A Very Special Episode

 

The best part about playing through each of these Zelda games is the opportunity to be completely surprised.  That could be finding out a game is better than you remember, or in the next case, having no idea what you were about to discover.  

BS The Legend of Zelda: Ancient Stone Tablets was released for the Super Famicom add-on the Satellaview in 1997.  I talked much more about the Satellaview it in this post.  The game is a sequel to the Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.  6 years after that game, you play as a child sucked into Hyrule.  A new dark force is present but Link is off in another area.  You must work with Zelda and Agihna, Sahasrahla’s brother to find and decode 8 stone tablets.  

 

Zelda spends the final week working with you.

The game plays out over four one hour episodes.  You had to tune in on a specific night back in 1997 to play them.  You got one shot each week and your progress carries over.  The map is almost identical to Link to the Past and gradually reveals itself each week. 

 

Barely made it in week 3.

Because of the time limit, the game is always frenzied.  You need to beat two dungeons and collect heart pieces each week  If you are on target, you can have time at the end for some optional activities, including finding a mole to reveal hundreds of rupees or playing some optional mini-games.  None of these reveal until 45 minutes past the hour.  However, if you fall behind, like I did in week 3, the game is a stressful, mad dash.  I got the 6th tablet with less than two minutes to spare.  The final week, you can even fail the game if you don't beat the last boss (guess who) in time.

If I had played this game when I started the quest in 2015, it would not have been nearly as cool of an experience.  While the game was initially taking place live, there was an audio drama in the background.   You hear Zelda and Agihna mixed with other characters working to solve the mystery of the tablets.  At times, they consult a fortune teller who summons power ups for you (these can be anything from unlimited bombs to all of a sudden having 20 full health containers).  Once a week someone also comes on begging for you to help rescue them from something.  There was exclusive Zelda music that played during the hour too.  Amazingly, someone recovered VHS recordings of the initial broadcast.  In the past few years, a dedicated team of translators was able to use those to translate and record the audio play and put it back together with the game.  Through an emulator, you can try it yourself.  The process is a bit complicated but worth it.  You can find instructions here.

 

Playing the game as it was originally intended is an experience unlike any other I've had gaming.  I wish Nintendo would find a way to bring this back or do something similar through the Nintendo Switch Online service.  The thought of big, event gaming across the world would be so fun. 

My final score.

The game also gives you a score at the end of each week based on damage received and rupees collected.  By the end of the game I had nearly 10,000!  In the end, the game blew me away as a complete experience.  While parts feel like a re-tread of Link to the Past, the live elements made it so much more.  I played one hour a day and found myself anxiously awaiting the next episode.  I highly recommend you find a way to play this and try it for yourself. 

 Here's my updated list: 

1. The Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past
2. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
3. BS Legend of Zelda: Ancient Stone Tablets
4. The Legend of Zelda
5. Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
6. Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon
7. BS Legend of Zelda
8. Link: The Faces of Evil
9. Zelda (Game & Watch)
10. Zelda's Adventure

BS Legend of Zelda

As part of this Zelda Quest, I really wanted to try one of the Satellaview Zelda games.  If you’re not familiar, the Satellaview was an add-on for the Super Famicom in Japan. 

The Satellaview

It was a service run by the satellite company St.GIGA.  The games, some exclusive and some standard games, were broadcast like a TV program for download (the B in BS stands for broadcast).  There were two Zelda games available for the service, BS Legend of Zelda being one of them.  This game is often called a 16-bit remake of the original Zelda game but I don’t think this is accurate.  It’s much more like a spin-off. 

Because of the downloadable nature of the games, many on the Satellaview have been lost to time.. Thankfully, people are working to change that.  I played an English translation on a repro cart.  During the actual broadcasts, there was spoken dialogue helping guide the players.  That hasn’t been fully reproduced (but people are getting close). 

The same (but different)

The game takes place over 4, one hour broadcasts.  One was played each week.  As such, there are some changes from the original Zelda game.  The map is more condensed.  In addition, the difficulty is lowered to make sure you can get through in enough time.  Despite that, you always feel kind of rushed; almost as if conducting a speed run.  Pressing select brings up a list of all of your goals for the week, you can only get two triforce pieces each week.

Your goal for the week

In addition, there are timed events that take place.  At a certain time, you will get unlimited bombs for a few minutes.  Near the end, there is a limited 10 minute window which is your only chance to get the most powerful sword and ring.  I believe the original vocal tracks would alert you to some of this.

On Zelda time

SPOILERS FOR THE END OF THE GAME FOLLOW

At the end of the game, you enter the cave where the old man gives you the sword in the first Zelda game.  Gannon comes in and breaks up the fun leading to the final boss fight.  It’s a neat subversion for longtime Zelda fans.

I’m very happy I played this and it’s a very unique take on Zelda.

Here’s my latest ranking…                                                                              

1.      The Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past

2.      The Legend of Zelda

3.      The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening

4.      Zelda II: The Adventure of Link

5.      BS Legend of Zelda