The Legend of Zelda was one of the killer apps for the NES and was largely responsible for creating and popularizing the action RPG genre. Released in 1987, it spawned a franchise that continues today.
As Link, you are tasked with finding the Triforce of Wisdom pieces that Princess Zelda hid to protect them from the evil prince that invaded the kingdom and to rescue her from said prince.
The Legend of Zelda has spawned a large number of sequels (mostly prequels really) over the years. My favorite will probably always be A Link to the Past on the Super Nintendo but they are all excellent games.
There were several unique things about the original Legend of Zelda. It was the first NES game with a battery backup, the cartridge was the only one that had that distinctive gold color, and it was the first NES title to sell over a million copies. It's probably harder to find a "best" or "most influential" games of all-time list without Zelda in it than it is to find one with it.
The Legend of Zelda was eventually ported to the Game Boy Advance in 2004 and the GameCube in 2006. It was also released in emulated form for the Wii, Wii U and 3DS virtual consoles. This game is pretty easy to come by in one form or another so there's no reason to miss out.
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