Standard Edition (gold cartridge)
CompleteIn the box
- Gold NES cartridge
- Box with cut-out
- Instruction booklet
NES
About the Nintendo Entertainment System
The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda is a 1986 action-adventure game developed and published by Nintendo for the Family Computer Disk System. It is the first game in the Legend of Zelda series.
Adventure
- Update patch
- No patch
- Time to beat
- about 7 hours
- Plays offline
- Yes
Overview
The Legend of Zelda is a 1986 action-adventure game developed and published by Nintendo for the Family Computer Disk System. It is the first game in the Legend of Zelda series. It is set in the fantasy land of Hyrule and centers on an elf-like boy named Link, who aims to collect the eight fragments of the Triforce of Wisdom to rescue Princess Zelda from Ganon. The player controls Link from a top-down perspective and navigates the overworld and dungeons, collecting weapons, defeating enemies and uncovering secrets. It was designed and directed by Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka, being in development alongside Super Mario Bros., which was released on September 13, 1985.
The Legend of Zelda was released in Japan as a launch game for the Family Computer Disk System on February 21, 1986. More than a year later, in late 1987, it was released in North America and Europe on the Nintendo Entertainment System in cartridge format by which time a sequel had already been released in Japan. The US version was one of the first games to include an internal battery for saving data. This version was released in Japan on February 19, 1994 as Zelda no Densetsu 1.
The Legend of Zelda is regarded as one of the most influential and greatest video games of all time. It was a critical and commercial success, selling over 6.5 million copies and launching a major franchise. A sequel, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, was released in Japan for the Famicom Disk System less than a year later on January 21, 1987, and numerous sequels and spin-offs have been released since. The game has received numerous ports and remakes, in addition to re-releases on the Virtual Console and Nintendo Classics services. It was also one of 30 games included in the NES Classic Edition system.
Official trailer
Gameplay video. Watch on YouTube
Gameplay
The Legend of Zelda (NES) - 100% Full Game Walkthrough, YTSunny. Watch on YouTube
Screenshots
Game details
- Genres
- Adventure
- Developer
- Nintendo R&D4
- Publisher
- Nintendo
- Series
- The Legend of Zelda
- Platforms
- Nintendo 3DS, Wii, Wii U, Nintendo Entertainment System
- Age rating
- ESRB E
- Modes
- Single player
- Yes
- Local multiplayer
- No
- Online multiplayer
- No
- Co op
- No
- Age ratings
- ESRB
- E
- CLASS IND
- L
- CERO
- A
- PEGI
- 7
- ACB
- G
Release dates
| Platform | Region | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Nintendo Entertainment System | North America | 1987-08-22 |
| Nintendo Entertainment System | Europe / PAL | 1987-11-15 |
Editions
The Hyrule Fantasy: Zelda no Densetsu (Famicom Disk System)
In the box
- Famicom Disk System disk
Space and patches
Update patchNo patch
DLC
No DLC. NES games had no downloadable content.
Playable today
Playable offline todayYes
Single player only, with no online features. The cartridge runs on any NES and saves to its own battery, and the game is on Nintendo Switch Online.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Ever released on disc | Yes, on NES cartridge A gold cartridge, seen through a cut-out in the box. |
| Ever released in the store | Yes, 19 November 2006 On the Wii Virtual Console at the Wii's launch. Later on the 3DS and Wii U Virtual Console, and in the NES library of Nintendo Switch Online from its launch in September 2018. |
| In the store to buy today | No The Wii, Wii U and 3DS shops have closed. Playable with a Nintendo Switch Online membership. |
| Can be downloaded again if you already bought it | Yes Wii, Wii U and 3DS Virtual Console purchases can still be downloaded again. The Nintendo Switch Online version needs an active membership. |
| Disc runs with no patch | Yes |
| Disc runs with the final patch | Does not exist No patch was ever released. |
| Has online features | No |
| Online servers running today | Does not exist |
| Playable offline today: campaign | Yes |
| Playable offline today: local multiplayer | Does not exist Single player only. |
| Playable offline today: online multiplayer | Does not exist No online play. |
| Playable offline today: DLC | Does not exist No DLC. |
Online
Plays offlineYes
Reception
- Critics
Outlet Score Scale ACE 905 1000 Computer and Video Games 9 10 Computer Entertainer 4 4
Staff and cast
- Staff
Role Name Developer Nintendo R&D4 Publisher Nintendo Directors Shigeru Miyamoto, Takashi Tezuka Producer Shigeru Miyamoto Designers Shigeru Miyamoto, Takashi Tezuka Programmers Toshihiko Nakago, Yasunari Soejima, I. Marui Writers Takashi Tezuka, Keiji Terui Composer Koji Kondo
Notes for collectors
- First released in Japan on the Famicom Disk System in February 1986.
- The North American cartridge is gold, and a cut-out in the box shows it.
- One of the first cartridges with a battery inside to save your game.
- Finishing the game opens a harder Second Quest.
- Sold over 6.5 million copies and started the Zelda series.
Credits
- Publisher
- Nintendo
- Developer
- Nintendo R&D4
- Director
- Shigeru Miyamoto, Takashi Tezuka
- Released
- 1987-08-22
- Age rating
- ESRB E
- Region
- US
- Time to beat
- about 7 hours
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