The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages is More Influential Than You Think

[@cube2fox]

One thing to note about the time travel in Ages: The time gap is 400 years, and the past and future maps are basically _two entirely different overworlds_ where the roads, forests, settlements and even geography has changed considerably. This is very different from AlttP and OoT, where past and future maps are often the same, just with different NPCs.

[@Axecon1]

The Oracle games are super under appreciated and truly deserve a modern port!

[@zachtwilightwindwaker596]

I really hope they make it next year.

[@vermillionaether]

All day! Please Nintendo, please give us this great gift!

[@RyanTheLion335]

For sure. I feel like they were both better than link's awakening, and I'm very hopeful they'll get remakes

[@KillYaEgo]

They’re on switch now. I can’t believe I went all this time as a Zelda fanatic and never played them.

[@amandaslough125]

​@@KillYaEgoI didn't get to them until college with the 3DS eshop. They're some of my absolute favorites in the series. If I wasn't finishing up a Minish Cap playthrough and Tears right now, I'd be digging into the Oracles again.

[@C_Arson]

I had no idea that the guy who directed these games also went on to direct big 3D Zeldas. That's really cool; I kinda just assumed that some Capcom team worked on Zelda a few times and that was it, but with how many Zelda games they made together, I now feel silly for not thinking that at least some of them would want to continue working on the series.

[@BoringBrandon1]

Let's appreciate how the GVG guys made two separate videos about the two games and released on the same day just like how Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages were released. Such an original idea

[@leeartlee915]

I’m just glad to her Jon again. I almost thought he’d left GVG or something.

[@withoutthejuice7193]

@@leeartlee915he was in a video yesterday ?

[@leeartlee915]

@@withoutthejuice7193 Oh I’m sure you’re right. I think it’s just been a coincidence that the GVG videos I’ve watched haven’t featured Jon in awhile… which is disappointing since I like a lot (something about that accent).

[@agranosclem]

@@leeartlee915 a lot of it comes down to time zone conflicts. Usually when they record, Jon is asleep IIRC

[@leeartlee915]

@@agranosclem Sure, sure. I was mainly joking. I think he’d announce it if he was leaving. I just personally hadn’t seen him featured on a video in awhile. That’s about the long and short of it.

[@nystria_]

These are most definitely my favourite Zelda games. I typically do count them as one just because of the arching narrative tbh, but I get why one wouldn't. I used to be able to complete both these in a weekend and I would, frequently. Some of my favourite points that were sorta missed: If you did Ages second you got a Donkey Kong style mini game to rescue Zelda when she shows up which is the only time you get to go inside the Black Tower in the present. Also I liked that these got a tiny little bonus shop you could access if you were playing on a GBA. Which animal you get a flute to summon is completely based on when/where you get the strange flute item. Like in Seasons by default you get Ricky's flute (the kangaroo), but you could buy the Strange Flute in the shop and get the bear, or you could win the strange flute in a minigame and get Dimitri (the dodongo). And then there's an entire area of both games that changes based on the animal you got the flute for. The flute is also something that carries over between games so you get your animal pal back. Also you get so many upgrades for linking games too, not just the master sword, but the level 3 shield, max ammo/bomb satchels, and even unique items like the Biggoron sword (which gets its own version of the baseball minigame in Ages). Specific rings are kinda locked to the extended games as well. Whichever game is done second you end up skipping that game's Dungeon 0 in the narrative, and it instead becomes a new bonus hardmode dungeon that you can progress through as the game goes on (or just save until last). Level 3 Power ring and Level 3 Armor ring are locked to these. I know the official Zelda timeline says differently, but narratively this fits a lot better taking place before Link's Awakening, since Link sails off in his boat at the end.

[@chaosprime1629]

oracle of ages you still have to do the intro dungeon but the hero's cave i argue (and grudgingly so because of its romhack style nature) is better compared to seasons. i wish the oracles had more freedom in how you can tackle dungeon orders but for ages the structure would be harder to change it up but the one thing i cannot defend is the rng for obtaining half the rings which is squandering the potential for exploration. instead, they should have been hidden in dungeons. then you have maple who drops one of the most frustrating heart pieces in the series. that being said though, despite the negatives, i do think they have some of the best dungeons in the series and their overword gimmicks are handled well. i judge dungeons based on how well i am challenged without hand holding and the solution becomes clear without obtuse trial and error or cryptic methods.

[@SuperLink9]

Ages is legitimately one of my favourite games in the franchise, I wish it was more widely recognised and loved because it's sooo good and every time I play it I'm blown away by how well it's aged.

[@LocrianDorian]

All Zelda games have aged like fine wine, tbh.

[@robertbeisert3315]

Since no one asked, let's start a fight. 1. Majora's Mask 2. Oracle of Ages 3. Link's Awakening (since it was my first) 4. Wind Waker 5. Twilight Princess 6. Ocarina of Time 7. Link to the Past (near thing with OoT) 8. Minish Cap 9. Breath of the Wild 10. Oracle of Seasons (though Subrosia is awesome) 11. Link Between Worlds 12. Skyward Sword (the lore gets an honorable mention, here) 13. Four Swords Adventure (which I never owned, but it looked fun) 14. The OG (barely played it) 15. The Sequel to the OG (never played it) 16. Phantom Hourglass, Triforce heroes, or Spirit Tracks. Take your pick.

[@Linkale_]

@@LocrianDorian I wouldn't say the first one did, given its lack of any sort of guidance, help, or any way to know whatever you're doing or where are you supposed to go. Again it has aged better than most NES games, but I wouldn't say it's fun to play today. (I haven't played the second one)

[@Cherodar]

Hehe, "aged." Sorry, I know it's been a year, but someone had to point it out!

[@dogsbecute]

@@Linkale_ the things you listed is exactly what makes the original zelda a classic. Those are all fun traits. You wander around, enter a dungeon, cant do anything, leave, find a boomerang, go back to the dungeon, throw the boomerang at a switch and suddenly youve made some progress. It literally still holds up till this day. Not to mention, you had a full paper map if you actually owned the game that showed all the areas. if youre young you might not know what im talking about, but it definitely wasnt as obtuse as youre making it out to be.

[@dracoerrarus4834]

Seasons and Ages are definitely high on my list of favorites. I love how the choices you make in one game affect the characters in the other game.

[@cairneoleander8130]

I wonder if the Maku tree being obsessed with you is a nod to the frequency of that happening in Zelda games, or if it’s a nod to the temporarily sentient tree lady from The Last Unicorn. Very similar energy

[@Taios87entertainment]

if you started with ages 1st, then Onyx says interesting dialogue that you beat Veran, Queen Ambi gets reunited with the her love of her life, and Impa and stuff says that they'd be undercover b4 hand

[@axelatticus2642]

This was the second game boy game I bought because I remember thinking that it looked a lot like Pokemon. I never managed to finish it as a kid but I instantly fell in love with it and Zelda became a special series for me.

[@kylethomas9130]

Ralph was like Gary Oak on Steroids, always one step ahead no matter how much gear you're rolling in. He gets by with sheer grit.

[@Marandahir]

Great vid! It’s funny, there was one thing I THOUGHT you were going to list as an influence but you ended up listing completely other influences that were more interesting. Still, here’s the influence you missed: Oracle of Ages’ Songs of Echoes, Currents, and Ages are the origins of the holy symbols of Farore, Din, and Nayru, respectively.

[@bloodless653]

The Oracle games were incredible! I had Seasons and my brother had Ages, so we swapped games when we beat our own copies. The link code system and extra content for playing through both games was just so amazing back in the day. I so desperately want a Switch remake for these fantastic games; it's probably my biggest wish for a Switch game at this point.

[@IceQueen975]

I want a remake ala Link's Awaken, nlg. I'd KILL for it!

[@bloodless653]

@IceQueen975 I would just like for it to not have the toy-like aesthetic. I liked it for Link's Awakening. It was charming and made sense for the theme of Awakening, but I'd like the art style to be a little different for an Oracle remake.

[@sunte91]

@@bloodless653 same

[@austinkonkol2472]

You didn't mention the extra dungeon in the Hero's Cave you get when you link! That's a big deal, and it's quite hard. Also, the reason Ages has so many color themed puzzles is because if I recall correctly Color was originally supposed to be the Wisdom Oracle game's main mechanic, and the Time elements were adopted from the third Courage Oracle game.

[@joustvaldez]

Also you get to face Ganon at the end if you link, and if you play seasons first you get a section with zelda in ages. The best way to play is Seasons 1st because the end game is in ages. If you start with ages you have to go back and do ages again

[@jesusramirezromo2037]

@@joustvaldez There is no order The second game will have the extra content if you put in the code that the first game you beat gives you

[@penprp]

@David Jameson If you play Seasons first, you don't get quite the same emotional payoff on the story of Ambi and the Sea Captain, but that's about the only issue, and it's pretty minor.

[@jeremyabbott4537]

@@penprp yeah but if you play Ages first you'll never fill in that last overworld map square and that's far worse.

[@latt.qcd9221]

@@jesusramirezromo2037 There's "sort of" an order. You can fight Ganon in any order, but you get a very slightly different ending cutscene and artwork depending on which you beat last. But, again, very minor stuff.

[@AyoSoma]

What's cool is if you actually push the block towards the direction of impa at the start of the game, she moves away from it showing it was there to ward her away

[@Galamoth06]

I'm surprised you didn't mention the other major benefit of linking games: the secret passcodes. Both games have npcs that, when linked, give you a passcode you need to take to a corresponding npc in the other game. Telling them the passcode gives you one of several really cool rewards like the Biggoron's sword, Bombchus, the mirror shield, and even the Master Sword. That npc will give you another passcode to unlock the reward in the other game. Also, upon completing both games linked you're given the Hero's Secret, which can be used to start a new file in the game you just finished without the plot-changes of a linked game, but you start with 4 heart containers and can transfer in your ring collection. This way you can experience both of the linked games, either OoA- OoS/OoS- OoA, or OoS- OoA/OoA- OoS. Not confusing at all lol.

[@seanmcbay]

They’re mostly small changes but there’s a ton of them if the games are linked. Different things happen depending on which is first too.

[@DanielisAwesome52]

I wish I had Sesaons and had done the linking as a kid. I recently did it on the Switch and the thrill of getting mini quests in the beaten game and then early upgrades in the new game would have sent child me to the moon

[@kenthuang436]

Scent seeds are extremely useful for killing enemies that you need to kill in order to exit some rooms but a barrier prevents you from using your sword. I forget which dungeon this is in but the one room where you find Moldorms will cause them to make themselves fall into the pit.

[@yoshibrothers9982]

I was listening to this on my way back from break at work. When I got into the elevator Jon said "Just take my MEAT, Tokay!" and the video buffered. I burst out laughing all the way up to my floor. Made my day.

[@Rukalin]

I love the rotating doors, I always thought they're a pretty flexible and clever dungeon-design tool

[@Stevenwinrar]

ages and seasons are always my op zelda games. The world building was so genuine and great, the stories felt so similar yet different. it was like two alternate timelines, intertwined.

[@glowingcrowns1692]

I played both these games the summer of 2001. I was a Zelda fanatic around this time. After playing oot and majoras mask I remember waiting for these to drop too These games were game boy colors swan song. What was crazy was I bought ages and never played seasons a year later I found out you could play seasons on an ages cart. It was crazy

[@id-f8679]

uhhh no I dont think you can do that. You confused linking the games with passwords to playing them on the same cart I guess

[@Gondorf5]

Great video, and I learned a few new trivia facts along the way. I will say Mystery Seeds can be somewhat fun to play around with, since they are most like the Magic Powder from LA. They also do random Seed effects when used on foes, such as setting them on fire or whisking them away. A little niche, but a fun substitute to the basic “ammo seed.”

[@EvilApple567]

My favorite 2D Zelda, and I think what makes its gimmick work so well is the scale of it. As you said, most characters aren't alive between ages, and that's because the periods are 400 years apart. Compared to OoT's time mechanic it's basically not even the same idea. The difference in the world arises from mostly natural occurrences (such as erosion) outside of the Black Tower as opposed to OoT and LttP where the changes mostly come directly from the antagonist. This might be a remnant from playing it as a child, but a lot of aspects of this game still kind of make me uneasy, in an intriguing way. The cutscene when you can't warp between ages used to really freak me out as a kid for some reason, but also a lot of areas like the Sea of No Return, Ancient Tomb, and Black Tower (especially the turret) I just find either disturbingly secluded and forgotten or flat out creepy.

[@cube2fox]

Ages was definitely the darker game of the two. Seasons was more funny with those hilarious skeleton pirates.

[@tobilemoine9604]

Ages was my first Zelda game, this defined my whole understanding of the series, for me Nayru is that singer oracle lady before the Goddess of Creation thing haha Also damn was the third dungeon boss hard to beat.

[@brettbrett678]

Honestly i always tell everyone that the Oracle games are my favorite games after Majora's Mask amd even now Tears of the Kingdom. Also there is one big difference between playing Ages first and continuing the story into Seasons over playing Seasons first and continuing with Ages. The big difference is that if you play Ages first you get the ending of the side story between Queen Ambi amd her lost love.

[@autumnmaru]

These are my favourite two 2D zelda titles I got so excited to see you cover this Jon thank you. If we ever get a remake I want the third oracle as well.

[@bryce5075]

The ideas they had developed for it by the time it was cancelled ended up getting used, mostly in Ages. So if they were to do this, it would be just creating an entire new game rather than really reviving ideas that never got to be completed. It was pretty early on that the third was cancelled

[@timbauer6716]

Veran actually transforms into a beetle, not a turtle. That would make more sence since all animals she transform into are arthropods.

[@getshwifty3101]

I remember when I was 10-11, I was talking with a friend about LttP. And I was like "Yea, I loved getting to talk to the Deku Tree when it was both young and old." And that was the day I found out That OoA and LttP were completely different games lmao

[@exzisd]

Jon please make videos on all the Zeldas like this. Every docu style video you do is gold.

[@ponyote]

I have many fond memories of the Oracle games. Thanks for giving them some love.

[@IceQueen975]

The Oracle duo is one of my fave Zelda games, and I've played (and beaten) almost all of them! I'm so sad it's not only slept on, but so few have actually played it or are aware they exist!

[@mauricesteel4995]

the most recent example of 2 different games being launched simultaneously by Nintendo we got was Fire Emblem Fates, Birthright and Conquest. including the major villain plot twist.

[@honoratushidde]

I love this game. Definitely more than Oracle of Seasons, the puzzles just felt more fun to me. Ralph, Nayru, Maple, Moosh, Ricky and Dimitri were such cool characters and I wish we could see them again

[@nestrior7733]

I originally got Seasons first, but got stuck when I couldn't figure out how to get the Shovel until I found part of a guide by pure chance. It's not very obvious that you can jump down the chimney from the snow, you'll know when you reach that part. Wished for Ages that I already knew for a good portion thanks to a friend for Christmas and was Very Happy. I finished it before Seasons. Now for the unique portion of this comment! (Couldn't resist) I adore Oracle of Ages with its more puzzle focused approach. In some Dungeons, you are even able to skip a key just by optimizing your path a bit. That's a bit more difficult in Seasons, for the simple reason that they are much more straightforward in the end, except Dungeons 5 and 8. More on THOSE in the Seasons comment. But Level 5 and 8 are special in their own ways in Ages too. 5 is the first Goron Dungeon and has the block puzzle boss I always forget the name of. The quest leading up to it is actually our introduction to that whole "the Past influences the Present" much more clearly and with much more direct effect. Level 4 (the balance town) does too, but it's far simpler in effect than the Gorons greatly expanding their network. There you can actually tell that 400 years have passed! Level 8 then is the perfect culmination of everything, using every Item you have acquired in your playthrough until then. Except for the Boomerang, that one's optional in Ages and only accessible after Level 6. All in all I could probably entire articles about the dungeons and their quests in Ages. Just because they are much of a challenge in and of themselves.

[@utkangezer]

I played both when I was a ~10yo kid, but in parallel. I guess it was less frustrating to play them that way: when you're stuck at some point, I could switch to the other game until a new idea comes by to overcome the frustrating bit. It did cost me a linked playthrough. I didn't know that they could be linked anyway, I was just a kid and would play games "organically" with absolutely 0 research back then. I'm not at all upset about that, either: My point above still stands, I'd recommend any new player to just play them in parallel. It's really more fun that way!

[@thierrys85]

These games are so, SO good! Just marvellous, grand, glorious, full-scale Zelda adventures.

[@psychedelicartistry]

Tokay: "EW....PEE-YEW!" Me: I thought he did a good job.

[@BobbyReborn]

I ran a Qualtrics survey checking my hypothesis that the game the person started with would be the one they preferred / had bias for. But , more people who started with Seasons liked Ages. Therefore, Ages is the better game! Great vid

[@DanielisAwesome52]

The Mystery Seed hint was like a sleeper agent programming for me. back when these came out I only ever got to Crescent island and never got off it as a child, so I replayed the game a lot. When i replayed it recently with the Switch release I got to that boss and remembered the several times I got through the woods in the past and the palace where Veran is demanding Mystery Seeds from Ambi. There's a quick part in the scene where Nayru/Veran mumbles to herself about now that she has the seeds she's unstoppable. It just clicked for me that what she meant was that if noone else had the seeds (as if you'd given her them all) they couldn't hurt her. Also the Goron Shooting Gallery kind of confirms that Scent Seeds are meant as Ammo, thats what they set your shooter to and give you 99 of for the minigame

[@Maroxad]

The split was mostly necessary. Both for pacing purposes as well as power creep purposes. Zeldas especially aroudn this era had a large sense of progression. Splitting the game in 2, rather trhan having one large game with meant they could not only keep power creep back, but also don't need to balance the abilities of one game around the abilites of the other.

[@shadowdeku6926]

Seasons and Ages have always been my favorite 2D Zelda games, and are only behind Majora's Mask and Breath of the Wild in my series ranking. Glad to see them get some love.

[@DREAMSQU33ZE]

This game has a gorgeous soundtrack

[@jasonlaney7047]

Dude the music in dancing dragon dungeon, or the pirates theme... still my favorites of a lot of songs. Besides, I always always one of the ones who consider that these two games are some of the best in the whole series. Especially in the 2d Era of zelda.

[@MrGonz801]

Linking the games actually gives you post game content in the first game you decided to finish. You get extra side quests that gove you extra rings and specific items in whichever game you decide to play 2nd

[@Reymdusk]

Both the Oracle games were my first full-blown Zelda experience. The dungeon puzzles were fantastic and there was quite a lot to do for a GBC game. I was very surprised when I found out that both games were unique gameplays, unlike Pokemon Gen 1 and Gen 2 at the time. I remember having so much difficulty on the bosses in Seasons, but then again I was a kid. I used to get a paper and write down all the passwords that were created as well. It was neat that you got rewarded extra Items and sidequests for getting the other game. I managed to beat Ganon on both games as well. These two games are underrated imo, and I feel that more people should get a chance to explore it. They really need to remake these.

[@TaliesinMyrddin]

Still my favourite Zelda game and still wishing I'd see more games like this. I wanted a Pokemon Diamond remake to be this for SO long - explore the same Pokemon region in two different time periods, and your actions in the past version change the landscape and pokemon available in the other. As games gets more graphically impressive, they get less likely to do the "two versions of the same world" concept, and beyond this, Chrono Trigger and Timespinner it's hard to find any games, especially modern, that so perfectly pull off what's actually fun about time travel.

[@LITTLE1994]

It is indeed the most underrated Zelda game.

[@Hellraiser777Edward]

I remember my mom bought me this game when I was 8 years old and as an 8 year old the dungeons and puzzles were so difficult. I felt like Einstein when I would finally solve them. This game is so underrated, I never found anyone throughout my school years that played this game or even knew it existed 😢

[@randomjohn6831]

The first video game I ever played was Oracle of seasons when I was around three or four years old, and it is still my favorite Zelda game to this day

[@markbasilejr9808]

I had an enormous amount of fun playing both games in the oracle series. I replayed both multiple times, they 100% deserve the attention.

[@magetsalive5162]

I always felt the "right" way to play the Oracles games was either Ages or Seasons first, password-continuing to the opposite version (bringing over your rings), then starting with the Hero Clear password on that one and password continuing to the one you started with. I realize this is time-intensive. I still think that's how it should be done, since you get the vanilla and linked storylines for both games. Plus, I *think* (though am not 100% certain) that this lets you slowly build up your ring collection by grabbing a new Ring Secret each time you clear a playthrough.

[@GalekC]

i love oracle of seasons' look & soundtrack better over all, but the vibes & villages/places of oracle of ages are a whole dang mood

[@kebm1388]

Try "The Frog for Whom the Bell Tolls" for Game Boy, it was made by a lot of the same people that worked on Link's Awakening, and the Oracle games I'm pretty sure still use the same engine. A lot of sound effects, graphics, and characters for GB Zeldas originate from that game. It's a cute and charming little RPG with simple but fun mechanics, the story is great.

[@cube2fox]

He already made a video about that game.

[@nothinghere8434]

I coincidentially finished this game just a few days ago and I agree with everything. I found getting to the final dungeon particularly interesting. I found out before there was a special area in the past of the graveyard that I mysteriously couldn't timetravel to because of an unknown force. Finally getting there with even the Maku Tree not knowing where the last Essence is, going through multiple small setpieces resolving mysteries that had been teasing me the entire game, and finding new, dangerous enemies there, felt like I entered some shut-off, forbidden, interdimensional monster terretory, which was a strange new kind of horror theme I never experienced before. I need to look it up, but I don't think the unknown force preventing you from timetravelling in this area was ever explained. It just is.

[@StaceyUK]

I love GVG’s look back at older games, especially games I never got to play.

[@BrigetAstila]

I once got softlocked in one of the early dungeons in oracle of ages. Two key doors, only one key I could use. Turns out, I picked the wrong door, since one of them didn't have a key in it.

[@tedsowards]

I love the energy and excitement in your voice

[@GitraSilvermane]

Honestly, Oracle of Ages is my 2nd favorite Zelda behind Link to the Past. With Oracles of Seasons being 3rd and Minish Cap 4th. What can I say? The Capcom games were amazing.

[@Lazlopressplay]

Ive always said they were three different games cause linking them makes another story

[@Luigi1000]

I'm gonna have to disagree with the music. Sure not all of the tracks in both games land perfectly, but they all do sound good and sell the atmosphere of where they are set for. Given how much space they had for music, the short loops do work for songs. It only really gets grating if you happen to get stuck due to skipping past important dialogue and not knowing what to due as a result.

[@mattterrell4304]

These are gems that no one ever talks about. Thank you

[@corrinflakes9659]

A tree got more action than Ruta.

[@0ctopusComp1etely]

Ages was my first Legend of Zelda game when I was like, 9, and it forever ingrained a love of all things Block-Puzzle into every fiber of my being. While there's a very small number of things that Seasons had which I liked better than Ages (Seasons having the Roc's Cape and Subrosia are big points in its favor), I still think Ages is my favorite between the two, and an easy contender for one of my favorites in the whole series.

[@viwalls]

Of course are influential. For me, both Oracles and Link's Awakening are the best games in the franchise, the Zelda legacy in GB/GBC. I don't mean the rest are not good games, they are awesome, but the true essence of Zelda it's inside of those titles (with a touch of Capcom). Both Oracles are extremely bonded with my childhood and I'm still playing around them not only pushed by nostalgia, which is important to mention. You don't have idea how much fun I have playing Oracles Randomizer. GB Zelda titles work awesome with randomizer, it's so much fun and the replay value almost infinite.

[@AbruptAvalanche]

Thanks for giving these games the individual attention they deserve. Like you said, they're too often lumped together as if they were like a Pokemon dual release.

[@pichonPoP]

I used to play those game back in 2001 along with a friend. We never end the 2 games, cause oracle of ages always was the most difficult to end. Furthermore, those games are incredible, theirs OSTs are awesome hahaha.

[@FindTheFun]

The Oracle games really do exist in that perfect in-between state of old school and new school Zelda games.

[@darkisatari]

Tip for the Tokay meat game: use the Toss Ring (throwing power ↑) to make it much more manageable. You won’t have to walk left and right to reach them

[@Villain_Killin_Dylan]

I like the seperation of city zora and river zora

[@XellosNi]

I think the Oracle games are more like "What if Sonic 3 & Sonic & Knuckles were meant to be two different games from the start? (And were way more distinct from each other because of it) Except there was originally going to be a third game with Farore for its Oracle, so...

[@quag311]

14:45 was my biggest rage moment in the game and perhaps the entire series.

[@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!

[@keatsiannightingale]

I've watched both videos (great idea, by the way!) after hearing that Nintendo finally put them on nso! I wasn't sure which to choose and, although I'm still a bit unsure, I think I'll opt for seasons, only because I want to experience the seasons gimmick, it seems pretty cool to me and it's unlikely that I'll be playing both of them. I will definitely be using a guide sometimes, as I did for A link to the Past, which I really enjoyed.

[@sammylane21]

The man! The myth! The adorable legend...Tingle!

[@Widgerber]

It should be mentioned that both games are available on the 3ds eshop for just a few dollars each.

[@DexysTakumi]

Pet peeve of mine when both Oracles are put in the exact same spot. Also how when people have to talk about the games they only talk about Seasons and imply that Ages is similar. Oracle of Ages is one of my favorite zeldas, probably top 3, and i don't like Seasons that much, i guess you could say i prefer puzzles to combat

[@phishinround420]

I loved these two games! The best was completing both and getting stuff like the biggoron sword. Genuinely enjoyed these gems.

[@Jamsch101]

Great video, Jon And happy holidays!

[@KSeigY]

These were my first Zelda games (aside from playing bits of Ocarina at my cousin's house once or twice), but I preferred Ages over Seasons if only because it took me...well, ages...to get to the point of getting the shovel in Seasons (and was thus locked from progressing pretty early on in the game). Despite that snafu, I appreciate (in hindsight) the lack of handholding as it made beating the game's that much more satisfying for me, as almost nothing was too obscure to figure out, even as a child. The shared/oinked codes were a pain to note down and input, but you got some neat buffs and what felt like ~10-20% more story by playing the linked game. (it wasn't nearly that much, but it was enough to keep things fresh if you had played through the base game already...and having both games, I think I might've played both base games before doing either one linked).

[@TomAcrossAmerica]

the oracles were the some of the very first games i ever lpayed on the gbc, i owned seasons for like a year before i found a friend to trade with for ages, so i could actually finish the game. only to find out that seasons is supposed to be the second of the games. i remember them being pretty tough games, i extremely loved the trading quest, it was so obscure so when you finished it, it felt amazing. tried to replay them as an adult but they feel so slow. also the subrosan rhythym game.....

[@CP-pz9vw]

19:55 Hold up, you could use the wand to make blocks and the use the blocks to scout so you don't fall down? I never thought on that.

[@anzawilldie4379]

I remember it took me hours, days even (ages? ) to figure how to burst tingle's red balloon! Feather jump and slash in mid air.... I really sucked at games as a kid.

[@Garchomp47]

Link from oracles is completely different link. He doesn't recognize Zelda when he sees her

[@xfffg1496]

Outside the Gorons dance, it's a great Zelda. Maybe my favorite 2D one.

[@LuffyMcDuck]

It was very influental to me: Ages was the first Zelda I completed and since then I've played trough every mainline and spin-off Zelda game.

[@catriamflockentanz]

7:32 Ages' Maku Tree is my favorite counter if people claim that Ruto is the worst possible match Link was ever subjected to. Though they are similar. Link saves them in their childhood, vanishes for years (because he timetravels to the future) and they simp for him after that. And yes, female simps exist. Hyrule Warriors is all about that exact problem... That flipping woman split herself into two to spend even more time with Link. -And almost destroyed the concept of time-space in the process.- 27:56 To be fair: The Concept of two unique games that connect was done again not too long ago. It is called Fire Emblem Fates.

[@kingofthegrill]

Oracle of Ages was my first LoZ game and I've been hooked ever since. You ask me, characters like Hazel, Moosh and Queen Ambi are mainline Zelda characters who just get done dirty

[@the1stMoyatia]

I'm still anticipating on the time that the Oracle series gets a modern remake. If it was announced on Nintendo Direct, I would be stoked.

[@chaosprime1629]

i felt like i got a lot more mileage out of the oracle games than most of the 3d entries. although rng from the collectathons and the rail roaded nature of both entries are my biggest complaints, they do have some of the best overworld gimmicks and dungeons in the series. yes i do think jabu jabu's belly is the best dungeon because of how it challenges the player's spatial awareness while the shield and sword maze in seasons delivers on room variety while the action involves intense platforming followed by a puzzle box section that is like a mini eagle's tower.

[@Spoonky92]

The goron dance always stopped my playthrough as a kid.

[@cube2fox]

It was way too hard. They didn't do proper play testing. :(

[@StrangeDad]

Nice touch giving each game its own video, mirroring the duality of the games. I've watched both and now, of course, I'm eager to play these games. Problem is my backlog is a cruel joke that I rather not think about...

[@Boo-gt8gg]

even reviews are getting duel releases now

[@XLatMaths]

Dueling*

[@jpphilosopher]

Season and Ages are in my top 10 favorite zelda games! I love the team that made them and Minish Cap! I wish they didn’t close down and kept making zelda games! The OOT and MM are the best universes/timelines!

[@cesareangeli6653]

Oracles of Ages was my first GBC game. Way too difficult for an eight year old. But still in my heart.

[@CoffeeBrainzz]

I was indeed The LORD of the Rings!!!! 🧙‍♂️💍

[@esta_rodah4716]

The only LOZ’s i havent played are the two oracles and windwaker and ik we wont get another windwaker but i would love to see these two games remade honestly

[@the_maverickk]

The reason they get put together in lists is because in order to get the entire story you need to play through both in succession. Even though each on it's own is it's "own game" because they connect to each other they feels like two halve of one game. Which if you view it logically that would mean that it's the only Zelda title to have 16+ dungeons and two overworlds, with a really deep story between the two. So you all should be placing them higher!

[@FindTheFun]

You can trade Rings between Ages and Seasons like Pokemon I'm pretty sure. And there's some other minor changes and new items like the Master Sword you mentioned. It was less about playing both versions and more about you playing it with a friend or sibling.

[@shamuspatrick8473]

Oracle of ages was my first game and that’s probably why it’s my favorite. Hope we get to see it in the switch!