Review scoopings 5/5 · Jun 15, 2024
Delightful Game With A Very Difficult Final Level
Preliminary: I am playing the original Japanese arcade version. I can't find any fan translations so I am just reading an English script translation. I was hesitant at first, but it's so far a more beautiful Zelda with great music.
Day 2
There hasn't really been much more to say lol can't believe I haven't typed anything since then. That's …
Preliminary: I am playing the original Japanese arcade version. I can't find any fan translations so I am just reading an English script translation. I was hesitant at first, but it's so far a more beautiful Zelda with great music.
Day 2
There hasn't really been much more to say lol can't believe I haven't typed anything since then. That's both a good and bad sign. I do wish there were a fan translation because I've stopped reading the script, as cute/nice as it was, the music and gameplay is enough. I'm hesitant to accept this being called an action-adventure, sure there are multiple paths and permanent spell upgrades and collectibles and shops etc., but it's quite linear in the end. So far, (I'm on Stage 6) I have not had to turn to StrategyWiki, there is no backtracking, and not even any true item retrieval/exchange quests
But yes I am having fun. The gameplay is quite straightforward, it's becoming borderline shmup in these later stages and starting to reach toward that too difficult for me to enjoy level. But it never quite gets there. Savestates help haha. Just too many swarms of goblins. But thank goodness for jump! The jump isn't perfect, it reminds me of a lot of 80s arcade game jumps, but at least it has mid-jump movement to an extent etc. But yes, pro-tip: you can jump over many projectiles. And just generally jump is faster than your sluggish walking.
Ironically right after writing those comments, a) I got slightly lost in Stage 6 (tho found my way without StrategyWiki) and b) I found out you can't jump over everything, e.g. not the electrical spark lines haha.
So far there seems to be only regular level theme, shop theme, in between level theme, and boss theme for the music and yet it's not getting old at all. I'm still bopping.
Uff Stage 6 boss I finished with so little time it was yelling at me lol. But a nice screen to end it, it's been hard to take screenshot cuz very nonstop 
And lol I love the little valkyries you can summon as shown below 
I wish I could've screenshotted more of the between-levels screens, like the one below, some were just so amazing 
What a terrible final level and final boss. That was just ridiculous. I get it's the final level and you want people to be able to show off finishing but sheesh. The number of hits that final boss took.............. And the whole while me out of time lol. 
Anyway, super cute ending with all the enemies and good guys holding hands on the planet lol. And a new jingle for the credits. What a frustrating final stage though.
Look: 8.5/10 Undeniably high-quality arcade visuals, with great between-level screens and I love the hiscore/start screen gold 
Sound: 9/10 This and the Look are what really stand out. Full of great tunes.
Play: 8.5/10 Addictive and intuitive, but dang did it get hard at the end there. It had a lot of the niceties that I look for in an 80s action game, so can't complain too much. And I didn't even consider stopping playing till the final stretch.
Feel: 8.5/10 Cutesy yet mystical, full of nice touches. The Sound and Look helped me overlook the frustrations at the end.
Attachment: 8/10 Not sure how often I'd play through to the end but could definitely see myself returning to this era of arcade games and playing this as well as Midnight Resistance.
Overall: 8.5/10
Completion: Main Story
Playtime: ~1h 30m