Continuing over with improvement hacks I've done, I decided to tackle Zelda 1 as a possible project for a Redux project.
"But Shadow, what about Zelda 2?! That one's not done yet and you are already making another?"
Yeah, don't worry

Zelda 2 Redux is still going on, and it will get released eventually

But to focus on Zelda 1 Redux:
The Legend of Zelda Redux - Source code (so far):
https://github.com/ShadowOne333/The-Legend-of-Zelda-ReduxIf you simply want to grab the patches (including the optional ones) and try them out right away without bothering with the source code, you can get them here:The base ROM for this hack is the PRG0 version of Zelda 1.
Now, let's go over the features that I want a possible version of Zelda 1 Redux to have:
- [DONE] Save manually with Up+A when in the Items Subscreen
- [DONE] Reworked heart HUD to match Zelda 2 Redux
- [DONE] Relocalization of the game's script to better match the Japanese release, or have better hints altogether. Based on the Legends of Localization book/webpage (Except the two iconic "Take this" and "It's a secret" lines)
- [DONE] Make the Blue tunic more vibrant
- [DONE] Increment the initial bomb max. amount to 10 instead of 8
- [DONE] Increment the bomb upgrades by 10 instead of the original 4. First upgrade should give you 20 bombs, second will be 30.
- [DONE] Faster text printing
- [DONE] Modify the Sword beam to only be active when at full health/heart, and stop shooting when the life gets to 3/4 of a heart
- [DONE] Modify certain item names to better match subsequent official names in the franchise (Rupee, Fairy, Heart Container, etc.)
- [DONE] Change the Red and Blue rings to Red and Blue tunics
- [DONE] Introduction text rewrite
- [DONE] Reimplementation of the warning screen from version PRG1 upon Game Over / Saving
- [DONE] Slight modifications to the title screen to give the "ZELDA" title a red colour (modified fading palettes to match this change too)
- [DONE] Possibly also add a breakable tile hint for overworld tiles
- [DONE] Automap Plus, but modify it to have 1/4 heart decrements instead of 1/8 (this is needed in order to make space in sprite PPU for the next point (#3)
- [DONE] Visible hint for breakable walls in Dungeons (already implemented, just need sprite space for the left walls)
- [DONE] Remove the 1 Rupee flashing, and make it green if possible
- [DONE] Press the Select button to toggle the item selected for the B Button (to avoid pausing the game to select an item everytime)
- [DONE] Change the duplicate bosses in Level 4 and 7 (Gleeok and Aquamentus) to Lanmola and Patra respectively.
- [DONE] Be able to kill the Pols Voice by playing the flute, and also with arrows to retain the original way of killing them (thanks to Stratoform!)
- [DONE] Slight graphic changes to make certain sprites match their official artwork (Link now has his yellow hat line, some shield slight change, etc.). This won't be a graphic update of the game, as I still want to retain the original game's overall art design and aesthetic, but with sprites that better depict their official artwork designs.
- [DONE] Have 999 rupees as the maximum amount, instead of 255. The rupee amount also needs to be saved in SRAM for when the game loads, so it starts with whatever amount you had last time (thanks to bogaa!)
- [DONE] Add a proper arrow enemy-drop item and an arrow counter (shops give 30 arrows when purchased), with the max arrow limit being 30 for normal Arrows, and 60 once you get the silver Arrows (thanks to Bogaa for the Arrow drop/counter code, and stratoform for the Max arrows limits!)
- [DONE] Flip the heart rows in the File Select Screen
- [DONE] New column definitions to make the overworld look more polished, adding corners, rounded edges and other slight stuff so the overworld doesn't look as blocky.
- [DONE] Make recently bombed overworld walls have a new arched cave entrance tile, without the tile losing its properties from the previous tile $24 (new tiles are $54-$57)
- [DONE] Rework the Credits for the game to have full names show up for each developer (like in Zelda 2 Redux): https://www.romhacking.net/forum/index.php?topic=29403.msg403636#msg403636
TO-DO / HELP NEEDED FOR:- Save the amount of hearts you last had if the game was saved manually, so when you load, you start with the same amount of life (this I'm not sure if it will be implemented in the end hack)
- Implement water animation. Either by using the current CHR-RAM method, or changing to CHR-ROM or MMC3 mappers with bank swapping for animation.
Optional patches (so far):- Blue-er Tunic based on Asaki's hack (Bluer Tunic.ips)
- Change the Tunics back to Rings (Tunic 2 Ring.ips)
- Change Tunics to the Original Ring GFX from the NES release (Tunic 2 NES Ring.ips)
- Fill the amount of hearts you have upon starting a save file, so you don't always start with 3 hearts only (Full Health at Start.ips)
- Famicom Disk System's version Font graphics(FDS Font.ips)
- Hide back all the overworld and dungeon secrets (Original Hidden Secrets.ips)
- Modify bomb upgrade amount to 05 per upgrade (Bomb Upgrades 5 instead of 10.ips)
- Link's Awakening graphics patch (Link's Awakening GFX.ips)
- Original NES graphics (Original NES GFX.ips)
- Original (blocky) Overworld screen/column definitions (Original Overworld Columns.ips)
- Remove the Low Health sound effect beeping (Remove Low Health Beep.ips)
- Remove the newly added "THE HYRULE FANTASY" subtitle from the title screen (Remove Hyrule Fantasy Subtitle.ips)
- Reworked Title Screen to match more recent Zelda title screens (Reworked Title Screen.ips)
- Reworked Title Screen without "THE HYRULE FANTASY" subtitle (Remove Reworked TS Subtitle.ips)
- Unique bosses in each Dungeon/Level (Rearranged Bosses.ips)
- Make each dungeon have its own unique colour palette similar to Modern Classic Edition (Recoloured Dungeons.ips)
Dropped features (sadly):- Diagonal sword swing. Currently, Infidelity has been the only person to implement a Diagonal Sword swing into Zelda 1, and sadly, without someone willing to help on this feature, it's quite out of my reach.
- Implementation of a Copy/Erase file system like in subsequent Zeldas, where D-Pad Up and Down control the cursor in the File Selection and pressing A brings up the Name screen (Example: ALttP). Could possibly be done, but it's also a missing/dropped feature from Zelda 2 Redux.
Spoiler: Help needed for these points:- Implementation of a Copy/Erase file system like in subsequent Zeldas, where D-Pad Up and Down control the cursor in the File Selection and pressing A brings up the Name screen (Example: ALttP)
- Add water animation (possibly by converting the ROM to another mapper like MMC5?)
- Diagonal sword swing
Reimplementation of the warning screen from version PRG1 upon Game Over / Saving. I already implemented the whole text into it, and also repositioned the "Continue/Save/Retry" texts properly alongside their flashing. Only thing is that they are too far apart compared to the PSG1 version. What's desired here is to find a way to move the flashing and text to match that of PSG1Implementation of an arrow item dropped by enemies, and a proper arrow counter (shops should give 30 arrows on purchase). Also, change the max amount of the Arrows to be 30, and once you get the Silver Arrows, increment the max amount of arrows to 60Have 999 rupees as the maximum amount, instead of 255. The rupee amount also needs to be saved in SRAM for when the game loads, so it starts with whatever amount you had last timePols Voice can be killed with the flute and/or an arrowFlip the heart rows in the File Select ScreenPress the Select button to toggle the item selected for the B Button (to avoid pausing the game to select an item everytime)Remove the 1 Rupee flashing, and make it green if possibleAutomap Plus, but modify it to have 1/4 heart decrements instead of 1/8 (this is needed in order to make space in sprite PPU for the next point (#3)Increment the initial bomb max. amount to 10 instead of 8. The upgrade value I have changed successfully to 10 bombs instead of 4, but I can't find where the game is getting the default "08" value that is stored in RAM $067C
This is what I have currently planned for a possible Zelda 1 Redux.
Many of the points I have already done myself already, as you could possibly tell from the beta patch posted.
However many of these still remain.
Also, if there's anything that you have always found obnoxious from Zelda 1, please do tell me, anything that can be done to make Zelda 1 a much better experience is welcome as a suggestion for the hack!
Please let me know of any ideas, suggestions, or if you know of a way to cover one point in the list as well!