I was lucky enough to come across this project in the midst of a hankering for retro gaming. "You Can't Do That in Zelda" (hereafter referred to as YCDTIZ) is a customized version of the original NES Zelda made in a program called Zelda Classic. It's my first exposure to the engine, which seems to allow users full access to the original game's distinctive visuals to create custom quests. To that end, YCDTIZ offers players an unfamiliar version of Hyrule with seven dungeons to explore. According to the game's page here, this is all an elaborate game of hide and seek between Zelda and Link, although it's not mentioned within the game until the very end. Zelda's final line has some...interesting implications.

In addition to all the locales and items from the original Zelda, the engine offers a few additional treats that YCDTIZ takes full advantage of. Early in the game, players are given the Super Bomb and the Hookshot, two items that were introduced to the series in A Link to the Past. The charged sword-spin technique can also be unlocked, although you'll need to look very hard to find it. A highly useful map feature allows players to examine all the areas of the overworld they've unlocked. Best of all, there's even an option to turn off that obnoxious beeping noise when Link has only one heart left. All of these goodies more than justify giving this game a shot instead of just firing up the original for another playthrough.

While not as notorious as its sequel, The Adventure of Link, that first Zelda was still pretty difficult. If you haven't played it for a few years, it may come as a bit of a rude awakening. In the case of YCDTIZ, the difficulty curve takes a disorienting jump after two easy dungeons. The third dungeon is home to tricky puzzles and some formidable enemies, especially for a point where the player likely only has five or six hearts. Later dungeons also have some rooms that are very cryptic - there was one puzzle near the end of Level 5 that I solved completely by accident and still have no clue what the solution was. Level 6 opens with a room that made me believe I needed the stepladder item and so I went to search for it. Trouble is, it's not actually in this game and what I needed to do was find a secret tile to step on instead. These un-intuitive moments are rare but they can really stump you.

More often than not, however, the gameplay is exactly what Zelda fans would hope for. The secret to finding the last dungeon was great, requiring just the right level of ingenuity. There is also a lot of random secrets to find - bombing random mountains works with surprising frequency and the whistle unlocks many hidden goodies. At its best, YCDTIZ conjures up what was great about the original Zelda - being presented with a whole world to explore and slowly unraveling its secrets the more you play. I'd recommend this to anyone with fond memories of the game.