Oracle of Ages

The Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons, were both released on May 14, 2001. There are many firsts associated with the games: first -and last- Zelda games exclusively for Game Boy Color, the first time two Zelda games were released on a single day, the first time a (real) Zelda game was developed outside of Nintendo (by Capcom), and the first time two Zelda games (or indeed any two games) interact so closely.

The two games are kind of like different versions of the same game. Both begin the same way and both have similar characters, but they take place in different worlds and have different stories. The two games interact via the Link System. This system uses passwords and the Game Boy link to allow the two games to share rings, power up items, and more.

One day, as Link is riding his horse, he feels a strange force drawing him to Hyrule castle. Within the castle he finds the Triforce resting, glittering brilliantly as it awaits him. Suddenly, Link is enveloped in a shaft of light, and Hyrule fades away into darkness. Link hears the Triforce say, "Accept our quest, hero!" and as Link accepts, he is taken to another world. The Triforce symbol appears on his left hand to signify that he is a hero that will save the world.

In Oracle of Ages, Link awakes in the land of Labrynna. He helps Impa find a beautiful singer named Nayru. Suddenly, Veran, Sorceress of Shadows, departs from Impa's body and reveals herself. She inhabits Nayru, who is really the Oracle of Ages in disguise, and controls her actions. Using Nayru's power, Veran travels into the past, causing havoc in the present. Veran plans to gather power from Labrynna's sorrows to begin her age of shadows. With the help of Nayru's hasty friend Ralph, Link must use the Harp of Ages to travel back and forth between ages, gather eight Essences of Time, and rescue Nayru from Veran's control.