Skip to content
HYRULE ATLASTHE FAN ARCHIVE
← The archive

1987 · Famicom Disk System / NES

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link

A journey measured in towns, techniques and dangerous roads. Palace treasures matter as much as the crystals placed after each victory.

Source & original artwork ↗
Nintendo artwork, archived by Zelda WikiImage source ↗1920 × 1454

Before you set out

Your journey, at your pace.

Original NES adventure; first released in Japan in 1987. Western release dates and some mechanics differ from the Disk System version.

  • Collect all four additional Magic Containers before seeking Thunder.
  • Learn Life and refill in towns before long crossings.
  • Take each palace's treasure before placing its crystal.
Begin the walkthrough ↓

From the beginning to the final encounter

A path through the story.

Story routes, puzzle solutions, boss tactics and collection planning. Linked references provide additional room maps and individual collectible locations.

0 / 24 steps completed

Saved in this browser, across languages. No account needed.

01

Parapa Palace

0 / 3 steps

Light the way beyond the first palace.

Route and puzzle solutions

  1. Learn Shield in Rauru and gather experience on the road before entering Parapa Palace. Shield reduces damage but uses magic needed for other spells.

  2. Explore the palace's side branches for the Candle before placing the crystal. The Candle illuminates the overworld caves used later.

  3. Against Horsehead, jump and strike the head above the armour, then retreat as the mace swings. After winning, continue to the statue and place the crystal.

Chapter references

Checkpoints

A useful detail

Change between high and low shield positions against armed enemies.

02

Towns and Death Mountain

0 / 3 steps

Recover the Hammer.

Route and puzzle solutions

  1. Return the stolen trophy to Ruto to learn Jump. Find the mirror for the woman in Saria to gain access to Life, then use Bagu's permission to cross the river.

  2. In Death Mountain, record cave entrances and exits rather than choosing every fork at random. Refill before the final stretch to the Hammer.

  3. Use the Hammer to break overworld rocks and reach the nearby Magic Container. In Mido, obtain Fairy through the medicine quest and use Jump to reach the Downward Thrust teacher.

Chapter references

Checkpoints

A useful detail

The Candle makes these caves readable. Return to town when supplies run low.

03

Midoro Palace

0 / 3 steps

Pass through breakable stone.

Route and puzzle solutions

  1. Use the Hammer to reach the swamp palace. Carry enough magic for Shield and Life, and check the lower branches for the Handy Glove.

  2. The glove allows sword strikes to break dungeon blocks. Return to blocked corridors with it instead of wasting time looking for a separate switch.

  3. Helmethead's helmets detach and fire projectiles as the fight progresses. Jump to strike the vulnerable head, then move clear of the floating helmets.

Chapter references

Checkpoints

A useful detail

Detours for experience are safer than repeatedly losing a nearly complete level.

04

Island Palace

0 / 3 steps

Reach eastern Hyrule.

Route and puzzle solutions

  1. Reach the island through the cave route from the coast. Look for the Raft inside the palace before continuing to the boss.

  2. Use Downward Thrust on enemies that are dangerous to approach head-on. Save magic for Fairy where a passage or gap requires flight.

  3. Rebonack first attacks on horseback. Use downward strikes to unseat him, then fight the exposed Iron Knuckle by alternating high and low attacks around its shield.

Chapter references

Checkpoints

A useful detail

Fairy form can bypass narrow passages but cannot fight normally.

05

Maze Palace

0 / 3 steps

Obtain the Boots and Reflect.

Route and puzzle solutions

  1. In eastern Hyrule, help the woman in Nabooru for Fire. Reach Darunia, rescue the child from Maze Island and return for Reflect; learn Upward Thrust from the hidden teacher too.

  2. Recover the Boots in Maze Palace. They let you traverse designated shallow-water paths on the overworld rather than every sea tile.

  3. Carock cannot be defeated by ordinary sword attacks. Cast Reflect, face his projectiles and crouch with your shield toward them.

Chapter references

Checkpoints

A useful detail

Darunia also offers the upward thrust through a roof-accessible house.

06

Ocean Palace

0 / 3 steps

Get the Flute.

Route and puzzle solutions

  1. Use the Boots to find the route across the eastern sea. Search the palace for the Flute before placing the next crystal.

  2. Do not chase every optional experience bag if your lives or magic are low. Preserve enough magic for defence and healing during the boss.

  3. Gooma swings a heavy weapon while leaving his body exposed between attacks. Step in for a sword hit, then back away before the swing reaches you.

Chapter references

Checkpoints

A useful detail

Only specific ocean paths are walkable.

07

Hidden Palace

0 / 3 steps

Place the sixth crystal.

Route and puzzle solutions

  1. Play the Flute to remove the River Devil. In New Kasuto, obtain the final Magic Container and Spell, then use Spell in the empty part of town to reveal the Magic Key.

  2. Play the Flute at the three-rock formation to reveal Hidden Palace. Retrieve the Cross and watch for invisible floor gaps; some deliberate falls lead to new routes.

  3. Keep magic for Jump and Fairy during the descent. Against Barba, jump to strike the dragon's head as it emerges from lava, then return to safe ground.

Chapter references

Checkpoints

A useful detail

The Cross reveals otherwise invisible enemies.

08

The Great Palace

0 / 3 steps

Claim the Triforce of Courage.

Route and puzzle solutions

  1. Confirm that all six crystals are placed and collect every Magic Container. Learn Thunder in Old Kasuto, then refill before the long road to the Great Palace.

  2. The palace is a navigation challenge as well as a combat test. Mark elevator branches and avoid spending all your magic before the final rooms.

  3. Cast Thunder to expose Thunderbird's weak point, then jump to strike its face. Dark Link follows immediately: block, change attack height and take controlled openings instead of jumping constantly.

Chapter references

Checkpoints

A useful detail

A game over inside this palace allows a restart at its entrance.

Collection field guide

Plan your final discoveries.

Use these routes alongside the edition-specific counters. The references link to individual locations and additional maps.

Hearts, magic and techniques

  1. Collect all four extra Heart Containers and all four Magic Containers. Magic capacity is a progression requirement because the final spell depends on it.

  2. Check the spell list and both sword techniques before the Great Palace. Attack, Magic and Life can each reach level 8; raising them makes the final route more forgiving.

  3. Save one-use extra-life dolls for a difficult late-game attempt rather than collecting them automatically while passing through.

Chapter references

Beyond the ending

Your route to 100%.

Build Link’s permanent abilities before committing to the final journey.

This is a collection roadmap with editable counters and links to detailed locations. The bar measures completed checklist goals, not a percentage read from your game save.

The checklist tracks permanent upgrades, not a stock of consumable extra lives.

Choose your adventure

Compare editions & modes.

See what changes before choosing your checklist. Each column uses the edition’s own collection targets.

NES / original

The checklist tracks permanent upgrades, not a stock of consumable extra lives.

One checklist edition is documented here. Ports with the same collection targets share this column; this does not claim that every release is identical.

These are checklist targets, not an overall completion percentage. “Not included” means the goal is absent from that checklist. Hardware-dependent extras and additional runs are listed below.

Explore & collect

Your collectible atlas.

Keep track of individual locations and return to the ones still waiting for you.

No integrated coordinate map is documented for this edition. Use these detailed location references with the checklist below.

  1. Visit every town as each traversal item becomes available.
  2. Collect the life and magic expansions, then finish combat training.
  3. Reach maximum experience levels and check palace rooms before the Great Palace.
0 / 8 collection goals completed

Saved separately for this edition, in this browser.

Finish the main story

Follow the story chapters above, take every boss reward and reach the ending.

Locations & reference ↗

Magic Containers

Return to blocked caves after obtaining the Hammer and other traversal equipment.

Locations & reference ↗

Attack, Magic and Life at level 8

Record one completed category for each experience stat reaching its maximum.

Locations & reference ↗

Complete the quest inventory

Check palace tools, Cross, Magical Key and all mandatory quest items before the finale.

Locations & reference ↗

Check every dungeon

Compare each floor with its map; collect permanent equipment, maps, compasses and remaining treasure before leaving.

Locations & reference ↗
Additional challenges and special requirements
  • A new cycle and a no-death challenge are separate personal goals.
Take your progress with you

One file for all games, editions, map marks, story checklists and the N64 companion. Download it on the old address, then import it on the new one. Nothing is uploaded.

Keep the source close

Sources & further help.

Independent route notes written for this archive. For a specific room, collectible or alternate version, consult these credited references.

Game artwork and characters © Nintendo.
Pass the memory on

Know someone who remembers?

FacebookXBlueskyReddit