This is such a beautiful game. One of the best JRPGs ever created. I played both the DS and 3DS version. The 3DS version added a lot of extra content and switched the screens, so the main action is now in widescreen on the top screen. That might sound like a minor thing, but the game looks so much better that way! Highly recommended for every JRPG fan out there!
I have very fond memories of Zelda II, and to me the game still holds up to this day! There's just something in the combat system combined with the exploration aspects that makes this game always fun to play. An official remake by Nintendo, or even better, a new Zelda II style game? Would love that!
I'll share some considerations I made when making the design choices for Amida's Curse:
The Fairy flying through a keyhole is an interesting glitch from Zelda II. I decided to remove it because it makes keys and doors obsolete the moment you acquire Fairy. That severely limits the possibilities for interesting Temple design. Also, Zelda II is very picky about which side you enter certain screens. Entering from the wrong side could mess up your game. When players can get to points where they shouldn't be it could mess up their gaming experience. In the original game this wasn't a feature but a glitch. Nintendo themselves fixed this in the Pal version (Rev 2). You can't fly through doors in that version either. That's also the version I grew up with.
The vanilla system will give you the amount of EXP needed until you level up. This system is unfair to the player. Say for example you reach the Temple stone with 8.800 EXP and you need 9.000 EXP for the next level. The game will only give you 200 EXP. However if you get there with 1 EXP, you would get 8.999 EXP from the same Temple Stone. That's not fair to the player. It punishes players that have bad luck they just didn't level up. The system in Amida's Curse gives you a fixed amount of EXP for every Temple Stone you finish. The amount gets higher for every new Temple you beat.
Amida's Curse doesn't have overworld encounters. So the "no grinding" says basically that the game is re balanced to make sure you need no grinding to get at max levels at the end. You will need to explore however to find all P-bags.
The problem with the old lives system is that lives don't regenerate with a game over. So you find the extra live once, and can never regain them. That forces the player to find the extra lives, but not take them. And then at the end of the game, grab them all to maximize his changes at the Grand Palace. If he doesn't know this however he will have picked up all extra lives without having a real benefit from that.
In Amida's Curse you will still get a Game Over when all your lives run out. However extra lives you found will be added to your starting total when you continue your game. This way extra lives get more value to the player, which makes them interesting to collect when you see them.
Huge HP pools basically refers to the Bubbles. There is a glitch in the original game giving them an insane amount of HP, forcing the player to run from them or stab them endlessly to kill them. Apart from them no HP amounts where lowered. So bosses still have the same amount of HP. That was perfectly fine in the original game.
New Game+ is surely boring because it has almost no challenge, especially at the start of the game. Amida's Curse does have a fair challenge. I've seen most streamer get a Game Over several times. So it surely is not comparable to New Game+ in the original Zelda II. Amida's Curse is meant to make the many strengths of Zelda II shine in a brand new world!
@DrDaisy: Sorry to hear you got stuck there. Some players don't know. But you can just take a run-up and jump higher in Zelda II, just like in Mario. In this specific location, walk about 6 tiles left from the pillar, start running and press (and hold) jump on the 3th tile left from the pillar. With a little practice it is easy to pull off. One other player got stuck here, he had the A/B buttons accidentally matched to the turbo buttons in his emulator. So make sure that's not the case in your emulator, otherwise you can only jump really low. You can always contact me at [email protected] if you get stuck in the game.
Comments 5
Re: Opinion: Chrono Trigger Isn't The Only Great Time-Travel RPG On DS
This is such a beautiful game. One of the best JRPGs ever created. I played both the DS and 3DS version. The 3DS version added a lot of extra content and switched the screens, so the main action is now in widescreen on the top screen. That might sound like a minor thing, but the game looks so much better that way! Highly recommended for every JRPG fan out there!
Re: Talking Point: Is It Time For Another Side-Scrolling Zelda Game?
@Yoshi3
Yes, that's me! I poured my heart and soul in that game to create an enjoyable experience for all Zelda II fans to enjoy.
@CaleBoi25
Indeed. That's the magic of the internet in a positive form!
Re: Talking Point: Is It Time For Another Side-Scrolling Zelda Game?
I have very fond memories of Zelda II, and to me the game still holds up to this day! There's just something in the combat system combined with the exploration aspects that makes this game always fun to play. An official remake by Nintendo, or even better, a new Zelda II style game? Would love that!
@CaleBoi25 @Yoshi3 @BigRadical @axelhander @BananaMetallurgica @NinChocolate @DennyCrane
Meanwhile, the modding community has got you covered!
Zelda II Remake for PC (Link is Adventuresome): https://hoverbat.itch.io/ziiaol
"Definitive" edition of Zelda II with lots of QOL and balance improvements (Zelda 2 Redux): https://retrohackers.net/hack-details.php?id=5440
Zelda II sequel (Zelda II - Amida's Curse): https://retrohackers.net/hack-details.php?id=6292
Enjoy!
Re: This Zelda II ROM Hack Removes All The Annoying Stuff To Present A Totally New Adventure
Hi @Tempestryke,
I'll share some considerations I made when making the design choices for Amida's Curse:
In Amida's Curse you will still get a Game Over when all your lives run out. However extra lives you found will be added to your starting total when you continue your game. This way extra lives get more value to the player, which makes them interesting to collect when you see them.
New Game+ is surely boring because it has almost no challenge, especially at the start of the game. Amida's Curse does have a fair challenge. I've seen most streamer get a Game Over several times. So it surely is not comparable to New Game+ in the original Zelda II. Amida's Curse is meant to make the many strengths of Zelda II shine in a brand new world!
Have fun exploring!
Re: This Zelda II ROM Hack Removes All The Annoying Stuff To Present A Totally New Adventure
@DrDaisy: Sorry to hear you got stuck there. Some players don't know. But you can just take a run-up and jump higher in Zelda II, just like in Mario. In this specific location, walk about 6 tiles left from the pillar, start running and press (and hold) jump on the 3th tile left from the pillar. With a little practice it is easy to pull off. One other player got stuck here, he had the A/B buttons accidentally matched to the turbo buttons in his emulator. So make sure that's not the case in your emulator, otherwise you can only jump really low. You can always contact me at [email protected] if you get stuck in the game.