Play Zelda 2 Online

Zelda 2 is this weird mix of top-down exploration and side-scrolling combat that feels nothing like the first game. You start in a quiet village, talking to NPCs who drop cryptic hints about where to go next—half the time you're just wandering blindly until something clicks.

The combat's stiff at first. You have to crouch to block low attacks, and enemies hit hard. I remember dying over and over to those blue knights early on before realizing I could just jump-slash over them. The leveling system helps, but grinding feels slow unless you know where to farm.

Some of the dungeons are brutal—Dark Link at the end still gives me nightmares. But there's something satisfying about finally beating a temple after getting wrecked a dozen times. Zelda 2 doesn't hold your hand, and that's part of its charm.