Throwback Thursday - The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

Welcome to another Throwback Thursday, our weekly look into my Top 100 games and general nostalgia, now examining the esteemed Top 10 games I can't recommend higher.  Readying their blade this week: The game of dungeons and caves and descendants to save that is The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.

Released on November 21st, 1991, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past was the third installment in the Zelda series and much anticipated debut for the new SNES console.  After some experimentation as an RPG side-scrolling adventure with Zelda II, A Link to the Past marked a return to form with classic top-down, dungeon crawling fun.  Making full use of this powerful new hardware of its time, players were vividly immersed exploring this intricate world full of layered heights and overlapping bridges.  It's a game that I consider to be the perfect embodiment of pure gameplay; A perfect balance of exploration, action, and puzzle-solving.  And it all begins with one of the most memorable intros in all of gaming, with Link making for a daring rescue at Hyrule Castle on a dark and stormy night.

Part of what makes this intro so memorable is how it thrusts the player straight into the moment.  No long, drawn-out tutorials to slow things down.  Players just get right into game and naturally learn how to play.  Navigating the many halls of Hyrule Castle.  Finding suspicious cracked walls and learning there are secrets which will require mental notes to revisit.  And then upon making your escape to the chapel, the whole world of Hyrule is suddenly open for you to explore as you see fit.  It's an exhilarating and liberating rush.  But this sensation is felt even greater when the second act of the game reveals not only a whole parallel world in which to explore, but 7 more dungeons in which to overcome.  You realize this adventure has only just barely begun.

Concept art of Link facing off against Ganon in A Link to the Past.

And truly, it's amazing just how much is packed into this game, and what incredible polish it still holds to this day.  The outstanding musical scores, which is not only one of the greatest soundtracks to be found on the SNES, but also defined many key melodies to be used for the rest of the series.  The satisfying combat thanks in part that Link's sword swing now encompasses a 90-degree trajectory rather than the annoyingly short jabs of the original Zelda.  The loads of secrets and optional items in which to discover.  The comical joy of defeating the evil wizard Agahnim with nothing but a bug catching net.  I could go on and on singing this game's praises, but why not just do yourself a favor, boot up this tremendous masterpiece, and have yourself an exemplary, euphoric gaming experience.