The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons Deserves Your Attention

The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons is the odd case of beginning as a remake before shifting to a piece of a planned trilogy and ending up as half of a duology. And yet, it still stands out as a unique piece of Zelda gaming. Join Derrick as he discovers this half of the Oracle Duology for the first time!
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#thelegendofzelda #oracleofseasons #nintendo

[@Ryujishida]

You avoiding Mable hurt you more than you realized. She is the best source of Magic Potions as she will drop them pretty often. So you can get them for free and from early on, especially if you learn how to make her appear.

[@joefarrow1599]

You just have to kill a certain amount of enemies to make her appear. I think it might be thirty

[@Ryujishida]

@@joefarrow1599 Unless you're wearing the ring, which cuts that number in half. Plus there are certain screens she won't appear on.

[@jackrakken4127]

@@Ryujishida there's a ring for that? Dang, i wish i picked that one up on my playthrough. Also the openendedness of the game that he keeps talking about is just older game design. You were expected to experiment with the world they gave you to figure it out. It's honestly hit or miss for most people.

[@sharkjack]

It really all spiralled from there. More access to potions means more time to look and experiment with bosses and less frustration. Then the 2d boss fight against dragon Onox would not have felt so desperate. It is actually fairly doable to jump back and forth from one side to the other when you're already on the hands, doing massive damage and drastically reducing the length of the fight. I don't even think you need spin attacks at that point. But if you're so used to it from the first two forms and you are scrambling to get a single hit in as is, why would you let go of the spin attack that had up until then been required?

[@Ryujishida]

@@sharkjack Definitely, and it probably discouraged him from exploring too. I remember having the Red Ring when I first played OoS, and the Red Ring isn't that hard to get if you are exploring. I think once you find the old man that gives you the quest, the golden beast locations are marked on your map even. On my most recent playthrough I was actually lucky enough to get a Green Ring from a Maple drop which made the rest of OoS and all of the linked OoA trivial.

[@samuelchallis3420]

33:42 the real wizard casts a shadow. Also earlier at 29:19 you mentioned leaving a seasons area of effecton accident. These area changes are marked by fence posts on both sides of the screen exit

[@TheJadeFist]

Wait, are they? Marked by the fences? Now that you mention that sounds right, and I kinda just figured out where the boundaries were, without directly noticing the fences were always there.

[@rethardotv5874]

The whacky puzzles are similar to Classic Zelda and Links awakening. Onox only getting hurt by a spin attack is similar to links awakenings final boss.

[@DanielisAwesome52]

The shadow was tough to spot at first. The game hitches when the flames go out and if you light them one immediately after the other it causes a pretty significant slowdown. That made me focus so hard on the magic attack that it took a second attempt at the boss to even see the shadow. Plus I was heavily focused on trying to see differences in the sprite or flicker that I never saw the shadow on the first try

[@PluckyInc]

the thing with the wizard boss at 33:29 is that turning on the flames indirectly reveals which one is real; the one that's real casts a shadow.

[@jeffbrownstain]

Literally one of the most common fantasy tropes for wizards ever made. Like, I just watched it used in Digimon against Wizardmon yesterday. It was everywhere.

[@viewtifuljoe99]

It's fun to go back and try the games in the series you've missed. I'm glad Derrick didn't dismiss the game as "dated" or too difficult and saw it through. Older games just have a different set of language they use based on player expectations at the time and it's worth the payoff to work through the stumbling points that come with retro game literacy at times.

[@robertbeisert3315]

Player expectations and the limitations of the media. It's easy to forget that the Oracle games had only so many pixels, only so much RAM, only so much cartridge memory to work with. The GBC screen could hold like 4 tiles of Minecraft, and the RAM couldn't actually load those texture files as they exist in Minecraft. Each Oracle game contains less data than the King James Bible in text form. They're not just fun games that give you a glimpse of history. They're technical marvels.

[@packpock4369]

The series is underrated, to be able to add the depth they did when there wasn't much memory. Truly is amazing most people like Seasons more because it's more action and less puzzles. But that's a missed point because that's what makes it Zelda the thinking you have to do.

[@JoshArtisto]

Seasons is to this day my favorite Zelda game. It was also my first Zelda game. I have such fond memories of the dungeons, seasons mechanic, and especially Subrosia. I hope Grezzo remakes this and Ages.

[@valkiriforce]

Yeah, it was one of my early Zelda titles as well - it holds a special place in my heart.

[@KaWouter_]

The fact that I could finish this game when I was 11-12 years old without any guide should make you realise it's not thát hard.

[@valkrynrose7052]

I had the guide only for my collection. Didn't really use the guide.

[@julianmerbach1455]

the only puzzle in OoS and OoA I couldn't figure out myself as a kid was the one in the Lost Woods right before the Ancient Ruins where you have to change the seasons. I don't know why, but I just couldn't figure out the correct order and was stuck for days until one of my sisters classmate told her the solution. While I also struggled really hard to get the second melody in OoA I could figure out everything else in those games on my own and I wouldn't say that I was very smart or had great videogame knowledge, also they were my first Zelda games ever.

[@keatonkitsune4064]

Sorry to hear you had a rough time with this one. It was a blast for me as a kid.

[@MrM4DM4N]

I could literally relate to everything he said 🥺 The frustration was real and felt so dumb 😪 when I'd figure it out or had to look it up on my phone. But in the end I did have a lot fun with the game! Also Maple was my favorite character, she was so funny and unexpected.

[@jeffbrownstain]

That's what happens when you bring a modern gaming mindset to games that were made by people way smarter than you ever could hope to be. These games are amazing and everything he criticized was literally just his own stupidity or shortsightedness or arrogance.

[@keatonkitsune4064]

@@bb3k761 Nice bait, mate.

[@keatonkitsune4064]

@@bb3k761 How old are you? To die there, you gotta be an inexperienced kid.

[@CountDoucheula]

Not enough yellow paint 😂

[@SearchmanDS]

Ah trail and error; Derrick's greatest weakness 🤣

[@brainstormsurge154]

Truly a skill issue.

[@enahsg]

My copy of Seasons is the most important game that I own. My friend has Ages, and we would often trade games to continue our story, and my copy still has my friends save file on it, so it is my most prized possession from my childhood.

[@cultreader9751]

I used to do that too. I got my own copy of Ages about a year ago. My copy of Seasons is the same one from when I was 10.

[@pnwsk]

the oracles were my most played games as a child and your detailed commentary and reactions reminded me of my own experiences. i struggled quite a bit as a child, having to hand my older sister my gameboy so she would beat the harder bosses for me, as well as the dance minigame lol. i remember feeling lost quite frequently, and some of the dungeon bosses frustrated me too. i didnt even have internet at home back then, so i remember having to go to my dad's workplace to look up a guide, take notes and then beat that part at home. hell, i didnt speak english at the time so at some points i had to look things up in a dictionary in order to understand what to do. but all those things added up and to this day i still remember every single bit of this game and could beat it with my eyes closed probably. it was so special to me. im glad you enjoyed it :)

[@tako_ro]

This video made me realise how creative the oracle games are. This video is looking at it at the perspective of an adult. We tend to overthink things. However, a lot of things in these games are so simple that we overlook them. Take for example the thing about Moosh. The child me never read the instructions, when I faced that long set of holes I just thought that press A and Moosh goes flapflapflap. So i thought, hey if I spam A can I go through multiple holes? and boom, I made it past the holes! Now I'm really excited that these games are coming to Switch. I adored these games so much when I was young and until now I really do. Thank you for this wonderful piece.

[@pablodelgado7919]

Man these series of games are so damn underrated but this game holds a special place in my heart as a kid. I think my dad got it for me out of nowhere one day as a gift, despite never playing a Zelda game prior to this let alone knowing what the LOZ was it got me hooked to the beautiful aesthetics and music it provides. Shame that i never finished back then since my cartridge got damaged by water but everything that this game embodies and the memories it left in me allowed me to reencounter with it many years later via emulation since the last time i played it back in 2004-2005. While these games flew so under the radar, personally i think it deserves a full on remake and get the love and attention it truly deserves.

[@marcomirhayes7121]

The ages video and this one were my first introduction to this channel and I have to say after having watched both? The ages video narrator did a great job.

[@ODUBlue]

Your content is some of the best Nintendo coverage on the internet. Do I want to spend an hour of Christmas Eve watching GBC Zelda retrospectives? On games 2 decades old? YES. Yes I do.

[@ktom6757]

12:20 Actually if you know the secret you get at the end of the trading quest you can get the better sword immediately and skip the entire trading quest.

[@k.b.7718]

Not really, as there are 2 upgrades!

[@lindendrache8998]

@@k.b.7718 You can only get the 2nd upgrade in a linked game. The same in oracle of ages.

[@premium6225]

24:30 actually there was an owl statue that said something along the lines of "in the water it's invincible" so that one came pretty easy for me

[@NamelessGamer29]

I literally bought both games on my 3ds yesterday wanting to try them out before the eShop closes. If this wasn’t a sign to play them now I don’t know what is.

[@Alphacranberries]

That wizard boss, if you look again at your footage, you'll notice that only the real wizard casts a shadow when the torches are lit.

[@darkisatari]

Well there are a lot of things about your play style that irritated me to hear, which partially come from thinking in terms of expectations from other Zelda games (not getting in to the gasha game or maple encounters, not noticing shadows or that different weather areas are marked by wooden posts), I was glad to hear that you ultimately appreciated this game. I think it’s one of the best 2D games; though probably not as good as its counterpart.

[@JarylGaren]

I disagree with it not being made clear that the Spin Attack is stronger than normal sword swipes, since the Spin Attack has *always* been stronger than just your basic sword slash, at least in the Zelda games at the time. I feel like nowadays the Spin Attack's better damage comes from it hitting multiple times, rather than just being one stronger hit.

[@theEndermanMGS]

That works for people who are familiar with Zelda. While it can be argued that the Oracle games are made for existing Zelda fans rather than new players, I think the explanation of game mechanics should be largely self-contained rather than relying on existing knowledge from other entries in a series for the sake of accessibility for new players.

[@JarylGaren]

@@theEndermanMGS Even then, just using the Spin Attack against normal enemies should show clear enough that its stronger than normal sword attacks

[@theEndermanMGS]

@@JarylGaren That’s assuming they decide to use it. If it is just a slower slash as far as they know, why would they bother? There doesn’t need to be something like the sword training sequence from Wind Waker, but something like the Beginner’s Hall from FFVII to explain mechanics to new players might be a decent compromise to let established players just get on with the game while also providing extra information for new players.

[@JarylGaren]

@@theEndermanMGS There is the Tutorial House, I think Derrick even shows it in the video, and they talk about „holding the Sword button to charge power“ there

[@theEndermanMGS]

@@JarylGaren Fair enough. It’s been a few years since I’ve played the Oracles, so my memory of them isn’t the clearest.

[@Barrettfloyd82]

I take it that you never read text in the game. Everything you were confused by was literally explained in the game.

[@k.b.7718]

Not really, like how to beat certain bosses certainly wasn't. I had pretty much the same problems with these obtruse moments.

[@thomkennedy6985]

I was thinking that also when it was mentioned at 26:22 that no one talks about the Mt. Cucoo shortcut when the Master Diver himself tells you about it shortly after getting the Flippers.

[@domennysometimesplays2484]

Derrick don't know how to play games in general. I have no idea why he insists in talking about them.

[@KSeigY]

15:57 This was the thing that held me up the most when playing the game as a kid. I had no reason to think you could jump down into the house, since there was an even more obvious place to jump off of the snowdrift. I thought the path above the house was just empty space (which I didn't find uncommon in the game's I played at the time )

[@HopscotchBackup]

4:58 - “DeezNuts”

[@robharli]

I really feel this opinion on Oracle of Seasons. The Oracle games are easily my favourite of all Link's 2D adventures the high's (the season system, items, Subrosa, etc.) are that good. But the low's really do drag it down at times and make it the weaker of the pair personally. And your take on Onox? Felt that. Well and truly. Literally the hardest final boss of any Zelda game I've played.

[@jmporkbob]

The thing about Link's Awakening is that it released in early 90s on the OG Game Boy. It was multiple tiers above any other GB game released at that time, and honestly pretty much throughout the rest of its life too. That said, yes it's easy to be oversold because of that "you had to be there" reality, and I personally enjoy the Oracle games more, too.

[@Kspice9000]

You underestimate scent seeds. They do double impact dmg, attract enemies to whoever you hit, gain TRI shot effect at lvl2 sling and are spammable. In ages when used with the seed shooter they have the added benefit of bouncing off wall, and diagonal aim. What's not to get.

[@nicolaspallini6338]

Great video! I have fond memories of the Oracle duet and would love to see a remake brought to the Switch! That being said the duet was originally intended to be a trio and I think the addition of that third game would cement these games as greats in the modern era. Let’s see Farore’s story!!

[@EasyCure0]

I've only ever played Ages, but I bought both on the 3ds and they're still "gift wrapped" on my home screen. These videos have definitely inspired me to dust them off... Thanks guys! And happy holidays!

[@frostnovaomega1152]

I don't have anything to say about the video, but i just listened to this to hold off a panic attack, and it worked! Thanks for saving my day!

[@Skyewardbound]

Sorry to hear you were having a really rough time, hope you're doing at least a little better now ❤

[@Gerik75]

"And I swear I didn't come across any tips for it like I did for Dodongo". I personnaly found a owl statue few rooms before who says "they are invicible in the water". I think it give enought information for the players to how defeat this mini-boss.

[@monkeyX42792X]

These two games were the only Zelda games that I had when I was a kid. I beat them both 3 times for the full story. I remember my first play through of ages being really hard. But then going to seasons was definitely easier. And then each play through was easier after that because I could remember all the mechanics and bosses. Much easier as a child when I had more time to binge the same games. Now I don’t think I could beat these without a guide and leaving notes for myself. And seeing the frames with the like likes just reminds me of all the times I lost my shield. Those things are awful

[@Luigi1000]

As a huge fan and advocate for these two games I do feel it is worth addressing some of the points you brought up, both to clear up some misunderstandings as well as give some overall commentary on some points in your journey. - Rings are quite a powerful tool which drastically allow you to modify your game, as such the decision to limit you at the start to 1 ring and then max to 3 is more of a balance aspect more than anything. It makes you have to think about what you want to protect against or worry about the least and work with it. You can however always go back after seeing a dungeon and change out what you have so you have exactly what you need. Something which gets better as you have Gale seeds to quickly warp back one screen away from the ring shop. - I really do feed bad for your poor placement on the first encounter with Maple. The fight fight is meant to setup as a learning opportunity to continue getting into those fights with her since she drops a lot of basic items, but also has the potential to drop: Gasha Seeds, Magic Potions, Rings (some of which are only available from being dropped by her), and a singular heart piece. - I'm going to have to disagree about the whole trading quest being obscure and hard. By the time you already complete Dungeon 1, you already have met the first 3 of the trade NPC's and know what they want. (That being Dr. Left who needs light, Malon who needs the Cuccodex and Maple who needs the Lon Lon Egg. Maple even says what she is looking for and what she will give on her first encounter with her.) I will admit that the 4th and 5th ones are a bit unclear but you should have run into who needs them with some exploring before you get into Dungeon 4. After completing Dungeon 4 you should have run into everyone in the trade quest and could complete it right then. That all being said I do have a Fun Fact for you, that being that unlike Ages where you MUST fully complete the trading quest every time you want the LV2 sword, in Seasons you can completely forgo the whole sequence if you just get to where you need to and already know what to do. - Mystery seeds are basically the Random effect seed for the Oracle games. They can be used for intended purpose of getting important info from owl statues but can also be used on enemies to have the same effect as another of the 5 seeds which is selected at random. - With regards to the seed trees for quick travel I find they are fairly well spaced out and cover everywhere you could want to go with minimal inconvenience. You usually can walk to a section you need to be in about 10 screens. The places which do not quick warp points accessible such as the Desert, and Graveyard are areas which you do not really come back to once you are done with what you need to do there. Even then your closest warp point is the town one. The Mountain is the one we can argue you revisit a bit due to trading quest, but even then you have the tree in Sunken City to get you there quickly. - Sadly there is no real good solution to the sub menu every time you pick a seed due to lack of buttons since it's on GBC. If we had the GBA shoulder buttons having them alternate through it would be nice but sadly we have to deal with the menus. It is one of the reasons the QoL aspects a remake could bring if they were done. Though be glad you played Seasons, you had 1 less item with a selection menu because of it. - One thing I have to mention is that the 2D zelda games in general do have is incentives for getting better and growing, and punishments for doing poorly or mistakes. If you do well and learn what the game wants you to, you can breeze through the game fairly fast. On the flip side however, rushing through things and not properly taking the time to read/learn what it tries to tell you will make you restart from the start due to dying and make you take longer. - I am honestly surprised you had a hard time with the trampolines and did not instantly realize you could move them. There is a own statue not only mentioning indirectly you need to use it to progress, the floor marking match up with the holes on the higher floor and the only way out of the room is the way you came if you did not use it which these games rarely use unless there is a key item at the end of it. - If memory serves there is an owl statue RIGHT outside the midboss room at the top of the room which says that the Dungeon 3 midboss are invincible in water. I believe that is meant to be your hint to get them out of water with the power bracelet to attack them, cus then they are helpless like a flopping fish on land. - With regards to using a guide, a lot of the situations which come from it usually happen due to not reading/remembering what a character said or a thing does. With regards to Moosh, he says both when you encounter him the first time he can cross big pits by hovering if you "Tap A repeatedly" along with if you transition to a screen with these pits for the first time while riding him he reminds you. With regards to the bomb flower, in that section of Subrosia there are no less than 3 NPC's which all give hints and info about going to the temple first to figure out where to go from there. If you missed them, naturally exploring Subrosia after you got the Roc's Feather you would have come across the NPC's at the temple which say they need a Bomb Flower to help clear the rubble and where it is found. Usually new players to the game tend to visit the temple first before finding out what their new unlock method is for the next season, you happened to get lucky and do the dancing game before you found out you needed the boomerang to access winter and that it is won from it. - I'm going to heavily disagree on this game being unclear or cryptic. Sure some parts require some reading or remembering of past events, but even then it's nowhere near the level of guess and check that Point and click adventure games for PC are. - I'm also going to heavily disagree and say that A Link to the Past is WAY MORE cryptic than the Oracle games. They make you assume some things which really did not make sense to try and some things ended up being really hard to find a way to progress. In fact when I first played A Link to the Past I could not understand what they wanted after the first dark world dungeon. Mainly because it was unclear about the fact on how to unlock and use both the flippers and fast travel. I finally got so frustrated at exploring the map, talking to people and not making progress I just broke out some cheats to just give me every weapon and item I needed and go to turtle rock and beat Gannon. Only after beating the game did I realize the level of leaps and assumptions it expected you to try to do before you could actually get what you needed to progress and go back to finish the rest of it. - With regards to the Phonograph Deku Scrub. He may seem easily forgotten or miss-able, but if you do go to the animal companion area there is a scrub there who will increase the size of your Seed Satchel and he likes the music also and will remind you to play it for the one in the ruins for a secret. - With regards to the Mid Boss of Dungeon 4, while you do need to light both torches you also need to look UNDER each one to see which makes a shadow. Only the real one will cast a shadow on the ground since there is no graphical difference between him and his copies. - When it comes to Onox and the spin attack, one of the birds in the town do tell you about spin attacks, how to do them and that they do extra damage. I also am highly skeptical that someone can go the full game prior to final boss without holding attack just long enough to accidentally learn about it. - Lastly I am highly impressed that you instantly realized to use the rod of seasons to bat away the electrified crystal Din was trapped in. Most new players either tank through the extra damage it does to you while spin attacking, or end up using a ring which makes you immune to electric attacks.

[@saveshark8477]

Those baffled me too, and I found Link to the Past to be a much more difficult and cryptic game as a kid. A perfect example is that if I hadn't known how to defeat Trinox from a guide, I would never think to use the ice rod because it is only hinted at at the end of the first dungeon, and you're expected to use it a full 9 dungeons later on the boss. It has to be some kind of bias that makes games you completed as a kid "make more sense" to you. Similarly, defeating Goma in this game is perfectly logical since you get the slingshot in the dungeon and eyes have always indicated a weakness to projectiles in the games. Another thing I am mystified by is the fact that Ganon almost always requires the spin attack to defeat (I guess except for dash attacking?), so why would you need a guide to try that on the final boss if you have already beaten LttP and Awakening?

[@BR-jw7pm]

The Oracle games are my fave handheld Zeldas and deserve a Link’s Awakening style remake!

[@concordiaharmony2302]

Oracle of Seasons was my first major exposure to Zelda. Not through the game itself, but rather the Manga Adaptation. It's a really damn good read and a fun adaptation of the story.

[@DrsJacksonn]

Only just really getting into the GBC titles of Zelda. But as a dude born in the 90s, the aesthetic of these games is just so beautiful to me. I wish they'd just make a bunch more releases in this precise style.

[@tomdoell811]

The three part game was actually announced as coming soon and found in full page nintendo power magazines and the like or something etc, before fading into obscurity... The title was going to be "Fruit of the Mysterious Tree."

[@shrimpbisque]

The Onox boss battle is a huge pain in the ass. In fact, when I replay these games, I nearly always play through Ages first so I can use the Master Sword against Onox.

[@baneheart7]

29:35 -- Hoo boy this screen. So I got this game when I was a kid, and I also got the strategy guide for this game. I wouldn't be allowed to play the game during weekdays, so I would just read the strategy guide front to back over and over as a substitute. The strategy guide had this screen as a point of interest, and said that the way to cross this gap was to use the Roc's Cape + Pegasus Seed. And that's how I always did it until I happened to wander on the screen during Autumn.

[@Skyewardbound]

I realized the actual intended way about 5 or so minutes later after finally making that dumb jump 💀

[@hackcubit9663]

It's safe to say that these games were made back in the days that conveyance was still in a "we haven't figured it all out yet" stage. The fact that Onox needs a sword spin to damage at all, and that you need the rod of seasons to bat Din away, is proof of this (I somehow would beat Onox by tanking the damage from Din's retaliation while being close enough that my spin attack still connected with Onox). If I hadn't picked up a walkthrough (a really neat little book that covered both games by flipping upside-down for the other game!), I don't think I would have ever figured out half of these games, and might have quit them both in frustration, especially Seasons. But, armed with the knowledge necessary to properly enjoy these games, they're lovely Zelda titles, and I'd love to see them receive the same remake treatment that Link's Awakening did (though if that makes them retail at $60 I might hesitate a little at the combined price tag).

[@lindendrache8998]

I also did not figure out that you have to push Din away with the rod of seasons. I also managed somehow to beat Onox while taking damage from Din. I remember having the Heartring Lv2 that restores your health and dodging the breaking ground tiles as long as I could to restore as much energy as possible for the dragon fight xD

[@sam_barris]

I played Link's Awakening for the first time with the Game Boy original. You're right that the big twist is foreshadowed up one side and down the other. It was still kind of a shock to my young and tender heart to reach the end of the game to find out that the monsters had all been telling the truth all along and that there was no last minute save for the island or its people. (What? The monsters were RIGHT? I've been the BAD GUY all this time? I just MURDERED my girlfriend for some dumb whale who left me stranded in the ocean?) This sort of thing wouldn't phase me now because I'm old and jaded, but thirty years ago was a different story. Anyway, that was probably why I never played the Oracle games back then. But now I kind of think I should.

[@PokeDeses]

Man, you really despise anything that requires exploration and experimentation, eh? As for the not-Agahnim, the issue is on your emulator not displaying flickering shadows correctly. As for Onox... I guess it was unfair but I dunno why I never had that much trouble. Did any of Link's Awakening's bosses also require spin attack?

[@EnigmaBarry]

The Nightmare Ganon in Link's Awakening requires a Spin Attack (alternatively Pegasus Boots dashing), just like in A Link to the Past.

[@rowlet4ever]

I played this one for the first time recently and it really surprised me, I’d even call it my favourite 2d Zelda. It honestly felt like the first Zelda game I played all over again, I highly recommend giving it a shot.

[@JoeyJ0J0]

I love this game, I got it for Christmas in 2001 and I played it to 100 percent. I love the emphasis on exploration and combat. It's so much fun

[@anthonygillette]

So excited to play these again. I completed both games after getting them for 10 dollars a pop at a hobby shop from my grandpa, I haven’t had them for years (ages was stolen early on and I lost Seasons over 10 years ago) thank you switch, so pumped

[@KainaX122]

Bro, Oracle of Seasons was the first Zelda game I ever owned and I literally just got through with a session playing it Randomized a few minutes ago 😂

[@reborno-o4498]

With the Game Boy release on NSO, there's word that both oracle games will be eventually available. There's a good chance they will finally get the attention they deserve, but also means they (probably) won't get the remaster treatment Link's Awakening got.

[@pretzel1313]

The wizard you can beat by looking for the shadow under the real one, which is why you light the torches. Frame rate might make the shadow impossible to see.

[@FalconFetus8]

This video is just recounting your playthrough, while the ages video actually had thoughtful critique.

[@Astrovite]

Oracle of Seasons will forever have a special place in my heart.

[@Skip6235]

That wizard mini boss in the 4th dungeon: the real one has a shadow when you light the torches, the two fake ones don’t.

[@kaspauf06]

These videos are awesome, I remember getting these as a kid and was expecting it to be like Pokemon versions, slightly different but same world.... I was pleasantly surprised and not sure we ever see this again but I loved the idea for LoZ, we need a new single player, top down, not a remake and in an original world game in this series basically since 2012 (A Link Between World's) and that was kind of the same world but was different enough from Alttp to feel new. 11 yrs is too long! I loved these videos by you both and thank you for putting in the hard work!

[@AReaverZappy]

I like to play ages first and link into seasons b/c IIRC the master sword can damage Onox without needing to charge a spin attack first.

[@seanbrent4245]

Kind of felt like you hadn’t played a Zelda game before this one. I played and beat this when I was in elementary without a guide or internet, but I’m sure I ran into a lot of struggles.

[@danielstuckwisch9343]

Your frustrations with the game are exactly why I want to see a remake of the oracle games. I would never have made it through Links Awakening without the quality if life features of the remake.

[@AndresLionheart]

What if they made a remake in which you pick either game to start, then you get to beat the other with the extras as if you entered the password. After that you get to go back to do the extra boss in the first game you played. Finally they add a final "game" that could be a smaller 4 dungeon adventure to finally complete the original vision of the 3 games.

[@BoundaryBreak]

I personally feel your middling experience with Links Awakening is entirely at the fault that Nintendo did nothing to modernize the story and themes beyond what the developers originally worked with on the gameboy. The Switch remake should have been something much more than what we got. While I dont hate it i was largely disappointed at the angle of just trying to change as little as possible and make the limited artstyle canon instead of what it actually was, a game working within limited hardware

[@citruseel2421]

i very highly recommend playing this game with save states. If you use them sparingly it takes out all the frustration of having to backtrack

[@fernando98322]

Oracle games are fantastic. Seasons' combat is really hard, while Ages' puzzles are the hardest in the series.

[@jordantaylor4390]

Would be really great if they remake these like Links Awakening AND give us Oracle of Completing the trilogy!

[@GrumpySylveon]

Shout out to the Zelda Manga for making these games stories more well known to people than just the games.

[@roskiart8750]

Those mangas are almost better in many regards... and then they made the chicken fall in love.

[@GrumpySylveon]

OH YEAH THAT HAPPENED. I just ignore that

[@Stormkyleis]

I think the problem with Oracle of Seasons is that the game lets you explore freely for the most part, but progress is always locked behind one specific item that must be used in one specific place. Considering the map is so intricate - there's Subrosia and the main world, which in turn is split into four different seasons - it's not uncommon to think "I probably need to come back later with a different item" when the solution is right in front of you. The same applies to gimmick bosses which have one specific solution, but you have so many items that can be used in so many different ways, and you have to painstakingly go back and forth between the game and the menu while taking damage. It's almost like a Metroidvania, except the best games in the genre are better at giving you hints through visual cues and expert game design. I still love this game, it's such a charming and ambitious adventure for the GBC, but having replayed it recently I understand why it didn't always work for you.

[@tamerkoh]

I don't remember this being an issue when I played it. In fact, I think it basically followed the same format that Link's Awakening started, in that you get a new tool halfway in the dungeon, and that tool is what's used for the rest of the dungeon, as well as to reach the next dungeon (+ whatever story stuff inbetween). If anything, my complaints about these games is that, combined with how linear they are, since Zelda is supposed to be about exploration. The overworld is very sectioned off, and only a little can be seen at a time until you get the next item. Link's Awakening was also the start of this. Despite this however, these games (especially a Linked Game in Ages) are my favourite Zelda games, cause the pros far outweigh the cons. I think they feature the most creative items puzzles and dungeons in the series, myself. And I love how customizable each run can be with the rings.

[@Stormkyleis]

@@tamerkoh Yes, it's pretty clear what item you have to use, but not where you have to use it. Sometimes you have to cycle through every season, or you have to go through Subrosia to reach some place in the overworld, only to find that specific obstacle that unlocks progress. I remember not having this problem at all in Ages, which is by far my favorite of the two, maybe because there's only two versions of the world, or maybe because it's structured in a more intuitive way. Maybe it's just me.

[@MatheusCayresdeMello]

By watching this game I've wondered: what if we could ride pokemon like this in GSC? I mean, it was already there in a gameboy game

[@ObsidiaOpal]

I love this review. A lot of the things you were confused about and needed a guide for were actually in the instruction book for the game hahaha The same thing happened to me 20 years ago. Thank for for that instruction book.

[@catriamflockentanz]

"[Game] deserves your attention" *uploading on Christmas when the attention will be way lower than it normally would be* True Combo

[@Torinna_]

Both Oracle games are incredibly underrated. I prefer Seasons just a little bit but Ages is a really good game too

[@OtakuUnitedStudio]

Dark Dragon Onox was actually one of my favorite bosses in the Game Boy Zelda titles. It was based on a similar fight from Mega Man X, where Sigma takes control of the incomplete Wolf Sigma mecha. I don't think I died to it my first try, but I did die twice on my last playthrough, and it is obnoxious to slog through the minibosses again. I've played and beaten every game in the Zelda series now, but for top-down games, Oracle of Seasons or Ages is probably my favorite. It's sad that these games get slept on or lumped together so often.

[@TMFisms]

I had no issues with this game as a kid. It's definitely not as difficult as described in the video. I think like most puzzle based games, some people's minds click with them better than others. Glad in the end you recommended the game and appreciated it but sad that "using a guide" is so common for games these days. As an older gamer I feel some sadness the more modern era has conditioned the gaming industry to need to hold the players hand.

[@monsterham5934]

4:58 this nutts

[@jark06]

Din certainly has my attention

[@MellyMellouange]

the real wizard has an oval shaped drop shadow, the other two do not

[@JagGentlemann]

Come on, you are talking about puzzles being cyptid when you had to use the item to pick up things to pick up a thing.

[@DarknessGuard]

I really liked the Season mechanic and wish Nintendo would revisit it and build upon. I also want a remake of the Oracle games, preferable incorporating things that were lost with the third games cancelation.

[@FaeRhanX]

As child apparently I had enough time and patience to try every item on everything in Seasons. But on Links Awakening i never realized myself that I need to put powder on the racoon. Combine that with a time in the 90s without Internet to look things up and suddenly you are stuck on a game for YEARS.

[@muttiilpomodoro4354]

i played seasons as a kid, and maybe because i had more time and i didn't directly wanted to finish the game, but i really never had any problems with how to beat certain enemies or bosses, it all came quite natural for me. I actually really enjoyed the lack of linearity and direction, because the game felt a lot more like a world that you slowly explore as you figure out how to rather than a path already carved out for you that everyone tells you how and what to do. Tough i have to say the final boss being able to be hit only by a charged attack is a bit cryptic, but i just found out by trying out different attacks, and since your sword as only 2 attacks, i tried all of them before any item. Most of the frustration comes from the game not wanting to tell every single thing you have to do to beat it, witch can be frustrating for someone who is used to that especially in Zelda games, but it's what i feel makes the game special. Also i love that you can do the entirety of dungeon 5 before doing dungeon 4, even tough it's not at the level of Zelda 1,where you culd find most dungeons with basic items you find in the overworld. Also i belive the ost of the game is fantastic, and probably because of nostalgia but it really belive it's great

[@cultreader9751]

I had the opposite experience. I played Seasons more as a kid,I only beat Ages once when I borrowed a friend's copy. I got my own copy of Ages about a year and a half ago, and I played both Ages and Seasons. I struggled a lot more with Seasons, despite not playing Ages in about 15 years.

[@hydrogenina]

I hated the dance mini games, I’m terrible at them, always had to make my sister played them for me. Nevertheless, the Oracle games are VERY underrated, despite being on the GBC they had 8 dungeons! I think that’s amazing, making them to have enough play time, and are an upgrade from Link’s Awakening’s dungeons. Also, for all the shippers, a lot of fans don’t even get to see the kiss Zelda gives to Link (on the cheek tho) because they don’t even connect the games via the codes/passwords. They are very good games that need a chance, even though in some aspects they’ve aged

[@Gamer1288]

I hope that you and Jon use the Save Data from your Initial Playthroughs to review the Linked Game Versions so that you can comment on the differences.

[@eggethwaffburt]

My cats name is Moosh. After this Moosh of course

[@stahlhort]

4:57 got eem

[@1991jiub]

Just beat onox on my 3 heart run with no rings or potion. Took me at least 5 tries.

[@michaelwithay]

I always prefer to play ages first and then seasons second in a linked game. It always felt like a lot more storylines were completed and had more closure. If you play seasons and then ages Queen Ambi story is never resolved, but if you play ages first and then seasons she meets up with the captain and they both get closure.

[@Pichu441]

The Oracle games are so, so good. The Ring system still has so much potential, it would be perfect in a game like BOTW.

[@Ability-King-KK]

The Oracle games are probably my second favorite Zelda after Twilight Princess and I would love to see a remake of them...with a twist. Instead of making them two separate games they should make it one game with something similar to Sonic Adventure 2 in that you can choose either the Seasons story or the Ages story to play first. Now because you only play as Link instead of two different factions like in SA2, this means choosing one story locks out the other until you beat the story you choose. To make up for this, Link is given the power to be able travel between Holodrum and Lybrina at the start of the second half. This would also be how you'd get all of the upgrades you'd get in the original linked games. After beating both Onox is the Seasons story and Veran in the Ages story, you would unlock the final story where you fight Ganon. Will such a remake happen? Probably not, but here's hoping.

[@k.b.7718]

Great idea, I would love that!

[@domennysometimesplays2484]

You know that they will want to sell both separated full price xD

[@Anakunus]

Oh yes, I have played both _The Legend of Zelda_ Oracle games. I am surprised that you liked a lot of this but not _The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening,_ Good Vibes Gaming. When I was playing it, it felt very much like Link's Awakening, just more expansive. Anyway, it looks like you played the Oracle games in the wrong order, since Onox would be significantly easier in a linked game, where you have the Master Sword.

[@keatsiannightingale]

I think I'll try this game as Nintendo put them on nso, just because I like the gimmick of the seasons, it seems pretty cool to me and it's unlikely I'll play both of them. I'll be using a guide sometimes, like I did in A Link to the Past, which I really enjoyed! Great idea to make both these videos, by the way!

[@maquiavelmg]

The fact that Oracle of Seasons is so focused on combat is why I recommend playing Ages first. This way, you start with an extra heart, has the potential for a better sword, and can import your rings

[@demonpugo]

You can’t take the game off your bucket list. Games true ending comes from a password linked game.

[@EduSolsa]

I didn't do the trade quest, so I had to beat Ganon without the Master Sword ^^;

[@Graphomite]

While I always found Derrick to be an enjoyable listen, I feel compelled to point out that this video felt kinda undewhelming after coming from Jon's Oracle of Ages vid. While Jon poured passionately over the relevance and mechanics of Ages, cherry picking points of interest to create a proper commemoration of a game he clearly saw the historical importance of, Derrick's examination of Seasons comes off more like a longwinded spoiler review. He's just regurgitating his gameplay session for 40 minutes. And while I think Derrick is generally a good, emotive script reader, he still falls into an itemized pace when he is going by the script, and it becomes very apparent in a long vid like this. I think Derrick has always been one of the best voices of GX and GVG. I'm just a little let down Seasons was given a comparatively humdrum video after Jon seemed to put a lot of consideration into its counterpart.

[@thex8625]

4:58 HA! GOTEEM

[@wolfboyft]

Huge fan of these games! Really high quality.

[@luliby2309]

I love the Oracle games and played the crap out of them as a kid. I did not have the issues you experienced though. As a kid, I'm pretty sure I sucked and couldn't beat it, but that was me for a whole lot of games as a kid. I played both of them not even that long ago and I did do well without any of those issues. Yeah, I have played them before, but it had been a while so it's not like I remembered everything. I think it has to do with how thoroughly I like to play games. If you're like me and you play them in a thorough fashion and try everything and go everywhere, you'll do fine with Seasons. The conveyance isn't as nonexistent as Zelda 1 or Castlevania 2. Onox _is_ very hard though. I still somehow figured it out without a guide by just trying everything and seeing that a spin attack works (thoroughness!). Yeah, you do want the noble sword and as much health as possible with a potion if you wanna win. That final boss is definitely a Capcom boss though, as you can tell via having to jump on a platform and attacking the boss's head. XD

[@HandsomeLongshanks]

I literally just put my copies of these 2 games away because I haven't finished painting my sdvance sp yet

[@gcook725]

Yeah, I dunno. I figured this game out alone when I was, like, 7. No guide or anything and I don't remember having any trouble.

[@riccardomosena4162]

wait, you could push din away with the rod? I've always brute forced that fight ahahah and i've played a bit of randomizer on this game

[@metaknightguyWII]

Are you guys interested in doing this to the Legends of heroes Trails series?

[@wolfboyft]

I don't actually remember whether I struggled like you did as a kid haha Since, you know, I was a kid

[@coconutcat1280]

Onix took me over an hour to defeat as well

[@johnhoftb]

In regards to the sword upgrade. You do not need to do the trading quest if you know the answer to getting the sword upgrade.

[@k.b.7718]

There are 2 upgrades!

[@tadaokou4919]

No offense, but this review is the perfect example of the player being the problem, not the game... Zelda Oracle of Seasons being a guide game? You serious...? Okay....

[@Evaleia]

Every single problem he had with this game reeks of Gen Z mentality. I don't mean that in a derogatory manner, I mean that he just really lacks critical thinking skills and relies on being told what and how to do things rather than actually trying and discovering. His gripes reminded me heavily of watching my nieces and nephews play older games, who would get frustrated with not knowing what to do and pull out their phone to look up what to do if they couldn't solve the problem in front of them within two tries. Granted, thats not necessarily a bad thing, like, yes, it kills the fun of the game just using a walkthrough and never finding things out on your own, but on the flip side, being able to solve a problem quickly rather than banging your head against a wall is generally a good trait to have. Just not for games that are about puzzles.