For starters, this review will run with the assumption that you have a passing familiarity of how a Legend of Zelda game works. Take control of Link has he explores both Hyrule and the Dark World in a quest to rescue seven maidens of magic and defeat Ganon. Well, maybe that's skipping a little too far ahead. Link's first task is to obtain the three pendants and the Master Sword. This could be considered an extended tutorial, wherein the player gains an understanding of the world, the mechanics of combat, and how to utilize the mirror for when the "real adventure" begins. It's a format we'd see again in Ocarina of Time, Twilight Princess, and... I don't know. My knowledge of the 3D games isn't that extensive. Still, the general gist is there. Find three macguffins, world opens up, now find several more. I like the way this game is structured. There is that initial investment, and once the game knows I'm hooked, it reels me in and doesn't let go until the credits roll.
I also have to talk about the A' button. A button of many tasks. A button of massive importance. Having a button dedicated to Link's sword is already great, but A covers everything from picking up objects to dashing across the screen. Having this action button is an immense deal since not only does it mean less time visiting the inventory screen; it also feels great to use. There isn't any overlap with the other commands, so Link doesn't just stop swinging his sword and attempt to pick up a stone he's standing in front of. The usefulness of the A button would be expanded upon in the 3D games. A context-sensitive go-to solution for any problem that can't be solved with a sword or tool.
The overworld deserves a ton of credit for its varied environments and ease of exploration. It's not tremendous in size, but there are tons of secrets to uncover. Similarly to the first entry in the series, you'll traverse much of the world with Link's own two legs and a few bombs. In most cases, you can still see what you can't reach, so you'll know exactly where to go after obtaining the necessary equipment. Going from Zelda 1's screen-by-screen transitions to large areas can't be understated either. It really helps to sell the diversity in landmasses and elevations. To think, it only gets better when the Dark World is introduced. Traveling between overworlds adds a ton of depth to navigation and problem-solving. It's a novel concept that Nintendo absolutely nailed on the first try.
Discussing the dungeons of this game is quite a bit more complicated. I certainly can't shower them with praise like I did the overworld, because they're just not that consistently brilliant. There are going to be highs and lows, peaks and valleys, and so on. Dungeons are typically reminiscent of the first game; a series of rooms packed with enemies and obstacles to contend with. Some locations are arranged so that keys serve to unlock shortcuts rather than as a means of progression, and that's fine. Since a dungeon's item can only be acquired after finding the Big Key, there often aren't a lot of puzzles that rely exclusively on that particular item. In my mind, this isn't really an issue, just something of note. In fact, a couple of Dark World dungeons can be done out of order, which lends flavor to subsequent play-throughs.
Dungeons in LTTP are often spawned by big ideas, but there's a distinct lack of follow-through. In Hyrule, the Tower of Hera looks imposing. It also introduces switch orbs and star tiles. Then, just like that, it's over. A couple of its floors are practically empty, save for a gimmick or two. This was something I didn't pay any mind over countless play-throughs in the past, but now there's a distinct "That's it?" feeling. I mean, I get it. Game development is hell. Perhaps the team decided to introduce the new mechanics early on, then expand upon them in future dungeons. That said, I must admit that I'm not a big fan of the switch orb's implementation in this entry. There are clever instances, but mostly when they take place in the same room. When I have to go several rooms back just to tap an orb switch, such as in the Dark World's sewer dungeon, all I see is an inconvenience.
Some of the other big ideas that don't quite work for me include a sizable chunk of Turtle Rock. Most of this place is spent riding floating platforms or getting sucked through tubes. The most notable puzzle is one of those timed fire rod rooms that the game is oddly fond of. You know, the ones where you have to light all the things then rush for the door. They're not the worst in the world, but that's the nicest thing I'll say about them. Skull Woods is another odd dungeon. It's possible to skip half of it without even trying. Clearly, they were trying a scenario where Link explored both an overworld and an underworld to rescue the third Maiden, but it didn't quite work out. Thieves' Town starts off promising with a large open area, but they give away the big key so early that everything afterwards is by the numbers. Leading the evil sorcerer Blind to a source of light was pretty clever though. Points for that. Despite my complaints, I appreciate that this game made so many creative attempts. Future entries had a foundation to build upon, which would lead to some truly excellent dungeons.
On another note, I'd be lying if I didn't say that there was a part of me that appreciated there weren't a ton of puzzles revolving around the usage of a particular tool. Even in Ganon's Tower, the final dungeon of the game, most rooms can be completed without using items. The challenge is in navigating all of the obstacles that are piled on top of each other. Everything here is mechanically rich and just deeply satisfying. It really showcases the talent of a development team when they can get away with packing rooms full of icy floors and spikes. The tower's basement housing the big key and red tunic was also a great idea. It allows players to take a break without losing much progress.
Boss battles are a little repetitive. I just have to come out and say it. Two of the first three fights being with worm-like creatures is not great. The variety doesn't improve much in the Dark World, where three more monsters are giant eyeball thingies. That one fiend which is like a turtle/hydra abomination is pretty cool, but then it devolves into Link being chased by a giant serpent. While I don't hate any of the bosses, I am disappointed by several of them. Future installments would feature better fights, but I know you already know that.
Between the uneven dungeons and poor boss battles, I start to wonder if I'm being too generous when I rank A Link to the Past just below Link's Awakening and above the Oracle duology. I suppose this is where the almighty reviewer's tilt comes into play. My preference towards the SNES outing is due to ease of replay-ability. This is just a smooth game. Easy to pick up, easy to finish, but with enough spice to remain engaging the entire way. The Oracle games have higher highs, but they also feature inventory management, a convoluted overworld (in Seasons case) and sometimes obnoxious minigames (in Ages case).
Even with a slightly more discerning eye, I still believe that this entry deserves its place in the upper echelons of the Legend of Zelda franchise. It does a ton right, and I can forgive every instance where it falters. The overworld is excellent, controls are superb, and the dungeons are just a few nitpicks short of great. It's a reliable adventure, the kind that I can come back to after years or decades, whether I'm feeling 100% or 0%.
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