Was Zelda 1 an RPG?

[mαrkαsscoρ]

Let me just say that I firmly don't believe that the series is an RPG. Zelda 2 you can definitely make the argument, and there's probably some aspects taken from RPGs here and there throughout the series, but otherwise no.

The original Zelda has got me thinking though. It's obviously an adventure game but is it also an action RPG? Take into account how the genre was forming during the mid 80s and the games that came out around the time like Dragon Quest. And also the reasons why people would insist that it was. You explore around an overworld, fight enemies for money, and go into dungeons to progress through the game. Only thing is you actually fight enemies w/ your sword instead of doing turn-based combat. So considering where the the genre was at the time, does it make sense to label the NES games as action RPGs?

 

[thePlinko]

Yes and no. Yes because “Role Playing Game” is an incredibly broad term. You could describe a game of cops and robbers on the playground as an RPG. By that metric, yes. It’s an RPG.

However, most RPGs as we know them mainly stem from DnD In how statistics and character customization is handled. Pretty much the defining factor in an RPG is how customizable each play through can be. This is how it’s always been, as the term can be used to separate DND from a simple game of sorry. Zelda 1 is more customizable than say Mario, but pretty much the extent of it is whether you get the upgraded gear or not. Basically Dragon quest is to DnD what Zelda 1 is to chess.

even Zelda 2 isn’t quite an RPG. It’s got the elements of a traditional RPG, but it’s not customizable enough for that. If any game in the series were an RPG it would probably be BotW

 

[Farore's Chosen]

No, I wouldn't say so. It has no level grinding, no equipment that would continuously upgrade to up defense/attack/crit by percentage, or guard against ailments, no ailments to guard against, except curse I guess, no turn based or strategic battles, no classes. Its an adventure game, just like every main entry.

The second is an adventure/rpg/sidescroller.

For the record, I would not be opposed to a spin off rpg.

 

[Bowsette Plus-Ultra]

No, Zelda has never been at a point where I'd classify it as an RPG. RPGs suggest a certain level of player choice and agency in regards to the story that Zelda games have never had.