Oracle of Seasons and Ages Game Overview

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Ethan Mojica

Ethan is a sucker for a good RPG, and although he tends to lean more towards party-based JRPGs like Fire Emblem, he still loves traditional RPGs, and none more than Legend of Zelda. He's played everything from the retro top-down adventures, the GBA outings, and the most of the spin-offs too. He's a Zelda nerd, and he's proud to be here, writing about one of his all-time faves!

Latest posts by Ethan Mojica (see all)

• Oracle of Seasons and Ages Game Overview - October 31, 2022
• The Adventure Link Game Overview - October 19, 2022
• Four Swords Adventures Game Overview - October 8, 2022

There are games that people often ignore. The reasons can vary, from not being their favorite genre to simply not finding them fun. This can be a real pity since, often, these games can be very worthwhile if you give them a chance. Two games that deserve that second chance are those that belong to the Oracle Saga. These games are The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages.

These two games are among the best Zelda games of the whole saga. Still, many people ignore them completely because they were released for the Gameboy color. However, give them a chance. You will find two completely original Zelda games which embody the adventurous spirit of the series. These games have a completely original feeling because of the company that developed them: Capcom.

Capcom is responsible for the Mega Man franchise, Resident Evil, and also made The Legend Of Zelda The Minish cap. However, before you start, you must know that there is a negative thing about these games. As with pokémon, you must play both game versions to get the whole experience. If you don’t, you will have an incomplete version that will leave you with more questions than answers, that being said though, it’s well worth the investment.

The Gameplay of Oracle of Seasons

What sets Oracle of Seasons apart from other games in the franchise is its focus on action and exploration. Oracle of Seasons is an adventure game similar to Atari’s Adventure or the first Zelda on the NES. It has one of the most satisfying combat mechanics and seemingly endless exploration of the world. One of the most exciting things about the game is how its world constantly changes with the help of Rod of Seasons.

Thanks to this element, it’s as if there were three completely different maps simultaneously. With a simple button, you can change the entire aspect of the area you visit, the enemies that are there, and even the few puzzles that appear in the game. Likewise, suppose you manage to connect this game through a Link cable with the legend of zelda Oracle of Ages. In that case, you will find an exclusive dungeon. This dungeon is full of enemies to defeat, increasing the approach of action and discovery that this game has.

The Gameplay of Oracle of Ages

Although the two games are pretty similar in their story and items, there are many marked differences in their characters, the places you visit, and the mechanics. Especially in the mechanical section is where the main difference is noticed. In the case of Oracle Of Ages, the main mechanic of the game is the fact that the game allows you to travel through time, as in Ocarina of Time. Link can travel using a tool called the harp of ages between the present and the future to solve puzzles.

Another point that differentiates TLOZ Oracle of Ages from other games is that it has more puzzles than other games. The game is designed to be played as a giant puzzle. It has interconnecting zones and even puzzles that require you to use a cable link to connect your copy of the game with Oracle of Seasons to be solved. If solving mysteries is what you like about Zelda, Oracle of Ages will be the best version for you.

The Story of The Legend of Zelda Oracle of Seasons

The Story of The Legend of Zelda Oracle of Ages

The story of The Legend Of Zelda Oracle of Ages starts right after the end of Oracle of Seasons. After freeing the kingdom of Holodrum from the rule of General Onox, the Triforce sends Link to the land of Labrythnia, a neighboring kingdom. There Link is received by Queen Ambi as a special envoy. Link doesn’t know precisely why he was sent there until he meets Impa, who is Princess Zelda’s back guard in this game.

Impa is being attacked by a group of Octoroks. Link rescues her but notices that there is something strange about her. After wandering around the city, Link meets Nayru, a wandering singer who is also the Oracle of Ages. At that moment, Veran decides to possess Nayru’s body, which wreaks havoc on Labrythnia’s time flow. Link’s new goal becomes to collect the 8 time essences and rescue Nayru before Veran uses her as a sacrifice to revive the evil sorcerer Ganondorf.

The Characters of TLOZ Oracle of Seasons

• Link: This is the protagonist of both games. He is the Hero of the land of Hyrule and the one sent by the triforce to free Holodrum from the evil general Onox and Labrythnia from the evil witch Vein. He is the only one able to use the Rod of Seasons and the Harp of Ages.
• Din: A wandering dancer who is actually the Oracle of Season. She is in charge of maintaining the natural rhythm of the seasons to avoid a catastrophe. She is a promising ballerina and has a little crush on Link. She is the reincarnation of the goddess of Power.
• General Onox: This is the tyrant ruler of Holodrum. He kidnaps Din to have complete control of the kingdom’s seasons. In reality, his goal is to revive the tyrant dark sorcerer Ganondorf to dominate the whole earth with his help.
• Farore: She is the Oracle of Secrets. She is the librarian of the kingdom. She also appears in Oracle of Ages and is in charge of giving Link the master sword and mirror shield. She also reveals to Link the location of some dungeons. She is the reincarnation of the goddess of courage.
• Maku Tree: He is Link’s spirit guide. He is the one who gives him the Rod of season and gives Link indications of where he can find the different Essences of the seasons. His role is similar to that of the Deku Tree in other saga games.
• Biggoron: He is a giant Goron and Link’s friend. He is the one that helps Link to get better equipment and very special items, so you should visit him very frequently to see if he has new things to sell.

The Characters of TLOZ Oracle of Ages

• Impa: She is Zelda’s nanny and bodyguard. Despite being a bit old, she still knows how to defend herself. The only problem is that she is possessed by Veran’s spirit at the beginning of the game.
• Nayru: She is a wandering singer who can also talk to animals. She is the Oracle of Ages and is in charge of the natural balance of the time flow in the realm. She has a little crush on Link and is the reincarnation of the goddess of wisdom.
• Queen Ambi: The queen of Labrythnia. Everyone loves her, and she is exceptionally kind. However, the evil sorceress Veran possesses her body to try to revive Ganondorf.
• Veran: It is about an evil witch who pretends to be the queen of the court. She possessed the body of Impa, Queen Ambi, and Nayru to dominate the entire kingdom. Her real goal was to revive the evil sorcerer Ganondorf.
• Princess Zelda: She is the princess of Hyrule, the kingdom’s sovereign and Link’s protégée, as well as the reincarnation of the goddess Hylia. She only appears in the linked game, being kidnapped by twinrova to try to revive the evil wizard Ganondorf.
  
• Twinrova: They are Ganondorf’s adoptive mothers. After Link defeated him at the end of A Link to the Past, they tried everything they could to bring him back to life. They are the ones who controlled General Onox and Veran, hoping to revive him.
• Ganondorf: Link’s ultimate enemy. It is an incomplete resurrection of the prince of darkness after the sacrifice of his mothers. It is a being that only seeks the destruction of the entire kingdom. 

The Dungeons of TLOZ Oracle of Seasons

One of the most curious things about TLOZ Oracle of Seasons is that it was initially a reimagining of the original NES game. So if you play both games, you may find that several of their dungeons are similar.

Snake’s Remains

It is the ancient corpse of a snake that was turned into a dungeon. Inside, you find many elements that cause poisoning. Link must be cautious because it can cause damage at any time. To access the dungeon, Link has to use the Rod of seasons to change the seasons from spring to winter and freeze the snake inside to avoid the poison. 

Ancient Ruins

It is a dungeon located near the Tram Ruins. Inside is the essence of wind. It is the highest dungeon in Holodrum and has many trampolines, so it can be considered the wind temple. Besides that, many of the enemies inside the dungeon are insect-shaped. The best way to overcome it is to use the Rocs Feather and magnetic gloves to avoid high falls. 

Onox Castle

This is the last dungeon that Link has to visit in order to rescue Din from the evil General Onox. It is a dungeon based on darkness and is full of dark wizards and knights in impenetrable armor. Link has to find his way through the darkness in order to find General Onox and stop him from reviving Ganondorf.

The Dungeons of TLOZ Oracle of Ages

The main difference between the dungeons of Oracle of Ages and the rest of the games is how they are used in the game.  In Oracle of Ages, they are large pieces of interactive puzzles that appear throughout the game. Link has to join them to overcome them. That is why they have a pretty different atmosphere than the rest of the games in the series. 

Wing Dungeon

This is a dungeon deep in the Fairy Forest, the present-day equivalent of the Deku Forest. Link can enter the forest with the help of the Maku Tree. In addition to that, he can find several abandoned fairies. The main mechanic of the dungeon is to travel between the past and the present to find all the fairies and mysterious seeds inside the dungeon.

Mermaid Cave

It is located at the end of the Rolling Ridge of the past. It is a dry dungeon in which there is absolutely nothing; however, when you travel to the past, you will find that there is a lot of water inside the dungeon. Inside is the old mermaid key, so you must find it in the present and travel to the past to use it on the different locks. Besides that, Link has to find the mermaid suit to be able to dive.

Black Tower

This is the largest dungeon in the entire game. Link has to have all the essences of time to access it; otherwise, the entrance will be completely sealed. It is a dungeon whose central theme is time travel. Link has to travel between the present and past to solve it completely, besides having elements of all previous dungeons.

The Enemies of TLOZ Oracle of Seasons

Like the dungeons, the enemies in Oracle of Season are identical to those in the first Zelda, so if you know how to defeat them in the original game, you’ll be able to defeat them quickly and without much trouble.

Aquamentus

Aquamentus is a dragon with a unicorn horn. His attack is based on dashing toward Link, so he has to dodge him to hit him against the walls and hit him with the sword or bombs. Link can block his fireball attack with the help of the shield.

Gleok

It is a two-headed dragon that lives underwater. Link has to avoid the fireballs it launches from its body, blocking it with the help of his magic shield. The more attacks Link gives him, the more he can release one of his heads. Link has to destroy both as quickly as possible to get out of the dungeon using Roc’s cape.

General Onox

This is the final boss of the game. Onox causes massive damage with his physical attack. His armor makes him utterly invulnerable to Link’s regular attacks, so he has to use spinning attacks and bombs to generate damage. He also has to use Rod Of Season to generate elemental damage.

The Enemies of TLOZ Oracle of Ages

In keeping with its spirit of a more Puzzle-centric adventure, Oracle of Ages has bosses that are more like a puzzle in which link has to attack at specific times to generate as much damage as possible in the shortest amount of time.

Head Twhomp

This is a boss whose main weakness is bombs. He changes the color of his head to do more damage to Link, so he can jump on top of it to generate even more damage at different times and colors. The most effective way to deal with him is to hit him when his head is purple since that is when it does less damage.

Smog

It is a cloud of toxic gas with no physical form that Link has to fight to overcome the penultimate dungeon. To damage it, Smog has to be hit by a spark to be stopped entirely on the ground and generate massive damage with the sword. The rest of the items do not hurt him.

Veran

She is the final boss of the game. Link has to defeat her in four different forms. Her initial form is that of a giant fairy that Link can damage with his sword. After that, Veran becomes a jumping bug, so Link has to damage her with bombs. When Veran turns into a wasp, Link has to shoot her with the bow to prevent him from flying. Her final form is that of a spider that Link has to defeat with the sword.

The Items of TLOZ Oracle of Ages

Harp of Ages

The Harp of Ages is the main item of the game, the one that gives it its name. Link receives it from Nayru, the Oracle of Ages. With the Harp Link can interpret songs that allow him to travel in time between the past and the present, besides being able to be used for fast travel.

Roc’s Feather

Link finds it deep in the Wind Dungeon. He has to steal it in a stealth sequence to avoid losing it. In case of not obtaining it, Link will not be able to use it in the game, and it is necessary to obtain all the items. It allows Link to jump everywhere and perform vertical attacks. It can also be combined with other items, such as the bow or the bomb, to perform aerial attacks.

Pegasus Seed

These are magic seeds that Link can eat to run faster and thus also generate more damage to enemies when making charged attacks. Combined with the Roc Feather, Link can jump much farther and can also freeze enemies if they try to hit him.

The Items of TLOZ Oracle of Seasons

Rod of Seasons

The rod of Seasons is the main element of Oracle of Seasons and the one that gives the game its name. With this element’s help, Link can use it to change the seasons, from summer to winter, from winter to spring, and from spring to autumn. Link can also use it to return projectiles as if it were a baseball bat, and the projectiles he returns carry elemental power.

Master Sword

This is the best sword in the whole game. To get it, you have to finish Oracle of Season and then connect it with Oracle of ages using a Link cable. Then you must obtain the noble sword so that, with the blessing of Farore can become the master sword. Link can also improve it even more in the southern shrine of Lynna to obtain an even more powerful version of the weapon. When Link has full vitality, he can shoot lightning from the sword’s tip.

Mirror Shield

This is the best shield in the whole game. To obtain it, Link must have finished the game, connected it to Oracle of Ages through a Link cable, and had the iron shield. Once obtained, with Farore’s blessing, he can obtain the shield. It can block absolutely any attack that is thrown at him. 

Alternatives For TLOZ Oracles of Ages and Season

The Legend Of Zelda Link’s Awakening

Suppose you like portable games and want to enjoy an original Link adventure. In that case, The Legend of Zelda Link’s Awakening is the best option. You can try the original version, the DX version with an additional dungeon, or the Nintendo Switch version. Any of the three options is phenomenal. In this adventure, Link finds himself inside a completely different world on a deserted island. It’s a beautiful game and one that should be tried at least once in a lifetime.

The Legend of Zelda A Link to the Past

If you like the game’s adventurous spirit, similar to the original Zelda from NES, be sure to play The Legend of Zelda, a link to the past. This is Link’s best 2D adventure. With two huge worlds to explore and many different enemies, this is one of the best games not only on the Super Nintendo but in history.

The Legend of Zelda the Minish Cap

Want a Zelda game that still has that completely different spirit that you haven’t experienced before? Then The Minish cap is for you. It was developed by Capcom, so it still has the same feel that distinguishes the two Oracles from the rest of the series. It has a beautiful story, and without a doubt, it can quickly become your next favorite game.

FAQs

Final Thoughts on TLOZ Oracles of Ages and Season

These two games are pretty unique, but the truth is that I understand very well why many people have not given them a chance they deserve. Despite having a very different adventurous spirit and a original way of telling a story, the reality is that they may feel quite old for new players. Especially if we consider that they came out just a couple of years after the release of Ocarina of time on the Nintendo 64.

However, suppose you want to enjoy an exciting game that allows for some unusual mechanics. In that case, you should give both versions of TLOZ Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages a chance. They will be some of the most authentic experiences you will ever have playing video games.

Continue reading:

The Adventure Link Game Overview

Four Swords Adventures Game Overview

The Minish Cap Game Overview