Often considered the black sheep of the Zelda series, The Adventure of Link is frequently misunderstood and underappreciated. Although the gameplay deviates considerably from other titles, Zelda II laid the foundation for the franchise’s backdrop and storyline. Key elements, such as Ganon’s resurrection and the completed Triforce, were first introduced in The Adventure of Link and remain fundamental to this day.
While Zelda II established several norms for the series, one of the most underrated facets is the game’s soundtrack. Despite the hardware limitations of the NES, Zelda II expounded upon the original game’s playlist with unique tracks for the overworld, dungeons, and towns. Each song is special, but perhaps no other melody is more iconic than the title screen theme. In honor of the series’ 35th anniversary, The Second Narrator released an orchestral rendition of the prologue and title theme from Zelda II.
Jeremiah Sun opens the melody with the traditional and whimsical high-pitched scale, which immediately establishes a sense of nostalgia. As the title screen slowly comes into focus, Jeremiah quickly deviates to a series of alternative notes before introducing the wind and percussion instruments. This creative choice adds depth and communicates to the listener that the theme will be familiar yet modern.
As the music transitions into the prologue theme, Jeremiah reveals why his YouTube channel is called The Second Narrator. Utilizing hand-drawn visuals, Jeremiah begins to tell his version of the story from The Adventure of Link. Although he took many creative liberties to expand upon some of the story’s nuance, Jeremiah’s interpretation perfectly summarizes the transition between the original Legend of Zelda and Zelda II.
Throughout the narration, the orchestra plays multiple variations of the prologue theme. Each rendition is distinct and accentuates the emotion that Jeremiah is attempting to elicit from the audience. Feelings of grandeur, struggle, and betrayal are heightened at various moments throughout the piece, and the tone precisely matches the melody and visuals.
Finally, the melody crescendos into a beautiful combination of both themes, and the narrative focus shifts to Link’s quest to save Hyrule. Jeremiah emphasizes the hero’s courageous travels across the vast overworld and perilous dungeons before concluding the arrangement with a fragment of ambiguity. Just as Link is about to enter the final dungeon, the screen slowly fades to black and the orchestra concludes.
If you enjoyed The Second Narrator’s interpretation of the Zelda II prologue and title screen theme, be sure to check out Jeremiah Sun’s other work. While his YouTube channel features many songs from the Zelda series, Jeremiah has composed arrangements for several other iconic video game franchises. Enjoy!
