Zelda: The Second Quest

[kaedesdisciple]

I've always breezed through the first quest of Zelda without a hitch, but then I would shy away from the second quest. Back in the day, I tried it a few times but got way too frustrated to continue. I never knew where to go next!

Fast forward to today, I breezed through the first quest yet again on the GBA version and decided it was time to take up the second quest. I tried it on my own first and again got very frustrated. I took a look at some maps online to find out where my next objectives are. How did people ever find where they were going without some kind of strategy guide? These things are hidden in the strangest places. Plus, the trick walls in almost all of the palaces are a real pain. Am I just a gaming moron or is this quest really difficult to traverse without at least a little guidance?

[bangtango]

I try to avoid bombing a whole lot of walls or walking through walls until I've found the map. Sometimes you have to do this a few times to get the map, though.

Like you, I've beaten the first quest a bunch of times but I never finished the second quest. Not because I gave up or it was too hard. I've never been interested or ambitious enough to tackle it. I've always made it a few levels in but just lost interest. Feels like I am playing the same game all over again, even though it is not the same.

Those Stalfos who throw swords at you right from level one are murder without a large shield and white ring. I'll say that right now. Those red bubbles that steal your sword permanently, unless you hit a blue one, are also a menace.

[kaedesdisciple]

I thought level 4 was particularly devilish, having the item hidden 3 rooms behind the Triforce piece. Furthermore, that room features a tough fight of 2 red knights, 2 blue knights and 2 pols voice in a tightly cramped room PLUS you have to figure out which of the 30 blocks in the room to push to open the hidden stairs.

[PingvinBlueJeans]

Am I just a gaming moron or is this quest really difficult to traverse without at least a little guidance?
No, you're definitely right...the second quest gets hard very quickly. I've never completed it, although I've never made a serious effort.

[Gemini-Phoenix]

The hardest puzzle in any Zelda game has got to be the one in Link's Awakening where you have to kill the three enemies in the room in a specific order to make the steps in the corner appear. There's no hints in the game either, so you can be running around that dungeon for ages unless you accidently kill them right first time.

Once you've played through one Zelda game though, you get used to the tricks and puzzles, so every other game after that has more of the same. The hardest Zelda games are the two GBC Oracle games, and they do test you, but after playing these, Minish Cap and Link To Teh Past are a walk in the park

[Jorpho]

The hardest puzzle in any Zelda game has got to be the one in Link's Awakening where you have to kill the three enemies in the room in a specific order to make the steps in the corner appear. There's no hints in the game either, so you can be running around that dungeon for ages unless you accidently kill them right first time.

Er, what? There's a Stone Tablet in the same room that explicitly tells you what to kill first and what to kill last.

[Terminusvitae]

My elder brother and I beat the second quest on several occasions back in the '80s, but I do not know if he learned from someone else the locations of the dungeons. I'm thinking that the answer is "no," because if he had, I wouldn't have been the one to try walking through the walls in Level 2.

After over a decade away from the game, I picked it up again and tried my hand at the second quest, and I was thoroughly lost, as I'd forgotten where everything was. So much for never forgetting how to ride a bicycle...

[bangtango]

I thought level 4 was particularly devilish, having the item hidden 3 rooms behind the Triforce piece. Furthermore, that room features a tough fight of 2 red knights, 2 blue knights and 2 pols voice in a tightly cramped room PLUS you have to figure out which of the 30 blocks in the room to push to open the hidden stairs.

Ok, I've just decided I will finally try beating the Second Quest. Yeah, after all these years. This from a guy who found the Second Quest on accident by using the name Zelda (I thought it was clever to give Link a girl's name), before I ever read it in any magazine or heard it from a friend.

My worry isn't the dungeons. Aside from the enemies, I should be able to get through those handily and find my way around. My worry is the Overworld, which I've always considered harder than any Legend of Zelda dungeon. It will be a pain trying to find all of the heart containers and all of the men who give you money. Along with the hidden shops, etc. in their new locations.

[kaedesdisciple]

Ok, I've just decided I will finally try beating the Second Quest. Yeah, after all these years. This from a guy who found the Second Quest on accident by using the name Zelda (I thought it was clever to give Link a girl's name), before I ever read it in any magazine or heard it from a friend.

My worry isn't the dungeons. Aside from the enemies, I should be able to get through those handily and find my way around. My worry is the Overworld, which I've always considered harder than any Legend of Zelda dungeon. It will be a pain trying to find all of the heart containers and all of the men who give you money. Along with the hidden shops, etc. in their new locations.

If you're not going to use those handy maps found on gamefaqs, then I would suggest keeping the flute handy when looking for hidden things.

I just finished level 6, 3 more to go.

[Blitzwing256]

it took me about a week and a half back in the day to finish the second quest (with one call to nintendo to figure out how to find level 4)

a few months ago i was at a friends house and she had a gameboy with the classic zelda, I was pretty bored while we were wiating for someone so in one sitting i beat the first quest (without dying) and proceeded to get all the way up to gannon on the second quest, then saving and leaving it.

when she looked at her gameboy next she was pretty surprised :-)

[smokehouse]

That’s funny this should come up. The first time I played Zelda, I had a Nintendo Power and tips on beating the second quest (I believe it was the first issue of Nintendo Power…). I did not have any maps to the first quest so I just entered my name as “Zelda” and played that quest through instead. It took me a while but once I beat it, I then went through and played the game normally…I was shocked at how much easier it was!

[Zing]

That’s funny this should come up. The first time I played Zelda, I had a Nintendo Power and tips on beating the second quest (I believe it was the first issue of Nintendo Power…).

I was the same way. I had that issue of Nintendo Power before playing Zelda so I knew about the second quest. I didn't use the ZELDA cheat though. I rented the game, blazed through the first quest in a day (I guess I had a lot of free time when I was 12), then go as far in the second quest as I could within my 3 day rental. It took me two rentals.

[kaedesdisciple]

Okay, I'm finished. I feel better now that I've done it, but I don't think I ever want to do it again. Those last few palaces were a nightmare with all the 1 way doors and secret passages.

[Aussie2B]

I've beaten the second quest (using a fair bit of outside help), and I didn't find it all that satisfying. Sure, it's "harder", but that challenge comes from just how random it all is. If there were clues or some sort of logic to it all, then it would be different, but as it is I don't think it's very smart design. I'm sure the randomness was intentional, but it's just plain not appealing. I'd rather replay the standard quest any day.

[Sparkster]

Er, what? There's a Stone Tablet in the same room that explicitly tells you what to kill first and what to kill last.


The hardest puzzle in any Zelda game has got to be the one in Link's Awakening where you have to kill the three enemies in the room in a specific order to make the steps in the corner appear. There's no hints in the game either, so you can be running around that dungeon for ages unless you accidently kill them right first time.

Once you've played through one Zelda game though, you get used to the tricks and puzzles, so every other game after that has more of the same. The hardest Zelda games are the two GBC Oracle games, and they do test you, but after playing these, Minish Cap and Link To Teh Past are a walk in the park

That was a pain for sure - mostly because the tablet was pretty cryptic. I know it took a while to figure out, but it was still easier than 2nd quest. I honestly had no idea you could walk through walls in the original Zelda. I just wasn't getting anywhere, but wanted to finish it, so I gave up and looked in a cheat guide.

I believe I said either:
"For f*** sakes"
- or -
"You've got to be f***ing kidding me"

[CosmicMonkey]

So other than this Second Quest and Master Quest (which is technically a separate game), are there any other Zeldas with unlockable harder modes?

[Jorpho]

That was a pain for sure - mostly because the tablet was pretty cryptic.

"First, defeat the imprisoned Pols Voice, Last, Stalfos..."

Even if you don't know what a Pols Voice is, there's only one enemy in the room that qualifies as "imprisoned". But really, I shouldn't talk; I got the solution to that one from Nintendo Power.

(Still, it's got nothing on "Palm Trees and 8" from FFA.)

[Sparkster]

"First, defeat the imprisoned Pols Voice, Last, Stalfos..."

Even if you don't know what a Pols Voice is, there's only one enemy in the room that qualifies as "imprisoned". But really, I shouldn't talk; I got the solution to that one from Nintendo Power.

(Still, it's got nothing on "Palm Trees and 8" from FFA.)


See... I thought that the tablet referred to the dungeon boss who I couldn't get to obviously. And, no I didn't know what either Pols Voice or Stalfos was.

I eventually wondered if the tablet was in fact referring to that room, and there it was. I tried everything I could to not use any cheat guides for that game.

[Berserker]

I've beaten the second quest (using a fair bit of outside help), and I didn't find it all that satisfying.

Well... yeah.

[Moo Cow]

I always considered the first one harder. I loved them both though. Finding the spells was really annoying sometimes though.

[bangtango]

I always considered the first one harder. I loved them both though. Finding the spells was really annoying sometimes though.

Huh? We're referring to the first and second quest in Legend of Zelda. Sounds like you are referring to Zelda II when you mention the spells. Or am I mistaken?

Link's Awakening wasn't hard at all, except for the caterpillar boss they ported over from Link to the Past. I had no trouble with that puzzle that a few of you are talking about. I am embarrassed to say it but I happened to kill them in the correct order the first time I entered the room. Then I read the tablet, which I was already planning on doing as soon as I eliminated the "threats."

Unless you get a vastly different ending, what type of "great satisfaction" is there to be taken from beating the second quest in Legend of Zelda? Just the fact you did it should be good enough. I never have but I'm finally ready to try again for the first time in 15 or so years.

[Lord_Magus]

I remember playing through the second quest several times when I was a kid (around 7-8). I didn't find it extremely hard, just a little time consuming at places (without cheats of course - I avoid them like the plague). Then again, I didn't really have many NES games back then, so the few I had got some pretty heavy playtime from me. Hell, I even remember finishing Ghosts 'n Goblins pretty often back then as well :P

As for most difficult puzzle in a Zelda game, I'd have to say that the whole Ice Temples in both Link to the Past and Ocarina of Time were pretty complex. Some pretty genius level design in those temples to say the least...

[bangtango]

I remember playing through the second quest several times when I was a kid (around 7-8). I didn't find it extremely hard, just a little time consuming at places (without cheats of course - I avoid them like the plague). Then again, I didn't really have many NES games back then, so the few I had got some pretty heavy playtime from me. Hell, I even remember finishing Ghosts 'n Goblins pretty often back then as well :P

As for most difficult puzzle in a Zelda game, I'd have to say that the whole Ice Temples in both Link to the Past and Ocarina of Time were pretty complex. Some pretty genius level design in those temples to say the least...

The last Zelda game I played was my favorite, Zelda II. The puzzles in Zelda II may not have been the hardest but it had what I thought was the toughest palace. Make a couple of wrong turns and get lost deep in the Great Palace. Before you know it, you'll be going home in a box.

[Aussie2B]

Well... yeah.

I get what you're suggesting, but I referred to outside help BECAUSE I wasn't finding it satisfying. I'm not one to like to "cheat" in games; I still try to do everything I possibly can on my own and I did most of the second quest that way. I saw and still see absolutely no benefit in attempting to do all of it completely on my own. I know exactly what would happen: I would get hopelessly stuck, spends hours wandering and trying everything I can think of at random, eventually I would finally stumble across the solution, and then, rather than feel proud of myself (since there's no reason to be proud of randomly figuring out the solution to a random problem), I would wish I could wring Miyamoto's neck for designing such stupid puzzles that are incapable of being solved by logic or strategy.

[Jorpho]

Link's Awakening wasn't hard at all, except for the caterpillar boss they ported over from Link to the Past.

The most annoying part of Link's Awakening is when you have you trade the stick for the honeycomb. Pretty much the only way that's going to happen is if you start wandering in an entirely random fashion, as there's no indication at all of where you're supposed to go.

[Moo Cow]

Huh? We're referring to the first and second quest in Legend of Zelda. Sounds like you are referring to Zelda II when you mention the spells. Or am I mistaken?

Link's Awakening wasn't hard at all, except for the caterpillar boss they ported over from Link to the Past. I had no trouble with that puzzle that a few of you are talking about. I am embarrassed to say it but I happened to kill them in the correct order the first time I entered the room. Then I read the tablet, which I was already planning on doing as soon as I eliminated the "threats."

Unless you get a vastly different ending, what type of "great satisfaction" is there to be taken from beating the second quest in Legend of Zelda? Just the fact you did it should be good enough. I never have but I'm finally ready to try again for the first time in 15 or so years.

I was. D'oh.

[kaedesdisciple]

The last Zelda game I played was my favorite, Zelda II. The puzzles in Zelda II may not have been the hardest but it had what I thought was the toughest palace. Make a couple of wrong turns and get lost deep in the Great Palace. Before you know it, you'll be going home in a box.

I AM ERROR

Awesome, always glad to see some Zelda II love. II really seems to be the red-headed stepchild of the Zelda series, but I love it. I've probably beaten the game a dozen times and it's a fun ride every time. I think the difficulty level really adds to the game, especially in the Great Palace. I am a big fan of the way they redesigned the projectile sword; it was a bonus but at the same time still forced you to get in there and do the fighting yourself.

However, the only thing more annoying than the blue Ironknuckle is one of those jumping bird knights in the Great Palace. Oh, and don't forget those heads flying Castlevania Medusa head style that will knock you right out of the air into the many pits in the other palaces AND steal your XP to boot. Up/down thrust FTW

Although I will admit, I was kind of let down by the Shadow Link, quite a joke of a boss if you ask me. I thought the big bird before him was a lot harder, especially since you have to cast Thunder before you can hit him.

Now if only I could find my GBA cart, I seem to have lost it and I don't feel like opening the duplicate I got for Christmas a few years back...

[Gemini-Phoenix]

As for most difficult puzzle in a Zelda game, I'd have to say that the whole Ice Temples in both Link to the Past and Ocarina of Time were pretty complex. Some pretty genius level design in those temples to say the least...

I retract my former statement, and have decided that the hardest puzzle in a Zelda game has got to definitely be the whole tower dungeon in Link's Awakening... Having to knock down those four pillars in order to line up the levels was very tricky, and it was easy to get lost in that dungeon.

Also, in the first dungeon, it took me ages and ages to figure out that you had to push that block to open the door ~ Having never played a Zelda game before, this taught me to expect the unexpected... There are few puzzles in the more modern games that surprise me, although there are a few dungeons in Oracle Of Ages which were very tough...


PS. It's been a long time since playing Link's Awakening, and didn'trealise that there was a stone tablet in the same room as that puzzle...

[Jorpho]

I retract my former statement, and have decided that the hardest puzzle in a Zelda game has got to definitely be the whole tower dungeon in Link's Awakening... Having to knock down those four pillars in order to line up the levels was very tricky, and it was easy to get lost in that dungeon.

Also, in the first dungeon, it took me ages and ages to figure out that you had to push that block to open the door ~ Having never played a Zelda game before, this taught me to expect the unexpected...

I agree, those were very tricky bits. Plus the guides I had on hand weren't terribly explicit on those points. (I do find it pretty nifty, though, how you can save yourself a lot of time in that seventh dungeon early on if you fire the Boomerang diagonally at one of the switches.)

I'm also glad I had something to tell me to shoot that one statue in the eighth dungeon to get a key. Rather vicious puzzle, when I think about it; there's nothing else remotely like it in the rest of the game.