The Legend of Zelda Game & Watch

Step back in time, long before the Nintendo Switch, even before the original Game Boy revolutionized handheld gaming! We’re talking about 1989, over 35 years ago, when Nintendo was delighting players with its Game & Watch series. These simple, dedicated LCD handhelds, conceived by the legendary Gunpei Yokoi, brought arcade-style fun into pockets worldwide. Alongside iconic characters like Mario and Donkey Kong, our very own hero, Link, starred in his own adventure: The Legend of Zelda.

The Story: A Pocket-Sized Peril

The premise is classic Zelda: The kingdom is in turmoil! Eight menacing dragons are causing chaos, and to make matters worse, they’ve kidnapped Princess Zelda. As the courageous Link, your mission is clear: venture into the treacherous dungeons, vanquish each of the eight dragons, and recover a fragment of the sacred Triforce from each defeated foe to ultimately rescue the princess.

Gameplay: Labyrinth Exploration on Dual Screens

This Zelda adventure utilized the popular Game & Watch “Multi Screen” format – a clamshell design that opened up to reveal two LCD screens.

• Top Screen: Served as your vital information hub, displaying the dungeon map (once found), your inventory (like the Tomahawk), remaining hearts (health), and collected Triforce pieces.
• Bottom Screen: This is where the action unfolded. Link navigated through multi-room labyrinthine dungeons, battling familiar enemies like Stalfos, Gohma, and Digdogger that appeared in doorways.

Link automatically attacked with his Sword when an enemy was directly in front of him. The goal was to find items, defeat monsters, locate the stairs to the dragon’s lair within each labyrinth, and finally confront the dragon boss. Defeating a dragon awarded Link a Heart Container (increasing max health) and a piece of the Triforce.

Link could also find and use helpful items:

• Tomahawk: A powerful, single-use ranged weapon found within the dungeons. Using it cost one heart container temporarily.
• Map: Revealed the layout of the current dungeon on the top screen.
• Water of Life: An extra life, reviving Link if he fell in battle.

After defeating all eight dragons and assembling the Triforce, Link faced a final confrontation to save Zelda.

The Hardware: Clamshell Charm

The Zelda Game & Watch featured the characteristic clamshell design of the Multi Screen series. It had a simple D-pad for movement and two action buttons (“Game A”/”Game B” selection, also potentially used for items like the Tomahawk, depending on context).

While groundbreaking for its time, the LCD technology meant simple, pre-drawn character sprites with limited animation. As noted in the original text, the tiny rubber buttons and sometimes delayed responsiveness of the controls were typical of the era, but part of the G&W charm. Despite these limitations, packing a Zelda adventure with dungeons, items, and bosses onto this hardware was quite an achievement.

Legacy: A Collectible Piece of Zelda History

Though non-canon to the main Zelda timeline, the Zelda Game & Watch remains a fascinating and highly sought-after collectible. It represents Nintendo’s early experimentation with the franchise on handhelds and stands as an ambitious title within the Game & Watch library. It successfully captured the essence of exploration and combat that defines Zelda, albeit in a simplified form. For many fans, it’s a nostalgic treasure and a unique footnote in the grand history of The Legend of Zelda.

The Legend Returns: Game & Watch 2021 Edition

Decades after the original LCD game, Nintendo celebrated the 35th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda series by releasing a brand new collectible Game & Watch system on November 12, 2021. While visually inspired by the classic Game & Watch devices, this modern iteration boasts significant upgrades:

• Full-Color Screen: A vibrant LCD screen brings classic Zelda adventures to life like never before on a Game & Watch.
• Rechargeable Battery: Includes a built-in battery charged via a modern USB-C port.
• Multiple Games Included: Unlike the single-game originals, this system comes pre-loaded with several titles:
  • The Legend of Zelda (Original NES version)
  • Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (NES version)
  • The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (Original Game Boy version – typically includes English and Japanese language options)
  • Vermin (A classic Game & Watch game, now starring Link)
• Interactive Clock & Timer: Features a playable digital clock and timer mode, allowing you to interact with Link within Zelda-themed environments.

This 2021 release serves as both a playable collector’s item and a convenient way to experience the foundational games of the Zelda series in a unique, retro-inspired package. It pays homage to the original Game & Watch line while offering much more content thanks to modern technology.