History VideoGame / ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink

** It's the only game in the franchise where there's no currency involved, thus no shops exist either.
** It's the only game without bombs and, along ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOracleGames'', bow and arrows.
** It was, for ''decades'', the only numbered title in the entire series. The Japanese and Korean names of ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkBetweenWorlds'' changed that (both versions are called ''Triforce of the Gods 2'').
** Speaking of titles, it is the only non-spinoff title in the series to not be called ''The Legend of Zelda'', instead being referred to as simply ''Zelda''.
** Heart Containers only exist in the overworld. While the first game did this as well, they still appeared mostly in dungeons.
** Magic Containers only exist in this game, which extends your magic meter. Future games would use other methods to extend the meter.

** Maps and compasses do not exist in the game, requiring the player to keep track of their location in the dungeons.

** Link's sword and shield are never upgraded due to his attack and defense power being regulated as individual stats instead of equipment.

** Link is able to jump freely at the will of the player. Other games require an item to enable Link to jump or only jumps when running off a ledge, and for the most part the games afterward haven't had a dedicated "jump" button until ''Breath of the Wild'', where Link once again is able to jump freely at the will of the player, albiet more realistically and with no air control without the use of a paraglider.

->''[[AC:after ganon was destroyed,]][[AC: impa told link a sleeping]][[AC: spell was cast on princess]][[AC: zelda. she will wake only]][[AC: with the power of third]][[AC: triforce sealed in a palace]][[AC: in hyrule. to break the]][[AC: seal, crystals must be]][[AC: placed in statues in 6]][[AC: well guarded palaces.]][[AC: link set out on his most]][[AC: adventuresome quest yet...]]
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->''[[AC:after ganon was destroyed,]][[AC: impa told link a sleeping]][[AC: spell was cast on princess]][[AC: zelda. she will wake only]][[AC: with the power of third]][[AC: triforce sealed in a palace]][[AC: in hyrule. to break the]][[AC: seal, crystals must be]][[AC: placed in statues in 6]][[AC: well guarded palaces.]][[AC: link set out on his most]][[AC: adventuresome quest yet...]][[AC: ©1987 nintendo]]''

* NintendoHard: Widely considered the hardest of the entire series, with good reason. Blue Iron Knuckles in particular will have you tearing your hair out. The Eagle Knights in the Great Palace are even worse... until you figure out the trick to beating them [[spoiler:by simply blocking their attacks until they jump over you, then doing an upward thrust to their feet,]] making them incredibly easy.
* NoAntagonist: There's technically no BigBad in this game. The DamselInDistress has been that way for centuries and the person who bewitched her died the moment he cast the spell. Link is given his quest by Impa simply because the BirthMarkOfDestiny appeared on his hand. While there are enemies in the game who want to kill Link to resurrect Ganon, they have ''nothing'' to do with the actual plot, and the dungeons Link must conquer are actually guardians created by the forces of Good to protect the Triforce of Courage. Even at the end of the game, the final confrontation with Shadow Link is a test set up by the old man who guards the Triforce and wants Link to prove that he's overcome his evil side.

* HeroesWantRedheads: Zelda's predecessor, the princess you need to awaken, has red hair (in both her sprite and the manual).

* DropTheHammer: Link can get a Hammer in Death Mountain, though it can only break rocks and cut trees in the overworld map. It cannot be used during battle.

* WhenAllYouHaveIsAHammer: The lack of alternate weapons (bombs, bow and arrows, etc.) put swordplay right at the forefront. Even though you '''do''' get a [[DropTheHammer literal hammer]], it's used as an overworld item, not as a weapon.

''Zelda II: The Adventure of Link'' (''Link no Bouken'' in Japanese) is the second game in ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' series, released for the Famicom Disk System on January 14, 1987 in its home country of Japan and the [[UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem NES]] just under two years later, on December 1, 1988 for North America (though Europe got it a couple of months earlier in September 1988). Unlike many other Disk System games, a cartridge version was never released for Japan.

The game has been readily available for much of its lifetime: it was ported to the [=GameCube=] in ''The Legend of Zelda Collector's Edition'', the Game Boy Advance as part of the ''NES Classic'' series, has been released on every iteration of the Virtual Console, and is available to play within the Nintendo Entertainment System -- Nintendo Switch Online service. Additionally, it was announced on June 15th, 2021 that [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jp_9gv_N8c a special version of the]] UsefulNotes/GameAndWatch system containing this game, its [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaI predecessor]], ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening'', and a Zelda-themed version of the Game & Watch game Vermin would be released to commemorate the series' [[MilestoneCelebration 35th anniversary]], which came to fruition in November of 2021. This release also contains the European and original Japanese versions of all three games.

* LedgeBats: There are numerous locations with enemies whose only purpose is to knock you into water or lava.

** Slightly easier in the Disk System version where the maximum XP limit for a level up is 4000.

** Thunderbird, the second to last boss of the game, cannot be harmed without the Thunder spell. If you reached him without the spell (or don't have at least half of your mana to cast it in the first place), not only you can't win, but it'll be a ''very'' long trip going back just to leave and find the NPC who can teach you the spell.

** Thunderbird, the second to last boss of the game, cannot be harmed without the Thunder spell. If you reached him without the spell, not only you can't win, but it'll be a ''very'' long trip going back just to leave and find the NPC who can teach you the spell.

* GameplayAndStorySegregation: The Boots allow Link to walk on water. In only a handful of predefined areas on the Overworld Map, and precisely ''one'' battle area (to acquire a Heart Container near Level 5). Otherwise falling into water in a battle area is just as fatal ''after'' you acquire them as is was before.

* EveryTenThousandPoints: Every 9000 experience after maxing out levels gives Link another life.

!!This game provides examples of:

* PlotCoupon: The Six Crystals, or rather the six statues to put the crystals in (you have the crystals at the outset). They dispel the barrier that protects the entrance of the Great Palace.

* DecapitatedArmy: Averted. Ganon's followers are ruthlessly determined and organised, setting up many traps to ensnare Link.