Unplayable, ugly garbage. One of the houses is literally a white rectangle. The world map is incredibly blocky. Yes I know that the graphics are limited on the NES but there are games that look far better on the system. Way too frustrating and punishing. Every tiny mistake will bite you in the ass and if you Game Over, all your experience points are gone. As in the first Zelda, you have to look into the future to predict enemy movements and projectiles. Absolutely not fun. The ONLY good thing about this is the addition of the level-up system. So you can grind and get better stats. These better stats are hardly helpful though. Also, like the first Zelda, you will need a guide because this game doesn't tell you anything.

I bet the rating would be much lower if the name "Zelda" wasn't attached to it.

Zelda 2 is frustrating, but it was one of the most innovative games ever made. It was one of the first games that tried to combine side-scrolling elements with RPG leveling systems. Although the dialogue is very shoddy, a lot of the ideas in Zelda 2 still live on, even today.

Really underrated game. It's hated on primarily for not being like the original Zelda, but it came out at a time where the series didn't have a signature style yet. And about the difficulty, I never found it *too* unfair. Once you figure out the patterns of enemies, it's not that bad.

Even though this was a rough slog, the payoff was worth it. A true challenge of it's day

POP FACTS: There were many alterations to the US version of Link’s second adventure, but did one impact a later entry in the series?

Zelda II is pretty flawed by today's standards and in some ways compares negatively even to the prequel. The world map and many areas are unnecessarily large and empty, and you're forced into frequent (close to) random encounters while exploring. The combat system, as it is meant to be played is ambitious but frustrating with a steep difficulty curve, and thanks to what is likely a hit detection flaw you can use the same odd jump attack strategy against almost any enemy, alternatively skipping them with your 'down thrust' move instead when they're not worth fighting (this last point would be less of an issue if not for the fact that the game focuses on action rather than puzzles).
The bosses are simple except for the second to last encounter (again, thanks to what is likely a bug you can easily cheese the last boss and it is recommended since it's cheaply designed). The townspeople are of two types: either somewhat retarded, often due to a bad translation, or talking as if they

It's a classic! Find a way to play it if you're a Zelda fan;)

The finest NES game besides Super Mario Bros. 3 and Mega Man 3. Utterly satisfying combat (once you learn it) and a good difficulty.