Zelda clone
Games seemingly inspired by the design and success of Nintendo's "the Legend of Zelda." All major hits inspire their own wave of similar games that range between complete rip-offs to games that are great in their own right. Nintendo's 'The Legend Of Zelda' was such a smash hit that other companies were rushing to copy every element of that game. These clones featured the same top-down viewpoint, labyrinths, maps, and so on. The more well-done examples, like Golden Axe Warrior for the Sega Master System, get a bit more respect. Labels like this are often unfairly slapped onto games that aren't trying to be clones.

Of course, all of this ignores how the Legend of Zelda itself owes a small debt to earlier games like the Tower of Druaga, but that's how these things seem to work out.

Oddly enough, Zelda II plays NOTHING like the Legend of Zelda, but seems to have inspired another game in the Golden Axe series, "Ax Battler" for the Game Gear.
Game list:
Golden Axe Warrior (SMS)

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