The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages

"Let's go back to the future..."

Time. It's such a strange and confusing concept isn't it? How many of you have ever actually stopped and thought out the progression of your life? Have you ever slowed down your schedule long enough to truly appreciate the world around you? And if you could ever redo any part of your life and start afresh, would you? And if you did, how would affect your future? All of these questions are just a handful of many, swirled into a mixture of theory and belief. But for the average person, such questions are just too much of a hassle to even conceive objectively. Thankfully, Nintendo has made things a little easier with Oracle of Ages, one of the last Gameboy Color installments of the Legend of Zelda series. And although time travel is nothing new to many Zelda fans out there, this game is still a fresh experience.

After the great successes of Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, one had to wonder just how a two-dimensional Zelda game would hold out. Since Link to the Past was considered one of the finest in the game series, would these new Gameboy games be able to hold their own against such standards? Hoping to come up with something fresh yet retaining that old school feel, Nintendo teamed up with Capcom to come up with a two new Legend Zelda games for the handheld system. Unlike many of Nintendo's previous marketing schemes, both Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages were each distinct games, not mere versions of the other.

As we gaze upon the Hero of Time again, we find that he's somehow wandered into the realm of Labrynna. He finds a mysterious woman named Impa, who is searching for Nayru, the most popular singer in the region. Once the pair finds the beautiful maiden, they are invited to a little impromptu jam session. But as this fantasy diva sang her wonderful songs, Impa goes berserk! Her vary shadow jumps away from her body and attacks Nayru, stunning Link and the audience in the process. But when the dust clears and the screaming stops, it's pretty evident that whatever attacked Nayru has also possessed her. It's bad enough that such a great singer was taken over by a demonic presence. The really bad part is that Nayru is actually the Oracle of Ages, a wise and powerful being that controlled the very flow of time! And as the Oracle's body disappeared into the fabric of time, all sorts of strange events are occurring across the land. It's up to Link to figure out how to save the Oracle of Ages and stop the evil menace from destroying Labrynna.

There's just one tiny little problem though: How are you supposed to combat an evil that can travel through time at will? Taking a page out of the Ocarina of Time gameplay setup, Link will be able to travel through time as well. But instead of that trusty flute, Link gets to play the Harp of Ages, a fashionable handheld string instrument. Using its various tunes and melodies, Link can strum a few chords and travel to a past age in Labrynna and use Time Portals, to traverse the rugged landscape. Say that you're stuck in a certain area, forced to deal with some obstacle or land restrictions. All you have to do is play a brief tune on the harp, and you'll be whisked off your feet and into the past, where everything and everyone is different. Certain walls and holes are gone, certain buildings and people still exist, and certain events will transpire that are directly caused by your time traveling. It's up to you to continually travel back and forth through the time periods to piece together the mystery of the Oracle of Ages.

Every element of the Zelda standard gaming formula is presented and accounted for. You've got your hero, the impressive dungeons, occasionally tricky puzzles, countless enemies, and plenty of other little surprises just waiting to be found. Link starts off with a sword, but he'll accumulate plenty other items along his quest. There's the basic bombs and boomerang, along with Roc's Feather mixed in for good measure. However, there are plenty of new additions to this latest batch of games. Link can find dozens of little rings that can give him all sorts of powers, like extra defense or adds more power to your attack. While these rings may not sound like much, they make a pretty decent impact on how you play the game. If you're low on hearts, can you risk going into a dungeon without some kind of defense? Are you low on rupees? Why not find that one ring that could earn you cold hard cash? Besides the obvious advantages to having these little trinkets around, it'll make collectors obsessed with finding and catching ‘em all before the game is finished.

Nintendo and Capcom also threw us a few curves with this installment. On top of the usual item collecting, you also have to harvest tiny seeds in order to progress through the game. Apparently these little morsels have unique powers of their own, letting you light torches or teleporting from place to place. While these things grow in abundantly throughout Labrynna, they are of utmost necessity as you progress through the dungeons. A good majority of the dungeon puzzles implement the seeds nicely into the solutions, making you consider and reconsider every possible angle before figuring out how to get past the obstacle. But even though the seeds are meshed nicely with the gameplay, other aspects of the game weren't so fortunate. For some reason, the game designers decided to include three animals to help you on your journey. You've got a flying bear, a kangaroo, and a Dondongo waiting for your call. And while these animals are occasionally necessary to gain access to parts of the land, they still offer little to the story or the overall impact of the game.

But as you're flying through the centuries and decades of Labrynnian history, you might want to take note of your surroundings. Not only do the observations lead you to a better progression through the game, but it also allows you to appreciate just how beautiful the game is. Remember, you're running an operation that spans across two unique time periods of history. Each of these little stitches in time has their own looks and atmospheres independent of one another. They have contrasting musical backgrounds and that make for an excellent soundtrack. The world of the past is caked in red and brown colors, creating a distinct sense of old-fashioned quality. Since the most of the area is covered with an abundance of trees, there are only a few impressive buildings around. In the meantime, the world of the present is filled with bright and vibrant colors and bustling activity. It's that stark difference between the times that adds so much more to the presentation of the game.

And as the sun sets on the last Legend of Zelda games on the Gameboy Color, we can still wonder about the future of the Hero of Time. What will the next generation of game consoles and handhelds bring for one of Nintendo's greatest franchises? But if oracle of Ages is any indication, there's not much a risk for the continuing legacy of Link. Despite being overshadowed by the other more popular Zelda titles, Oracle of Ages can still stand alone with its solid gameplay and intriguing design. So while you're playing through your Four Swords or Link to the Past, don't forget to take a look at this overlooked gem in the Zelda series collection.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 09/09/04