• Mini-map (shows the basic layout of the whole world, indicates which rooms have and have not been visited yet and also alerts the player to the presence of items within a given "room" (the map actually displays a chunk of screens as one tile so it's more like a general clue))

• Mostly linear structure (boss gates, can get some keys in any order)

• Item inventory (5 slots)

• Weapon upgrades as inventory items which can be toggled on and off or dropped (bosses are weak to certain weapons - these all function the same way though)

• Some interesting tools for the time (placeable ropes which let you reach new areas - can only be placed in specific spots (large grey tiles) though, candles to light up dark rooms (consumable items - lit rooms stay lit))

• Invincibility power up (Invisibility "spell")

• Color coded keys

• Basic cutscene before beginning (still artwork and text)

• Minor spatial awareness and platforming puzzles

• Some minor shortcuts

• Persistent items - a dropped item stays where you put it (can only drop an item by replacing a placed item with it, the rightmost item in the inventory is replaced)

• Breakable walls (get past them with single use scrolls)

• No item drops from enemies (HP or air supply) - have to find placed items

• Enemies spawn at the edge of the screen rather than all over the place like in the Amstrad version (see Zelda 1) here - Good in that there are fewer cheap hits but sometimes bad in that they're easier to take out. On the other hand they don't seem to continuously respawn while you're in the room in the Amstrad version

• Faster climbing and swimming on Amstrad

• No knockback or invincibility time after taking a hit

• No save or password save and no lives, Health refill after passing dark grey gates

• Can't simply drop an item somewhere (only replace it with a placed one) - 5 item inventory and keys take up a whole slot. The consumable wall breaker weapons/scrolls also take up a slot

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Playthrough - Video Review - Mini Review