If you're a subscriber of the recently launched Nintendo Switch Online service, and especially if you're a fan of the instant-access NES catalogue now available to you, you may well be aware that today sees the release of three new games. Well, it turns out there's actually a fourth - and it's a spin on a Zelda classic.
Yes, as promised, Solomon’s Key, NES Open Tournament Golf and Super Dodge Ball have all arrived, bumping the standard roster of NES games up to 23 in total, but this new Zelda option takes that total up another notch. Called 'The Legend of Zelda – Living the life of luxury!', the game acts as a "souped-up version of The Legend of Zelda", giving players access to pretty much everything from the start. Take a look.
As you can see, players start with all equipment and lots of rupees and items, making the adventure a whole lot easier and much, much quicker, we'd imagine. Interestingly, beating the game in this way will unlock a "more difficult version" called Second Quest. Whether this is more in line with the normal adventure, or still plays like this new 'Luxury' style, is yet to be seen.
It's certainly interesting to see Nintendo release a copy of the game like this - it essentially appears to behave like a cheat code giving you access to unlimited items from the start - but we're sure many will dive in to see how it plays.
Will you be giving this one a go? Do you think more classic games should come with easier variants such as this one? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Comments 137
I haven't even beaten the normal version of this game yet! A gem I haven't had the time to try out.
This is not really a surprise, because it was already known it was coming. More NES games will be getting this treatment in the upcoming months.
Yay?
I thought looking for the items was the point of the game, even if it can be frustrating at first.
That was unexpected...
All seems worth the yearly subscription now 🙄
I like that. I like that a lot.
Sounds like they got one of the hacked roms and they are now adding it as a new game 😂
The difficulty is not adapted to today's audience so that's a way to explore it for most without suffering.
I had played the original Zelda, it was really difficult. This one, I am not sure if I want to play it.
That's cool for speed-runners and retro gamers in general. Reminds me of the NES Remix mini-games.
I play nes games for the difficulty. But it's a nice little bonus.
"The Power of Money will overcome!" That sounds a lot like micro transactions.
Which are gross
I beat it on the NES Mini, but never tried Second Quest (I was going to at some point). Now with this I could beat the First Quest much more easily in order to get to the Second Quest fast, if I wanted to play it on the go. If not, I have the save data on my NES Mini to continue were I left.
Good news! I hope they give other nes classics (and other consoles eventually?) this treatment. Maybe new layouts for maps or upgrades for Metroid?
Wow, this is really fricking cool
@Moroboshi876 You can also input your name as ZELDA when starting a new file and it'll take you straight to the second quest
That's pretty cool, but I think it would take all of the fun out of the game for me, once you get used to the game it really is not that difficult.
Interesting. I just wanna say it’s frustrating that we’re only getting monthly additions to this library, especially when it’s only 3-4 (could easily add 3 a week) but I guess surprises like this are a welcome bonus. Also I wish they had electronic manuals on this.
@Vapeguy Good to know, thanks!
Cool
So it's just a lazy romhack to appease a generation of gamers that won't persevere a tougher NES game.
I mean true, it's not like you had one game to buy and once you had it you had to make the most of it, these days we're completely spoilt for choice.
Amazing stuff nintendo. I’m totally surprised
@Yasume really, I have not heard anything on that. Which other games are known to receive similar features?
And here I am running around on 3 Triforce pieces, the bow, boomerang, some bombs, and the blue candle. If only there some sort of melee weapon to make the game easier. Something that could stab, or even shoot beams when my hearts are full! And even let me pick it up at the beginning of the game...like the stick in BotW. That would be sweet. /s
What's most interesting to me is that the game is designed such that you can actually have all the weapons and items right at the start and it doesn't break the game. Most modern games would die a death if you tried to do anything other than what the developers have dictated you specifically have to do at any and every given point.
Meh. I was hoping it would be "souped up" with the original Famicom Disk System music. Now that would be special.
@Medic_alert Dunno. If I had a Switch, this might be the thing that would finally get me to bother trying to get past the few screens of this game. I've always found it just too frustratingly hard early on to bother going any further in such an old game. This could change that, if I can play without dying every few seconds.
Thats boring, give us Other options instead!
@Razieluigi If you download the Nes app on the Japanese Eshop, then you can play the famicom disk version with the better music/ sound effects
@Razieluigi P.S Razieluigi is probably one of the craziest combined characters I've seen haha well done
But why? I’d rather have the two BS Zeldas
Hey cool, why not, it'll never be enough to please some people but I like it.
I can appreciate Nintendo adding easy modes in some of their games like with DCK and Super Mario. But you should be able to choose the normal game too, is that not already part of the deal? I'm assuming it is. Either way, it makes you wonder if they might explore making new maps for older sprite based games. People would kill for a new map/world/story for Link to the Past.
"Interestingly, beating the game in this way will unlock a "more difficult version" called Second Quest."
Didn't the original feature this, too?
Cool!
@Nukuleardawg I actually did, briefly. But my news feed was immediately flooded with a billion Japanese posts that I can't read, and it drove me crazy so I removed the account. So ended my foray into region-free gaming.
Still... I'd like to have the localized game with Japanese music. Shouldn't be too hard to stitch that together, right Nintendo?
(And thanks about the name — came to me in a moment of madness several years ago, and I liked the Photoshopped result!)
@setezerocinco expect the unexpected
Yeah, but have they finally included the map that came with every NES/Famicom version of the game, which showed the location of all the dungeons and the order of the first 4 (thus isn't quite as "open world" as people think)? They never seem to include this with the digital manual whenever they've ported it to various things and it always makes people think that the game is incredibly obscure and confusing, when this actually wasn't necessarily the case (at least not to that extent).
@Balta666 I saw a list of them on Gamefaqs a couple weeks back, but I can’t find it anymore. I remember seeing The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 3 on it. Iirc there was one more, I want to say either Dr. Mario or Metroid, but don’t quote me on it.
It would be good if they let us have access to the Breath of the Wild version of NES Zelda
@Moroboshi876 if you want a quick way to get to Second Quest all you have to do is name Link “Zelda” he will be holding the White Sword to prove it worked.
@Medic_alert I never had the NES, my first Zelda was Links Awakening. I only found this out for the GameCube port one of the magazines (Cube) had the code and the map in it.
The Legend Of Zelda: Check Your Privilege Edition.
I think we will see some more nice additions in the future!
@Sveakungen Yeah, like Super Mario Brothers where you start at the end & just have to walk to Peach & then the game ends.
A "surprise" edition addition
That's one thing I asked for from this service. Hopefully we'll get other surprises in other ways going forward, like random days where games just pop in unannounced. More surprises, Nintendo.
Surprise! Some people in the comment section will complain about anything...
Fan service, even on the smallest level, should be embraced. This was completely unexpected, and I will enjoy it.
I wonder if the time spent making this custom save state could have been put toward adding an option to remove the info that's always at the bottom of the screen instead.
@nhSnork
Yes it did. I'm not sure whether the writer is unaware of that fact or is trying to spin this obvious thing as a new feature, but it's silly regardless.
@RupeeClock It would be a ROM hack if there was an illegal hacker involved. This is their property, so the term "hack" is irrelevant.
Nice adjustment for the weak. Now wheres my Zelda 2?
Edit: Just tried it. Its pretty much a suspend point where they’ve done most of the work for you before the first dungeon... Garbage. A google search would show most kids how to do that.
nice! Nintendo if you do more things like this you will keep (some) people happier!
so instead of adding a DIFFERENT fourth game......they take out the "Second Quest" from the original and moddify another copy for slackers ???
WTH ???
I mean, the original was not difficult, my 8 year old brother was tearing through that game with no problem, but the fun wasn't in the difficulty (or lack thereof), it was the exploration and free-wheeling, which is now taken away ???
what's the point, why not just make an even quicker version where Link walks into a cave and sees an old man with Princess Zelda standing next to him and he says...
"It's Dangerous to Leave Her Alone, Take Her !!!"
then just escort her to the first dungeon and game over
that was dumb
I wonder what bonus games the next months will bring...
Slacker Mario Bros.: the flag is at the beginning of the level
Squaretris: all the blocks are square
Mootroid: all weapons and upgrades and one room away from Mother Brain
I mean seriously
@Cosats INFORMAL; an act of computer hacking.
-a piece of computer code providing a quick or inelegant solution to a particular problem.
"this hack doesn't work on machines that have a firewall"
-a strategy or technique for managing one's time or activities more efficiently.
"there's one easy hack to avoid the eight dollar popcorn trap: eat before you get to the theater"
@Cosats It happens, Nintendo have sold NES roms taken from rom sites as evident from iNes headers, as part of their Virtual Console releases.
I hate surprises and I hate Nintendo games. I signed up for three NES games a month, and if Nintendo wants to continue to break their promise on delivering three games a month, well, I’ll be left with no choice but to tell the internet just how mad this makes me.
They should've added an in-game map. We'd be in luxury with the game if we simply had that.
Pretty cool. Interested to see what else they'll add over the coming months.
Funny enough I beat the game for the first time just last week. I dunno if I like this honestly, but I guess it's fun to play around with?
Wow. By reading some of the really angry comments here, you'd think Nintendo was coming to kill your family instead of offering an unexpected (to many) novelty alternate version. I personally think it's a pretty neat option, but one that can easily be ignored if you don't and not taken as a personal insult.
@PlayedNSlayed it $20. You spent that coming up with this complaint. Congratulations.
@flapjack-ashley they're so angry! And come here to say they support Nintendo, by passive aggressively yelling at them. I don't get it.
@flapjack-ashley @bimmy-lee Those are probably my favorite comments in here.
I'm still halfway through the original. Starting level 9. Maybe one day I'll take a look at this hack
@flapjack-ashley I think you're overselling the "anger" people have toward this.
This is a neat surprise, Never beaten second quest maybe I'll attempt it with this version.
Not sure I'm for this personally. But that's just me. The best part of the game is getting upgrades and items. Kind of defeats the purpose if you have these items going in for veterans of the game . Sounds like an assist mode for newcomers which I think can be great for them. Not gonna lie, I hope there's this type of special game release for metroid. I'll definitely need help on that one.
They announced a special edition of Zelda was coming, but it sneak-releasing today was certainly a surprise.
I’ll check it out if I can ever manage to put Super Dodge Ball down.
@BraveBiT ooooooh I’d love NES / SNES remix on switch.. I forgot about those remix games!
@HobbitGamer - I’m just giddy to finally see some items and dungeons I’ve never found. 32 years, and it remains the lone LOZ console game I haven’t completed. Not like this counts as completing it, but it’ll be fun to mess around with this version.
'Action Replay' edition...
Linked cashed in on his high yield dividend stocks. 💸
I have no issues with an easier version of the game, but it seems like the perks here destroy the point of the game to begin with.
Didn't see that one coming. Whenever I pop in Zelda, this is pretty much the load out I aim for before heading into the first dungeon.
Still.... I kinda enjoy the grind, honestly
@TheDragonDAFan You must have missed the comments by JHewitt and Retron earlier.
Obviously many are just indifferent, but some are just way over the top.
@bimmy-lee I know what you mean. I think it’s cool to have the option to just play around with.
So, basically the Game Genie version of the game? Got it!
The Legend of Zelda: Easy Mode.
On a serious note, it's great that they're making this classic a little more accessible to casual and/or inexperienced gamers. I might try it out myself at some point, though I think overall I prefer the original.
This is what I've always wanted from Nintendo?
The Legend of Zelda: Living the Life of Luxery
I'm diggin' that title!
This is a really cool development they're willing to release specialty modified versions of old games. That's unexpected....this perhaps can be the unique hook that makes NESFlix interesting....unique game modes that didn't exist on prior consoles.
Who says Nintendo has few exclusives this year. TLoZ Digital Deluxe Edition with DAY ONE DLC Pack (Bonus items: White sword, power bracelet, 3000 rupee starter pak) launched today!
@pika677 Thats right! Its quite funny when you consider Nintendo's failed legal action against Codemaster's device in the 90s... that similar 'cheats' are now sold as a special feature by Nintendo themselves.
Why? I replayed zelda when it was released last month and finished it in a few days of on and off play time. Beat it quite a few times in the old NES days so it brought back memories and I tended to remember where everything was at from decades ago. Its not really that hard of a game.
Now this came out of nowhere.
The timing behind this is also perfect, as I was just done talking about how we could get our money's worth.
If what @subpopz and @NEStalgia summed up best as "NESflix" is starting to put some original content in the rerun library (well, I had to complete the Netflix metaphor somehow), we might sing a different tune in a few months (or weeks, hopefully).
I have no problem with it one way or another. Some will like it. Some will want to explore/level up. I can see it as a way to more easily explore the world, but it does seem to take some of the fun out of the whole adventure.
My only issue with the game so far is that the controls are a bit fiddly when using the joy-cons. I've not moved several times because the controller registered a diagonal instead of UDLR. Didn't think that would be an issue, but it makes a difference when you're trying to attack orthogonally and the character doesn't respond.
@the4seer You definitely have the right idea. That is how I choose to look at things like this myself.
Zelda. The "nancy edition". When you just don't have what it takes.
@PlayedNSlayed
Yeah, that $1.67 a month is just so much to pay....😂👌🏻
What they need to do is release the BoTW Zelda demo done in the NES style. Now THAT would get a lot of attention.
I still waiting for Metroid and TwinBee.
(And hoping for Super Mario Bros. 2/USA, Castlevania, Kirby's Adventure, Final Fantasy and more good games in 2019)
One version for old school gamers, one for today’s gamer. As a 5th grader, my bud and I spent hours hand drawing out entire overworld map and marking stuff in order to beat this. Today’s gamers have wiki and easy modes like this to help them. Our map was like 20 pieces of paper taped together too.
Just type Zelda and you get the second quest. I can get to level nine without a sword. I thought it would be a third quest darn.
As someone who’s beaten Zelda dozens of times through the decades, including in its original release in the 80s, I’m not really sure I see the point. You’ll breeze through the game and basically miss a lot of what makes this game great (exploration & discovery, the sense of reward in powering up), even 3 decades after its original release.
I’ll never forget my 6th grade year using my friend’s hand drawn maps and word of mouth tips to complete this game. There was no internet, magazines were few and far between...it truly was up to you, your buddies and maybe the game counselors on the Nintendo hotline if you really got stuck.
This mode is like the total opposite of that. If you’ve never played it, I would highly recommend the original mode first, as the OG Zelda remains a great game.
Hey....least your kids no matter the age can say they beat a Zelda game.
we already know a few more games that will get the same treatment, including: double dragon, gradius, super mario bros 1, super mario bros 3 and metroid
Zelda the most oberrated game ever made
Nintendo putting out romhacks now? What is the world coming to?
I'm not so interested in this, but it's a great sign of things to come. Gonna be fun to see what they come up with.
I'm not so interested in this, but it's a great sign of things to come. Gonna be fun to see what they come up with.
@Agent721 it's the principal smart arse or don't people have those anymore? Nintendo have charged again for 30 year old games that you don't even get to own anymore. The point is they've had almost 2 years to get this 'service' out and the best they can do is NES games and cloud saves. Why should they care about getting decent games on the Switch for the rest of this year,especially third party games,when they can just fob everyone off with crap like this and people like yourself continue let them off the hook as though they should be above any criticism for it.
@PlayedNSlayed *principle
Your spelling makes it pretty obvious that you're between 10 and 12 so I understand the frustration of spending your weekly allowance for the Switch online
K while I've been on-board with Switch Online from the beginning, they should've mentioned this earlier. What the h*ck that's awesome.
@Yorumi nah, he insulted people first so it's all fair game after that. Besides,he's just here to troll as per his myriad posts in the past so if anything I'm trying to drain this swamp
@PlayedNSlayed
The online can get better for sure, and more third party games would be better as well, but it’s hard to complain at $1.67/month for Nintendo online, specifically. The service is a bargain. It cost more to get a single coffee at Starbucks, a value meal at McDonalds, etc...
Better third party games is a different problem that has nothing to do with the pricing and value of Nintendo online. My answer to that, along with well over 50% of gamers in the US, is to own multiple platforms. I own them all and I’ve got no complaints as a results.
@Yorumi no bad behaviour on my part, I just corrected his spelling and indicated his age. It's no my problem that this dude is constantly moaning about a buck and a half a month. And yeah it's not a bargain if you have a PC, we all know that. I have a PC but I'm not playing games on it just like a lot of other people that own PC's or laptops. That's not a legitimate argument.
@Medic_alert It is if you don't even know where the first dungeon is and you go wandering off in some random direction.
Excuuuuussssseee me princess!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FPxY8lpYAUM
If u remember this u had an awesome childhood 👆🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😂
I'd rather see the Snes BS game with the extra quests.
BACKWARD COMPATABILITY COMPARSION:
Microsoft: 100+ games AND the best of Rare. We didn't start out like this, but hey - better late than never!
Sony: Pffft, amateurs. ALL Playstation games are playable on PS4 out of the box. You're welcome, Internet.
Nintendo: Forget Virtual Console... we have NES games! And easier versions of said games! HYPE HYPE HYPE!
Really? Weren't all PS3 games compatible at launch? Sony made a big deal about playing pre-owned titles and whatnot.
Also, 550? Jesus, my Xbox is now a lot more appealing than it was before. (Don't worry, I also have a Switch and that's my primary console.)
Second Quest was in the original game. Have you people even played Nintendo before?
So basically Zelda the Easy Version? Hmm... still kinda cool. I've beaten the game before, so I wouldn't mind checking this out just for the novelty of it.
This would be so much more appreciated with Zelda 2, though. Speaking of which... Zelda 2, please. Gief.
@Yorumi Thanks for calling that guy out and not stooping to his level.
I have to agree with what a few others have said here. This kind of defeats the purpose of the game which is to explore and discover items.
I guess it's good for people wanting an easy mode.
I was hoping that they would improve the controls, which is my only complaint about what is otherwise an excellent game that still holds up.
Simultaneously both surprising and underwhelming.
This is rather cool news! Any additional games are welcome 👍🏼
Imagine if Mike Tyson's Pumch Out gets a similar treatment... To this day I can't forget what an intense but fun challenge that game was to 13yr old me.
Tyson had an invincible aura at the time, and in the game, too, those first few matches.
@SmaggTheSmug my thoughts exactly. Unlocking new items and finding secrets is my favorite part of the original Legend of Zelda. I’ve played it through about 10 times since I was a kid to find the most efficient way of doing this.
Haha I wanna try this out cause the real game is hard af 😅
Call me when they release The Legend of Zelda: The Third Quest (otherwise known as BS The Legend of Zelda), bonus points if they include the re-record the voiceover tracks.
@MagnaRoader That would be neat but I don't think a rouge like Metroid for NES is what I want unless you mean a version with a different map layout. That could be cool
@the4seer because according to the people, who have tested this out, this is a simple save state. That's pure laziness on Nintendo's part.
Also, let people complain if they want to. "Of course, some people in the comments have to kiss Ninty's bottom by complaining about other commenters, no matter what", could also be used as a counterargument.
@SmaggTheSmug it's probably intended for people who already know the game very well, but just want to have some more fun with it.
A perfect b-line for this could have been “It’s a secret to everybody” or some iteration of that
I'm not even mad. That's a pretty good way of making an incredibly difficult game more accessible to the curious newcomer.
@G_M
Lol @"pure laziness"
Pure laziness, as opposed to not having anything at all. Uh ... Yeah... That doesn't make any sense. Sounds more like "pure entitlement", to me.
As for kissing up to Nintendo. I actually never mentioned Nintendo, in my comment. I mentioned that fan service should be embraced. On any level, large or small, it exist only for the player. If you don't like it then don't play it. Calling it "lazy", as if you were promised something more, sounds entitled.
All in my opinion, of course.
I'm pretty sure Reggie just copied by extra save file and sent it to everyone
Seriously though, this isn't a huge addition to the library, but it's promising. If we ended up with remixed versions of Mario 3 and Metroid I'd be thrilled. Or a version of Kid Icarus that doesn't feel like driving a snowblow while drunk.
Why? Just why?
Oh okay. Kinda like Kid Icarus' second playthrough?
Tbh, I'm a wee bit disappointed. I thought we were getting the BS Zelda game.
Or some other country exclusive game.
@flapjack-ashley
Not that much of a novelty, considering you could probably do the same thing with a game genie back in the day. I dunno, I never used it on my Zeldas.
@Donutman
That's awesome
@Yasume Really? That's kind of insulting to players. :/
@Kamalen It's not a difficult game. Todays players can find secrets without being handed everything on a silver platter, especially since most of the dungeons aren't big or confusing. Because that's how you get most of your items in Zelda games. Barring the weirdness of Worlds rent-to-buy system and Breaths, we don't need no stinkin traditional dungeons!
@Tempestryke It is a way harder game, because 1) it was made in another era, when games just get out of arcade and were designed that way and 2) because of old controls that feel very different to what we are used to now.
@Kamalen
I would like to disagree with your assessment that the game is harder than todays games because we have become complacent in gameplay due to more advanced controls, yet, save for the Switch, all Nintendo portables still use the very same controls as the NES, basic buttons on the right, cross pad/D Pad on the left, select and start, the gameplay of Zelda itself is very simple and my 7 year old loves it and if a 7 year old finds it an easy play and easy difficulty, I'm curious if you have even played LoZ 1
@jhewitt3476 When I speak about controls, that is not only about buttons, but the control design of Link as well. See difference with the (real) 2nd game : A Link to the Past. There, Link can move all 8 directions and the sword do a 180° swing. Those simple things makes combat massively more forgiving. That, and you add some stuff like no world map, no guidance on how to find dungeons, and you do have a difficult game because of its old age. I have no doubt the controls are understandable for a 7 years old, but will he/she be able to complete the whole without a guide or help ?
I fully did LoZ 1 some years ago in a emulator, with many deaths and using emulator save stats to pause and resume, while I usually surf on ALTTP without much harm.
@Kamalen
she has beaten the game many times and comparing an SNES game to an NES game is like comparing Super Metroid to Metroid Prime
@Kamalen
What? Zelda isn't an arcade game. If players can roam around bigger and more complex, open-world games then little old Zelda 1, then they can beat Zelda 1.
The controls are up, down, left, right B, A, Start. Are you saying that walking around a screen using the d-pad and 2 buttons to stab, shoot and magic things to death is...too difficult for people?
Dunno how anyone manages with other top down Zeldas, or Pokemon? Must be excruciating for today's gamers to play.
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