20 Classic Nintendo Games That Desperately Deserve Sequels

6. Zelda II: The Adventure of Link

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link switched up several elements from the original title in the series, most notably by shifting combat gameplay to a side-scrolling perspective instead of the overhead view used before. With that came a new way of fighting as players had to learn when to strike and when to block, as well as whether to strike the enemy high or low. Add RPG elements such as different magic spells to cast, semi-random encounters on a world map, villages to visit, townsfolk to talk to, and an experience point system to strengthen Link's three main attributes, and you have a game which not only created a distinct identity for itself, but also influenced the rest of the series in various ways for years to come. Despite this, you only see two types of Zelda game nowadays: Either 3D-style, or a more "oldschool" top-down view. While The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, which falls into the former category, feels like it took some inspiration from the fighting set-up of The Adventure of Link, we've yet to see another game from Nintendo that quite matches this style. Admittedly, Zelda II does have its flaws, but those are all relatively minor in the big picture. Yes, not being able to save 1UPs (which don't reappear) is a pain, as is losing all your XP when you die, and starting back at the North Castle after a Game Over is groan-worthy, but those are all aspects which are easily tweaked and improved upon-- just the kind of thing sequels tend to do. Heck, just by using Restore Points on the Wii U or Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console versions, you're able to alleviate most of those problems now. It's difficult to say whether or not Nintendo will ever decide to create another Zelda in the style of The Adventure of Link, and that's a shame for several reasons, not the least of which being the size and scope of the world when compared to the common "Death Mountain Area" so many other games in the series occupy. However, even if they elect not to use Zelda for it again, that doesn't mean the style needs to be abandoned altogether. Aside from creating an original franchise to fill the void, Nintendo could kill two birds with one stone and use another classic franchise in its place. Masahiro Sakurai has already said he's not interested in creating a sequel to Kid Icarus: Uprising, but perhaps the world of Kid Icarus would be a good fit for an adventure such as this? There may need to be some changes to the formula, such as how sword combat works, but exploring Angel Land's villages, countryside, and temples in much the same way that Link explored Hyrule would be interesting, and might even be considered something of a return to form for Pit.