Buy Somethin' Will Ya!

Psh, asking is for sissies! 

Played The Legend of Zelda for what must be the first time in at least 16 years.  I HAD A SMILE ON MY FACE THE WHOLE TIME.  Well, almost.  One of the very first things that springs to mind when comparing this game to some of the newer ones is that it is MUCH MORE DIFFICULT.  At least in the beginning.  I was not expecting to die as much as I did!  I do not recall the magic boomerang being THAT HARD to get.

Managed the first two dungeons tonight.  The first is so simple that it barely requires mentioning.  Get the boomerang, kill the dragon.  It does kind of make me wonder why there aren't more dragons in the later games.  Also, BOOMERANG.

So, I totally forgot that this game came with a huge fold-out map.  I had Stephanie look it up for me to use as a reference after aimlessly wandering for a bit.  SO HELPFUL.  Also, pretty cool looking.  

Second dungeon kind of kicked my ass.  The three blue Goriyas in the room that give you the magic boomerang (also, STATUES THAT SHOOT FIREBALLS!  Best home defense system ever!) must have killed me a half dozen times.  Lesson learned, bombs are your friend!

I really, truly forgot how glorious the soundtrack to this game is.  Just hearing some of these old 8-bit tunes is making me happy.  I can't wait to play more!

The beginning of an adventure!

Everyone has a favorite memory from childhood.  Something to look back on fondly.  Something that, if only for a moment, rekindles that special kind of magic we only get to experience as children.  For me, it was getting my first game console, the Nintendo Entertainment System.

I have considered myself a gamer for as long as I can remember.  I suppose I might even fall into the "hardcore" gamer category.  I enjoy a challenge, emotional storytelling, and sometimes even just mindless fun.  Remembering unboxing the NES still brings a smile to my face when I think about it.  

 I've owned many consoles since then and it's been a great long while since I've even played a NES game.  I was reflecting on my early gaming days a few weeks ago, trying to think of the best games from the past.  I remember Mike Tyson's Punch-Out, Super Mario 3, Dragon Quest.  These games defined the earliest gaming genres and spawned countless sequels down the road.  My very favorite game, though, when I was a child was definitely The Legend of Zelda.

I had a crazy idea.  What would it be like, as an adult, to go back and beat Zelda all over again?  How much of the game would I remember?  How challenging would I find it?  What comparisons would I have to the newer games in the series?  At this point, I decided to do something amazing.

I decided to go back and BEAT THEM ALL.  Every major release of the Legend of Zelda, from the very beginning all the way through Skyward Sword.  I would do it in order.  I would do it without cheats.  I would write about it. 

So here I am.  About to embark on this quest to relive the magic of my childhood, from the very beginning through my teenage years all the way to the present.  There are some games I am unbelievably excited to play again.  There are games I'm not looking forward to at all (I'm looking at you Links Adventure).  I have no idea how long this is going to take me but I'm dedicated to finishing this quest.  

There is a princess out there that needs saving.  Let's do this.