Hyrule has recently been devastated by famine and drought. When all seemed lost, a mysterious magician named Agahnim emerged and stopped these weird occurrences. However, there is speculation that Agahnim now runs the country behind the scenes using his magic. The Princess of Hyrule, Zelda, then begs for assistance one night, and the one who hears her cries is a young lad named Link.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is a top-down action game with puzzle components (much like the original Legend of Zelda). Players take on the character of Link, and their mission is to save Princess Zelda and the realm of Hyrule. All fighting in the game is action-oriented; with the press of a button, the player can make the protagonist swing the sword at adversaries or spin the blade around for a more robust assault by holding down the button until it is charged.
The game progresses through conquering dungeons; each dungeon has its unique tool, like the hookshot (which latches onto a far-off object and drags Link over) or the hammer (which can be used to flatten things in your path). Most of these dungeons are rendered impassable until the dungeon’s specific item is obtained; after that, the rest becomes accessible thanks to Link’s most recent new ability. Each dungeon’s bosses are also themed to the level’s specific item.
Link starts with only three health units; however, these can be replenished by fighting dungeon monsters, which provide one more heart container, or by discovering four ‘pieces of heart,’ which can be awarded for anything from completing a brief trial to winning a mini-game. Some of Link’s items also use magic, which may be replenished using collected green magic pots. After completing the first three dungeons, Link enters the Dark World; various riddles and challenges arise due to Link alternating between the Light World (Hyrule) and the Dark World to overcome previously inaccessible obstacles.
