The Legend of Zelda

The Legend of Zelda
Developer: Nintendo Publisher: Nintendo Platform: NES Released in JP: February 21, 1986 Released in US: August 22, 1987 Released in EU: November 15, 1987 This game has unused enemies. This game has regional differences. This game has a notes page This game has a prototype article This game has a prerelease article

The Legend of Zelda features Link on a quest to save Zelda from the evil Gannon (sic!). On his way, he gets no help at all except for the Old Man who gives him a random stick he picked up somewhere (plus some vague hints), and is on his own in the vast land of Hyrule.

Unused Enemy Values

Monster modifier: 0350

• 18 - Strong enemy that resembles Digdogger, only completely graphically corrupted
• 26 - Nothing? (Puff of smoke) (may be replacement data for cleared-out rooms)
• 29 - Nothing? (Puff of smoke) (may be replacement data for cleared-out rooms)
• 42 - Gleeok with one head.

Unused Spawn Type

Via the use of world scrambler codes, you can force enemies to spawn from an unused configuration; all the enemies will rush out from a single cloud of smoke.

Unused Microphone Data

There is some functionality of the Famicom Microphone leftover in the U.S. version. Using the microphone will allow you to instantly kill any of the Pols Voice enemies that linger in the game's dungeons.

Version Differences

Detailing the changes between the Famicom Disk System / Nintendo Entertainment System versions of the game.

Graphical Differences

FDS	NES

The alphabetical characters are thinner than the ones used in the NES' font. The 'Y' was also changed from lower to upper case.

FDS	NES

A black outline was added around the Zora sprite to make it more visible. The eyes and mouth were also redrawn.

Title Screen

FDS	NES

The original Japanese version's title is "The Legend of Zelda", while the NES port is "The Legend of Zelda 1". The graphics were repositioned to accommodate for the longer title.

The copyright information was updated, and the Disk Side B message was replaced with "Push Start Button."

Prologue

FDS	NES

The title of the story was changed from "Legend of Zelda" to "The Legend of Zelda."

FDS	NES

For the North American release of the NES game, the Bible was renamed Book of Magic. The Japanese NES port keeps this name change, but the Katakana text still says Bible.

Game Over Menu

FDS	NES
Retry doesn't mean what you think it means	The 2P trick makes this easier

The Game Over menu options are spaced further apart in the NES port.

You picked something!

The NES version flashes text when you select something. This does not happen in the original game.

Map Changes

Two rooms in the game have additional enemies in the NES port.

FDS	NES

Five Keese were added to this otherwise empty room of Level 4.

FDS	NES

And again, there are seven Keese here in the NES game, but none in the FDS version.