***************************************************************** * This is an out-take from the book BEYOND THE NINTENDO MASTERS,* * recently published by Hayden Books and written by Clayton * * Walnum and Andy Eddy. BEYOND THE NINTENDO MASTERS is an * * advanced strategy guide, which covers 17 games for the NES * * from beginning to end. A must-have for the serious gamer! * * BEYOND THE NINTENDO MASTERS is available at your local book- * * store, or you can order your copy for $9.95 plus $2.00 Postage* * and handling from Taylor Ridge Books, P.O. Box 48, Manchester,* * CT 06040. CT residents must include 8% sales tax. * * * * This text is copyright 1990 by Clayton Walnum. It may not be * * distributed or duplicated without written permission of the * * author. This chapter is currently unpublished, having been * * removed from BEYOND THE NINTENDO MASTERS for space reasons. * ***************************************************************** THE LEGEND OF ZELDA Link watched from his hiding place in the trees as the small band of goblins laughed and snorted, slapping each other on the back and hopping about with glee. Their captive, a young girl, lay on the ground, covering her face with her hands and sobbing hysterically. The largest goblin--Link saw that he was the leader-- squatted beside the girl. "Did you really think you could outrun us, Impa?" the goblin said. "Did you really?" There was another round of hooting and stomping. When the merriment died, the goblin motioned to one of his soldiers. "Tie her up, Grog. Ganon has business with this one." One of the other goblins moved toward Impa, rope in hand. Link unsheathed his sword. He didn't know whether he could defeat this band of blood-thirsty monsters, but he did know he couldn't stand by and watch the young girl taken captive. He took a deep breath and leaped from the trees. The goblins were too surprised to react in time. Link cut through them like lightning, killing half the creatures before they even reached for their swords. Those that remained, believing Link possessed by some horrible demon, ran howling into the woods. Impa looked up at him, stunned. She seemed unsure whether she had been rescued or had fallen into the hands of an even more ruthless enemy. He smiled and helped her up. "Are you all right?" She nodded and brushed her hair back from her face, looking at him warily. "Who...who are you?" Link introduced himself. Impa relaxed as he spoke, so he told her all about himself. As he talked, her expression changed from fear to curiosity to something Link couldn't quite identify. When Link finished, Impa looked at him silently, as if evaluating his story. Finally, she said "Have you ever heard of the triforce and an evil prince named Ganon?" Link shook his head. "Then let me tell you a story," Impa said. Company: Nintendo Type: Arcade adventure. Objective: To find the eight pieces of the Triforce of Wisdom, destroy Ganon, and save Princess Zelda. Organization: Your adventures take place in two settings: the overworld and the underworld. The overworld consists of 128 screens filled with deserts, mountains, forests, and lakes. The underworld is made up of many maze levels through which you must battle to find the various items required to complete the game. Creatures: Bad guys of special note are the level bosses Aquamentus, Dondongo, Manhandla, Gleeok, Digdogger, Gohma, and Ganon. Other creatures include gibdos, moldorms, goriyas, wizzrobes, darknuts, gels, and keese. Lots more, too. General Strategy: Explore the overworld, building your strength with hearts and looking for entrances to the underworld. While you're exploring, earn rubies by defeating Ganon's cohorts and use them to buy special equipment in the many shops scattered throughout the overworld. Complete the nine levels (the mazes of the underworld) in the proper order, making sure you've obtained the appropriate supplies before entering a maze. The Legend of Zelda is probably the most popular game ever released for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It's been around as long as the NES and is still a top seller, most likely due to its careful mix of discovery, adventure, and arcade action. That combination has proved irresistible to millions of Nintendo Master Gamers the world over. What? You haven't played Zelda? Then put your NES into pause mode, dash down to your nearest video game store, and buy a copy. Don't be surprised if they're sold out. GENERAL HINTS If there's one thing this game has no shortage of it's hidden entrances. They're everywhere, and to find them you must bomb walls, burn trees, push statues, slide stones, and kill enemies. You may get away with missing a few of these cleverly disguised doors, but if you overlook many, you'll never get a chance to show Ganon how tough you really are. Rule one: A door may be anywhere. When you begin your exploration of the overworld, immediately find one or two fairy pools. Fairies will heal you. The water of life, a magical fluid that can be bought from an old woman, is another way to restore your life. Unfortunately, at the beginning of the game, this wonderful concoction is unavailable. In order to buy the water of life, get a letter and bring it to an old woman. As already mentioned, full heart containers mean life for Link. Wouldn't it be wild to have more than the three with which you start? You can! As a matter of fact, you can have (and will eventually need) 16 of them. You earn a new heart container for each underworld level completed; however, you can find five other heart containers in the overworld, although some are accessible only after certain levels are completed. Some advice: whenever you're given a choice between water of life and a heart container, take the container. When in an underworld maze, you may get a special prize by destroying all of the creatures in a room. This prize could be a key, a weapon, a heart, a fairy, or an exit. This is true, however, only in specific rooms. Some rooms will give you nothing for your trouble. Since at first you won't know which room falls into which category, kill every enemy in each room you enter. Finally, every underworld level contains a map and a compass. All you have to do is find them. The map is extremely useful since it will help you locate bomb-susceptible walls, as well as hidden rooms. The compass shows the location of that level's piece of the triforce. LEVEL 1 The entrance to level 1 is in an overworld forest. Look for a tree with a cave. Remember that some items are obtained only by killing every enemy in a room and that some doors can be opened only by moving a block. Although you can access every room in this maze without resorting to bombs, shortcuts can be created by destroying walls. In the level 1 maze, find the wooden boomerang, the bow, and, of course, the first piece of the Triforce. Before you're awarded the latter, however, you must defeat Aquamentus, the level 1 boss. This fire-breathing unicorn-like dragon is a pathetic shot. If you stand in line with the doorway behind him, his fire will miss you. However, because Aquamentus is vulnerable only on his head, you must move from safety in order to shoot effectively. Take your shot quickly, then move back in line with the door. Repeat this procedure until Aquamentus is dead. If your hearts are partially depleted, leaving you unable to shoot, fight close up. LEVEL 2 The entrance to this maze is located in a mountain cave directly east of level 1. When you enter the maze, you'll discover several new types of creatures, each of which is anxious to chomp on your limbs, thump you with blunt objects, or otherwise make your explorations miserable. Here you'll tangle with your first ropes (poisonous snakes), goriyas (rat-like creatures that throw boomerangs), and moldorm (a big worm). Your objective, besides the second piece of the Triforce, is the magic boomerang. It's in a room guarded by four statues and a pack of goriyas. You can't fight statues, so don't bother. Concentrate on the goriyas, using bombs or your sword. When you've given them all a good lesson in combat, the boomerang will appear. Hint: You might want to get the second Triforce piece before taking on the boomerang room. Why? When you get the Triforce piece, you gain a heart container. Nothing makes you feel more secure in battle than a long line of red, thumping hearts, eh? The level 2 boss is a dinosaur named Dodongo. He doesn't care much for things that explode. Make him swallow two bombs, and the door leading to the Triforce piece will open. Yes! LEVEL 3 Level 3 lies in a southern mountain. Step through the door and--what's this? More unfamiliar creatures? You bet. The darknuts (knights), due to their blocking ability, are tough. A frontal assault is useless. You can attack them only from their unshielded side. Worse, it takes two hits to convince them to lie down and die. A good strategy for beating darknuts is to clobber them from behind a rock. They can't get to you, but your sword can get to them. If the battle gets too furious, hide in a doorway for a while. In addition to darknuts, watch out for bubbles, whose touch will leave any adventurer (including you) momentarily unable to draw his sword. The raft is hidden somewhere in the level 3 maze. Too bad the stairway leading to it is guarded by eight darknuts. Nervous? Me too. We can both relax if you just run for the stairway, fighting only when necessary. Got the raft? Whew, I feel better. How about you? Time to confront Manhandla, a man-eating flower that has the distinction of being the level 3 boss. Bombs work well here. Toss a couple his way; then collect the third Triforce piece. LEVEL 4 In the central region of the overworld, you'll find the cave that leads to level 4, the most challenging maze yet. If you have no candle, buy one before entering here. Some rooms in this maze are as dark as night. Two new creatures in this area are the vire, who change into two keese when you kill them, and the like like, tube monsters that eat your magic shield. Level 4 contains many secrets, including a hidden room filled with 10 gold rubies. Enter this room by bombing certain walls. Other secrets include hidden stairways that can be revealed by pushing blocks, and the ladder, which allows you to cross water areas. The ladder is necessary in order to enter some rooms in the level 4 maze, so find it pronto. The level 4 boss is a creature called Gleeok, a many-headed dragon, whose heads, when cut off, attack independently. Get in close and use your sword. At this point, Gleeok is the only obstacle between you and the fourth piece of the Triforce. LEVEL 5 To get to level 5, climb a waterfall found in the northeast region of the overworld. Then pass through four "rooms" to get to the entrance. When entering level 5, you should have the red water of life, as well as 100 rubies with which to buy bombs. Also, make sure you have purchased arrows and have enough rubies to use them. (The cost of arrows is deducted as they're fired.) Among the monsters here are the pols voices, ghost-like creatures with large ears. A few well-placed arrows will return them to the spirit world. A familiar enemy found in abundance in this maze is the darknuts. On this trip you'll face the blue variety, which are much tougher than their red cousins. Finally, dodongos await, so bring a load of bombs. In addition to the fifth piece of the Triforce, you'll find the whistle hidden in level 5. To get this instrument, you must fight many darknuts and find hidden stairways. Don't confront the level boss without the whistle. The boss is a digdogger, a giant sea urchin. He hates the sound of a whistle. When he hears it, he shrivels up into a small eye. Finish him off with a few arrows, then go collect the fifth Triforce piece. LEVEL 6 By now you should be a top-notch fighter, a master of the sword, bow, and boomerang. If you're not, forget level 6 until you get more practice. In this maze, located in the northwest, you'll face hordes of enemies, sometimes several types at once. One of the most treacherous is the wizzrobe, a magical creature that appears and disappears without warning and which sends rays of energy at unfortunate explorers. Wizzrobes can be dispatched with a sword but only when visible. The zol, jelly monsters that split in two when cut, are another new enemy in this dangerous dungeon. One objective in level 6 is the magic wand. With it you can attack like the wizzrobes, shooting waves of energy. Like most special items, it's tucked away in a hidden, underground room. Don't leave without it. Gohma, the boss for level 6, guards the sixth piece of the Triforce. Gohma is a giant crab whose only vulnerable area is his single eye. Because his eye constantly opens and closes, your timing, as well as your aim, must be true. Hide in the room's doorway until the eye is open, then zap him with an arrow. It'll take a couple of hits to close this creature's eye for good. LEVEL 7 What's that? You can't find level 7? Okay, here's a hint: find a lake that dries up when a whistle is played near it. (No one said a video game had to be logical.) You'll know the lake when you see it. It's a fairy pool without the fairy. To prepare for level 7, get the monster bait, the magic sword, some red medicine, a full supply of bombs, 100 rubies for buying additional bombs in the dungeon, and enough rubies to use your bow and arrow. Yeah, I know that's a lot of stuff. But, hey, you're a Nintendo Master Gamer, right? In this lengthy dungeon, plan to tango with some of your favorite monsters from past levels, including dodongos and digdoggers. There's also a bunch of bubbles here, so check your sword before you hurl yourself at an enemy. There's nothing worse than confronting a slavering beast only to find that your sword is stuck in its scabbard. What can you do? Apologize? The red candle, a more powerful light source than the blue candle, lies hidden in an underground room. Push blocks to reveal hidden stairways. Did you remember the monster bait? You'll need it to pass a guardian. Aquamentus is the boss man here. Fight him as you did before, standing out of line of his fire and shooting with your sword or wand. Now go get the seventh piece of the Triforce! LEVEL 8 The entrance to level 8 lies in a forest in the southeastern region of the overworld. Burn a tree to expose the stairway. Be prepared to take on a slew of tough enemies, including those darned darknuts. Red medicine is a must, since you'll see the business end of a sword more than a few times. Other enemies include the gibdos (mummy men), bubbles, and stone statues. Isn't this fun? There are two special items in this level: the magic key, whose power to open doors can never be exhausted, and the magic book, which gives your wand the power to shoot flames. Once your wand gets this power, be careful. The flames can harm you too. Gleeok is back, this time as boss of level 8. Use your sword on his four heads. In the next room is the final piece of the Triforce. You're cooking now! LEVEL 9 The level 9 labyrinth consists of 56 rooms. Needless to say, your explorations will be long and hard. You have three objectives here: the red ring, the silver arrows, and, of course, Ganon. One new creature here is Patra. His body is surrounded by an expanding and contracting ring of flying eyes. Approach the ring when it's small; then use your sword to take out the flying eyes. Once the ring is gone, destroy the center. After getting the red ring and the silver arrows, look for Ganon. When you find him, be prepared for a nerve-wracking battle. He's invisible most of the time. Poke around with your sword in order to expose him. When he becomes visible, attack with the silver arrows. Keep an eye on your hearts. If they get low, take medicine. When you've beat Ganon, move on to the next room and receive your congratulations. You've won... ...sort of. Did somebody say something about a second quest? THE SECOND QUEST Two games in one! No wonder The Legend of Zelda is as popular today as it was four years ago. In the second quest, the underworld mazes are radically different, with the rooms rearranged and the special items hidden in different places. In addition, the monsters are stronger and some have extra powers. For example, the stalfos can now throw swords. The overworld is changed, too. The entrances to each of the nine levels are found in different locations. Due to the similarity of the two quests, I'll give you only a brief overview of the second quest. Before tackling level 1, get the blue ring and a better shield. These two items are expensive, but, because level 1 is more difficult than before, you'll want the extra power. The entrance to level 1 is in the same place it was in the first quest. Enter; then find the wooden boomerang, Aquamentus, and the first piece of the Triforce. After completing level 1, search the overworld for the bracelet and the letter. When you have the letter, take it to an old woman and get the water of life. Shove a statue to expose the level 2 maze. Inside find an invisible door, the whistle, Gleeok, and the second piece of the Triforce. Under a lake where level 2 used to be, find the entrance to level 3. In this maze use the bait to get the blue boomerang. Also, beat a dodongo and win a heart. Then get the third piece of the Triforce. Push a rock to reveal the entrance to level 4. Bring 100 rubies for buying bombs, a bottle of medicine, and an extra 50 rubies to pay a thief. Find the raft and the magic book. Defeat a digdogger with your whistle and sword, and win another heart. Search for invisible doors. There's a lot of them. Level 5 is on an island which can be reached only with the raft. In the maze watch out for red bubbles, which take away your sword-fighting ability until you touch a blue bubble, meet a fairy, or drink the water of life. Nasty! Because the creatures here are very powerful, run through some rooms without stopping. Swapping sword thrusts with strong enemies is a bad way to survive. You want to find the bow, don't you? And Gleeok? And the fifth piece of the Triforce? Beneath a tombstone in the western region of the overworld lies the entrance to level 6. The tombstone won't move when you push it. Perhaps some music will help? In order to survive this demanding labyrinth have at least 12 heart containers and the magic sword. Then find the ladder, Gohma, and the sixth piece of the Triforce. Burn trees to locate the entrance to level 7. Bring many rubies into this maze; you'll need them. Battle bravely, and you'll soon possess the red candle. Then beat Gleeok and win the seventh piece of the Triforce. Bomb a cliff wall next to the river, and you'll discover Level 8's entrance. You need the ladder to get to it. Bring 100 rubies if you'd like to buy extra bombs in the maze. There are two special items hidden in these rooms: the magic wand and the magic key. Don't leave until you've found both. More importantly, don't leave until you've obtained the last piece of the Triforce. Here we are, at level 9, ready to face Ganon for the second time. (You are ready, right?) The entrance to level 9 is located in the death mountain area. Use a bomb to blast the mountain wall. You cannot enter this huge, 46-room labyrinth unless you have all eight of the Triforce pieces. Better check. Once inside, find the red ring, which will reduce by 25% damage inflicted upon you. Also, find the silver arrows. Then track down Ganon for your final showdown. May the Triforce be with you!