Top Ten Weirdest Pieces of Advice Given by the Old Man in The Legend of Zelda (NES)
Remember when you played the NES Legend of Zelda and you had to go through a dungeon and enter a room that has the old man in it that gives you advice? Well, that is what this list is about. Because some of the pieces of advice he gives aren't really all that helpful or in some cases got lost in the Japanese-to-English translation somewhere along the line. Which ones were helpful and which ones were actually kinda weird?While you'd think this would have something to do with killing ten enemies and getting a bomb pickup, this isn't really the case. This is, in fact, one of the pieces of advice lost in translation, and is in fact supposed to represent "Look for the Lion Key", which refers to the magic key in the same dungeon. So it clearly belongs here.
Um, okay, old man? This definitely belongs near the top because it's not even advice that you'd have to do, as you've been going to each "next room" for some time now.
Yes, it was spelled "Eastmost" and "Penninsula", so there's bits and pieces lost in translation. From the very first dungeon, this piece of advice refers to some peninsula on the east side. Which one? Is it that one place where you can get a heart container by riding a raft? Or that secret northeasternmost area with a secret moblin? The world may just never really know. It's probably the latter though.
If you go in the direction of the arrow, what? I mean I know there's a few sections in the game that resemble arrows, but the hint is quite vague to understand. And how many times must one go in that direction too, for that matter? It's most likely referring to where Level 9's location in the second quest, since there's an arrow mark at the north end of the map, and Level 9's location is in the far northwest part of the game. You just keep going left in other words.
The nose in this case is most likely referring to the nose of the face that makes up dungeon 7, which is where you find this old man. That secret is how you beat the level, for the record, as it contains the steps that reach the boss at the end. But even with those pieces of advice, it's very difficult to tell for a casual player.
This isn't really that bad of advice when you consider that you should have the bow and arrow by now, and that it's a nice, long-ranged alternative to using the sword sometimes. The only issue is how can that secret power best be used. It most likely is referring to the way to defeat Pols Voice in dungeons, where it is the best method of defeating them. Or it may refer to using Silver Arrows to beat Ganon. Not to mention it doesn't even mention the Bow, which makes it weirder.
While this most likely refers to bombs, the implications do make you think a bit more than just bombs. I mean, the fire next to the old man should be emitting smoke, as do fireballs. The only really subtle clue that it is bombs have an explosion actually having smoke. But those same smoke sprites represent enemy spawns too, so it's still weird in a way.
This is the only overworld old man advice here, and it refers to the sword pickups you can get. Problem is, "master using it" may make you think you get to have a trial version of the sword in question, when yes, he's referring to mastering your previous sword or something. Except, there's no way to "master" your sword in this game, you just have to have enough hearts to get the next sword!
On the second quest, there is an arrow mark somewhere at the north end. One screen down, you can find the entrance to Level 8, IF you have both the stepladder and can bomb the right wall. I know the second quest is ridiculous but actually finding Level 8 is a royal pain. I actually had to explain this one right here because it doesn't explain the arrow's direction and isn't really specific about an arrow mark.
This is another that was lost in translation, as it originally meant "Look for Arrows in Death Mountain". Death Mountain is Level 9, and "spectacle rock" is one that has a rock formation that looks like binoculars. I guess that's an okay thing for the first quest? Well, not really. "Look for Arrows in Death Mountain" seems to be the much better hint instead, as it definitely refers to the Silver Arrows in the dungeon itself, which you must use to defeat Ganon with.
Yeah there's only one eye, not two.
Not the most intuitive hint, unless you go to the "fairy fountain" which is the full heal area often, then you realize there's one place that doesn't have one. Problem is, how would players without a manual or anything know exactly what to do when they get there?
The funny thing about this one is that it refers to the eyes in Level 9, except these "secrets", or at least one, is required to beat the game. That secret is Zelda herself (the other is a compass, which isn't much of a secret in itself). If you haven't realized it, dark spaces on the map can have rooms.