Synopsis
After Ganon’s defeat in the previous game, the story follows Link as he embarks on a new quest to revive Princess Zelda, who has been cursed into an eternal sleep. Link must gather crystals to unlock the Great Palace, where the Triforce of Courage is hidden, to fully restore peace.
Gameplay
Zelda II shifts to a mix of side-scrolling action and top-down overworld exploration. Link battles enemies, learns magic spells, and gains experience points to level up. Dungeons are challenging and full of enemies, with strategic use of items and abilities key to progression.
Prologue
The Tragedy of Princess Zelda
After the king's death, the new king—the prince—did not receive the crest on his hand, leaving the power of the Triforce he inherited incomplete.
The king's closest advisor, a wizard, suggested that Princess Zelda might know the cause of these events. Despite being questioned by both the wizard and her brother, the king, Zelda remained silent. The wizard, losing his temper, threatened to use magic to cast a spell that would make the princess sleep for eternity, but she steadfastly refused to reveal anything. After the wizard completed his spell, Princess Zelda collapsed where she stood.[1]
The Legend of Princess Zelda
Overcome with grief and regret for his actions, the young king placed his sleeping sister, Princess Zelda, on an altar in the North Castle, hoping she would one day be revived. To ensure that this tragedy would never be forgotten, a custom was established requiring every girl born into Hyrule's royal family to be named "Zelda." This story became the legend of the first Princess Zelda. The king changed his ways and ruled the land as best he could, but the kingdom continued to decline.[2]
A Kingdom In Decline
The Demon King has been defeated by heroes countless times in the past, but it is believed that he has been resurrected after many years. Leading a demon army, he invades Lesser Hyrule in search of the Triforce. No longer showing any sign of the man once known as the Great Thief, Ganondorf, he now confronts Link as a mindless demonic beast.[2]
Events
The Mark of the Crest Appears On Link
Six years after the suppression of the Demon King, a mark resembling the crest of the royal family suddenly surfaced on the back of the left hand of Link, now sixteen years old. Link, concerned, passed on this information to Impa. Surprised and flustered, she brought Link to the North Castle.[3]
Link Dispells the Barrier Surrounding the Great Palace
Inserting the six crystals he had received from Impa into the stone statues located deep within the palaces dotting Hyrule, Link dispelled the barrier in the Valley of Death and opened the path to the Great Palace. After achieving victory against the guardian deity that lay in wait for him within the Great Palace, the Hero continued deeper within.[4]
Link Defeats Shadow Link
In a final trial, Link was attacked by his own shadow, but he managed to defeat it in a battle of life and death.[4]
Princess Zelda I Awakens
After obtaining the Triforce of Courage, Link used its power to awaken Princess Zelda I from her slumber. In doing so, he prevented Ganon's resurrection and restored peace to the land of Hyrule.[4]