ZIIAOL (Fan remake of Zelda II)

Play it on: Windows (Steam Deck YMMV)
Current goal: Get through Death Mountain

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link has been much maligned over the years, but I’ve always admired it a great deal. A game from an era when sequels could be wildly different from their predecessors, it offered an invigorating new perspective on Hyrule, both literally with its 2D, side-view combat and dungeon exploration, and figuratively, showing us bustling towns and elegant palaces where the first game’s Hyrule had felt barren and ruinous. Now, a new fan-made remake which goes by the shorthand of ZIIAOL is getting attention. I’ve only scratched the surface so far, but I’m already loving it. It seems to preserve the terrific challenge of the original while reinvigorating its world with new wonders to discover.

Yes, there are “quality of life” improvements galore here. A nifty tunnel system, for instance, lets you move between the towns you’ve visited almost instantly, functioning as a kind of fast-travel across the game’s vast map. And, in what I consider a lovely touch, the “extra life” dolls that can be found here and there function as permanent upgrades to your life count, rather than just single 1-ups. I’m now facing the game’s grueling Death Mountain section, and having four lives each time I give it a go is a welcome boon.

What all these QoL improvements don’t do, thankfully, is make the game easy. It’s still tough as nails, a quintessential example of “NES difficulty,” and that, in my opinion, is as it should be. I may be banging my head against the wall at times but it’ll all be worth it for the ultimate satisfaction of victory. I’ve already been delighted by numerous additions to the game’s world that disrupt my familiarity and help it feel like a new game, and I’m eager to see what other surprises await. At least, if I can ever get through Death Mountain. — Carolyn Petit