Design documents from The Legend of Zelda

[cyc]

Take a look behind-the-scenes with design documents from The Legend of Zelda!

[Drew Sebastino]

There is one thing Nintendo has shown lately hasn't been a disappointment!

[LocalH]

Looking closer at some of these layouts...it appears that Zelda, at one point at least, kept score and had a timer? Also some sort of 10-item grid at the top of the screen?

Top-right map had some interesting stuff...looks like there were thoughts of a dragon or other creature that slid in and out of a block, similar to a Piranha Plant? Kinda wonder what the Japanese on that map means.

[Gilbert]

Kinda wonder what the Japanese on that map means.

Very rough translations.
Note: The term ニョキ more or less means 'stretch'.
"(The hands) will stretch out and pull you towards the wall."
"Will stretch out from the holes. Snakes, turtles, dinosaurs."

[Pokun]

As the game was earlier supposed to be much more linear (no overworld, just dungeons), the score and timer isn't surprising. Very cool images.