In 1992 North America finally got their hands on the SNES' A Link to the Past. I remember countless hours playing this title as a kid yet just like it's NES predecessors, I never quite reached the end, at least not when it first released. I had no idea as a child that this would eventually become my favorite game of all time. While it's true that I've spent more hours playing other titles (Halo 2, COD, etc) I can't think of many other titles that I've beaten multiple times, at different ages, that aged this gracefully. My most recent playthrough was a couple years ago on the GBA port and I periodically do so because of how much I love this game. Why do I love it so much? Where do I begin?
SNES Zelda returned Link to the top-down perspective from the first title and solidified the system we all know today. The evil wizard Agahnim is threatening to break a seal created by the Seven Sages hundreds of years ago. The seal is the only thing keeping recurring villian Ganon trapped in the Dark World and the only way to stop Agahnim is with the Master Sword. In order to obtain the sword, Link must first prove his worth by retrieving 3 pendants. After successfully gaining the sword Link comes face to face with Agahnim but really old SPOILER he's too late and Princess Zelda is sent to the Dark World. After defeating Agahnim Link is also sent to the Dark World where he must find and save the seven sages descendants until the final confrontation with Ganon. 
I spent so much time trekking Hyrule and enjoying it's lush environment that I was actually upset when I saw it's state in the Dark World. As nervous and excited as I was when I first entered this parallel universe, I was thankfully greeted with one of the greatest videogame themes of all time. Seeing the state of Dark Hyrule truly made me sad the first time and made matters worse by granting Link the Magic Mirror. With this mirror, players could instantly transfer from the Light World to the Dark and vice versa. While this was an integral mechanic of the game, I hated having to transfer happy towns into broken down buildings filled with monsters. Even though I was still a kid at the time, doing so today still kinda tugs at some strings and is a true testament to this game's timelessness. Aside from aesthetics and such, gameplay also got a huge boost. Instead of jabbing enemies to death, Link actually swung his sword now. Link also could move in all 8 directions and was given new weapons that have become trademarks today (hookshot). Bosses now filled the screens, puzzles were more creative, the game looked gorgeous (still does!) and the adventure was grand and memorable. For anyone who has played this game, they can testify as to how great an adventure it truly is. If you have yet to play it, your best bet is to get it on the Wii Virtual Console because the SNES version as well as the GBA port can be pretty pricey these days. No matter how many games I've played, this is truly and may always remain my favorite game of all time. 
A few years later, development began on a port of A Link to the Past for the Game Boy. Eventually, the Game Boy game became it's own original title and we were granted the excellent Link's Awakening. Considered non-canonical (then again, is there really much order in Zelda lore?) Awakening is ONCE AGAIN OLD SPOILER ALERT sort of a dream, which makes sense since it has little to do with Hyrule and Princess Zelda gets barely a passing mention. Seeking further training following the events of A Link to the Past, Link has an accident and washes up on Koholint Island. Here he is greeted by Marin (also seen in Zelda 64) and is told by an Owl that in order to return to Hyrule, he must awaken the Windfish. In order to do so, he must gather the 8 instruments around the island. The island is inhabited by Nighmarish creatures that wish to rule the Windfish's dreams but eventually Link accomplishes his task and is then SPOILER THAT YOU SERIOUSLY SHOULD KNOW BY NOW told that this whole ordeal is just a dream. 
Link's Awakening had memorable characters and added mechanics rarely seen even today in Zelda titles. Players were granted the ability to jump (last seen in Zelda II) and many fourth wall breaking jokes were also put into the games dialogue. Cameo appearances from Kirby, Wart (Mario 2), Yoshi, and even Chomp helped to further Awakening from previous Zelda titles but gameplay was classic Zelda and is widely regarded as one of the greatest games of all time, even warranting a color remake released in 1998. As much as I'd like to, it's kind of hard for me to differentiate my memories of the original version and the remade DX version since I played both at a young age, but one thing that remains constant is the amount of fun both games brought. Minigames like fishing and the claw machine actually had me amazed at what Nintendo's classic handheld could do and I believe this was the first Zelda game I ever beat. I know most gamers get upset when developers pull the "it was all a DREAM" twist at the end of games but I actually didn't mind it. I appreciate the game for what it is and that's a memorable and well-made game that I'd recommend to any Game Boy owner anyday. Various trading side-quests, robbing the store and having my name changed to THIEF, and Link's relationship with Marin. Thinking back, I might have to say that Marin may be my first videogame character crush ever! Not really something to be proud of, but I could care less because I was young, Marin is an awesome character, and if you think I'm a loser then you're an even bigger loser for reading the ramblings of a Zelda nerd! 
Part 3 coming soon hopefully!
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