The two Oracle games have loyal fans to this day, not least thanks to a very special feature. Now you can catch up with them on the Switch itself
From 27 July, you’ll be able to catch up on both Zelda parts for the Game Boy Color – or play through them for the twentieth time, such contemporaries are also said to exist in our editorial department, ahem. Find out what Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages are all about here.
Both games end up in the Nintendo Switch Online retro apps, so they’re only available to subscribers of the paid service. When you boot up your console, the Game Boy emulator update should download automatically. After that, you’ll be able to start playing right away.
What is Oracle of Seasons all about?
Link is teleported to the land of Holodrum by the power of the Triforce. There he soon meets the dancer Din, the oracle of the seasons. When the lady is kidnapped shortly afterwards by the sinister General Onox, chaos breaks out all over the land. Summer, winter, autumn, spring – which season reigns where is no longer comprehensible.
In this turmoil, you and Link must collect eight essences of the seasons from the series’ typical dungeons in order to save Din and restore the normal course of events. You’ll be helped by the Staff of Seasons, which allows you to, well, change seasons to solve puzzles and advance.
Oracle of Seasons is in many ways a homage to the very first part of the series, especially with the boss enemies. And there is an animal companion named like our editorial director Dimi. The ultimate quality feature, with which Nintendo strangely doesn’t beat the advertising drum…
What’s Oracle of Ages about?
Link is transported to the land of Labrynna. There he must free Nayru, who has been kidnapped by the witch Veran, because she is the oracle of time. No wonder that chaos has broken out everywhere since she disappeared. The world is getting more and more out of joint.
Together with Link, you collect the eight essences of time and finally pull Veran’s ears out in a spectacular boss fight. In the process, you switch back and forth between the past and the present with the help of the Harp of Time.
Unlike Oracle of Seasons, Ages is much less action-packed and more puzzle-based Get ready for some head-scratching (yes, we mean you, Jabu-Jabu’s belly!).
The special highlight of the two Oracle games
The real reason why fans celebrate the Oracle games to this day is the password systemThe two games are linked together At the end of one playthrough, you receive a code. If you enter it in the other Oracle part at the beginning, you can expect a plot that has been changed in some places, new characters and – mini-spoiler – even an appearance by a very prominent Zelda personality.
In the course of the password game, you will receive further codes, which can be used in the other part to unlock powerful items like the Master Sword or the best shield.
How do you feel about the two Oracle games? Did you play them as a child, teenager or even adult back then on the Game Boy Color, or are you heading to Holodrum and Labrynna for the first time today? Would you like to see full-blown 3D remakes, like Link’s Awakening? Feel free to write us your opinion in the comments!
