 The Adventure of Link bears little resemblance to the first game in the series or later games in the series . The Adventure of Link features side @-@ scrolling areas within a larger top @-@ down world map rather than the exclusively top @-@ down perspective of the previous title . It is more an action @-@ RPG , much like Faxanadu ( also on the FC / NES ) . The side @-@ scrolling gameplay and experience system is also very similar to many games in the popular Castlevania series , especially Castlevania II : Simon 's Quest also released for the FDS in 1987 . The game incorporates a strategic combat system , a proximity continue system based on lives , an experience points ( EXP ) system , magic spells , as well as more interaction with non @-@ player characters ( NPCs ) . Apart from the CD @-@ i exclusive Zelda : Wand of Gamelon and Link : Faces of Evil , no other game in the series includes a life @-@ feature . The side angle was used again in Link 's Awakening and the other Game Boy entries , but was not the main angle in those games , which relied primarily on the top @-@ down view . 
