What's the beef with Zelda II and Castlevania II??

[Oldskool]

It's actually the ONLY Zelda game that I've completed (of course this was what, 20 years ago), and I actually highly enjoyed the game. I thought it was great myself. The graphics and the music were pretty good. I liked the platforming aspects of it, and the over world was cool. Never understood why it got such a bad rep.

What is it about it that everyone hates? Is it because it's sort of the "odd ball" Zelda? I actually much prefer it over the original Zelda.

Then there is Castlevania II - Simon's Quest. This is one of my favorite Castlevanias of all time! It really introduced a lot of new ideas to the series, things that are still used to this day. Hell it was practically the model for later "Metroidvania" style games. The music was great, the graphics were good, the controls were not bad at all. The atmosphere was eerie. What's the beef? Do people just dislike it because it's the "Odd Ball" of the bunch similar to Zelda II?

Thoughts?

[buzz_n64]

I totally agree, and I feel the same about Super Mario Bros 2. I hate it when people point out how it's the odd ball. Every single Mario game up until then was different.

Donkey Kong - Single screen platformer with hammer as weapon, against an ape

Donkey Kong Jr. - Single screen platformer, but now as a bad guy against DK Jr.

Mario Bros. - Single screen 2 player option, hitting below enemies to knock them over, then go and slide into them to kill them.

Super Mario Bros. - Side scrolling platformer where you now jump on enemies to kill them, and alternate with Luigi.

Super Mario Bros. 2 - Side scrolling platformer where you grab enemies and items, and throw them, and now you have 4 characters to choose from!

[Rickstilwell1]

This topic looks familiar. I loved the Mario, and Zelda 2's but never really got into the Castlevanias in general.

You could also say Sonic 2 for Game Gear is another #2 oddball because it had no special stages like the others.

[TurboGenesis]

I have to say that people don't like them because they are far different from the first games… (same goes for SMB 2)
BUT back in 1988, when these games were new, everyone loved them and were happy to play them! I believe the internets age has bred angst among these sequels to legendary classics…
the only game that had any dislike was Castlevania II and it was because it was "too easy" (only challenging part was the part at the lake), but was liked otherwise…

for me, I love the IIs - I like how they took a chance to revitalize the game and make it fresh while staying close to the heritage of the first game… today, Zelda II, SMB 2, and Simon's Quest are among my favorites in their franchise!

[NE146]

I've always ignored anything I've read dissing these 2 games, because Zelda 2 is actually one of my favorite games of all time.. and the music still resonates in my brain. Sure Zelda 2 was different.. but I've always simply thought of it as a Zelda side story, and it still completely has that Miyamoto magic in it and is completely FUN. SNES Zelda satisfied everyone later on anyway.

Castlevania 2 on the other hand.. I loved it, but it hasn't aged as well. The odd requirements for advancing give it a black eye but still.. it's one of my old favorites. The music in this game also still strikes a chord with me.

[Garry Silljo]

I have always loved Zelda 2 and Mario 2 US. I have never liked Castlevania 2 and was happy when 3 was more like 1 just with branching paths. I never used strategy guides and Castlevania 2 didn't make any sense without one, thus sucking any enjoyment out of it for me.

[todesengel]

I love both of these games as well but I kinda understand peoples dislike of them. Like others have already mentioned it was probably the drastic change in gameplay style that most people didn't like. Most of the complaints I always hear about the games is Castlevania 2 is confusing and hard to navigate, while Zelda 2 was now a sidescroller instead of top-down like the first game.

People sadly really nit-pick horribly with these two games. I can understand not liking Castlevania 2 for being annoying to navigate but the complaints about Zelda 2 are just overblown and ridiculous. Zelda 2 added so much more gameplay wise and deepened the playing experiance and was an amazing game.

[exit]

All the hate for Simon's Quest didn't really start up until AVGN did a bad review of it and then the Internet exploded with hate for the game. Before then I don't remember hearing that many negative things about the game, but I guess now it's just "cool" to hate it despite the fact that majority of the haters probably haven't even played the damn game.

As for Zelda II, I've always had a strong hatred for the game and it was always a love it or hate it game from what I remember, but again I think the recent AVGN type reviews started the bandwagon of hate for the game as well.

Oh and for the record, Simon's Quest is better than Zelda II. There, I said it.

[ShinobiMan]

They are all great games and anyone who says otherwise probably wasn't alive when these games came out. As gamers back then we were starved for new games, ESPECIALLY sequels to classics. We ate these games up with a spoon and enjoyed every morsel.

[tom]

Zelda II is the only Zelda game which is actually very good.

[jb143]

Zelda II is the only Zelda game which is actually very good.

Correct...and the rest are extremely good!

[j_factor]

Zelda II was actually the first game in the series I played. I didn't like it at all.

Simon's Quest is fine and I don't remember any hatred for it until recently.

[Greg2600]

I disliked both games then and still do. The reason is simply that both are a PITA to play. Zelda II with the ridiculousness of having to fight pointless battles every 30 seconds while you're walking and walking. Simon's Quest because of the constant dialogue boxes you're forced to look at. It's really an annoyance factor for me. Plus, in both cases, subsequent games made those games really look bad.

[E Nice]

Castlevania 2 was different, but Idid like it more or less. Only complaint I really had was the lack of bosses? There were several castles but only two of them had bosses (excluding the final one for Dracula).

[Zing]

No one really hated Zelda II. It wasn't until the 21st century internet that people decided to express any sort of negativity.

I played through the game about a dozen times. I liked it more than the first game.

As for Simon's Quest, the only beef I ever had with it was the insanely obtuse "puzzles". These were all mitigated by Nintendo Power anyway, and everyone read Nintendo Power, so it was no big deal. The environments and music were some of the best on the NES. You have to have some serious balls to say the game is truly "bad".

Both of these games were at the top of the pile back at release. I have to suspect that anyone hating on either was born in 1990 or so. Everyone born before 1980 was creaming their jeans over these titles.

[Baloo]

Zelda II is alright, I never really cared for the whole sideways battle view. The game is also really difficult compared to the original. Played through the original, never bothered to play through II.

Mario 2 on the other hand I love. Don't see why anyone can hate on it, especially considering how unoriginal and extremely difficult Super Mario Bros. Lost Levels is in comparison. SMB 2 USA is a great game indeed! In fact I haven't really heard much hate on it to be honest.

Never played Castlevania II, but I have the original and that is enough for me to break my controller in frustration. II I've heard is different, a bit less linear and more adventure-based?

[retroman]

i loved and still like both games..no hate from me..i can remember like it was yesterday getting both games when they were new...

[exit]

I I've heard is different, a bit less linear and more adventure-based?

It's more of an Action/Adventure game than anything, very nonlinear and (due to the poor translation) the clues given to move forward in the game are very cryptic. Along with Zelda II, it was one of the frontiers that helped pave the way for open world games and kids today should be thanking them instead of bashing them for no good reason.

As for Mario 2, I absolutely loved that game as a kid and it's my favorite Mario game of all time. I know it's not truly a Mario game and was just another game with Mario sprites tacked on because the real Mario Bros. 2 was considered to hard for us Americans, but I still love it nonetheless.

[Buapo]

When I was younger, I never owned Zelda I... only Zelda II. I could never get very far in it, but liked playing it. I think I was just too stupid back then. I replayed through the whole thing a couple years ago and had little trouble... actually, it was cool to see how large the map was, considering I couldn't get anywhere. Though I definitely looked up the cheat on how to beat "Shadow Link." Heh.

I rented Castlevania II once... and once again, it was too hard for me to figure out on my own. I was only five or so. Though from what I read, apparently people were beating tough games left and right at that age. Meh.

[Leo_A]

No one really hated Zelda II. It wasn't until the 21st century internet that people decided to express any sort of negativity.

I never liked it, and I don't watch random people doing random skits online that vaguely resemble a video review on YouTube.