Post by Dark Link on Feb 16, 2005 18:13:23 GMT -5
[shadow=dimgray,left,300]BASICS[/shadow]
Controls
Direction (D) Pad: Use the D-Pad to move Link around, navigate in various menus, and jump off of the side of cliffs. Additionally, if an item or object can be pushed, standing in front or to the side of said object and pressing towards this object will move it.
Start: During the game, it brings up a small menu asking you to save, continue, etcetera. Other than that, it can confirm selections in menus and whatnot.
Select: It's primary use is to bring up the inventory menu during the game.
L Button: Pressed during the game, it brings up the world map. If you're within a dungeon, the dungeon's map comes up. If you haven't gotten that dungeon's map as of yet, then a blackened screen with your current location will show instead.
R Button: Use this button to perform various actions, such as opening treasure chests, picking up bushes, pots and jars, and searching various items throughout the game. It also allows you to speak to characters.
B Button: The B Button allows Link to swing his sword. Holding down B for long enough, and then releasing it, will allow Link to swing his sword powerfully in a circle. In various menus, it cancels your selections.
A Button: If you have an inventory item equipped, pressing A will allow that item to be used. It also an alternative "action" button, although using the R Button as action and the A Button as purely the "special item" button is preferred.
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Fighting
Fighting isn't an especially difficult art to learn in any Zelda game, but there are a short list of techniques I suggest you learn while in battle.
1.) Learn Your Enemy's Style - The enemies in the game are ones that you won't just see once and never again. Almost always, you'll see an enemy once here, and again there, and once again over there. Because of this, you should learn what each enemy in the game does, how he fights, his attack techniques, et cetera. This will help you later on in the game when you start to meet stronger versions of old enemies. Since these newer enemies will use similar techniques to their weaker cousins, you'll have a heads up on what to expect!
2.) When Possible, Use Your Sword - You have a Sword for a reason, and you can use it an infinite amount of times. Because of this, if you're fighting easy enemies, don't waste your magic by using your Wands, don't waste Arrows by shooting your Bow, and don't waste Bombs by chucking them at your foes. Simply use your Sword. The aforementioned items all have a certain place and use in the game, but don't arbitrarily waste them because it makes easy enemies easier! You only have a finite amount of Arrows, Bombs and Magic Power, and there's nothing worse than having to leave a dungeon to find more.
3.) The Boomerang - Many people completely overlook the Boomerang and Magical Boomerang. Why? I don't know. The Boomerang is an extraordinary weapon if used correctly. It hardly damages any enemy in the game, but what it does do is stun them. Break out Link's Boomerang in areas with a high monster population, or where the monsters are over-whelming you. Throw the Boomerang at each enemy to freeze them in place, and then simply finish the job with your Sword. Don't be one of those people who don't use the Boomerang! It can be your best friend!
4.) Conservation is Key - Many weapons are also "items." What the hell does that mean, you ask? Well. The Bow and Arrow is a weapon - but in certain situations, it can be used to shoot certain things that will open up hidden areas of dungeons, et cetera. Bombs are powerful weapons but are primarily used to blow open cracked walls. Both Rods have their use as powerful weapons, but in reality, the Rods have more uses as an auxiliary item. Because of this, don't go shooting or blowing up everything. Conserve the Bombs, Arrow and Magic Power for when you really need it. If not, you can find yourself in the most dire of circumstances.
5.) Defense is for Wimps! - There's a way to play defensively in any Zelda game, and it's called running away, parrying, over-using your Shield, et cetera. The fact of the matter is, by playing defensively, you're making the game longer for no reason. Seriously. Play aggressively. Attack enemies, and only parry when you really need to. The more you parry and play defensive, the more you allow your enemies to corner you, get good position, and the like. Well, you get what I mean!
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Basic Items
Finally, below is a list of the basic items in the game you'll find with regularity. These items are dropped by enemies, found in trees and bushes, in pots and jars, et cetera.
Big Key - The Big Key is a dungeon-only item. Found only once per dungeon, the Big Key, once found, will open the door that leads to the dungeon's boss enemy. Additionally, the same Big Key is used to open the Big Treasure Chest in the dungeons which hold that dungeon's secret item. Usually the Big Key is difficult to find, and you'll need to use all of your skills to find 'em.
Compass - Found only in dungeons, the Compass, once found, will pinpoint the exact location on a dungeon map of where the boss enemy within the dungeon is located. Not a vital item to have, but it's still helpful if you're lost within a dungeon.
Green Jar - Coming in two varieties (a large bottle and a small bottle), the Green Jars are what you'll need to find to refill your magic meter. They're dropped by some types of enemies, but remain fairly rare unless you're in certain areas of Hyrule or within certain dungeons.
Hearts - Hearts are the little red heart-shaped items that you often find it jars and pots, and that enemies sometimes drop after death. They will fill up the equivalent of one heart in your health meter for every heart gathered. The Heart is a fairly common item.
Key - Used only in dungeons, Keys are fairly common items found throughout dungeons that will open locked dungeon doors. You'll often need to defeat all of the enemies in a certain room, open treasure chests, or complete a task to find Keys, and Keys are vital to the success of the game.
Map - Maps are dungeon-only items that hold the entire layout of the dungeon, floor by floor. Very useful items to find in dungeons, and never too difficult to find, the Map isn't a necessary item to ever have, but it helps!
Rupees - Rupees are the well-known currency of Hyrule in all of the Zelda games, except, of course, Zelda II on the NES, where there was no currency. In anycase, Rupees can be used in all sorts of ways, so make sure to collect as many as you possibly can. They come in three varieties: the common Green Rupee is worth one Rupee. The less common Blue Rupee is worth five Rupees. Finally, the rare Red Rupee is worth twenty Rupees.
On to Heart Pieces...
Controls
Direction (D) Pad: Use the D-Pad to move Link around, navigate in various menus, and jump off of the side of cliffs. Additionally, if an item or object can be pushed, standing in front or to the side of said object and pressing towards this object will move it.
Start: During the game, it brings up a small menu asking you to save, continue, etcetera. Other than that, it can confirm selections in menus and whatnot.
Select: It's primary use is to bring up the inventory menu during the game.
L Button: Pressed during the game, it brings up the world map. If you're within a dungeon, the dungeon's map comes up. If you haven't gotten that dungeon's map as of yet, then a blackened screen with your current location will show instead.
R Button: Use this button to perform various actions, such as opening treasure chests, picking up bushes, pots and jars, and searching various items throughout the game. It also allows you to speak to characters.
B Button: The B Button allows Link to swing his sword. Holding down B for long enough, and then releasing it, will allow Link to swing his sword powerfully in a circle. In various menus, it cancels your selections.
A Button: If you have an inventory item equipped, pressing A will allow that item to be used. It also an alternative "action" button, although using the R Button as action and the A Button as purely the "special item" button is preferred.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fighting
Fighting isn't an especially difficult art to learn in any Zelda game, but there are a short list of techniques I suggest you learn while in battle.
1.) Learn Your Enemy's Style - The enemies in the game are ones that you won't just see once and never again. Almost always, you'll see an enemy once here, and again there, and once again over there. Because of this, you should learn what each enemy in the game does, how he fights, his attack techniques, et cetera. This will help you later on in the game when you start to meet stronger versions of old enemies. Since these newer enemies will use similar techniques to their weaker cousins, you'll have a heads up on what to expect!
2.) When Possible, Use Your Sword - You have a Sword for a reason, and you can use it an infinite amount of times. Because of this, if you're fighting easy enemies, don't waste your magic by using your Wands, don't waste Arrows by shooting your Bow, and don't waste Bombs by chucking them at your foes. Simply use your Sword. The aforementioned items all have a certain place and use in the game, but don't arbitrarily waste them because it makes easy enemies easier! You only have a finite amount of Arrows, Bombs and Magic Power, and there's nothing worse than having to leave a dungeon to find more.
3.) The Boomerang - Many people completely overlook the Boomerang and Magical Boomerang. Why? I don't know. The Boomerang is an extraordinary weapon if used correctly. It hardly damages any enemy in the game, but what it does do is stun them. Break out Link's Boomerang in areas with a high monster population, or where the monsters are over-whelming you. Throw the Boomerang at each enemy to freeze them in place, and then simply finish the job with your Sword. Don't be one of those people who don't use the Boomerang! It can be your best friend!
4.) Conservation is Key - Many weapons are also "items." What the hell does that mean, you ask? Well. The Bow and Arrow is a weapon - but in certain situations, it can be used to shoot certain things that will open up hidden areas of dungeons, et cetera. Bombs are powerful weapons but are primarily used to blow open cracked walls. Both Rods have their use as powerful weapons, but in reality, the Rods have more uses as an auxiliary item. Because of this, don't go shooting or blowing up everything. Conserve the Bombs, Arrow and Magic Power for when you really need it. If not, you can find yourself in the most dire of circumstances.
5.) Defense is for Wimps! - There's a way to play defensively in any Zelda game, and it's called running away, parrying, over-using your Shield, et cetera. The fact of the matter is, by playing defensively, you're making the game longer for no reason. Seriously. Play aggressively. Attack enemies, and only parry when you really need to. The more you parry and play defensive, the more you allow your enemies to corner you, get good position, and the like. Well, you get what I mean!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Basic Items
Finally, below is a list of the basic items in the game you'll find with regularity. These items are dropped by enemies, found in trees and bushes, in pots and jars, et cetera.
Big Key - The Big Key is a dungeon-only item. Found only once per dungeon, the Big Key, once found, will open the door that leads to the dungeon's boss enemy. Additionally, the same Big Key is used to open the Big Treasure Chest in the dungeons which hold that dungeon's secret item. Usually the Big Key is difficult to find, and you'll need to use all of your skills to find 'em.
Compass - Found only in dungeons, the Compass, once found, will pinpoint the exact location on a dungeon map of where the boss enemy within the dungeon is located. Not a vital item to have, but it's still helpful if you're lost within a dungeon.
Green Jar - Coming in two varieties (a large bottle and a small bottle), the Green Jars are what you'll need to find to refill your magic meter. They're dropped by some types of enemies, but remain fairly rare unless you're in certain areas of Hyrule or within certain dungeons.
Hearts - Hearts are the little red heart-shaped items that you often find it jars and pots, and that enemies sometimes drop after death. They will fill up the equivalent of one heart in your health meter for every heart gathered. The Heart is a fairly common item.
Key - Used only in dungeons, Keys are fairly common items found throughout dungeons that will open locked dungeon doors. You'll often need to defeat all of the enemies in a certain room, open treasure chests, or complete a task to find Keys, and Keys are vital to the success of the game.
Map - Maps are dungeon-only items that hold the entire layout of the dungeon, floor by floor. Very useful items to find in dungeons, and never too difficult to find, the Map isn't a necessary item to ever have, but it helps!
Rupees - Rupees are the well-known currency of Hyrule in all of the Zelda games, except, of course, Zelda II on the NES, where there was no currency. In anycase, Rupees can be used in all sorts of ways, so make sure to collect as many as you possibly can. They come in three varieties: the common Green Rupee is worth one Rupee. The less common Blue Rupee is worth five Rupees. Finally, the rare Red Rupee is worth twenty Rupees.
On to Heart Pieces...