Zelda II: The Adventure of Link is... weird, honestly. It’s the black sheep of the Zelda series—side-scrolling combat, RPG level-ups, and towns where you actually talk to people instead of just smashing pots. At first, it feels jarring if you’re used to the top-down exploration of the first game, but there’s something oddly satisfying about mastering the swordplay. Those Iron Knuckles will wreck you until you figure out the rhythm.

Controls are simple (Z and X for slashing and jumping), but the difficulty spikes hard. You’ll die. A lot. The overworld map has random encounters like an old-school JRPG, and the palaces? Brutal. Still, the magic system and hidden spells give it depth, and that soundtrack slaps. It’s divisive, but if you stick with it, there’s a rough charm underneath the frustration.

Pro tip: Grind a few levels early or those blue knights outside the first dungeon will humble you real quick.