I think I liked it better than Seasons for the bigger emphasis on puzzles, even though I have to admit that the harsher nature of Seasons makes its ending hit a little stronger. Even if this one feels a lot more story oriented.
I'm very surprised, considering how bad of a gamesense I have, that I was able to get through this one very easily. Controlling only two variances of the world and one having a direct consequence on the other and the presents giving you clues to how to navigate it, made it very easy and fun to traverse, as opposed to the the seasons gimmick, which made it all the more confusing for me. This game also stepped up the dungeons game a big deal and I think that's why I'll ultimately put this one on top.
As far as how I feel about both those games within the franchise, I really like how despite their similarities, both feel like polar opposites of one another, sorta like OoT and MM. As the seasons of the world are thrown in chaos, going through OoS doesn't make you fix it, it only gives you the power to change the seasons, so as it goes on, you become the one that is throwing chaos in the world of Holodron. And as you start to feel triumph over rapidly rampaging through all the dungeons and enemies, the reveal from the old man that all your fight is just a distraction from Twinrova resurrecting Ganon is truly impactful. In Ages, understanding both the present and the past allows you to help the people of Labrynna and it feels like the true story of the game smaller storylines like the Zoras, the Gorons. Whereas saving Din is the whole Seasons plot, in Ages, Nayru is saved at the halfwaypoint, the stakes are lower and Veran is a much more silly rather than intimidating villain. So the Twinrova reveal feels a lot less impactful as it feels like you've already saved the world.
(I forgot to input the password so I didnt get the linked game ending smh)
But yeah, overall didn't think I'd enjoy these games so much, definitely underrated and yeah Ages > Seasons, but really not by as large a margin as I would've expected.
I'm very surprised, considering how bad of a gamesense I have, that I was able to get through this one very easily. Controlling only two variances of the world and one having a direct consequence on the other and the presents giving you clues to how to navigate it, made it very easy and fun to traverse, as opposed to the the seasons gimmick, which made it all the more confusing for me. This game also stepped up the dungeons game a big deal and I think that's why I'll ultimately put this one on top.
As far as how I feel about both those games within the franchise, I really like how despite their similarities, both feel like polar opposites of one another, sorta like OoT and MM. As the seasons of the world are thrown in chaos, going through OoS doesn't make you fix it, it only gives you the power to change the seasons, so as it goes on, you become the one that is throwing chaos in the world of Holodron. And as you start to feel triumph over rapidly rampaging through all the dungeons and enemies, the reveal from the old man that all your fight is just a distraction from Twinrova resurrecting Ganon is truly impactful. In Ages, understanding both the present and the past allows you to help the people of Labrynna and it feels like the true story of the game smaller storylines like the Zoras, the Gorons. Whereas saving Din is the whole Seasons plot, in Ages, Nayru is saved at the halfwaypoint, the stakes are lower and Veran is a much more silly rather than intimidating villain. So the Twinrova reveal feels a lot less impactful as it feels like you've already saved the world.
(I forgot to input the password so I didnt get the linked game ending smh)
But yeah, overall didn't think I'd enjoy these games so much, definitely underrated and yeah Ages > Seasons, but really not by as large a margin as I would've expected.
I have a fair amount of nostalgia for the Zelda Oracle games; I'll just admit that right away. But even so, Ages is a well-crafted adventure. Perfect to play in bitesize chunks while taking your GBC wherever you go. The story is simple but effective & gameplay keeps you engaged with all its puzzles. Throw in some nice chiptunes to boot & you've got a nice handheld Zelda classic.
so invested in the story for no reason
The best Zelda game that involves time travel as a major gameplay mechanic. Among the Oracle games, this one has higher highs, but lower lows. I'd say this is the better one though
I remember liking this one more than seasons but I think I last played this 10 years ago, the real oracle of ages is the slow march of time which one day comes for us all
My personal favorite of the Oracle games, this game has some really clever puzzles, and is pretty fantastic for a Gameboy Color game. That being said, I find the Oracle games to be generally one of the more underwhelming ones in the series, personally.
A great game developed in partnership with Capcom, which has yielded commendable gaming experiences and an engaging storyline. However, the requirement to own both games to attain a true ending is somewhat disappointing, akin to what was done with Fire Emblem in the future.
Never finished it, but it's a good game.
Beating every Zelda in timeline order 13/20:
Honestly, I'm pretty torn on Oracle of Ages. There's a lot I love about the game. I think the dungeons and bosses are spectacular from a puzzle-focused Zelda game. For my tastes, nothing was overly obtuse or difficult, but it was all perfectly challenging. I really really enjoyed these as they made me think far more than a typical Zelda dungeon would. Veran is a fun villain as well, I quite enjoyed the story, simple as it may be. The overworld and the time spent between the dungeons is a bit of a mixed bag, however. The Harp of Ages iterates and improves on the light world/dark world concept from A Link to the Past. I love how it's used to progress through the world. What I don't really enjoy is the sequences of going to a place and tediously walking back and forth between screens to trade items or play goron minigames or solve the fairies' forest maze. These all vaguely annoyed me and felt like they were wasting my time instead of making me think outside the box. The overworld isn't exactly packed with interesting things to discover this time around either. I love the weird and wacky items in this game, but dear lord I hate the mermaid controls so much.
I can't imagine Oracle of Ages being for everybody, but for me this is a super fun puzzle game that made me feel like a genius- with a good amount of tedium thrown in for good measure.
Honestly, I'm pretty torn on Oracle of Ages. There's a lot I love about the game. I think the dungeons and bosses are spectacular from a puzzle-focused Zelda game. For my tastes, nothing was overly obtuse or difficult, but it was all perfectly challenging. I really really enjoyed these as they made me think far more than a typical Zelda dungeon would. Veran is a fun villain as well, I quite enjoyed the story, simple as it may be. The overworld and the time spent between the dungeons is a bit of a mixed bag, however. The Harp of Ages iterates and improves on the light world/dark world concept from A Link to the Past. I love how it's used to progress through the world. What I don't really enjoy is the sequences of going to a place and tediously walking back and forth between screens to trade items or play goron minigames or solve the fairies' forest maze. These all vaguely annoyed me and felt like they were wasting my time instead of making me think outside the box. The overworld isn't exactly packed with interesting things to discover this time around either. I love the weird and wacky items in this game, but dear lord I hate the mermaid controls so much.
I can't imagine Oracle of Ages being for everybody, but for me this is a super fun puzzle game that made me feel like a genius- with a good amount of tedium thrown in for good measure.