Oracle of Ages / Seasons

[Jason Tandro]

So I finally got off my ass and started playing Zelda Oracle of Ages / Seasons. I started with Seasons because I've heard it's more action-oriented and even though the puzzles are amazing and one of my favorite parts of Zelda, I kinda figured starting off with a more combat-oriented game would draw me in more. And frankly I like Seasons premise a bit more. Time-travel's been done to death. Seasonal affects are pretty unique.

Right off the bat I love the fact that it seems like a perfect blend between Link's Awakening and the original Zelda on NES (even the maps are similar, although admittedly I've only made it to the first dungeon). I've heard that the games are polarizing, somewhat, in that you either prefer Ages or Seasons.

Any comments? What do you think of the games?

[Ocie Denver]

I can't finish those games because of sound-based minigames. So those games fell in my unfriendly-games list. Same to Spirit Tracks (I can't pass the last song duel to unlock the track to desert dungeon, no matter I tried).

[Jason Tandro]

Ocie Denver wrote:

I can't finish those games because of sound-based minigames. So those games fell in my unfriendly-games list. Same to Spirit Tracks (I can't pass the last song duel to unlock the track to desert dungeon, no matter I tried).

I'm sorry, but Spirit Tracks and Phantom Hourglass fall instantly into my box o hatred. And no it's not cause they're on the DS which I don't own. minish Cap looks awesome and the opportunity to play that alone might end up getting me a DS (or emulator). Phantom Hourglass seems to me like an unneccesary sequel and Spirit Tracks I was instantly against at the very summary. When I first saw a train-based Zelda in Game Informer I thought it was part of their Game Infarcer segment. It wasnt.

Of course I was instantly opposed to Majora's Mask and Wind Waker too so it may surprise me.

Games that I was instantly hell yeah about?

Ocarina of Time, Twilight Princess and the upcoming Skyward Sword.... Oh my God... a zelda game with free-flying and sky-diving.... droool.

[Fazermint]

I liked Ages better. Seasons was all right, but idunno, ages was just more fun. I da puzzla.

Seasons was originally going to be a remake of the first NES game, but they changed their minds mid-development. That's why it resembles it.

Skyward Sword has free-flying?? WAOT!

[EverPhoenix]

Both were great games. I think I enjoyed Ages more, but I played them a while ago so I can't really remember it.

Also, the manga for these two is quite good. Oracle of Ages has a much more developed story than most other Zelda manga, which was really cool.

[Blade]

I played both games to about 30 %, then I stopped.
My brother however went uber-uber on them and finished both, and then played them again with the uber-weapons.
To this date, he couldn't beat the final final boss!

[tay120n64]

OMG ZELDA TOPIC HAI GEIZ!

Like Fazermint said, Seasons was built as a remake to Zelda I. There were originally three games, which were meant to modernize the first two Zelda games, and re-establish them as canon with the rest of the series (it is currently unclear whether Zelda 1-2 are still part of the continuity).

When I initially played them in '01, I preferred Ages, but now I love Seasons most. It's one of VERY few Zelda games that actually let you sequence break, which is AWESOME. It's Zelda at it's purest, and honestly I would set OoS on the same pedestal as Zelda I, ALttP, and LA.

Ages is okay. Whereas Seasons was meant to be stylistically akin to classic Zelda, Ages was modeled after post-Ocarina Zelda (story driven, highly linear). Because of this, Ages falls flat as an overall experience. While the story elements and plot twists were very well played out, they lacked the exposition necessary to have any lasting effect on the player. Ages also suffers from the same stigma as many Zelda games, in that certain areas can not be accessed until an event is triggered, leaving those unfamiliar with the game to wander around without a clue for hours on end. (This is a thing that happens a great deal, from what I hear.) That being said, Ages has some fantastic puzzle design, most of which is in the Password-Linked Hero's Cave (<-READ: Hardest Zelda dungeon EVER).

I've played each game about five times, and am three rings away from having all 64. It is one of two Zelda objectives I have not completed, with the other being Ship Part collecting in Phantom Hourglass.

Oh, and for what it's worth Jason, yes, Phantom Hourglass, despite it's strengths as a DS game completely failed as a Zelda game. However, Spirit Tracks fixes most of that. It's only true flaw is a lack of an explorable overworld and stylus-driven controls (If you were to consider that a flaw. Which I do.).

[Freedan]

I'd be hard pressed to choose between the Oracle games. I enjoy the puzzles, I enjoy the action, and each satisfies a need.

My only real problem with PH was that it was ridiculously easy, even for a Zelda game. Dungeons definitely did not feel like dungeons, more like lengthier caves.

Spirit Tracks fixes the difficulty, but yes, the tracks were limiting to exploration. The Phantom Trains had no reason to be there either; I know they wanted to put something there to get players to pay attention while navigating, but why those trains? Could they not have put in anything else to interact with?

One major peeve about ST: why, why, why did they make one of the songs you learn function as a shovel? Why did they not just give you a shovel?

[Fazermint]

A little off topic here: Is Minish Cap any good? Considering playing it.

[inferiare]

I enjoyed Minish Cap, it was fun. The cap itself is such an asshole XD Also, Jase, MC isn't a DS game, it's for gba.

[Blade]

Minish Cap is quite nice, jup. Feels a bit like a childish ALttP. Definitely worth your time!

[tay120n64]

Minish Cap is essentially the evolution of A Link to the Past. The controls and the interface are top-notch, but the puzzles are a joke and the game is super fetch-quest heavy. Like, more than any other Zelda game. Also, the final boss is bullshit hard. Out of nowhere.

Not one of my favorites, but worth playing.

[Flamez]

am I the only person who liked Phantom Hourglass? I absolutely loved it, although I do agree it was a tad on the easy side. Spirit tracks was amazing as well.. still need to get around to finishing that last dungeon.

[Blade]

I tried whether or not my GBC is still working, with Links Awakening DX.

The thing I noticed is: I can't stand handhelds anymore! I'm too old for neckpain because of them...
Ok, I can see myself play everything up to GBA via emulators/Virtual Console/etc., but is there a way to play, let's say Star Fox 64 3D (which looks superb, bvy the way) on the Wii?

[Jason Tandro]

@Tay: What do you mean by sequence break?

@Raini: Ohhhhh now I feel silly.

There was one thing that pissed me off to no end in OoS. In Snake's Remains there was a puzzle where you had to get to a chest before it dissapeared by following a diagonal path blocked by bomb-able blocks. Do you guys have ANY idea how hard it is to do diagonal movement on Android controls? I must have messed up like 50 times (thank god for save states).

But still the animal companion thing is kinda cool. Just wish I'd learned about the fact that there were two other options before going with Ricky. Flying Panda... how is that not me? (Actually, Tay, I think you may have mentioned that before, lol)