I was reading back through older posts on the site and really enjoyed the post about Chrono Trigger Crimson Echoes. I know many of you guys really enjoyed that post as well. So, I wanted to return to the subject of romhacking (or, more specifically, romhacking vintage video games). I’m not sure if you guys know this, but the original Legend of Zelda NES is one of my all time favorite video games of any era. Heck, my name is Link after all. Naturally, my favorite custom, fan made NES rom has to be Zelda Outlands.
If you’re unfamiliar with video game hacks or rom hacking, it’s custom content that fans and coders add into rom files or custom game cartridges. Many times, these coders use the game’s original content to build a custom, fan sequel (as is the case with this unofficial Legend of Zelda game, Zelda Outlands). But, some designers use the content to add their own special content into a game while retaining the core components of the source material (such as the custom modded 2015 edition of Tecmo Super Bowl that includes all 32 NFL franchise teams and current players).
Zelda Overlands takes place right where the first two Legend of Zelda NES games end. The Thunderbird survived its battle with Link and is seeking revenge. The Thunderbird steals the Triforce of Power and makes off to Hyrule’s neighbor, the Outlands. This completely new game (well, sort of) spans 18 different dungeons. Zelda even makes a cameo supplying Link with items and game tips.
The best way to look at this game is as a complete face lift or overhaul from the original Legend of Zelda. You face new monsters, a completely new overworld (the developer promises no similarities to the old one), custom graphics, and even bug fixes to the old system. This game is pretty neat. You can really tell just how much love went into making this game. Click here to download this ROM to play on an emulator on your 50″ plasma 
If you’re feeling a bit more ‘retro’ and prefer hardware cartridges to ROM files, you should be able to scoop up the ‘real thing’ on ebay here. I thought it would be fitting to provide you guys with links to some of my other favorite fan made NES game hacks. Enjoy!
- Tecmo Super Bowl 2015 – Going rate of eBay appears to be right around the $50 mark BIN. Some of you may scoff at the idea of spending so much money on a football game that isn’t called Madden. For others, Tecmo is worth it…
- Mario Adventure NES – Getting a little harder to find on eBay these days. You can find more info on it here.
- The S Factor: Sonia and Silver – Couldn’t find on eBay. But, Ali Express seems to have it at the moment. Keep in mind, this is a Genesis cart Nintendo collectors.
- Castlevania: Chorus of Mysteries – I personally like this version almost as much as the original. This version presents brand new challenges without resorting to cheap difficulty levels
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