The Legend of Zelda NES

The Legend of Zelda is Nintendo's 1986 action-adventure, directed by Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. Released first on the Famicom Disk System and then on the NES, it sends the hero Link across the land of Hyrule to gather the eight pieces of the Triforce of Wisdom and rescue Princess Zelda from Ganon.

From the very first screen, you're free to explore. There's a big overworld to discover, nine dungeons to find and clear, and items like bombs, the boomerang and the raft that open new paths. It was one of the first console games with a battery save, and its sense of discovery influenced countless adventure games that followed.