Legend of Zelda GBC "Oracle" series.

[Pantechnicon]

Assuming you played both chapters of the Gameboy "Oracle" Zelda series, which title did you play first, and why?

For those who aren't familiar with it: the Oracle series was two Zelda games which could be played on their own, or you could transfer your save file from one completed game over to the next cart and start the second quest with your character's profile from the first game. Both titles were released on the same day, and it didn't matter which one you decided to play first. The games weren't all that well received. I liked them, though, and appreciated Nintendo's attempt to do something rather ambitious with the GBC (the original plan called for three separate carts instead of two)

For me, I played "Seasons" first. Since a season is shorter than an "age", it seemed logical to start with the smaller increment first.

[GrandAmChandler]

Hmmm. Whichever the Red one was, would be the one I played first. In fact, I still haven't played the blue one.

[Cambot]

Seasons first. Seasons sounds less epic.

[p_b]

I played Ages first. Simply because I was in the shops while the other one was sold out. I somehow lost track of it and eventually sold it. I then rebought both games last year for approx $10 and this time, I started with Seasons. Never transferred the file though...

[NE146]

I have no idea since I bought both at the same time. Personally, I really didn't dig this particular Zelda.. it definitely is a Capcom Zelda and feels way too linear.

And for the record, I played it Ages -> Seasons as well as Seasons -> Ages so I aint just talking out of my ass. I really felt an overall 'blah' with these games. To me, the original GB Zelda/Zelda DX blows them out of the water. That being said, they're great games of course. But when I'm talking Zelda there's a certain level of expectation I have :)

[heybtbm]

Seriously...who can even tell them apart by memory? I played the red one first, never finished the purple one.

[Nebagram]

Seasons... purely because that's the one I found first. (was about 2003 before I found either of them :-/ )

[ssjlance]

I played Ages first. I remember because I had gotten an N64 with Ocarina of Time maybe 2 years ago and I loved it. So, when we were moving due to my father's radio station transfer, my mom felt bad for me and bought me a Gameboy Advance with any one game of my choice. I just happened to see Ages and Seasons sitting right in front of me. I figured Ages would involve time travelling, and seasons would involve changing the seasons. Since I have always been interested in time travel after hearing the KISS song "100,000 Years" (I know, most people who are interested in time travel don't pick it up from a song, but I did), so Ages was the logical choice for me. I never finished that game, it was hard. I might be able to do it now though, because I couldn't ever get to (let alone through) the third dungeon in A Link To The Past, and I made it through th 5th in maybe 4 hours yesterday after picking it back up on a whim. I need to get them again, LOL. Thanks for bringing back some memories. :)

[Poofta!]

i bought ages on release day, and my freind bought seasons. neither of us played more than 10 hrs of it and eventually abandoned it. i still have my MIB game, and recently acquired a sealed copy of OoS, now i have a question, does anyone know which copies were 'shiny' box front and which werent? my OoA game from release day is shiny/holographic while the OoS i bought about a year ago is just plain. any insight?

[YoshiM]

I have to agree with NE146- the "Oracle" games didn't do anything for me either. I played up to the last boss on Seasons where I lost interest (I thought the end battle was pretty cheap). It also didn't "feel" like a real Zelda game. I wish I could put my finger on the elements that make me feel that way but I really can't.

[le geek]

Played Ages then Seasons, and yeah add another vote for Link's Awakening is miles better than either (but they are still decent)...

Cheers,
Ben

[studvicious]

Seasons > Red
Ages > Purple/Blue

It's not the best, but overall I think Capcom did a pretty good job with them considering Zelda is one of the most popular series of all time.

And they really did a great job on Minish Cap, I LOVED that game.

[ubersaurus]

I played Ages first, as that's the one my friend gave me as a birthday gift. And oh, was it hard as hell.

Then I bought seasons, and it was akin to "what the fuck, this is easy!"

[PentiumMMX]

I started with Seasons, then got Ages, and havn't finished either of them. They just feel so bland compared to Link's Awakening...

[Push Upstairs]

I have "Seasons" and I was hoping it would be as good as "Link's Awakening"

It wasn't.

It's not bad, but I kinda lost interest. I never lost interest with LA.

[Lady Jaye]

I used to have both games, then lost Seasons when my purse was stolen a few years ago and lent Ages to someone who never gave it back to me. I finally got another copy of both games last week (CIB both of them) and I started with Seasons, since I played it a lot less than Ages.

I'm about 2/3 into the game and I find it challenging, much more so than Link's Awakening, Minish Cap and Phantom Hourglass. I do intend on using the password link and play through Ages afterwards.

[CHOZO]

I played ages first, but that's only because I received it as a gift. It didn't really matter to me which one I played first.

[HYB]

I got seasons first because the shop sold the last copy of OoT minutes before and I liked red more. I got ages a while after that though, these are probably the only two games I've completed 100% at least 3-4 times, so much fun.

I find these games super easy, it's weird that some of you had a hard time with them. Hell I beat these when I was in 4th grade or so and my english wasn't exactly great. I usually suck at finishing zelda games too(still haven't finished aLttP, minish cap etc.).

[Jorpho]

You can't actually "complete" the games unless you transfer the save file from one over to the other, right? Sounds like a good reason to use emulation.

[Lady Jaye]

There are two ways to transfer the data: through the GB cable and with passwords.

[HYB]

The lady is right. I couldn't even remember the whole password system thing, I should really play those two again.

[Lady Jaye]

I got seasons first because the shop sold the last copy of OoT minutes before and I liked red more. I got ages a while after that though, these are probably the only two games I've completed 100% at least 3-4 times, so much fun.

I find these games super easy, it's weird that some of you had a hard time with them. Hell I beat these when I was in 4th grade or so and my english wasn't exactly great. I usually suck at finishing zelda games too(still haven't finished aLttP, minish cap etc.).

Well, many people seem to find Link's Awakening more challenging, while I find it easy. And I never finished Link's Adventure. That one still gives me a lot of problems and it isn't just a question of taking the time to finish the game (which is more my situation with the others that I haven't finished yet -- OoT, Majora's Mask, Wind Waker, and Twilight Princess).

Anyways, the Oracle games, alongside with a few more games (like DK 94, Dragon Warrior I+II and Dragon Warrior III) are the reasons why I kept my GBA SP.

[HYB]

Well, many people seem to find Link's Awakening more challenging, while I find it easy. And I never finished Link's Adventure. That one still gives me a lot of problems and it isn't just a question of taking the time to finish the game (which is more my situation with the others that I haven't finished yet -- OoT, Majora's Mask, Wind Waker, and Twilight Princess).

I still haven't played much of Link's Awakening but I found it to be on the same level for me, nothing too hard. I don't have a hard copy on hand and I don't like to play emulated so I haven't touched it in a while. I actually think these two, OoT and TP are the only zelda games I've ever finished, the two latter not 100% though. I always get frustrated in the last levels/boss.

[Pantechnicon]

There are two ways to transfer the data: through the GB cable and with passwords.

After I had beaten Seasons I waited about three months before buying a copy of Ages, but I was either unclear or just lacking confidence in the password transfer system, so I went the serial cable route. The only problem was that I had only one GBC, and no one else I knew owned one, so my options were looking rather thin.

I wound up resorting to purchasing Ages along with a link cable as well as a brand new GBC from Toys-R-Us, doing the transfer while sitting in my car in the TRU parking lot (using my own spare batteries rather than open the enclosed GBC pack-in ones) and then returning the GBC - 99.44% unused - to the store less than 15 minutes later. :roll:

[PresidentLeever]

I really felt an overall 'blah' with these games. To me, the original GB Zelda/Zelda DX blows them out of the water. That being said, they're great games of course. But when I'm talking Zelda there's a certain level of expectation I have :)


Agreed, and I felt the same way about Minish Cap.. They just seemed like more of the same after Link's Awakening, but less atmospheric and with more item collecting thrown in.

[jcalder8]

I have only played some of Seasons but I have gotten to one part that I don't feel like grinding through so I've put it aside. I doubt I'll get back to it and I have little interest in Ages since I haven't been enjoying seasons all that much.

[rbudrick]

I got these both as a gift the year they came out. I still have them sealed, never played. I really hate how life gets in the way of doing things that are fun. Too many games! These two are the epitome of me wanting to get to play and never getting to. Hell, I got 5 hours into Ocarina the year it came out and never got back to that either.

Damn, now that they are still sealed, I ponder whether I should even open them! ;)

-Rob

[Lady Jaye]

Now I can say that I'm spoiled by the DS... I keep on forgetting that the GBA SP doesn't go to sleep when you close the lid. I made the mistake of not saving my latest progress in Seasons (not that much done but still annoying to have to replay part of the game). Doh!

[Gemini-Phoenix]

I played Ages first, as I heard it was the more challenging one. I then started Seasons but for some reason got bored of that once Minish Cap came out and haven't returned to it since. I did transfer my data from Ages to Seasons though

I never really liked these two games to be honest. Link's Awakening was one of the best games ever made, yet these two seemed more of a cash-in on the Zelda phenomenon of Ocarina Of Time. I found them to be quite slow and a lot of puzzles tended to just be repeats of those from Link To The Past or Link's Awakening. Whilst the concept was ahead of its time, I think the storyline's were a bit weak, and everything just gave me the sense that they were rushed to meet a release date - Something I have also felt due to the lack of the third game which never actually made it.

If there were ever two games that deserved to be remade for the DS, it's these, and I would like to see Nintendo try again with all three and give them the Pokemon Fire Red / Leaf Green treatment, as i think the Oracle games were widely overlooked by many

[chicnstu]

I played Ages first. Ages and Seasons are actually my favorite Zelda games, something about them just felt good, even thinking about them makes me feel good. I probably played Ages for about 100 hours (I played multiple times).

I love Wind Waker but I don't enjoy the 3D Zeldas as much as the SNES and handheld versions, not sure why.

[super nes]

seasons i still own the game to.

[bangtango]

I've never played either one. I find this to be an interesting thread, though, because I had no idea there was such a lukewarm response to these two games.

[RASK1904]

I played both of these last year. I did start with Ages first. I think becuase I heard it was puzzley. So with the code system I figured my link would be stronger by Ages. Also about the code system. When you beat one you do get a code but theres more, alot more. At diferent places you will get codes from people to take back to the other game to tell to people and get more/better/new wepons ect. So you do this back and forth again and again. It is very neat. The games are way more entwined then just the code you get at the end. I liked these games very much. I like the idea and to do this with Zelda games is awsome! A must have for any Zelda fan. Also quit this I don't have time thats just an excuse. We all have the same amout of time it's just what you want to do with it.;)

[refan]

I started with ages but i got stuck at the part where the guy wants you to dance or play the flute or something

[Poofta!]

so does anyone have insight on the different box art issue?

[codyz1112594]

Seasons first, and actually im currently playing Ages, So far i like seasons better.

[Beat Roc]

I really liked those 2 games, better that Link's Awakening actually. I got them both when they came out and played through Ages first, then a linked Seasons. A couple weeks later I played through Seasons, then a linked Ages. It was interesting to me that the second time through the games were noticably different. I thought that it added replay value to a couple already great games. I'm suprised at the lukewarm response to them.