This main game, released in 1987, shifts the established Zelda formula by blending top-down overworld exploration with side-scrolling platforming and combat segments. You play as Link, seeking the pieces of the Triforce to awaken a sleeping princess. Its unique feature is the integration of RPG mechanics, requiring you to gain experience points to level up Attack, Magic, and Life meters. Fans of challenging action-adventure games with platforming elements will find its dual perspective core loop distinct.
This installment significantly alters the established formula of its predecessor. While the core objective remains finding dungeons hidden within the overworld map, the perspective and moment-to-moment action undergo a substantial shift. Exploration of the vast world map utilizes a top-down perspective, similar to the original game.
However, when entering towns, caves, or engaging in combat outside of the overworld, the gameplay transitions to a side-scrolling view. This change introduces a distinct 2D platforming element to the adventure, requiring precise jumping and combat maneuvers against enemies encountered in this new plane.
The most notable departure from the series' typical structure is the heavy integration of role-playing (RPG) elements. Players must manage Link's progression through experience points gained from defeating enemies. These points are used to increase core attributes such as Attack, Magic, and Life Meters, directly impacting Link's combat effectiveness and survivability.
Combat in the side-scrolling segments is fast-paced and requires timing, utilizing Link's sword and, later, magic spells acquired throughout the journey. Finding and exploring various dungeons remains central, as each typically holds a necessary item required to progress the main quest.
This title was originally available on the Family Computer Disk System and the Nintendo Entertainment System. Modern players can access this experience through re-releases on platforms such as the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS.
As a core, standalone main game, there are currently no officially released downloadable content (DLC) packs or major expansions associated with this title.
Combat is split between the two primary perspectives. On the overworld map, encounters are often resolved through simple top-down sword strikes. In contrast, the side-scrolling combat demands mastery of Link's sword techniques, including upward and downward thrusts, alongside the strategic use of acquired magic spells to overcome challenging foes and bosses.
The content is very mild in impact


This is a Halloween-themed rom hack for Zelda II. It is a brand-new adventure for Link featuring custom overworlds, towns, dungeons, graphics, text, and music!

This is a rom hack designed out of love for Zelda II. It has always had a dreamlike atmosphere to it, and this new adventure really leans into that aspect. Work on this hack started in summer of 2021 with the intention of only making a slightly dreamier variant of the original, but it slowly became its own distinct project. It features new overworlds, towns, dungeons, graphics, and text.

Zelda Again: Link Is Adventuresome is a fan made remaster of Zelda II: The Adventure of Link with the intent to add more content to the game. This remaster ports the classic NES sequel to the first The Legend of Zelda but includes several new minor gameplay tweaks and features such as tons of quality of life improvements, widescreen, new areas on the overworld to explore, new collectibles and upgrades, revamped dungeon and overworld layouts and a brand new post game quest and final boss featured only in the game's new game plus mode, the 2nd Quest.

Ages ago, the Ancient Sages built the Temple of Time to protect the Sacred Realm. Ganondorf, the Gerudo King of Thieves, has Obtained the Triforce of Power and become the King of Evil. The power of the sages lies sleeping in six temples across Hyrule. The time has come for you to awaken as the Hero of Time! This adaptation takes Link to familiar places and a few new ones. It is designed to be more difficult, more forgiving, and less linear than the vanilla game.

Have you always tried to play through Zelda II and finding out it was either excruciatingly difficulty, unbalanced, too tough or perhaps found that it just has so many quirks that doesn’t make the game enjoyable? This hack tries to address that by rebalancing the game, making some QoL changes and also some visual flare into the game, without compromising the original game’s design.

One day Link finds a portal to a strange land. Curious he starts exploring the magical world of Amida. Little does he know, that he’s on a brand new adventure that will take him to places he couldn’t have imagined. Amida has a deep emotional link to our hero. Can Link unravel the secrets of Amida and return to his own world? Zelda II – Amida’s Curse is a brand new Zelda II adventure. The game has been build up from the ground. With a new world, new graphics and an original soundtrack by bentglasstube. The focus of Amida’s Curse lies on exploration above combat. Gameplay has been altered to make this, above all, a fun gaming experience. So, difficulty is lower than the original Zelda II, there are no cheap deaths and grinding isn’t necessary.

A great return for true nostalgic Zelda II lovers! Return after 30 years with a new path and search for 6 new guarded palaces to place the crystals on statues in order to break the long sleep of Princess Zelda!


A romhack for Zelda II.


The Nightmare of Ganon is a complete redesign of the NES game Zelda II with new story, overworld, caves, palaces, towns, item order, random encounters, and more. It’s a hardtype and more challenging then the original game. Enemies don’t take more hits then usual, the difficulty lies more in the design. It’s much longer because of a bigger overworld which has more caves and bridges. There are longer caves and deeper palaces. There are a couple custom changes to gameplay which include enemies that respawn & you can restart at the palace if you game over. This romhack will give a feeling like it’s a totally new Zelda II game because none of the design is similar to the original.


A ROM Randomizer for the NES classic Zelda II: The Adventure of Link.


A completely new Zelda II adventure! With new maps, dungeons, graphics, music and so much more! Guide link across the kingdom of Hyrule and defeat the ominous shadow!


Zelda II: The Adventure of Link is an action role-playing game, and a sequel to The Legend Of Zelda. The gameplay alternates between a top-down view (when traveling the land) and side-scrolling perspectives (when fighting, in a temple, or town). In the top-down view, Link cannot do much except for walking: in the side-scrolling action view, however, he can fight, cast spells, collect items and talk to people.