Play Marvelous - Mouhitotsu no Takarajima (Japan) (English Translation) Online

Game Overview

So this is a weird little SNES gem—Eiji Aonuma’s first game before he became the Zelda legend we know today. You can totally see the Link to the Past vibes in the way you explore islands, solve puzzles, and fight monsters, but it’s got its own quirky charm. The translation patch makes it playable in English, which is nice because otherwise you’d be stuck guessing what half the items do.

At first, it feels like a Zelda clone (and yeah, it kinda is), but the pirate theme and some of the weird mechanics—like recruiting crew members who actually matter in fights—give it its own flavor. The overworld’s smaller than Hyrule, but the dungeons are surprisingly clever once you get into them. Just don’t expect the polish of later Aonuma games—this one’s rough around the edges, but in a way that makes it interesting.

If you’re into retro action-adventure stuff, it’s a neat peek at where one of Nintendo’s best directors got his start.