Legend of Zelda questions

[P]

It doesn't help that there is a in-game hint that a digdogger doesn't like certain sounds...

[Xious]

The reason that it (the save screen) didn't work for me is probably because I remembered it a bit funny... I was pausing the game (with 'select') before sing A+U on Controller II, not entering the sub-screen with 'start'. Oh well, 'tisn't as if I was going for a perfect game, but it's occasionally time-consuming to be trapped in a dungeon with no bombs. 

At least the bit about the digdogger is true.

[Ice Man]

Zelda no Densetsu is really a magic game. It has a wonderful and dreaming atmosphere.

I think that the voices that say Miyamoto used its childhood memories to create this game are true.
I really like how there are some mechanics shared with Mario games, despite having opposite gameplay: the flute appears also in Super Mario Bros 3 and the clock really reminds the invincibility star.
And you are right, in the Western versions Pols Voices are weak to arrows because NES controllers had no microphone, but I didn't know that the Famicom cartridge version had that weakness mantained. After all it makes sense because the AV Famicom had no microphone on the controllers.

Moreover, it's full of secrets both in the overworld and in dungeons, but many of them are really HARD to find.
If you want to try a good challenge, the second quest is all you want.

I appreciate Link no Bouken too, I never understood why is always underestimated on the Internet.

[Xious]

The Famicom (cartridge version) release has the NES weakness for Pols Voice due to the lack of a microphone on the New Famicm (A/V) that was released prior to the cartridge re-release. In fact, that was the reason behind re-releasing it in cartridge format in the first place, as the New Famicom (A/V) can't run the original (FDS) release as designed. In fact, if I remember rightly, it was a 'launch title' for the redesigned system.

In other words, the reason they made the cartridge version was for people that purchased the New Famicom (A/V) so that they could defeat the enemies in the game. I'm curious now what the cartridge re-release manual states about Pols Voice though. I don't recall inspecting it in the past...

I agree though: Zelda no Densetsu is one of the few titles that I can sit down to play casually and find myself not wanting to put away. It's easiy the No.1 on my personal list of the best Nintendo titles of all time.

[P]

At least the bit about the digdogger is true.

Yeah. Before I had learned what each monster is called, this hint just helped to confuse me even further though.

I appreciate Link no Bouken too, I never understood why is always underestimated on the Internet.

I really agree with you! That was my first Zelda game and I'm probably more familiar with it than the first Zelda. It was made in the RPG boom and it is truly a masterpiece of an Action RPG. I really hope that they will bring some more RPG features like an experience points system in a future Zelda game. I hope to play through the FDS version of it soon as it is very different from the NES versions. I played it a bit and it seems to be a lot harder for some reason.


OK I happen to have the teal cartridge version of Zelda 1 so I checked the manual now.

First the original for comparison.

FDS Manual:
●ポルスボイス
耳の大きなオバケ。大きな音に弱いという弱点を持つ。

My translation:
●Pols Voice
A monster with big ears. It has a weakness against loud noise.


Then the teal cartridge.

Cartridge Manual:
●ポルスボイス
耳の大きなオバケ。見かけはかわいいが強敵だ。

My translation:
●Pols Voice
A monster with big ears. Appears cute but it is a formidable enemy.


It looks like they covered it up quite nicely.

[jpx72]

Many thanks for the discussion, usefull hints and clues! It's interresting how the game evolved through the Famicom lifespan.
I love this Zelda although I have already played through Ocarina, Link to the past and Twilight princess! The gameplay seems odd at first look, but in a few minutes you are playing it like Super Mario. It certainly is one of the best programmed games for Famicom.

All right, I'm off to gain rupees for the blue ring

[modeltfordman]

If you are looking for scans of instruction booklets for NES games go to vimm.net and click on the manual project. Here is a link to The Legend of Zelda http://vimm.net/manual/index.php?p=details&system=NES&id=783. You can download them in .pdf or view them on the site. I do not recall if you have to download Vimm's manual viewer or not.

[Killer Bob]

Nice to see that people still enjoy this 25 year old masterpiece. As this game was quite badly localized as many other Japanese games at the time, (the engrish dialogue on its own have become legendary) I have always wondered what the original quotes was really about and what they were referring to. As I have absolutely no knowledge in the Japanese language, I was pleased when I found this site: http://www.lltvg.com/wiki/The_Legend_of_Zelda/ja-en

When I sorted out the dialogue for that page, I noticed that these lines were completely changed for the NES localization:

Level 1
NES:
EASTMOST PENNINSULA IS THE SECRET.

FDS:
オカネガナクナレバ　ヤ　ハ　ツカエナイ
お金がなくなれば、矢は使えない。

Literal translation:
If you don't have money, you can't use arrows.

Level 5
NES:
SECRET POWER IS SAID TO BE IN THE ARROW.
(this one was necessary as NES lacked the microphone feature)

FDS:
オトニヨワイ　イキモノガイル
音に弱い生き物がいる。

Literal translation:
There is a creature that is weak against noise/sound.

Level 7
NES:
THERE'S A SECRET IN THE TIP OF THE NOSE.

FDS:
メガネイワ　ハ　シヘノ　イリグチ
眼鏡岩は死への入り口。

Literal translation:
Spectacle Rock is the entrance to death.

Level 8
NES:
SPECTACLE ROCK IS AN ENTRANCE TO DEATH.

FDS:
デスマウンテンデ　ヤヲ　サガセ
デスマウンテンで矢を探せ。

Literal translation:
Search for an arrow on Death Mountain.

Level 8
NES:
10TH ENEMY HAS THE BOMB.

FDS:
ライオンノカギヲサガセ
ライオンの鍵を探せ。

Literal translation:
Search for the lion key.

Level 9
NES:
PATRA HAS THE MAP.

FDS:
イチバンウエ　ノ　サカ　イメヲ　コワセ
一番上の境目を壊せ。

Literal translation:
Break the topmost barrier.
(no idea what this is referring to?)

Level 9
NES:
EYES OF SKULL HAS A SECRET.

FDS:
アカイユビワヲ　ミツケタカイ
赤い指輪を見つけたかい？

Literal translation:
Did you find the red ring?

Level 6, 2nd Quest
NES:
SOUTH OF ARROW MARK HIDES A SECRET.

FDS:
ミズウミノ　キタ　ニハ　ヒミツガ　アル
湖の北には秘密がある。

Literal translation:
There is a secret north of the lake.

Quite interesting... the NES dialogue doesn't even look like mistranslations, it just looks like the localization staff came up with their own weird lines in some instances, and in most cases they don't make any sense at all. No wonder we were scratching our heads when we were first playing this game on the NES. It's also interesting that they changed around the clue "Spectacle Rock is an entrance to death." to another dungeon, probably just a misstake. Make sure to check out their other translation projects if you're interested, I found their "Zelda 2" translation equally interesting.

[jpx72]

Ha that's hilarious! This really seems like the translators weren't  translators at all, just some guys playing Zelda and thinking out their own hints... they could've done better
Thanks for posting!

[i heart yuna]

I'm pretty sure the cartridge versions do not work with the mic input. At the least, I don't recall it working with 'Zelda no Densetsu 1' (teal cartridge), and I don't remember if the NES cart did or did not work with it. I'm remembering that it didn't, but I could be mistaken. The weakness to the other weapon, which does not exist in the FDS version.

Spoiler

Arrows

[close]

It does work on the Cart version. I have tried successfully in the past.

Yes, that way it is possible to beat the game with 0 Game Overs. Zelda 2 counts the number of times you save and not deaths though so it doesn't matter much in that game...

oh yeah. this is the cart version, and I did not do this in one sitting:

[P]

That is very intresting Killer Bob. My guess is that they just changed the hints to what they thought was better as they had that kind of freedom.
Now I'm just curious what the man i level 5 has to say in the cartridge version.

OK now we have two people claiming that the mic does work in the cartridge version, it's strange that it didn't work for me. Alright I'm gonna play through the cartridge version later when I have time, then I can confirm both these things.

i heart yuna, I was talking about Link no bouken not Zelda 1 cartridge version. By the way 0 Game Overs that's very impressive! I can pull it off in Zelda 2 (pal version) but not in Zelda 1. I will try though!

[Killer Bob]

That is very intresting Killer Bob. My guess is that they just changed the hints to what they thought was better as they had that kind of freedom.

Well, I found an old article describing Nintendos localization practice back then: http://www.thehylia.com/lost_in_translation.shtml
It's an interesting read.

Now I'm just curious what the man i level 5 has to say in the cartridge version.

Yeah, I'm also curious about that, could be worth checking out.

I also hope my posting of clues didn't spoil anything for you, jpx72. I noticed that you're currently playing this.

[jpx72]

I also hope my posting of clues didn't spoil anything for you, jpx72. I noticed that you're currently playing this.

Haha thanks for the concerns but I've finished the game a couple of days ago! It was a fantastic experience!

And to the MIC question - probably the Famicom (Japanese) cartridge version has the feature still implemented, but the NES (english-translated) version hasn't.
Post Merge: May 12, 2011, 04:21:59 am
I have another question:
Is there a pirate version of  "The Legend of Zelda 2: Link no Bouken (FDS)" for Famicom? I mean the original japanese FDS conversion...

[P]

Intresting read indeed, Killer Bob. I had no idea A link to the past was translated in such a way. I guess similar things happened in other companies at the time as well.

jpx72, I  don't know how much you know Japanese or if you played Zelda 2 before but if it is the first time you play it you might need to understand what they say in the game. There is much more dialog than the first Zelda and the hints actually makes sense in this game even in English.
Even if you don't know much Japanese but can read katakana you may be able to get through it with a dictionary (I recommend jisho.org) but it will take some time. Katakana is not hard to learn but you may need to give it a week or so (here is a good site were you can learn both hiragana and katakana quite fast: www.realkana.com).

You can always play the English version like you did with Zelda 1 though. It has some changes from the Japanese version but they are not necessarily bad changes. The battle theme, for example, is better in the English version IMHO (even though it hardly sounds like a battle theme anymore).

[i heart yuna]

I also hope my posting of clues didn't spoil anything for you, jpx72. I noticed that you're currently playing this.

And to the MIC question - probably the Famicom (Japanese) cartridge version has the feature still implemented

no question. it definitely does. i have done it.