One returningThe Legend of Zeldafan recently shared a little-known gameplay trick that helps improve survivability in bothOracle of SeasonsandOracle of Agesby providing players with a reliable way of replenishing their heart containers for free. While neither title is known for havingparticularly difficult bosses relative to otherZeldagames, this newly rediscovered tip could potentially make them more accessible to audiences with modern sensibilities who are not used to turn-of-the-century gameplay design.
Oracle of SeasonsandOracle of Ageswere the first twoZeldagames from Flagship, a long-defunct Japanese developer funded by Nintendo, Capcom, and Sega. They were released simultaneously for the Game Boy Color in 2001 and are playable in either order. The gameplay inOracle of Agesprimarily revolves around environmental puzzles, whereasOracle of Seasonsdelivers a more combat-focused experience. BothOraclegames were ported to the 3DS Virtual Consoleback in 2013.
RELATED:Incredible Zelda: Breath of the Wild LEGO Set Under Consideration
WhileOracle of SeasonsandOracle of Agesenjoyed overwhelmingly favorable reviews and were played by millions within weeks of releasing, some of their mechanics still manage to elude most fans to this date, in trueZeldafashion. One such secret that was recently rediscovered by Reddit user Dubiono is that it’s possible to restore empty heart containers for free by sleeping in a bed. Triggering the scripted sleeping sequence requires walking into an upper part of an empty bed (above the blanked fold) for several seconds, which makes this secret extremely difficult to discover on accident.
Skyward Swordwould go on to reuse this exact same mechanic 10 years later.Breath of the Wildalso featured sleeping as a way to replenish hearts, but that particularThe Legend of Zeldagame was much more upfront about this functionality, which was highlighted throughout multiple tutorials and locations. Either way, fans looking to put this knowledge to immediate use have until March 27 to purchase the Virtual Console versions ofOracle of Seasonsand/orOracle of Ages, as that’s the date whenNintendo is shutting down all 3DS eShop functionality.
That said, there have been numerous reports that theOraclegames are being remade for the Switch. Nintendo has yet to announce anything of substance on that front, but according to earlier insider accounts, the company might be looking to release both remakes before the end of the year. Gameplay-wise, the titles are expected to be similar to theLink’s Awakeningremake which Nintendo put out in 2019.
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of SeasonsandOracle of Ageswere released for the Game Boy Color.
MORE:Now is the Perfect Time to Bring Back The Legend of Zelda’s Oracle Duology
