Oracle Of Seasons/Ages Oracle of Seasons: The Spiritual Successor to the Original Legend of Zelda?

[Unlucky Monkey]

Let's head back to the beginning of the year for a few moments. Funny as I am, I created a Comment in the Wii U Miiverse with the following content: "Seems like the Oracle Games are finally heading to the 3DS Virtual Console". This was a lie. I was only interested in the comments of the other people. So people started answering my topic. Like "Finally, my dream come true" or "You have no proof, dude". And so on. Not long after my comment, Nintendo announced the Oracle Games for Japan and I turned from a simple Troll to a Prophet. Was it a coincidence? Maybe Nintendo has found my comment and thought I'm one of those annoying Insiders ;D

Let's get back to the here and now. Both Oracle Games are available now. I bought Seasons and Ages. Missed them 12 years ago, so, it's a complete new experience for me. I started with Seasons so I can't comment anything concerning Ages.

As you know, the project started with the intention to remake the original Legend of Zelda. There was even a concept created by Capcom's Yoshiki Okamoto. But Miyamoto told Capcom: No!
Maybe because with BS Zelda, there is already a Legend of Zelda Remake.

Playing Seasons for the first time, it reminds me on the original Zelda. Not only the references like the old man in a cave if you burn a bush. The location of the first Dungeon, the "Gnarled Root Dungeon", is similar to "The Eagle" from the original Zelda. The first boss is in both Dungeons the infamous Aquamentus. And you will fight Dodongo in the the second Dungeon.

But there is also the Gameplay, which is, personally, similar to the original Zelda. Yes, Seasons is modern and with a nice story, but, I feel the whole time, this game was intended as a Remake to the original Zelda. Also, the game is quite a challenge without a buddy who is telling you the way or every five minutes that your battery is low.

Am I the only one who feels this way? It's a shame I missed the Oracle Games back in 2001. I really like the back to basics style.

 

[ihateghirahim]

Well, its on an 8-nit system like the original, and LA was a big departure in terms of theme and location. It is similar on some levels, but really these similarities are simply similarities seen throughout the franchise, and I don't think it has that much of a resemblence to warrant special treatment.

 

[Ventus]

Yea Seasons is very much a spirit successor to Legend of Zelda; it even reuses quite a few bosses from LoZ. This does nothing to hurt it, though, as the locale and the items are pretty much all new.

Great game for the win. 10/10

 

[Unlucky Monkey]

@ihateghirahim

You're clearly not wrong here. But Capcom planned the Oracle Games as the Triforce Saga. So, we know the concept changed since it was not possible to Link three games via Passwords. The Triforce Saga (The Legend of Zelda: Mystical Seed of Power, Mystical Seed of Wisdom, and Mystical Seed of Courage) became Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages. All three games were made with a big focus on the classic Zelda for the NES. And I think, you can still feel the original intention of the Oracle Games. Maybe it's just me who thinks so, but it feels kind nostalgic playing Seasons.

@Ventus

Nice you're with me here. I thought I'm the only one with this point of view

 

[The Jade Fist]

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| off topic that picture scares me

On topic, It very much resembles the original, and honestly this is what I want to see more of.

I like the way the game is set up as a whole.

 

[A Link In Time]

It's no surprise that Oracle of Seasons is reminiscent of The Legend of Zelda because it began as a remake of the NES original for the Game Boy Color.

The members of our team weren't agreeing over the direction that game development should take. I thought that we should produce a new version of the first Zelda game (released for the NES in the U.S.) for Game Boy Color. Then, if it went well, we could move on to the next stage (making a more ambitious game). But, my people wanted to skip that first phase and create their own Zelda game from the beginning.

Games : Developer : Legend of Zelda, The: Oracle of Seasons