The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

A Link to the Past established the Zelda formula in 1991, featuring light world/dark world duality, dungeon items unlocking new areas, and a master sword quest. Its overworld hides 200+ secrets, and the Dark World twist effectively doubles the game's size. Dungeon pacing is flawless, demanding an average 15 hours for completion. Link Between Worlds proved this template still works perfectly in 2013—because the original was so well-designed. It outperforms #4's traditional linear adventures by rewarding curiosity over guidance, a blueprint still followed by modern action RPGs.