Nintendo Considered A Link to the Past the True Zelda Sequel
Nintendo Once Considered A Link to the Past the True Zelda Sequel
When discussing legendary action RPG franchises, The Legend of Zelda is always near the top of the list.
Since its debut on Famicom, nearly every Zelda title has received critical acclaim. However, one entry has long stood out as the franchise’s black sheep: Zelda II: The Adventure of Link.
Interestingly, even Shigeru Miyamoto himself reportedly wasn’t fully satisfied with the game.
Miyamoto’s Old Interview Resurfaces
According to GamesRadar, an older European magazine interview from around 20 years ago recently resurfaced online, revealing Miyamoto’s thoughts on Zelda II.
In the interview, Miyamoto explained that although he originally proposed ideas for the second game, the actual development work was handled largely by another team.
In the end, he reportedly felt the final product did not fully meet expectations and that fan reception was also weaker compared to other entries in the series.
A Link to the Past Was Seen as the “Real” Follow-Up
Perhaps the most surprising revelation was Miyamoto’s statement that, internally, Nintendo viewed A Link to the Past as the true sequel to the original The Legend of Zelda.
Meanwhile, Zelda II was reportedly treated more like a side story, despite technically continuing directly from the first game’s timeline.
This perspective highlights how different Zelda II was compared to the rest of the series, especially with its side-scrolling gameplay and RPG mechanics.
Not Official Canon Confirmation
It’s important to note that these comments came from interviews around 2003, so they do not necessarily represent Nintendo’s current official timeline structure.
Over the years, Nintendo has released multiple timeline interpretations for the Zelda series, meaning the franchise’s continuity remains flexible in some areas.
Still, the comments offer fascinating insight into how the creators themselves once viewed the series’ evolution.
About A Link to the Past
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past originally launched on Super Famicom and became one of the franchise’s most influential entries.
The game:
- Returned to the top-down perspective
- Introduced colorful 16-bit visuals
- Expanded dungeon design and world exploration
- Deepened the lore of Hyrule and the Hero lineage
The story follows Link, who awakens one night to discover his uncle has disappeared, eventually learning about his connection to the ancient knights of Hyrule.
To this day, many fans still consider A Link to the Past one of the greatest Zelda games ever created.
