The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages are 2001 action-adventure games developed by Flagship and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Color. They are the seventh and eighth installments in the Legend of Zelda series.
The gameplay and graphics are similar to that of Link's Awakening (1993) for the Game Boy. The player controls Link from an overhead perspective. Oracle of Ages focuses on puzzles, while Oracle of Seasons focuses on action. The games can interact with one other via passwords or a Game Link Cable. In Seasons, Link uses the Rod of Seasons to controls the seasons and change the environment. In Ages, he uses the Harp of Ages to travel between the past and the present.
In Seasons, the Triforce transports Link to the land of Holodrum, where he sees Onox kidnap Din, the Oracle of Seasons. In Ages, the Triforce transports Link to Labrynna, where Veran possesses Nayru. Before he can infiltrate Onox's castle and Veran's tower, Link must collect the eight Essences of Nature and the eight Essences of Time, which are hidden in dungeons and guarded by bosses. The main plot is revealed once the player finishes both games.
After experimenting with porting the original Legend of Zelda (1986) to the Game Boy Color, Capcom's Flagship team, supervised by Yoshiki Okamoto, began developing interconnected Zelda games that could be played in any order. Seasons and Ages sold 3.99 million copies combined. Critics praised the gameplay, colorful designs and graphic quality, but criticized the inconsistent sound quality. Both games were rereleased on the Virtual Console of Nintendo 3DS in 2013 and the Nintendo Classics service in 2023.
Gameplay
The gameplay of Oracle of Seasons and Ages is similar to that of Link's Awakening (1993) for Game Boy, with the same basic controls, graphics, and sounds. Like most Legend of Zelda games, exploration and combat take place from an overhead perspective. Link uses a sword for his primary attack, complemented by secondary weapons and items. Basic items such as bombs and a boomerang are common to both games. Other items are exclusive to one game, with a counterpart in the other (e.g., the slingshot in Seasons and the seed shooter in Ages both shoot seeds, while the magnetic gloves in Seasons and the switch hook in Ages are used to access otherwise unreachable areas). Unlike most Zelda games, a sword and shield is not always equipped when the player possesses them; they can be assigned like any other item into either of two available slots. Most of each of the games is spent finding the eight Essences hidden in dungeons—large, usually underground, areas containing enemies and puzzles. Each dungeon culminates with a boss that guards the Essence.Tremende (Seasons), pp. 5–12.Tremende (Ages), pp. 5–12.
When not in a dungeon, Link explores the overworld. In Seasons, the overworld consists of Holodrum and the subterranean world of Subrosia inhabited by the dwarf-like Subrosian people. The two worlds are linked by several portals. In Ages, Link travels between present-day Labrynna and the past, connected by Time Holes. In either game, some areas of one world are accessible only from portals from the other and vice versa. Holodrum, Subrosia, and Labrynna contain optional side quests and upgrades for Link and his equipment. One such side quest is ring collection. Rings provide Link with various bonuses and abilities, such as improved defense. Other rings have no practical uses or effects, e.g. rings that weaken Link's attack or defense, or transform Link into an enemy creature. Another side quest is the optional trading game, in which Link receives and delivers special items to certain people throughout the land. Once completed, Link receives an upgraded sword. In both games, there are many circumstances when a previous item can be upgraded into a more useful form. The latter three dungeons in both games will hold a more powerful version of an item received earlier in the game. Both the sword's offensive power and the shield's defensive abilities can be upgraded twice.The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages instruction booklet, p. 28; and The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons instruction booklet, p. 28.
The central item of Oracle of Seasons is the Rod of Seasons. By standing on a stump and swinging the rod, Link can change the season and affect his surroundings.The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons instruction booklet, p. 32. For example, to cross a body of water, Link can change the season to winter and walk on the ice. Changing the season to summer causes vines to flourish, which Link can use to scale cliffs. When Link obtains the rod, he initially cannot use it.Tremende (Seasons), p. 6. In the course of the game, Link visits four towers that house the four spirits of the seasons; each tower Link visits allows him to switch to an additional season.
In Oracle of Ages, the central item is the Harp of Ages, which Link uses to manipulate time and travel between the past and the present.The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages instruction booklet, p. 32. The Harp initially opens portals through time at fixed locations; as the player progresses through the game Link learns new songs on the harp that make traveling through time easier.
Interaction Although the two are built on the same game engine, Oracle of Ages concentrates on puzzles, while Oracle of Seasons focuses on action. Each is a complete game capable of interacting with the other, via passwords or a Game Link Cable.Pelland, p. 124.
Upon completing either game, players receive a password that can be used to play an alternative version of the other. In this version, some characters mention passwords that can be given to characters in the first game in exchange for an item or upgrade. By taking a new password back into the linked game, the item or upgrade can be transferred. Rings can be traded by this password system or randomly created by connecting two games with a Game Link Cable.Pelland, p. 120.
In the alternative version, plot points are changed or expanded upon to allow the game to serve as a sequel. It also features an extended ending in which Twinrova kidnaps Zelda, and lights the third Flame of Despair to revive Ganon.Pelland, p. 128. The player can then enter Twinrova's lair and battle Twinrova and Ganon. Upon completing the alternative game, another password gives the player the Victory Ring, commemorating the defeat of Ganon.Pelland, p. 121.
Plot
Oracle of Seasons Seasons begins as the Triforce calls out to Link from within Hyrule Castle. Link approaches it, and is transported to a forest where he encounters a traveling group led by a dancer named Din. After Din welcomes Link to Holodrum, the sky becomes covered in black clouds. A voice from the clouds calls Din the Oracle of Seasons and refers to himself as Onox, General of Darkness. A funnel cloud drops from the sky, taking Din into its dark heights. Onox seals Din in a crystal and sinks the Temple of Seasons into the subterranean land of Subrosia, sending the seasons of Holodrum into disarray and causing them to change rapidly.The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons instruction booklet, pp. 4–5.
Din's attendant, Impa, tells Link that they were headed for Hyrule; she instructs him to see the Maku Tree in Horon Village, the capital of Holodrum.Tremende (Seasons), p. 5. Link finds a sword in a cave and makes his way to the tree. The Maku Tree tells Link he will need the eight Essences of Nature and gives him the Gnarled Key, which unlocks the dungeon holding the first Essence. Link retrieves the eight Essences from eight dungeons throughout Holodrum and Subrosia and brings them to the Maku Tree, who uses them to create a Huge Maku Seed, a sacred evil-cleansing seed that allows Link to enter Onox's castle.Tremende (Seasons), p. 12. Link enters the castle, defeats Onox, and rescues Din, who tells him that he is now a true hero and must face a new trial soon.The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons. Din: The trials you faced to collect the Essences of Nature have made you a true hero! A new trial shall call you away soon, but we Oracles will always watch over you in secret... Twinrova, watching the scene remotely, states that the Flame of Destruction has been powered by the havoc Onox has wrought.The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons. Twinrova: Onox has fallen, but the damage he has done to this land burns on in the Flame of Destruction!
Oracle of Ages As with Seasons, the Triforce calls out to Link. Link is transported to a forest in the land of Labrynna, where he hears screaming. In a clearing, Link finds Impa, surrounded by monsters, but the monsters flee when they see Link. Impa then asks Link to help her find a singer in the forest.The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages instruction booklet, pp. 4–5. The two find Nayru, a young blue-haired woman singing on a tree stump surrounded by forest creatures. A shadow emerges from Impa and reveals itself as Veran, the Sorceress of Shadows. Veran possesses Nayru, the Oracle of Ages; this disrupts the flow of time. Through Nayru, Veran manipulates Queen Ambi into forcibly conscripting every capable man in Labrynna to construct a large Black Tower.
Link receives a sword from Impa and makes his way to the Maku Tree in Lynna City, the capital of Labrynna.Tremende (Ages), p. 5. Veran orders that the Maku Tree be killed; Link uses a time portal to travel to the past to prevent this. The Maku Tree tells Link he will need the eight Essences of Time to defeat Veran. Link sets out to retrieve the eight Essences, hidden in eight dungeons throughout Labrynna's past and present. After getting the sixth Essence, Link is told he can save Nayru. He invades Queen Ambi's castle and removes Veran's spirit from Nayru, but Veran then possesses Queen Ambi. Link gathers the remaining Essences and brings them to the Maku Tree, who uses them to create a Huge Maku Seed that allows Link to enter Veran's Black Tower.Tremende (Ages), p. 12. Link ascends the tower and defeats Veran, rescues Queen Ambi, and Nayru tells him that all has returned to normal.The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages. Nayru: All is well in this age! You may return without worry. Twinrova, watching the scene remotely, states that Veran has lit the Flame of Sorrow.The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages. Twinrova: Behold, Veran! The troubles you caused have filled the land with cries of sorrow! It has given birth to the Flame of Sorrow, which burns brightly!
Linked ending If one game is played as a sequel to the other by a linked password, Twinrova captures Princess Zelda, lighting the Flame of Despair.The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons/Oracle of Ages. Twinrova: We've found you, Princess Zelda! Hope for the people? We'll snuff it out! And you shall light the Flame of Despair! Link enters a warp point by the Maku Tree and faces Twinrova, who is attempting to use the three Flames to revive Ganon. Link defeats Twinrova, who sacrifice themselves in place of Zelda, resulting in Ganon being revived as a mindless raging beast that Link kills.The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons/Oracle of Ages. Zelda: Since they could not sacrifice me in their final rite, the powers of darkness could only revive a mindless, raging Ganon. He frees Zelda; together, they exit the crumbling castle. After the credits, Link waves to a crowd from a sailboat off the shore of a land with a castle in the background.
Development In early 1999, Yoshiki Okamoto, then head of Capcom's screenwriter subsidiary Flagship, proposed remaking the original The Legend of Zelda for the Game Boy Color to Shigeru Miyamoto, the game designer at Nintendo who created the series. Okamoto wanted to remake the original game so that young children could play it, but also as a test for the development team to move on to a more ambitious sequel if it was successful.