Video game:Nintendo Zelda II: The Adventure of Link

The Nintendo Family Computer, more commonly called the Famicom, was never released in North America, but this Japanese system is noteworthy as it was the predecessor to the phenomenally successful Nintendo Entertainment System. Released in Japan in 1983, the Famicom was Nintendo's first cartridge-based home video game console and the work of designer Masayuki Uemura, developer of both the Nintendo Entertainment System and the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Early Famicom units were plagued with technical problems, causing the company to recall thousands of units for costly upgrades. This was a temporary setback; the system was a hit and Nintendo sold several million units in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. Much of Nintendo's success in the video game market, including success with the Famicom, must be credited to legendary video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, creator of such hit games as Donkey Kong, Super Mario Bros., and The Legend of Zelda. Nintendo made modifications to the Famicom, and in 1985 they released the next iteration of the console, the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in North America. Among the best-selling games for Nintendo's new video game console was The Legend of Zelda. Originally released in Japan on the Famicon in 1986, before being ported to the NES in 1987, the game, created by Miyamoto, recounts the adventures of a young boy named Link. Living in the fictional kingdom of Hyrule, the boy embarks on a quest to obtain the Triforce, a triangular item that contains the essence and power of the Goddesses who created his world, and save Princess Zelda from the machinations of the malevolent Ganon. In 1987, Nintendo released a sequel to the original game on the Famicon. Titled Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, the game also found a home on the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1988. As a direct sequel to the first game, Zelda II takes place several years later. In the game, Link travels through Hyrule to awaken Zelda from a sleeping curse. This is the first entry in the series that does not have the villainous Ganon; instead, Link has to battle a mysterious double of himself, known only as Dark Link. This entry is significant for being the one game in the series presented as a side-scroller. This means that the player observes the adventure from a side-view angle and makes the character walk from the left side of the screen to the right in order to complete the journey. The next game, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, returned to the overhead camera angle used in the original. Zelda II: The Adventure of Link sold over four million copies since its release, making it a highly successful addition for the Famicon and NES.