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The central gimmick of Oracle of Ages is that Link travels between past and present in the world of Labrynna (somewhat similar to the light and dark worlds in A Link to the Past). Playing the Harp of Ages allows Link to move between past and present. The threadbare plot mostly confuses me: the villain, a sorceress named Veran, has possessed an oracle named Nayru (who, I assume, can prophesy on behalf of the goddess Nayru). Under her baleful influence, Qeen Ambi is building a dark tower in the past. Fantasy stories love dark towers. Anyway, for some reason the solution to this problem, according to the great Maku Tree (not to be confused with Ocarina of Time's Deku Tree), is for Link to collect eight "essences" from dungeons. Okay.
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| Saruman's dark tower, Orthanc, by Alan Lee (1991) |
The game's formula is the same as other Zelda games: explore, adventure, fight, solve puzzles, and collect (items, weapons, heart pieces, rupees, flutes, keys, etc.) As in Link's Awakening, there are a few (lackluster) side-scrolling areas in dungeons, although no Mario enemies this time (save a few Cheep Cheeps). If you have played Link's Awakening or A Link to the Past, expect more of the same. This is not a bad thing, as those games are masterpieces: more is more! The graphical user interface of both games is almost indistinguishable from Link's Awakening. The overworld in that game was a grid of 16x16 screens, and these games are smaller at 14x14. A map in the sub-menu helps with navigation.
The puzzly nature of Oracle of Ages is noticeable. I struggled some in the third and sixth dungeons. I had to turn off the YouTube video I was listening to and focus on the game to figure out how to proceed! As usual, there are switches, one-way paths, and many other gimmicks to operate. The sixth dungeon exists in both past and present, and you have to move between the two to complete it. If you blow up a wall in the past, it also disappears in the present. For people who primarily like the puzzles in Zelda games, this is a real boon! The dungeon bosses in Oracle of Ages are also like puzzles. It took me a bit, for example, to realize I had to bounce a seed off a wall to hit the third boss, because he disappears as soon as Link faces him!
The game boasts some unique items in addition to returning favorites, e.g., bomb, boomerang (which must be won in a minigame), Zora's flippers, roc's feather, the cane of Somaria. The seed shooter is of special note. Five types of projectile seeds exist: ember, mystery, scent, pegasus, and gale. Ember seeds ignite things. Mystery seeds have various uses, including making owl statues give hints. Scent seeds attract enemies, even to the point they will fall into ditches. Gale seeds blow enemies away. Pegasus seeds speed Link up and can also be shot at enemies to stun them. In addition, non-projectile Gasha seeds can be planted in patches of soft soil (a la Ocarina of Time). Eventually, the seed becomes a tree, which awards a prize, such as a potion, piece of heart, or ring.
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| To use a ring, it must first be appraised at Vasu Jewelers. |
Another gimmick is collecting rings, which can be transferred between Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages via passwords (called "secrets"). You can also trade rings with a friend by connecting Game Boys via the link cable. There are 64 rings. Unfortunately, Link wears just one at a time (despite having ten fingers)! Most have small effects, such as protecting Link from certain enemies or increasing his attack, defense, or throwing range. In my opinion, the rings are an underwhelming gimmick meant to promote the dual-games concept. I didn't even realize I hadn't ever equipped a ring (I had only put it in the carrying case!) until almost the end of the game. I discovered this oversight when I finally found a ring worth using: the blue ring. The blue ring was actually in the original Legend of Zelda (it costs 250 rupees), and reduces all damage by half. In this game, however, it does not change Link's outfit from green to blue.
Like Donkey Kong Country, the game has animal buddies that help Link reach certain areas. Rocky the kangaroo leaps up ledges, Dimitri swims through deep water, and Moosh, a flying bears carries Link over gaps. The animals appear when needed to proceed in the plot, which is linear and not open-world.
Near the end of the game, a new villain suddenly appears: the twin witches called Twinrova (from Ocarina of Time). Although this makes little story-sense and has no effect on the game, it's because you can fight them as the ultimate boss after playing both Oracle games (in either order). When you beat either game, unlike every other RPG, the boss stays dead and the world saved even after you turn off the game! You receive a password ("secret"), which you can use to begin a "linked game" in Oracle of Seasons. Items do not transfer: Link still begins with just the basic sword, plus one additional heart container (4 instead of 3). The story unfolds a little differently, as the events of Oracle of Ages have already happened (or vice versa, if you start with Seasons). Furthermore, NPCs in the now-saved realm of Labrynna (or Holodrum, if you began with Seasons) can teach Link other "secrets." By entering one of these into the linked game, the two stories begin to intertwine in small ways. You can move back and forth between the two games.
These games are not as masterfully designed as Link's Awakening, but they are worthy sequels nonetheless. I would not think of them as a trilogy, but more like twin homages to a Game Boy classic. I wouldn't blame anyone for skipping them, but at the same time I recommend them for people who enjoyed Link's Awakening and A Link to the Past and want more.
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| Grade: A |
Linked Review
"Time-traveling becomes the game's central aspect, making way for a puzzle-heavy adventure filled with colourful characters, interesting items and a plot much unlike those previously seen in the franchise."
— Patrick Elliot, Nintendo Life, 9/10
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