10 secrets to discover with Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda!

The legend is in your hands!

Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda is out now, a collectable console packed with three time-honoured adventures, including The Legend of Zelda, Zelda II: Adventure of Link, and The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening. Here are 10 secrets you can find hidden within this stylish handheld.

1) Start with full hearts

Need a little extra help on your quest? In any of the three games, select a play file, then press and hold the A Button for five seconds and press the START Button to begin your perilous quest with the maximum number of hearts. In Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, using this command will not only max out Link’s LIFE gauge, but also his ATTACK and MAGIC gauges, while in The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, Link’s sword will be powered up to Level 2!

2) Unlock The Legend of Zelda’s Second Quest early

Completing The Legend of Zelda unlocks a more challenging version of the game called the Second Quest. However, if you’re feeling up to the task, enter the name “ZELDA” when starting a new game to access the Second Quest right away!

3) Change the screen size in The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening

Players can choose from one of two screen sizes to enjoy this classic Game Boy adventure: Full Size or Original Size. Full Size displays the game using the entire Game & Watch screen while Original Size uses the aspect ratio of the original Game Boy version for added authenticity!

4) Save your game manually

If you turn off your console or switch to another game or the clock while playing, you can return to that game and pick up right where you left off.

However, if you prefer to save your game the good old fashioned way, try pressing and holding the A, B, START and SELECT buttons at the same time.

This command can be used at different times depending on the game:

The Legend of Zelda

• Any time the sub screen is open

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link

• Any time while travelling on the overworld
• When the sub screen is open while in a town or on a battle screen

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening

• Any time during your adventure

5) Unlock Vermin’s hidden game mode

In this version of the Game & Watch favourite starring Link, there are two standard game modes, GAME A and GAME B with different difficulty levels, but by pressing and holding the A Button for five seconds on the title screen, you’ll play the hidden (and extra hard) GAME C. Good luck!

6) Discover some special artwork

The Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda console will automatically enter sleep mode if no buttons are pressed for three minutes, and when that happens you might catch a glimpse of some special images.

The image you’ll see differs depending on which game you’re playing, and what was occurring at the time. There are 11 images to discover. Think you can see them all?
The console won’t enter sleep mode when plugged in to its charging cable, or if the mode has been disabled via the clock settings.

7) Spot the regional differences

Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda lets you switch between the different regional versions of the three adventures to see how they differ from each other. For example, did you know that the Japanese and western versions of The Legend of Zelda feature different music and sound effects?

In Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, many screens, characters and monsters look different between the Japanese and English versions.

In the western versions of The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, entering the name “ZELDA” (“ぜるだ” in the Japanese version) will play a special version of the main theme. Try entering the name “LOLO” in the French version and the name “MOYSE” in the German version as well to hear two additional music tracks!

8) Listen to the game’s music with the playable clock

Want to replace the ticking of the playable The Legend of Zelda clock with the game’s usual music and sound effects? Press and hold the A Button for five seconds while using the clock to switch to the Sound ON mode for a more immersive time-keeping experience!

Also, keep an eye out for events that occur on-screen at specific times, for example, if all the numbers on the clock are the same.

9) Challenge yourself to time attack mode

The playable countdown timer features a hidden time attack mode. Simply press and hold the A Button for five seconds while on the timer’s setting screen and see how quickly you can defeat 21 enemies!

10) Turn your console into a stylish clock

Did you know that the inner tray Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda comes packaged with doubles as a stand? When Auto-Sleep is set to off, the console won’t go into sleep mode after sitting for a while, meaning you can use the console as a stylish table or desk clock, even without its charging cable plugged in!

There’s lots to do and discover with Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda. If you’d like to find out more, head on over to its official website!