Rising from the ether(net), as magical findings on the Internet so often do, a supposedly official Nintendo prototype build of the original The Legend of Zelda has been making the rounds, and is actually available for download over at The Cutting Room Floor (download links at the bottom of the linked page). As shown in the above comparison, the prototype build (left) is significantly easier than the final build (right), with a larger concentration of more difficult enemies. Check past the break for another screen comparison and a list of a few significant changes between the builds.
As one can again see from the above screen, the difference in difficulty between the prototype (left) and final build (right) is pretty clear. Some other notable differences:
- The Magical Sword only requires eight full hearts to use, rather than the twelve full hearts required in the final build
- Every shop underwent changes to the inventory before the final release
- Armor Knights take longer to come to life in the prototype
- Wizzrobe beams do less damage in the prototype
Head on over to The Cutting Room Floor to check out a full list of differences.
(The Cutting Room Floor via Engadget)
