Though it’s been over 12 years since the original release of Oracle of Ages & Seasons on the 3DS, I remember it like it was yesterday. I remember when I had first heard about the games and how Capcom would be developing them (one of my favorite 3rd party companies back then). I also remember salivating at the idea of playing not just one but two spiritual successors to Link’s Awakening (a personal favorite of mine that is often underrated and overlooked in my opinion). Though they signified the end of a handheld in the Game Boy Color, they also sit at the pinnacle of the system’s legacy along with my other favorites, Pokémon Gold, Silver, & Crystal, Dragon Warrior 3, and Wario Land 3 (I know I need to play Shantae).
Uniquely Similar
Though it seems cliché or lazy to analyze the two games together because they are two nearly entirely different games, their core mechanics and storylines are extremely similar. Thus, I’ve decided to not only review the two together, but also weigh in on some of my favorite moments or differences between the two games (which might give you some insight if you’re looking to buy just one). It’s very hard to separate the two in my heart and mind so even though they are available separately on the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console, it really is recommended to pick them both up and experience the full breadth of old-school gameplay wrapped up in the quirky worlds that existed on the Game Boy and Game Boy Color Zelda games.
Both games begin with similar storylines. In Seasons, Link is pulled into the mystic land of Holodrum by the power of the Triforce where Onox, the general of darkness, has kidnapped Din, the Oracle of Seasons, and is wreaking havoc on the land through seasonal warfare. Similarly, in Ages, Link is pulled into Labrynna where the sorceress Veran has possessed Nayru, the Oracle of Ages, and is creating mischief by disrupting two separate eras of time. In both games, Link must harness the power of a magical item to modify the landscape he visits and conquer the usual slew of dungeons, collecting items and power as he pushes towards his ultimate goal. And though old-school Zelda games have never been known for their story or cinematics, the gameplay is always the emphasis.
In terms of gameplay, both games feature a great combination of puzzle and action gameplay. In my opinion, top-down 2D Zelda has always had an excellent balance combining the action gameplay of the original Legend of Zelda with some of the newer more puzzle driven gameplay of recent Zelda titles. Both Oracle games are chock full of intuitive, unique puzzles, and some of the boss fights are certainly no slouch. The internet has a bit of an old adage about the games where supposedly Seasons is more action driven and Ages is more puzzle driven and though it’s hard for me to say whether or not I agree, I think it’s clear that the games are full of both elements nonetheless (besides, if you’re worried about which one you’d like more, just pick them both up as they aren’t very much money).
Though Ages sounds a lot like A Link to the Past in that you’ll be traversing back and forth between the past and present, there are key differences that make it feel much more its own game and more in common with Seasons. For one, time travel is introduced at the beginning of the game and done throughout the experience (rather than conquering the light world and moving on to the dark). Thus, you’ll be travelling back and forth through time, witnessing the changes you’ve made on the landscape and on its people through your actions in the past. Also, the two worlds intertwine together like one large map and seem more directly effective upon one another.
Seasons, on the other hand utilizes four different seasons that can be changed in different spots allowing you to modify the landscape entirely. In this sense, the game felt bigger to me as the size of the world is as large as one of the time periods in Ages but the 4 different seasons make it effectively four times as large. And that’s not to mention the fact that there is a separate map in the mysterious land of Subrosia, with a new race of people (thus the two different maps are not intertwined like in Ages). Nonetheless, neither game lacks in creativity or freshness when using the “gimmicks” of the game to solve puzzles and traverse through the story.
Strong Cast of Items
As for the games’ itemization, there are a few common items but overall a distinctly different array of unique items that had never before been seen in a Zelda game (much like what Link’s Awakening introduced to the series). Both games feature the sword, boomerang, shield, bombs, Roc’s Feather (for jumping), shovel, flippers, power bracelet (for lifting objects) and 5 different power seeds for puzzles and combat. However, each game has its own set of unique items that make the experience quite different from the other. The following list includes the difference between items in both Ages and Seasons:
Ages:
Seed Shooter: Shoots out seeds and causes them to ricochet off walls until they hit their destination.
Switch Hook & Long Switch Hook: Acts like a hook shot but instead switches you with the object you attach it to.
Power Gloves: Lifts heavy objects.
Cane of Somaria: Places a magical block for solving puzzles.
Mermaid Suit: Allows you to swim underwater and in dark water.
Seasons:
Magical Boomerang: Allows you to guide the path of the boomerang.
Bombchu: Moving Bombs.
Roc’s Cape: Allows you to float through air for a short amount of time.
Slingshot & Hyper Sling Shot: The slingshot shoots seeds forward while the hyper slingshot shoots 3.
Magnetic Gloves: Switch polarizations to move towards or away from metallic objects (coolest item in either game).
Though the items from both games are very interesting, those from Seasons are a little cooler overall in my opinion. Roc’s Cape was incredibly fun and useful, the Magical Boomerang was an awesome twist on the classic item, and the Magnetic Gloves are freaking amazing. Still, the differences in items are just a further separation of the games that makes them both quite enjoyable in their own rights. As for an order of play-through, though, I would say Ages first and then Seasons last due to the Hyper Sling Shot’s superiority over the Seed Shooter in some of the final battles and since the final boss in Seasons is more formidable and the link items you unlock will make it easier.
The two Oracle games feel spiritually like Link’s Awakening in many ways, both in regards to their play style and unique itemization but also in the quirky lands you’ll explore, the people you’ll encounter, and the quests you’ll embark on. Like Awakening, the games stray from the typical Zelda storyline by bringing Link to unique, distant lands where everything is a little different but stylistic in its own weird way. Though there are hordes of new people to encounter along your adventure, you’ll run into several recycled sprites and a few common faces from Awakening like Mr. Left (homage to Sim City) or the know-it-all birds. The games even share the same adventuring theme for the main portion of the adventure (for better or for worse, as it can wear a little bit on you despite my nostalgic enjoyment of the tune).
Together in Depth
But the strongest part of the Oracle games’ world is the density of the world map and the amount of items, collectibles, etc. to keep you playing. Possibly two of the deepest Zelda games in existence, there are all sorts of things to do during the main quest and a large number of side quests along the way. You can plant Gasha seeds in specific locations to find rings, heart pieces, etc. There are two separate currencies in Oracle of Seasons, one for Holodrum (rupees), the other (ore pieces) for Subrosia. There are even separate portions of the game depending on whichever of the three
And then there’s the ring dynamic of the gameplay. There are 64 collectible rings along the way that can be equipped to give you all sorts of different perks. Examples are higher damage at the cost of less defense, higher damage for specific items (such as bomb+1, Boomerang+1, etc.), the ability to morph into other NPCs or enemies, protection from hazards such as spikes, holes, etc., rings that double heart or rupee production, life regeneration, improved throwing distance, and a number of other benefits. Rings are an excellent source of depth and they can only be obtained by playing through both games (assuming the special rings obtained from playing your copies on the Game Boy Advance are still obtainable on the 3DS versions).
Another one of the greatest points of these games back in the day was the addition of connectivity between the two. After finishing a game, you have the option of putting in a password that carries many of the features from one game over to the other. By doing so, you can bring all of your rings from the first playthrough over to the next game as well as unlock multiple secret items such as the Master Sword, Mirror Shield, Biggoron Sword, and other staples from the Zelda franchise. Other elements such as side quests and character interactions carry over as well and an entirely additional story element is added to the game (featuring Twinrova from the N64 games and eventually an epic battle with Ganon at the end of the game). Though these games are exact emulations of the original games and you must still use the password system for connectivity, there are benefits to using the 3DS virtual console to play through them, such as having a save state you can create and instantly revert back to if something goes wrong (great for frustrating minigames 😉
