Romhackers from all over are including this in their hacks by default, and it makes me angry. The entire point of Zelda 1 was that you’re handed a map that’s already 60% complete and you need to fill in the rest of the details yourself, by hand, with a pencil. That’s how old RPGs and adventure games were back then. Wizardry did the same thing: you had to draw your map on grid paper. The entire point of Zelda’s in-game “map” being a grey box was so you could check Link’s position with your map to find out where you are.

What makes Zelda 1 have such a unique charm is that it feels like you, the player, are the adventurer. YOU are the one filling out the map. YOU are the one collecting clues and saving Hyrule. Taking that away makes Zelda 1 “just another Zelda game”. If you’re the type who doesn’t want to do that, and wants a hack to do it for you, then my advice to you is either deal with it or go home. This is not the proper way to experience Zelda, especially not for a first-time player.