Common characteristics for games nowadays, but impressive for a NES title:
1. Towns and Dungeons have different looks and design;
2. Towns have "numeric NPCs", a high amount of NPCs just to show that people live in those towns, and every one of them can be talked to;
3. Rewarding exploration in the world map, dungeons and even in towns;
4. Very big world map;
5. The presence of the "opening shortcuts" mechanic;
6. Non linear dungeons with very good level design. You don't have and don't need a mini map to know where you are.
Good characteristics of the game:
1. Best "random battle" mechanic;
2. Very balanced level system to where you are in the game right now;
3. Best sidescroller medieval combat to date (making use of a sword and shield), to this day never replicated. If you want to try the best "sword and shield sidescroller gameplay" again, this game is still your only option. I feel like I am being made a hostage by this game. I want to desperately move away from this 1985 game, but this is still the only game in which I can have this combat, no one tries to replicate it in a better and more modern game;
4. Everytime an humanoid enemy appears, the game let's you fight him 1 v 1, balancing its difficulty.
Bad characteristics of the game:
1. Bosses (aside from the final boss);
2. Just one checkpoint for the whole game;
3. The game doesn't teach new players how to approach its deep combat. If it clicks in you, you probably already beat the game by the force of anger. It will be like beating Sekiro without deflecting, because the game never taught you so.
4. Death Mountain is a poor designed map;
5. Thunderbird is a legitimately unfair boss.
1. Towns and Dungeons have different looks and design;
2. Towns have "numeric NPCs", a high amount of NPCs just to show that people live in those towns, and every one of them can be talked to;
3. Rewarding exploration in the world map, dungeons and even in towns;
4. Very big world map;
5. The presence of the "opening shortcuts" mechanic;
6. Non linear dungeons with very good level design. You don't have and don't need a mini map to know where you are.
Good characteristics of the game:
1. Best "random battle" mechanic;
2. Very balanced level system to where you are in the game right now;
3. Best sidescroller medieval combat to date (making use of a sword and shield), to this day never replicated. If you want to try the best "sword and shield sidescroller gameplay" again, this game is still your only option. I feel like I am being made a hostage by this game. I want to desperately move away from this 1985 game, but this is still the only game in which I can have this combat, no one tries to replicate it in a better and more modern game;
4. Everytime an humanoid enemy appears, the game let's you fight him 1 v 1, balancing its difficulty.
Bad characteristics of the game:
1. Bosses (aside from the final boss);
2. Just one checkpoint for the whole game;
3. The game doesn't teach new players how to approach its deep combat. If it clicks in you, you probably already beat the game by the force of anger. It will be like beating Sekiro without deflecting, because the game never taught you so.
4. Death Mountain is a poor designed map;
5. Thunderbird is a legitimately unfair boss.