The Legend of Zelda’s Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages games are an odd pair. They are developed by Capcom. They make use of a linking system, where you can unlock additional items, upgrades, and an overarching epilogue. They even have extra stuff if you play on a Gameboy Advance. This is my third time playing these games. Unfortunately, I like them a little less each time I play them.
The graphics for both games are the pinnacle of the Gameboy Color. Every sprite and background looks outstanding. Although Capcom re-used some artwork from Link’s Awakening, they created even more new assets for the games. The sprites and backgrounds look striking. They made great use of the limited color palette of the console.
The audio is great in both games. Most of the sound effects are ripped from Link’s Awakening. I was pleasantly surprised to hear mostly new music. There are a few familiar tunes, but Capcom orchestrated some great new ones. The music does not feel as iconic as Nintendo developed Zelda titles, but the soundtrack does stand on its own.
Linking can be process if you do not have multiple Gameboys. After beating Seasons, I was given a code. When I started Ages, I was able to input the code from the first game. It is a little complicated, but it works well enough. Some story things carried over, like which animal I chose. However, the shared secrets between the games is the major selling point of the linked game. The secrets unlocked items and upgrades in both games for me. Even though the games are linked together, they feel very different.
Oracle of Seasons is my least favorite of the two. Exploring the overworld just felt like a slog. Getting to the next dungeon is never straightforward, and I got lost so many times. Getting lost never felt productive. Changing seasons is a cool mechanic, but it also means that each area has four different configurations. In order to progress, you have to check out each season. I relied pretty heavily on a guide for this game.
The dungeons were not as bad. There are some clever puzzles. The bosses are pretty standard Zelda bosses where I had to use the item to kill it. The items are a little weird. Capcom opted to create new items that do essentially the same thing as other items in the Zelda arsenal. For example, the magnet. It functions like the hookshot, but it is a magnet. Why not just put in the hookshot?
The story and the characters never really hooked me in Oracle of Seasons. The oracle of Seasons is kidnapped, and it is up to Link to save her. There are no twists or turns. There are no memorable characters. It is a pretty bland story. Overall, Oracle of Seasons is an alright game, but does not stand out in the pantheon of Zelda.
I felt a little different about Oracle of Ages. Some of the areas are a slog to get through, but I felt the way forward was easier to see. The Goron minigames and losing all your items was a pain in the ass. Outside of those moments, I enjoyed exploring the world. Switching between two time periods is a lot more interesting of a mechanic. I was able to see how the world might be different from past to present, and vice versa.
I relied on a guide for some of the dungeons. The later dungeons were brutal when it came to puzzles. My favorite boss was the one I could not hit; instead, I had to use the item I unlocked to get it to bump into itself. Some of the other bosses were annoying, because I had to switch among many different items, and time my attacks perfectly. The dungeons are a mix bag, but I do like that they try something different from the standard Zelda toolkit.
Speaking of a toolkit, the items are fairly standard Zelda items in Oracle of Ages. I think items are used in more interesting ways than other Zelda games. For example, the hookshot made it so Link switched places with an item, instead of just allowing pulling him to the item. It is a mixed bag, but I do like it tried something different.
The story in Oracle of Ages is an improvement from Seasons. I bumped into characters more often, which allowed me to get to know them. I do not know how else to put it, but the story is very anime/JRPG. Link’s the hero doing all of the work, but there’s another dude trying to also save the princess. There are some twists, which makes the story more engaging. It is definitely different from other Zelda games, but it is pretty good in its own right.
After finishing the story in a linked game, I got a “but wait, I’m the real big bad!” moment as the puppet masters reveal themselves to Link. It’s a fun epilogue, which gives the two games a satisfying conclusion.
Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages feel like Zelda games, but do not feel like Zelda games. Capcom takes the core ideas from the series, and injects their own brand of creativity into them. I respect that. They are fun games, and I am glad to be able to enjoy them. However, they feel different enough that they do not even crack to top of the list of best Zelda games. They are definitely better than some other games in the series, but they settle in right towards the middle.