Nintendo Switch Online Library Adds Two Classic Zelda Games

Summary

Two Game Boy titles from The Legend of Zelda series, Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons, are now available on the Nintendo Switch Online service.
The Oracle games have different stories depending on which one is played, with unique features and true endings unlocked through the "Linked Game" feature.
Players can access the Linked Game feature with save files from both games.

Two Game Boy titles from The Legend of Zelda series, Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons, are available now on the Nintendo Switch Online service. The two portable Zelda games were developed by a Capcom subsidiary called Flagship and released on the Game Boy Color in 2001. The Oracle games arrived nearly a decade after the release of Link's Awakening, the first Game Boy game in the Zelda series.

The story for the Oracle games will differ greatly depending on which one is played. Link is teleported at the behest of the Triforce to Labrynna in Oracle of Ages, and to Holodrum in Oracle of Seasons. Oracle of Ages had Link travel through different time periods to stop the sorceress Veran, and Oracle of Seasons saw the Hero of Hyrule take control of the elements in his fight against General Onox. However, both of the Oracle games used a unique "Linked Game" feature that unlocked some extra features and the true endings for both games. On the Game Boy Color, the Linked Game feature could be accessed via specific passwords or by physically linking the two Oracle games together via a Game Boy Link Cable. Both Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons were available on the 3DS, but the two games were rendered unavailable for purchase with the shutdown of the 3DS eShop.

Now, with the arrival of these Zelda games on the Switch, that is no longer a factor. Nintendo Switch Online subscribers can play Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons by updating the Game Boy app to version 1.3.0. In addition, the Linked Game feature can be accessed in both Oracle games, as long as players have a save file from each game. While Oracle of Ages is considered one of the more difficult Zelda games, O racle of Seasons is a comparatively easier experience.

Remakes of Oracles of Ages and Oracle of Seasons continue to be popular wishlist items for Zelda fans. Now that both games are on the Nintendo Switch Online service, it may put a damper on some rumors. However, given the success of 2019's remake of Link's Awakening, it remains to be seen if Nintendo will decide to remake the Oracle games similarly.

Though these popular Zelda games have been available for over two decades, that has not stopped Zelda fans from finding new tricks in the Oracle games. With more players giving Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons a try, only time will tell if any new tricks will be uncovered.