So did the first Legend of Zelda come with a map or anything?

Ganbare, OP. It's tough but you can do it.

File: Zelda original map.png (2MB, 2560x947px) Image search: [Google]

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>>3836463
This is the map that came with the original game. Using it and the manual is what we all did back when the game was released and is not considered extra help. You'll still need to do a lot of bombing and burning things to find secret entrances.

You'd probably figure this out on your own pretty early, but the one piece of advice I'd give is that there is never more than one secret on an individual map screen. If there's a secret to be found, you can move on to the next screen after you find it.

>>3836495
Is there generally hints to the locations of places to bomb or things to burn or is it like Wolfenstein 3d where you find the secrets by running around with your face mashed into the wall mashing the "use" key?

>>3836512
Sometimes, it's a suspicious bush or rock outcropping. Other times, it's one square in a featureless wall. The best way to search efficiently is to place your bombs and flames on the seams between squares, so they'll reveal a secret on either side.

You'll still need to do a fair amount of guessing and refilling bombs by tracking down blue enemies. You'll be able to increase your bomb capacity later, and you'll also get a couple of item upgrades that allow you to use unlimited flames without needing to exit the screen.

>>3836528
Candles are multiple use right? Or do I have to spend a lot of money buying candles if I want to try burning things?

The true Japanese release did not come with a full map.
Only Americans got it because Nintendo thought they were retarded.

>>3836532
The candle is a permanent item. You only need to buy it once, but the one you buy will only let you send out one flame at a time. You'll need to exit the screen and reenter to use it again on that screen. You'll find one later with unlimited uses per screen.

>>3836537
The map that came with the game is far from complete.

>>3836495
Yes, that is extra help. The Japanese game only got a map showing the first 3 dungeons. That huge map is for autistic Americans.

>>3836557
You could also use graph paper to make your own map as you go. That's what I did with all of the dungeons.

>>3836537
US release didn't get a full map either, dingus

>>3836537
>4 dungeon entrances
>8 question marks
>2 "LOST" locations
>30 blank screens
>0 maps of the dungeons themselves
>countless secrets left unmarked

>>3836563
Was taking paper notes on games a normal thing back in the day?

I've been considering doing that just because I suck at keeping track of things and will have moments where I stop playing a game for several weeks and forget what I was doing when I decide to pick it back up. Older games are much less hand holdy when it comes to things like that.

Also is the next game, Link's Adventure, worth playing or should I just move onto A Link to the Past?

>>3836537
>Only Americans got it because Nintendo thought they were retarded.
This. It's the same reason why Dragon Warrior, Final Fantasy and Earthbound were all bundled with strategy guides in the U.S. and why Nintendo never localized any of the Famicom Wars and Fire Emblem games until they started adding forced tutorials to the campaigns.

>>3836585
>Was taking paper notes on games a normal thing back in the day?
Yes, using a pad of graph paper was part of the experience with a lot of games.

Zelda II is definitely worth playing, but it's quite different than any other game in the series.

The original FDS version didn't have a map, but they included one in the Cartridge re-release.

>>3836590
Dragon Warrior came with a strategy guide in the US release? That's pretty interesting.

>>3836596
>FDS
Zelda 1 came out on the FDS first?

What was it used for? Save game data? Why was the NES version in a single cartridge only?

>>3836603
>Why was the NES version in a single cartridge only?
Because they didn't release the FDS in America since it could have been used to circumvent Nintendo's iron grip on publishing.

>>3836603
>Zelda 1 came out on the FDS first?
As did SMB2J, Metroid, Kid Icarus, Castlevania, Bio Miracle and others.

>>3836603
>>3836607
And I forgot Zelda 2 was ONLY on FDS in Japan before the virtual console releases.

>>3836612
Oops, it was also apparently also on GBA in 2004 before the virtual console, but still never on the regular Famicom.

>>3836607
>>3836612
>>3836614
>ONLY on FDS
>GBA in 2004 before the virtual console
It looks like the same with Metroid and Kid Icarus. No Famicom cartridge release ever.

>>3836628
And SMB2J.

Back then Zelda 1 was beaten with cooperation by your fellow kids in elementary school. Retro games such as these fostered a community of exchanging secrets in the playground, so if you ever wanted an 'authentic' experience of playing Zelda 1, you'd have to be a kid with friends in elementary school, in the 80s.

So sorry OP, but just playing with this method is outdated today. You're going to have to look up guides when you're stuck. On the other hand I do think it's quite joyful to 100% Zelda 1 with a walkthrough.

>>3836669
Isn't that what /vr/ is for? 80s elementary school children.

>>3836676
lol, well I guess you could, with all the false rumours it entails.

>>3836669
I was the kid who found everything in both quests alone and then went to the houses of the other kids to help them.

>>3836603
>>3836612
>>3836614
>>3836628
Jesus Christ, are you so easily impressed by simple facts that you can look up on Wikipedia?

>>3836669
>Retro games such as these fostered a community of exchanging secrets in the playground, so if you ever wanted an 'authentic' experience of playing Zelda 1, you'd have to be a kid with friends in elementary school, in the 80s
>tfw kids only wanted to talk about Halo and occasionally Morrowind
>tfw only had a Sega Genesis, Gameboy Color, NES and Nintendo 64 that your parents gave you until you saved up enough spare change to buy your own GameCube
>never played Morrowind but really liked listening to your friend talk about it
>had two copies of Pokemon Blue so you traded one for your other freind's Silver

>>3836614
>>3836628
Wrong.

File: zelda map.png (2MB, 1253x482px) Image search: [Google]

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>>3836463
>>3836495
If you have the manual, the map you see here is actually accurate.

>>3836805
Researching a few things to make sure we got it all right makes someone easily impressed? What?

>>3836835
I'm pretty sure that's right. Are you thinking of bootleg reproduction cartridges?

>>3836495
>Merchants sell many things. Stay out of the expensive stores!
OY VEY

>>3836463
Map in the box yes

Is it worth it to get the blue ring? 250 rupees is a fucking lot.

>>3838207
It's worth it. You'll have that much eventually or with some grinding of good enemies. Just remember that you can only hold 255 rupees at a time, so there's no sense in hoarding them when you get close to enough for the ring. There's a better ring well hidden in the final dungeon, but you'll probably need the protection of the blue ring before that.

File: sekret.png (16KB, 1181x1215px) Image search: [Google]

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>>3836512

Whenever you see bushes lined up like pic related then the bottom bush is where a secret is (if there is a secret on the screen). There is lots of trial and error in this game, but if you find something you feel great

File: zelda1_08.jpg (111KB, 438x496px) Image search: [Google]

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>>3836537

the japanese game came with a blindfold, cause they thought it would be too easy without :^)

>>3836585
You usually always had a notepad or something beside you while gaming to write up passwords or tipps from npcs, hell maybe even highscores... ah... different times

>>3836495
>The nasty characters Link bumps into in the Overworld.
>Rock

Ok.

>>3839883
Well... They bump into Link. Is it because they called a rock a creature?

File: mapping old school.jpg (31KB, 600x450px) Image search: [Google]

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>>3836585

Definitely on CRPG's it was normal, not as much on consoles but it was still required for some games. With CRPG's you pretty much had to play with pencil and paper next to you.

>>3838573

In some ways I miss those days. Couldn't afford to buy games all the time so I always wanted to really get my moneys worth out of games. If the character creation was particularly complex/RNG I'd spend hours crafting the perfect party. Then there were the hours of writing down notes and making maps. Hours of backtracking to try to figure out where to go next. Maybe when I retire I'll have time to do all that again, but for now I use guides online.