ˈæftɚ nɪntˈɛndoʊz ɹᵻlˈiːs ʌv kəmˈɜːʃəli səksˈɛsfəl plˈætfɔːɹmɪŋ ɡˈeɪmz ɪnðə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi z, ɪŋklˈuːdɪŋ dˈɔŋki kˈɑːŋ, ˈaɪs klˈaɪmɚ, ænd sˈuːpɚ mˈɑːɹɹɪˌoʊ bɹˈoʊz., æz wˈɛl æz ðə kɹˈɪɾɪkli ɐklˈeɪmd ɐdvˈɛntʃɚ ɡˈeɪm ðə lˈɛdʒənd ʌv zˈɛldə, ðə kˈʌmpəni wʌz ˈɪntɹɛstᵻd ɪn ˈɛntɚɹɪŋ ɐ dˈɪfɹənt ʒˈɑːnɹə.
After Nintendo's release of commercially successful platforming games in the 1980s, including Donkey Kong, Ice Climber, and Super Mario Bros., as well as the critically acclaimed adventure game The Legend of Zelda, the company was interested in entering a different genre.