Zelda II: The Adventure of Link

"Chip shortages?" Still got 'em. "Games make kids violent?" Check. "Japan will eat American industry alive?" Well ... that remained in the past, thankfully.

Zelda II has problems, but it should also be praised for showing us a side of Hyrule we usually don't get to see.

Beneath its flawed surface, this ambitious 8-bit action RPG offers strengths worth reevaluating.