Three Heart Challenge?

[Alder Dragon]

Has anyone ever tried the three heart challenge in the original Legend of Zelda for the NES? I've done it once, on an emulator with save states. I tried it on the NES but it's extremely challenging, the sixth labyrinth is very annoying.

What about swordless? I don't think I'll be trying that for a long time.

[linkman8]

I've never done the three heart challenge, because honestly, I can hardly beat the game with about fifteen hearts. :lol:

[Avenged]

Heres an extreme challenge that I may just try :

Game : The Adventure of Link
Challenge : Play with the only needed spells (so no fire), no upgraded experience (so all exp. stays at 1), and no candle.

[linkman8]

Now THAT, my friend, would be difficult. I have yet to defeat that game normally.
Who here has done the OOT three heart challenge?

[Mases]

The three heart challenge isn't something I've ever tried with Zelda games. I have tried to do an a Link tot he Past walkthrough without getting any upgrades or any of the quarter heart pieces. Only getting necessary items and the heart containers from bosses. Also never got the Blue or Red Tunics or the half magic meter.

That was enough of a challenge for me back in the day. Personally, I'd just rather just play through the games another time for the fun factor rather than the extra hard challenge.

And yes, I think Adventure of Link is hard enough by itself without the heart challenge.

[Sarah_Zelda]

I tried OoT with only three hearts, and I surpremely sucked at it. I was only 7 but I wasn't I bad player, but once I tried 3 hearts, I went to about the Forest then died at almost every oppurtunity I had to die :( But it was fun, and my friends kept betting me I would lose when i retried last year, and I lost alot of my collectable stuff, but one person said I would make it, so I got a GC. Has anyone ever completed it? I might try again sometime next month after I beat .hack// (you know the longness) redemption...

[Alder Dragon]

Heh, I did OoT with 3 hearts - it was pretty tough, especially when things can kill you in one hit. Like Mases said, Adventure of Link is hard enough as it is. I like the challenge =)

[xandar]

Currently, I'm working on TP 3-heart, (Just past Lakebed Temple) and it's proving to be much more difficult than OoT 3-heart. I got through OoT with no major problems (though that's probably because I know the game really well), until Ganondorf. Unfortunately, I also decided to do it with only items you need to complete the game, so I had one bottle, no damage reduction, and no double magic. I did get the tunics, but I didn't think it would be plausible with only three hearts. I bet I could do it with five, but not two.
So, Ganondorf's attacks doing three hearts was pretty annoying.
Also, if anyone has succeeded in beating Zelda 1 with three hearts, you're a witch or a hacker.

[Alder Dragon]

Yeah Xandar, Zelda 1 is really hard with 3 hearts. I can get up to dungeons 6-8 without any major trouble (sometimes Gleeok gives me trouble), but when you're in the 6th, there are alot of wizzrobe rooms to pass. I normally do 3 heart runs as a minimal run, so no advanced tunics either. Red Wizzrobes kill you in one hit on contact, which is obviously very difficult. I still have never tried it on the NES, but I've done first and second quests on an emulator and I must say - the second quest is actually easier. The second quest just takes more patience, but there are much less wizzrobe rooms than before, many can be avoided.

OoT was easier than LoZ, but still a good challenge. Majora's Mask wasn't hard at all, in my opinion. I haven't tried TP yet but I heard its pretty easy, until the close end of the game. I can't wait to do a 3-heart run on PH :)

[Avenged]

Wizzrobes become quite easy to defeat. 3 hearts in the original Zelda isnt too hard, well it shouldnt be for Zelda vets :P.

[Mases]

I'm going to give this a try sometime in the next few days when I throw my LOZ in the NES. I'll let you guys know how I do.

What is allowed exactly. Can we get the Magical Shield and/or and potions? Any sword/tunic upgrades at all? Not that there is exact rules, but just curious what you guys played by.

[Alder Dragon]

Many people do minimal runs, basically only getting things they MUST get to complete the game. (like no letter/potions, red candle, magic key, wand, book, magic boomerang, etc) you get the idea. You can do it however you want, but if you're doing it on the NES I'd recommend the blue ring. Three Heart Challenge on the NES is pretty much like saying "beat the game: but don't get hurt at all." There obviously isn't any sword upgrades because you need more hearts to get them.

To avoid the heart container from Aquamentus, wait until he walks farther out into the room and sneak in behind him when you kill him. That way you're in front of the heart when he dies.


Wizzrobes become quite easy to defeat. 3 hearts in the original Zelda isnt too hard, well it shouldnt be for Zelda vets :P.


Heh, Wizzrobes are too unpredictable for me. The red ones are easy in a sense, but touching them with the green tunic results in instant death. The main thing that makes wizzrobes hard in a minimalist run is not having the Magic Shield. And since they don't recoil when you hit them, they plow straight through you.

[Mases]

I'm trying the 3heart challenge with minimul items and equiptment for the original Legend of Zelda.

So far I've beaten the first 3 dungeons. Died twice though, in dungeon 2 by those damn blue goriyas, and in dungeon 3 by red darknuts. I have 9 extra keys through 3 dungeons though, lol. Not getting the magical key will not be a problem.

[Alder Dragon]

I'm trying the 3heart challenge with minimul items and equiptment for the original Legend of Zelda.

So far I've beaten the first 3 dungeons. Died twice though, in dungeon 2 by those damn blue goriyas, and in dungeon 3 by red darknuts. I have 9 extra keys through 3 dungeons though, lol. Not getting the magical key will not be a problem.


Good luck! Make sure to take screenshots or uhh, record with capture card when you complete it :)

[Avenged]

If he was doing a speedrun, I'd say video capture it, but for 3 heart challenege, maybe just screens.

[Mases]

Well, I'm not really trying to prove anything to anybody by doing this, so I don't see a reason for the videos or screens. Just for my own little challenge of the game. Besides if I did take video from the NES, I'd have to do some serious editing of the dozens and dozens of times that I'll die.

[xandar]

Yeah, dying sucks. I think I'll have to do a three heart on the original one too. I don't think I'll ever get it, though. I'm not good enough at it.

[linkman8]

If you do the Three Heart Challenge, you can still die can't you? I mean, if you beat the game with three hearts, you still did the challenge even if you died. Although I have to say that it would be very difficult to do the three heart challenge without dying.

[Mases]

Beat level 4 today, but died 3 times at the boss Gleeok. He's rediculously hard if you don't have full power to use the sword blade projectile attack. Especially since the wooden sword is just terrible against anything past level 2.

5 Deaths in total.

[Alder Dragon]

Yes linkman, doing the 3 heart challenge without dying is almost unheard of. And about the screens, I didn't mean to prove anything, just a screenshot of you at Zelda with 3 hearts would be a nice picture.

Yeah, Gleeok is a pain. Normally I'd just run in and start slashing at his heads, but with the three heart challenge you have to sort of plan out everything you do.

[Mases]

Okay, I beat the 5th dungeon, only died twice there. Once because of some gibdos (they take 2hearts if they hit you) and than once at digdogger. Not too bad really, kind of easy I'd say.

Been playing the 6th dungeon and it is a disaster. The Wizzrobes are rediculous. The rooms that have blue and orange wizzrobes, as well as Like-Like's, and bubbles. It is just rediculous. I've been keeping track of deaths, thus far in this dungeon alone, 34 deaths.

I've made some progress though. What is cool is that in the first of these hellish rooms, after I defeat all the enemies except the bubble. Even if I die and then return to this room, only the bubble remains and the wizzrobes and like likes are gone.

An interesting strategy I've been using. If I get caught by a Like Like, I just stay inside of him. I wait until wizrobes pass by and strike my sword. Since I don't take damage while I'm inside a Like Like. Since I don't have a magical shield to lose, it isn't that bad at all. But ya, I don't know if I'm going ot be able to do this. Played just this dungeon for over 45 minutes. I might just get the magic wand tha tis in the dungeon. I believe that harms wizrobes. I'll try a bit more without getting the wand, since I really want the bear minimum items and hearts challenge.

[Alder Dragon]

Okay, I beat the 5th dungeon, only died twice there. Once because of some gibdos (they take 2hearts if they hit you) and than once at digdogger. Not too bad really, kind of easy I'd say.

Been playing the 6th dungeon and it is a disaster. The Wizzrobes are rediculous. The rooms that have blue and orange wizzrobes, as well as Like-Like's, and bubbles. It is just rediculous. I've been keeping track of deaths, thus far in this dungeon alone, 34 deaths.

I've made some progress though. What is cool is that in the first of these hellish rooms, after I defeat all the enemies except the bubble. Even if I die and then return to this room, only the bubble remains and the wizzrobes and like likes are gone.

An interesting strategy I've been using. If I get caught by a Like Like, I just stay inside of him. I wait until wizrobes pass by and strike my sword. Since I don't take damage while I'm inside a Like Like. Since I don't have a magical shield to lose, it isn't that bad at all. But ya, I don't know if I'm going ot be able to do this. Played just this dungeon for over 45 minutes. I might just get the magic wand tha tis in the dungeon. I believe that harms wizrobes. I'll try a bit more without getting the wand, since I really want the bear minimum items and hearts challenge.


Yeah, Like I said, Dungeon 6 is the basis of the 3 heart challenge. That's why I think the second quest is easier: many of the wizzrobe rooms can be avoided.

[Mases]

I finally did beat level 6, came to a total of 51 deaths in just that dungeon, quite rediculous.

Just got to level 7 last night. Haven't played much of it since level 6 just took all the energy out of me. Looking at it however, it seems level 7 will be quite easy but level 8 will be a really big challenge. I'll keep you all informed.

[Charmy]

I personally don't like the 3 heart/no upgrade challenges. It's kinda dumb to me. I just like playing through the game the regular way.

[linkman8]

Yeah, but it's something new and challenging to try out if you're bored and you've beaten the game a few times.

[pjizzile]

I beat twilight princess with 3 hearts. It was easy but really anoying. I would be looking for a key or some rupies and open a chest to get a heart piece. I saved before opening any chests.

[God Of Lightning]

i beat OOC with 5 hearts....but 3 hearts is crazy
on TP i tried beeting the game with only the first sword, it took a lot longer to kill bosses