Oracle of Seasons is a remarkable game for the 2D branch of the franchise. Of the pair of games released for the GBC, the focus of this one is towards a sense of adventure at its purest, setting simple puzzles to solve, but with sections focused on challenge and discovery, making it a highly enjoyable experience.

The novelty that distinguishes this title from the rest, is that here we will travel through a land in which the seasons have gone out of control, so that it can be winter, but from one moment to another can also be spring, summer or autumn, which is not only an aesthetic change for the map, for example, in winter there can be a mountain of snow or frozen rivers, which we can take advantage of to reach places that otherwise would be impossible to reach, but in summer for example, vines grow on some cliffs which allows us to climb them. It's an idea that although not as ambitious as the parallel worlds of A Link to the Past, it's still pretty cool for making exploration more entertaining and interesting, not to mention that exploring Holodrum in different climates/states of the year has its charm. I feel this in turn is also a creative way to expose the difference it makes to have color in a game versus not having it, as in the original GB a concept like this would have been somewhat impossible to execute just having the green/gray scale.

This game takes place in the kingdom of Holodrum, where Din lives, the oracle of the seasons, but after an event is kidnapped and thus the different seasons of the year lose control, so it will be our duty to get the 8 essences of nature of the 8 temples scattered around the kingdom to rescue Din.

The temples generally present a very good and creative design, almost always being quite intuitive for the player, mostly with simple puzzles, but that are still quite entertaining and will require from your part a little ingenuity to be solved, presenting this game also some pretty cool items that have become some of my favorites, such as the magnetic gloves. I especially like the fact how in this game hearts do matter, as unlike most Zelda games, the enemies and boss battles can be a bit challenging, not that it's a difficult game, but if you get overconfident you could end up seeing the Game Over screen on more than one occasion.

Something I love is that the exploration and discovery factor of the early Zelda games is very present in this title. It pays to be curious and attentive, as many times some puzzles or secrets are revealed when we go to a place with a certain season. There are a lot of references to the first Zelda game, like some of the temples, bosses or even some caves with old people inside that have strange dialogues and sometimes can be tremendous trolls, and curiously, there are also references and inspiration from games like Mega Man, which we can notice especially in those 2D platforming type sections. If you played Mega Man X, the final boss will look familiar.

Conclusion
It's certainly a game with a very good design and pacing, it never feels boring, and the mechanics of switching between seasons made the mere fact of exploring more engaging. If you're wondering where the inspiration from the Mega Man games and the references to the first game in the franchise came from, it's because this game was made by Capcom, and started out being developed as a remake of the first title, but then evolved into a completely different game, and in retrospect, I think it was for the best, as it has become one of my favorites.

Secret 1: backloggd.com/u/M----------------

→ The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages - Review

A neat 2D Zelda with some fun new items and ideas but ultimately fails to actually do anything radically new or interesting compared to its predecessors.

Oracle of Seasons is fun enough but it’s tough to go from Link to the Past to Link’s Awakening to this. It’s noticeably less impressive than the prior two 2D games both in terms of world design, bosses, dungeons, and puzzles. While I do enjoy the puzzle-first intent of this game, most of the puzzles themselves didn’t feel particularly good to figure out especially compared to the stuff in LTTP and LA. In most Zelda games, the bosses and puzzles have an intentional visual design to them that makes it clear to the player which items they would need to use to interact with the world. Some amount of trial-and-error is to be expected when solving puzzles, but a lot of my time with this game was just cycling through the items in my inventory to see what worked. In fact, almost every boss fight was literally me just playing “guess and check” with my available items to see what damaged the boss.

I do think some of the mechanics in this game were cool. I really like the concept of Seasons as they add variability to a limited map size and a nice degree of puzzle-solving to just getting around the world. That said, it ended up being kind of a pain to find the right stump to change seasons for the location you needed since seasons would inexplicably change or reset between some screens but not others. I also thought the magnetic glove was a really cool spin on the hookshot that we’re used to. In general I liked the system of taking basic items like the slingshot, feather, and boomerang and getting upgraded versions of all of them that are a spin on how we’re used to those items functioning. The ring system was an interesting idea, but having to go back to the ring shop to change which rings are in your inventory is terrible. Plus only being able to equip one at once means that, once you find the good one, why would you ever change your rings again?

Overall, Oracle of Seasons is a fun entry into the Zelda franchise but it is a clear step-down from its 2D predecessors in just about every way. Instead of making improvements in areas that needed it (like combat), the only new things it tries are just a couple of new items and ideas that don’t really offer anything substantially different from other games in the series. The most interesting thing this game does is the Link-Play system but I haven’t played Oracle of Ages yet. Will modify this review after finishing both games.

+ Cool new unique items I haven’t seen in a Zelda before
+ The seasons system is a cool way to get more out of a smaller map

- Puzzles and boss fights felt more like trial-and-error than actual problem-solving
- Combat is still as iffy as prior games
- Seasons are a cool idea but it ends up being kind of a pain
- The ring system sucks

Holy octorok (sorry), the Oracle series is amazing. I went into Seasons thinking it would be quite similar to Ages, but they are entirely two different games.

I played Seasons as a linked game with Ages, and the way these two games piece together is incredibly impressive even in 2024. They seamlessly work together to earn upgrades and complete side quests in a way I haven't experienced in gaming otherwise. I thought the password system was clever as heck, and it's so so satisfying to finally get that master sword after completing the two games. The dungeons and bosses in Seasons are very creative and rarely become tedious. The final boss sequence was also extremely gratifying and worth working your way through both of the games. if you haven't played Oracle of Seasons (and ages of course), these games are a piece of history, and they think WAY outside the box.

Also the ring system rules, I love punching things. thank you Capcom <3

While Ages does have some more interesting puzzles, I do think this is the better of the two. Pacing feels better and exploring the overworld isn't nearly as much of a pain. Time travel was already done in OoT, so changing the seasons is still a much more interesting gimmick to me.

Dungeons are still fun and the boss fights are a lot more interesting in Seasons to me. Although I will say I kind of hate the Onox dragon form. Once you know how to dodge his attacks, it's not too bad, but it's still not a particularly fun fight. The real stinker of a boss is the Twinrova fight in the linked game. Not only is it incredibly obnoxious, you have to fight Ganon right after. Ironically, Ganon is kind of a pushover in comparison.

Either way, both this and Ages are great. Two of the best games on the GBC with a really unique and cool linked game system for all kinds of extra items and replayability. The stories even change a little bit depending on which game you started with too, which is neat.

Din best girl.

Has incredible ambition but feels like the more tedious version of Ages. You can't tell me that the "Ages is more puzzle-based, Seasons is more action-oriented" pitch isn't just marketing speak to cover up Seasons' bad puzzles. Seasons still has puzzles, they're just perfunctory and dull! And while "Seasons has more action" is like, a nice pitch to a thirteen year old who hated brainteasers (which is what I was when I beat the game the first time), the cold truth is that Ages has an appropriate amount of action given this duology's limited screen space and frustrating lack of hitstun. Seasons' alleged focus on action doesn't square with the fundamentals of 2D Zelda design - at least the GameBoy ones. Seasons is too damn busy! Lovely color pallet though.

Enjoyed this a bit more than Ages after playing both back to back. I think the pacing is just better; the dungeons are a little shorter than Ages and there's a greater variety in areas due to the season-changing mechanic.

Changing seasons is fun and unique compared to the time travel we've seen over and over in Ages. I also really liked the underworld with the Subrosians who I thought were pretty cool if underutilised a little.

The linked content was pretty good but I thought the final boss fight with Ganon was a little easy and underwhelming. It only took a few spin attacks to beat him.

Overall this game is decent and a fun follow-up to Link's Awakening. I don't think it's quite as polished or fun as that game and the dungeons in both the Oracle games have been a little unmemorable compared to some of the other 2D games but Capcom get the basic formula right here.

This one was certainly more memorable for me than Ages, however, as the world felt more connected and the overworld puzzles felt tighter and less obtuse. The dungeons being easier was made up for with the fact they were pretty intuitive and backtracking extensively for a key I missed was something that didn't happen.

Also really enjoyed some of the items in this game. The magnetic gloves were awesome and I didn't really expect them to be so creatively used.

As a certified Gameboy Zelda Lover, I am biased, and the ability to transform into an Octorok deserves a perfect score.

On their own, the Oracle games are a pretty middling Zelda experience, with Ages not shining as brightly as Seasons. But together, through the programming magic of sharable passwords, they become a much more interesting and full experience. An experience that feels like the season finale of a Saturday morning action cartoon. This review, copied and pasted for each game, for better or worse, will be on that experience.

I should start by saying that when these games were first released, you had to buy each of them. For twice the price of a regular game you got the Oracle Twins’ full experience. Nowadays, one could easily play both of these games for as little as one savvy google search. Regardless, it’s worth criticizing nintendo for more or less selling you two weak games that make up a somewhat stronger, more interesting experience, rather than just making a great experience from the start for half the price. But what’s done is done, and I’ve said what I wanted to say on that.

The Oracle Twins are at their most fun and interesting when you have beaten at least one of them, but which one should you start with? Which Oracle game takes place first in the Zelda Timeline? Well, as far as the games themselves are concerned, each game has the potential to be the first or second in your playthrough. So start with whatever you want. Oracle of Seasons for the action? Or Oracle of Ages for the puzzles? Do you like blue haired ladies? Or redheads?

But why is it more fun to have already beaten one of them? Why not be fun from the start? Well, it is fun from the start. You’re playing a Zelda game, after all. But once you beat it, you’re given a special unique password that you can then use when you start the other game to turn it into a sequel of the one you started with. There are dialogue differences that slightly change the context of the games’ respective intros, your animal friend is carried over, and most importantly, your magic rings that you spent countless hours grinding for, which I will get into later, are also carried over. It makes the second playthrough a much more personal experience than just “the next game to play”. It’s a continuation of Your journey.

Since these games started off on a handheld console, they already had the benefit of being more personal than something that is played on a tv where anyone in the room can watch. Add to that the intimate nature of the Oracle’s Linked Game, and you have a nice quaint story all to yourself. Add to THAT the Linked Game Only side quests that require you to go BACK to the previous game and talk with old characters to fulfill those quests and bring the reward back again to the second game, and you have not just a story but an ongoing saga with living breathing worlds, all in your back pocket.

Now maybe you’re more of a Zelda Freak than I am. I only beat Ages and then a Linked Seasons, but if you want to get the full Oracles Experience and get all the little details: you beat each game, and then using the link codes, start a linked version of them, effectively starting both games again with slightly different contexts. That’s too much work for me, but here I am writing a review on it, so maybe I should have done it.

It’s kind of wild how much of a preamble this review has, considering the overall simplicity of the games themselves on their own. They’re your usual 2D Zelda affair, elaborating on 1993’s Link’s Awakening’s already abundantly charming graphics and fun controls. As someone who in turn abundantly loves Link’s Awakening, the Oracle Twins are a great time if only because I get to play as this Link some more. And then you tell me that there’s new goodies for this Link to play with? Like the Roc’s Cape that extends your jump into a glide? And the noisy but interesting Magnet Glove that opens up a host of interesting puzzles? I’m sold.

To add to the fun, there’s a horde of 64 magical rings to collect across both games. The usefulness of these rings range from simple baubles commemorating an achievement, to making enemies drop extra money when you defeat them, to tripling the damage you both deal and take. There’s also rings that transform Link into a green palette swap of some of the enemies in the games, like the shield swallowing Like-Likes or the perfect little Squit, the Octoroks. These rings are kind of just for show and don’t act as a disguise or anything, which is a shame, but they’re fun and I like having fun.

There is however, something shameful about the rings that I find indefensible, and it isn’t that you can only wear one ring at a time. It’s how you acquire these rings that I cannot defend. While some of them are scripted rewards, a great majority of the rings you collect will be through sheer chance. You might occasionally get a ring drop in the Maple the Witch minigame, which you have you grind for. You might also get a ring drop from a Gasha Nut, which randomly gives a tiered prize depending on how much you’ve grinded. So you could be like me and spend half an hour grinding away at killing enemies to spawn the Maple Minigame and then harvest a Gasha Nut only to get the same useless ring three times.

Because of this, I did not get every ring between the two games. I got every piece of heart between them, but I didn’t 100% them and I’m okay with that. There are other, better Zelda games to spend every waking moment with.

I’ve talked mostly about the mechanics of the games and not the story, because the mechanics are much more interesting to me. That doesn’t mean there isn’t intrigue here though. Veran is a fun villain for Ages with a really strange design (I’m serious look up the promotional art for her and try to figure out how her hat looks, it’s infuriating), and Seasons is the only Zelda game where you can find the Jawa-like Subrosians. They’re very fun and silly but I think it’s the simplicity of their designs that held them back from being a recurring Zelda race. It’s a great design though. Everyone loves a little cloaked freak.

I think Subrosia alone is what makes Seasons the better of the two games. Being a pseudo-dark world with its own currency, it makes the world in this little game feel so much bigger, despite its relative simplicity.

There are sadly, other reasons why Seasons is the better of the Oracle Twins, and those reasons are things that are in Ages but are absent from Seasons. The most egregious being the Mermaid Tail. Ages gives you a swimming upgrade to make you move not only move faster in water, but also dive down into combat-capable underwater rooms. However, the Mermaid Tail requires you to frustratedly mash the directional buttons to move. You can't just hold the left button to move left. When switching back and forth between the linked games, the different swimming styles become dreadfully apparent, and playing Seasons just becomes less annoying.

Ages also has the Simon Says-like Goron Dancing minigame, which was a miserable time for me. And you can't hit me with that Skill Issue nonsense, i'm the Karaoke King in all the Yakuza games and i soloed the Orphan of Kos. It's not me.

Regardless, both games are a fine time. I have my problems with Ages but the good outweighs the bad. Despite the mermaid tail, I will probably play it again some day. Honestly, I dread running into the last few dungeons in each game than I do the mermaid tail. Those dungeons can get pretty tedious.

I have played each game twice, but only done a Linked Game once, where I got every piece of heart for each game.

I recommend the Oracle Twins Experience for anyone who enjoys Zelda but also anyone who likes the Game Boy. For some reason, the Game Boy has had a massive resurgence in the DIY/custom building scene, and the only reason i could see myself sinking the time and money into putting a backlight on a Game Boy Color would be to play the Oracle Twins again.

The Oracle games are some of the only Zelda games I haven't beaten before. The reason being I thought they were mid and boring, but giving it a much fairer shake this time, I actually really enjoyed it. Every single dungeon is good to great, with some great puzzles and fantastic navigation, plus a few really unique dungeon items used in creative ways. It makes me really excited for Ages, since I hear that game focuses more on the puzzles.
The overworld exploration is also extremely fun with the season switching, and is perfectly nonlinear without ever dipping into "what the fuck do I do" territory like Link's Awakening does at times. Overall, not an amazing game or anything, especially right after finishing two of my favorite games of all time, but I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would.

Beating every Zelda in timeline order 14/20:

A few months ago, I beat Oracle of Seasons for the first time, and it kicked my ass. Maybe it's that I've played 13 other Zelda games before this and I was taking advantage of the linked game mechanics but it felt like a cakewalk this time around. I had a much better time with it the first go-around, but still found a lot to enjoy playing through it again as a linked game and completing the duology. I genuinely love how the two games interact and it makes for a unique experience playing the oracle games back to back. It makes for a really cool finale fight as well. I think I prefer Ages over Seasons but they're pretty similar in quality overall. Both have highs and lows, but Seasons feels a lot more even throughout, and as a result, a little more bland. None of the dungeons really stand out to me. I think an unfortunate symptom of playing the Oracle games back to back is that a lot of the dungeons from both games start to blend together into a gameboy dungeon soup. I couldn't tell you what item I found in the Dancing Dragon dungeon and I played that today. The rod of seasons is a good mechanic, but not as interesting as the time travel in Ages. Oh and the music in these games? Not good!

I like this game, but I find myself having very little to say about Oracle of Seasons when it comes down to it. I don't think it does anything particularly better or different than its counterpart or any other game in the Zelda franchise.

I love the idea of games that complement each other. I'm looking forward to finish Oracle of Ages after this one. This is the second time I played Oracle of Seasons and it's a pretty good game. It takes the "skeleton" of Link's awakening and tries to expand on that game.

It doesn't succeed on that, though. The game is more of the same with few variations on subitems and overall level design. That doesn't mean it isn't enjoyable (I wouldn't suggest to play the GBC Zelda games back to back). The game has good pacing that combines well with the tame difficulty. There's a bunch of puzzles (I'd like to highlight level 8 that has an annoying but creative puzzle) and could use more enemy variety that starts to get weary by the 7th dungeon. There's also one of the most cool features that are the "pets" that help Link progress in the overworld. It's a shame that they're only useful for brief amount of gameplay given the scope of the game. But even being a relatively small game, it still pushes its limits and has a second map, an underworld with peculiar creatures.

The game shines on the story it's telling. I read somewhere that usually they made the game first, meaning the devs worked on the map, enemies and dungeons first before the story. But Capcom wrote everything before that and it shows. Oracle of Seasons is packed with charming characters and funny dialogues. Also the drawings displayed on game start and on the credits sequence are gorgeous.

My main complaints are: the graphics that are the exact same as Link's Awakening and the bosses. The boss fights are either too easy or too cryptic. The worst part is the final boss that is underwhelming to say the least.

Aside from that, it's a fun game definitely worth the time. The seasons gimmick is great but it's arguably underused. The music for most dungeons is gloomy and I liked that. Overall a pleasing game that has its qualities and could use some improvement.

By now, before continuing the story on Oracle of Ages, I would still suggest playing Link's Awakening first because it is simpler.

Edit: here's my review of Oracle of Ages. I'm also updating my grade from 4 stars to 3 and a half.

A more action-focused game than Oracle of Ages and I think its better game for it. Of this duology, this is the one that I played back in the 2000's and the game really holds up to this day.

Good gameplay and exploration, only certain progression quests are a little obtuse but overall is still a very good Zelda. Having finished and linked Oracle of Ages, this is the firs time I got the real ending, and I gotta say, I was a bit disappointed. I expected a bit more.

Other than that, having the full experience was very fun, and I am happy I was able to revisit and finally complete this games.

Ambos os Zelda Oracle of Seasons e Oracle of Ages são ótimos jogos feitos pela Capcom assim como o Minish Cap, a mecânica de estações no Oracle of Seasons é interessante mas que pode não agradar todo mundo, devido ao backtracking, certa estação pode ter um caminho que está bloqueado e em outro ele está liberado; o jogo assim como os outros Zelda dessa época são difíceis e você pode acabar perdido em seu objetivo, mas no geral são bons jogos, notáveis diferenças do Oracle of Seasons e Oracle of Ages são itens exclusivos em ambas versões