The Legend of Zelda/Overworld/Quest 1

It is possible to get half of the items in the game before entering Level 1.

It is actually possible to do it quite quickly if you get all the secret rupees hidden around Hyrule overworld.

This pages guides you through the overworld along the most economical path to get all items and treasures.

Quest 1 overworld

 * 1) Get the Wooden Sword
 * 2) * Get hint: "Meet the old man at the grave." (in Green Rocks)
 * 3) Get to the western Fairy Fountain
 * 4) Get some Bombs
 * 5) * Use bombs to get 30 R (in Brown Forest)
 * 6) * Use bombs to get 30 R (in Green Rocks)
 * 7) Buy a Blue Candle (for 60 R)
 * 8) * Use the candle to get 10 R (on Lake Hylia)
 * 9) * Use the candle to get a Heart Container (on Lake Hylia)
 * 10) * Use the candle to get 30 R (on Lake Hylia)
 * 11) Get to the eastern Fairy Fountain
 * 12) * Use the candle to get 10 R (in Green Forest)
 * 13) * Use the candle to get 100 R (in Green Forest)
 * 14) * Use bombs to get a Heart Container (on the seashore)
 * 15) Buy a Magical Shield for 90 R (use the candle in Green Forest)
 * 16) * Push an Armos to get 10 R (in Green Forest)
 * 17) * Push an Armos to get 30 R (in Green Forest)
 * 18) * Use bombs to get 30 R (on the seashore)
 * 19) * Use bombs to get a Heart Container (on the Eastern Mountains)
 * 20) Get the letter (on the seashore)
 * 21) Buy a Red Potion for 68 R (use Bombs on the Eastern Mountains)
 * 22) * Get hint: "Secret is in the tree at the dead-end." (on the Eastern Mountains)
 * 23) * Get 100 R behind the tree at the dead-end (on the seashore)
 * 24) Buy a Blue Ring (on Lake Hylia)
 * 25) * Use the candle to get 10 R (in Brown Forest)
 * 26) * Use the candle to get 100 R (in Brown Forest)
 * 27) Buy food for 60 R (on Lake Hylia, same shop as Blue Ring)
 * 28) * Use the candle to get 30 R (on Lake Hylia)
 * 29) Get the White Sword (on the Eastern Mountains)
 * 30) Get the Power Bracelet (on Death Mountain)
 * 31) * Use bombs to get 30 R (on Death Mountain)
 * 32) Buy Arrows for 80 R (on Death Mountain)

You can now enter Dungeon 1 equipped with:
 * 6 Heart Containers instead of 3
 * White Sword instead of Wooden sword
 * Magical Shield instead of the small shield
 * Blue Ring
 * Bombs, Blue Candle, Red Potion and Power Bracelet
 * Arrows and food (to be used later)

Quest 2 overworld

 * 1) Get the Wooden Sword
 * 2) Get to the eastern Fairy Fountain
 * 3) Get some Bombs
 * 4) * Use bombs to get 30 R (on the seashore)
 * 5) * Push an Armos to get 30 R (in Green Forest)
 * 6) * Push an Armos to get 10 R (in Green Forest)
 * 7) Buy a Blue Candle (for 60 R)
 * 8) * Use the candle to get 10 R (in Green Forest)
 * 9) * Use the candle to get 10 R (in Green Forest)
 * 10) * Use the candle to get 30 R (in Green Forest)
 * 11) * Use the candle to get 30 R (on Lake Hylia)
 * 12) * Use the candle to get 30 R (on Lake Hylia)
 * 13) Buy a Magic Shield for 90 R (use the candle on Lake Hylia)
 * 14) * Use the candle to get 10 R (on Lake Hylia)
 * 15) Get to the western Fairy Fountain
 * 16) * Use the candle to get 100 R (in Brown Forest)
 * 17) * Use the candle to get 10 R (in Brown Forest)
 * 18) * Push a tombstone to get a Heart Container (in the Graveyard)
 * 19) * Enter a crypt to get 30 R (in the Graveyard)
 * 20) Buy a Blue Ring (on the seashore)
 * 21) Get the Power Bracelet (on Death Mountain)
 * 22) Get the letter (use Power Bracelet on Death Mountain)
 * 23) * Use bombs to get 30 R (on Death Mountain)
 * 24) Buy a Red Potion for 68 R (use Bombs on Death Mountain)

This is all that can be collected before Dungeon 1, and it's clearly less equipment than in Quest 1:
 * 4 Heart Containers instead of 3
 * Wooden sword
 * Magical Shield instead of small shield
 * Blue Ring
 * Bombs and Blue Candle
 * Power Bracelet and Red Potion (difficult)