Which game(s) are you talking about?
Today we are dying in the remakes, remasters and other reissues of classics of yesteryear. The popular Nintendo series The Legend of Zelda is no exception. At least six games in the series have been given a nice new look – and in most cases you pay a lot for that.
Now the Japanese publisher has done things differently: it has made two old games available again, without a graphical update and without a shocking price tag. These are The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages. Two separate games that were released simultaneously in 2001 for the GameBoy Color. Since then, they have more or less fallen into underappreciated obscurity.
Until they suddenly reappeared on the Nintendo Switch. As extras with an online subscription. ‘Free’, as long as you pay properly every month… Fortunately, you can take out a one-month subscription for a few euros. And if you take a week off, you’ll have finished the games before the seven trial days are over.
What should you do?
Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons are true classic Zeldas. That means moving from dungeon to dungeon to defeat enemies, solve puzzles, and find important relics. Gradually you will get more and more tools with which you can defeat new monsters or unlock other areas. If you’re used to the modern games in the series, it takes some getting used to. For example, in the beginning you can’t sprint, jump or lift.
The games are very similar, but there are differences in emphasis. For example, you will find more puzzles in Oracle of Ages. Dungeons are more complicated and at times you will have to struggle to progress. In that sense, Oracle of Seasons is a bit easier, although you encounter more enemies there and you therefore have to draw your sword more often.
Will it last long?
Because you regularly get new weapons to experiment with, a Zelda game never gets boring. They are not short either. With one of the games you will be busy for a while, with two even more so. Plus there’s a secret extra boss if you beat them both.
A small point of frustration is the controls. It dates back to the GameBoy era, when you only had a few buttons. As a result, you have to continuously dive into the clumsy menu. Do you want to lift a stone? To the menu for you power pearlette to select. Jump over a gap? Back to the menu to grab your feather (yes, really). Shooting an enemy from afar? You guessed it…
Can you play it together?
No Unfortunately. You will have to go on this adventure alone, although watching is now a lot easier than before on the small screen of the GameBoy.
Who is the game suitable for?
The main limitation is that the texts are not in Dutch. Players must therefore speak enough English to understand the much-needed hints. And the puzzles in Oracle of Ages are really tough at times. In that sense, Seasons can serve as a trial balloon for parents: if your child gets stuck in it, you don’t have to start the sister edition. To be sure, play one yourself first. And then the second. And then the secret part. Just because they are so nice.
The Legend of Zelda: Oracles of Ages and Oracle of Seasons are playable on Nintendo Switch with an online subscription. The games were developed by Flagship and published by Nintendo. Age 7+.