventure of Link is an
action role-playing game that bears little resemblance to the
first or later entries in the
Legend of Zelda series. It features side-scrolling areas within a larger top-down world map, unlike the exclusively top-down perspective of the first game. The side-scrolling gameplay and experience system are similar to features of
Konami's
Castlevania series, especially ''
Castlevania II: Simon's Quest. The game incorporates a strategic combat system, a proximity continue system based on lives, an experience points system, magic spells, and more interaction with non-player characters. Apart from the non-canonical CD-i The Legend of Zelda
games, Link: The Faces of Evil
and Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon
, no other game in the series includes a lives feature. The side-scrolling perspective is used in a minor capacity in Link's Awakening'' and the other
Game Boy entries, while the top-down perspective still takes focus.
Experience levels In this installment, Link gains experience points to upgrade his Attack, Magic, and
Life attributes by defeating enemies. He can raise each of these attributes a maximum of seven levels above their starting point. A level increase for Attack, Magic, or Life will respectively increase the sword's offensive power, decrease the amount of magic needed to cast spells, and reduce the damage Link takes from enemy attacks. In the Western version of the game, each attribute requires a different amount of experience to level up, with Life requiring the fewest points to level and Attack requiring the most. When enough points are acquired to raise an attribute, the player may choose to level up that attribute or to cancel and continue gaining experience points towards the next level in another attribute. In the original Japanese version, all attributes require the same number of experience points to level up, and the required number is lower; however, if the player loses all lives, the levels of all attributes will be reset to the lowest of the three (while level upgrades in the Western version are permanent). Once Link has raised an attribute to the maximum level of eight, further advances in that attribute will earn Link an extra life, without advancing the attribute itself. Link begins the game with four Heart Containers and four Magic Containers and can acquire up to four more of each, permanently increasing his life points and magic points respectively. Other games in
The Legend of Zelda series only allow Link to increase his strength through new weapons, items, and Heart Containers. Certain enemies drain Link's experience when they attack, but he will never lose a level once raised. When a game ends or is saved, the cartridge records Link's current ability levels and the number of experience points required for the next increase but resets his accumulated points to zero.
Overworld map and side-scrolling The Adventure of Link has a dual-mode dynamic of top-down view and side-scrolling view. This duality of either traveling or entering combat is one of many aspects adapted from the
role-playing genre. The
overworld, the area where the majority of the action occurs in other
Zelda games, has a top-down perspective, but it now serves as a navigational map to the other areas. While traversing
Hyrule, figures randomly appear around the player: a small blob denoting easy enemies, a large biped denoting harder enemies, and a Fairy to refill Link's health. The game switches to side-scrolling mode when Link steps onto particular spots in the overworld map to enter towns, buildings, or caves, or when he encounters wandering monsters. This mode has most of the action and danger.
Combat system The Adventure of Link has a more complex combat system than its predecessor. Armed with a sword and shield, Link must alternate between standing and crouching positions to attack enemies and defend himself; for example, the Iron Knuckle enemy changes the height of its attack and its shield depending on Link's current stance, forcing Link to change stances until he has a chance to attack safely. Link has the ability to jump, which can be used for attacking tall or airborne enemies and can be used for evasion. Eventually, he can learn techniques for midair downward and upward stabs.
Magic and special items Though the
Zelda series is based on Link collecting
items in order to progress in the game, these special items grant abilities that either remain in permanent use for the rest of the game or can only be activated in the overworld. In place of actively used items,
The Adventure of Link features eight magic spells for Link to use during action scenes. Each spell is learned from a different wise man in one of the eight towns within Hyrule. Link often must complete
side-quests, such as retrieving lost items, before they will teach him their spells. Some spells and items are necessary for advancing in the game. The Life spell becomes the main means of recovering health during action scenes, because healing Fairies are rare.
Replay Like its predecessor,
The Adventure of Link allows storing up to three
game sessions in the cartridge's memory. Once the game has been completed, selecting the corresponding file in the main menu allows
starting a new game. This preserves the acquired experience levels, techniques, and magic spells. However, special items, Heart and Magic containers, or extra lives, are not retained; these must be obtained again. ==Plot==