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[SirNiko]

You must buy arrows before you may use the bow. Unlike later Zelda games, you do not collect individual arrows as items - once you have arrows on your subscreen you can fire an arrow any time for one rupee, except if you have no rupees left. You only need to buy arrows once.

Blademaster Bobo has correctly reiterated my point. The newbies should totally share what they discover in all it's spoilery glory, but the experts should hold off on anything but very basic information about the game.

[pgil]

I don't understand this game... Isn't there supposed to be some fairy, or like a talking hat, that tells me what to do?

[Aloshi]

Started a new game and finished levels 1-3, got almost to the boss of level 4 (I think it's level 4 anyway, my TV is cut off at the top - it's the one with the ladder).

[dustin]

@cow
yeah I love that map + printing it off is extra fun

@sirNiko/baconman
ahh I've been wondering about arrows I keep wanting an enemy to drop some but none has yet :/

I've beaten level 3 and am on level 4, I found it super easy after level 3 but I have to say I'm a bit disappointed in the raft, I thought it would let me sail anywhere on water but it seems to only work on that 1 dock (I assume there are more I haven't found though), lame!

The ladder in level 4 is pretty sweet, it makes no sense to me visually (The blue squares are like holes in the floor or something and your laying a ladder across them maybe?), but it's a cool idea.  I was much more pleased with it then the raft.

Also I just realized the "side scrolling" screens use the exact same engine as the top down ones it's just a clever use of a tile set!  That's so awesome!

[baconman]

I don't understand this game... Isn't there supposed to be some fairy, or like a talking hat, that tells me what to do?

  

Here's what you do:

1.
2.
3. repeat until 
4. come back for more later

[SirNiko]

I keep hoping they'll bring the Ladder back as an item in a 3d Zelda.

I'm still hoping.

[ஒழுக்கின்மை (Paul Eres)]

One thing I've never done is the fabled sword-less victory. Apparently it is possible to beat the game without ever getting the sword.

you can get to gannon without a sword, but can't actually kill him. i've done that, it's pretty fun but i wouldn't call it especially challenging, at least if you've beaten the game already

you start with by getting the blue candle (after getting some money from a secret moblin), which allows you to reveal a bunch of secrets to buy a bunch of stuff (arrows, bombs, etc.) -- the main goal is to get to the wand, which for most intents and purposes works like a sword. getting the wand itself is a bit hard because the monsters that guard it are tough but after that you just play the game as normal, since it's pretty easy once you have the wand

[Player 3]

Beaten it. Cartridges with nearly-dying batteries suck. Oh well, time to enjoy my white tunic. Funfact: Zero deaths so far.

[noah!]

good screenshot on zelda 1 and why it's the best zelda

[ஒழுக்கின்மை (Paul Eres)]

i remember there were a few places you could get stuck in level 5 as well. but you can do the up + A in the subscreen trick to go back to the start of the dungeon anyway

[Richard Kain]

good screenshot on zelda 1 and why it's the best zelda

Oh, you poor bastard! This is why you don't go into the 9th Dungeon (Death Mountain) without the magic key. It really is kind of amazing that you can get stuck in a situation like that. No way out but the reset button.

At Paul Eres: The Up+A thing you mentioned doesn't seem to be working for me. However, I am playing the game on my 3DS. They might have stripped that out of the emulated version? I don't know.

[ஒழுக்கின்மை (Paul Eres)]

i believe you need to press up+A on the *second* controller when in the menu / subscreen, not the first controller. and the second controller wouldn't exist for the 3ds i guess; only for emulators and the original NES and maybe the wii emulated version

edit: it's "UP AND START" not up and A, my mistake

"To exit and save your game quickly, press Start on Controller 1 and Up+Start on Controller 2."

[BlueSweatshirt]

So I've been playing the 3DS version and I've basically just been roaming around the overworld and killing stuff for like the past 3 hours. I beat the first dungeon, got the boomerang, big shield, and blue candle. Just made it to the graveyard and am now searching for the illusive old man(Dampe #1?!) whom the old lady down south referred me to. Also gonna get to the graveyard dungeon eventually. Ghosts keep killing me trying to search for the old man.

[baconman]

good screenshot on zelda 1 and why it's the best zelda

Have you tried bombing to the left, and then bombing down?

You have the bombs, I see them.

[noah!]

good screenshot on zelda 1 and why it's the best zelda

Have you tried bombing to the left, and then bombing down?

You have the bombs, I see them.

Yep, to no avail. That was like the first thing I tried. Sure I could've used up all my resources to exaggerate my despondency, then taken the screenshot with Link staring blankly into space, arms shrugged, empty pockets exposed (in the manner of what my grandma called "the Hoover Flag"). Whatever. It's not like I lost much, and I picked up everything I needed out of the dungeon (don't really care for the other optional treasures) Plus it means that I effectively stalemated the game, which is even better than winning!

[SirNiko]

MONEY OR YOUR LIFE

The Up+Start thing is even in the manual, I think. Were you trying to speed run the game? Why would you do level 9 without the lion key? I'd think getting the lion key is way faster than saving up to buy more keys.

[dustin]

arg I hate level 4.  I just beat the mini boss and turns out I don't have enough keys to continue so I need to go back and find one I guess.

It seems like getting extra hearts doesn't help me so much.  I always restart with just 3 hearts and it's not worth it for me to trek back to the fairy pond to get full health again so I just end up fighting with only the 3 hearts.

I also got a "letter for an old lady" so I have to figure out which one of these old ladies to give it to.

[pgil]

I also got a "letter for an old lady" so I have to figure out which one of these old ladies to give it to.

There's an old lady somewhere in the south-west who doesn't say anything...  I'm assuming it's her, though I haven't done level 4 or found the letter yet.

[dustin]

Oh good idea I remember that old lady.  She's super creepy just standing there in her cave with that huge smile not saying anything  

The two things I dislike about this game...

no diagonal movement (this is mostly a problem because I'm using an xbox360 controller...)
grinding for hearts.  When I die I start with 3 hearts but it's trivial to get to full health it just takes a long time (killing easy enemies over and over or making it to the fairy pool).

Other then that I'm having a lot of fun...

beat dungeon 4 and am onto dungeon 6.  I still can't figure out what I'm supposed to do in the graveyard.  I also found a screen which was just a giant arrow pointing me in the other direction... wtf

also 67 deaths so far

[pgil]

Ugh... I'm stuck in dungeon 4.. I've found the compass... I've also found the room the map is in, but I can't get across the holes in the ground. Am I supposed to find a ladder somewhere? I've also tried bombing walls in nearby rooms, but that doesn't seem to do anything.