Action role-playing game
An important influence on the action RPG genre was the 1986 action-adventure, "The Legend of Zelda", which served as the template for many future action RPGs. In contrast to previous action RPGs, such as "Dragon Slayer" and "Hydlide," which required the player to bump into enemies in order to attack them, "The Legend of Zelda" featured an attack button that animates a sword swing or projectile attack on the screen. It was also an early example of open-world, nonlinear gameplay, and introduced new features such as battery backup saving. These elements have been used in many action RPGs since.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
Many critics saw "A Link Between Worlds" as a worthy successor to "A Link to the Past", but also remarked that the game was outstanding in its own right. It was commended for making enhancements to core and traditional elements of the series. New additions and changes to the established formula were also welcomed. "Polygon" called it the best "Zelda" game in 20 years, and "GamesRadar" said it was an essential title for every 3DS owner. Reception towards the game's puzzles was positive; praise was directed towards how well the wall-merging mechanic had been incorporated into dungeon puzzles and integrated into every area of the game. "IGN" thought "A Link Between Worlds" was Nintendo's best puzzle game. "Game Informer" wrote some of the game's dungeons and boss encounters were among the best in the franchise's history. The level of difficulty present in the puzzles and dungeons was met with approval; the challenge was described as a perplexing experience rather than a frustrating one by "GameSpot".