11.10.2011

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks follows on from the previous Zelda/DS incarnation, The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, which I'll happily go on record saying is easily the DS' finest hour and one of the most inventive Zelda games in the history of the series. In between the awesomeness, however, nestled many flaws that plagued the experience: The endless sailing required to travel from place to place, the short lifespan of the main adventure, the repetitive trawls through the Temple of the Ocean King after every couple of hours' gameplay, the lack of substantial sidequests; it was certainly a Zelda quest full of character and charm, but in terms of substance, it was unfortunately left wanting.Two years wiser, Nintendo stepped back from their palace of gold to take a good look at the series and propose a Zelda adventure that doesn't just retread old glories (like Twilight Princess did with Ocarina of Time; and Phantom Hourglass continued from Wind Waker) but instead proposes its own quirks and oddities. Sure, Zelda gets kidnapped as per usual and Hyrule is once again in peril of succumbing to evil forces, but not in usual way; yes, you've got the same old boomerang and the same old sword 'n' shield, but with some completely original weapons that make great use of the DS' innovative controls; and while the traditional Zelda dungeon mechanic is retrodden, the new features it weaves into it balance 'familiarity' and 'originality' with ease. So, Nintendo have gone against all tradition and listened to player's criticisms and troubles by attempting to 'fix' what many felt Phantom Hourglass lacked, while honing those features that it excelled at, right? Well, with a couple of exceptions, yes.Events take place around 100 years after Phantom Hourglass (and involving alternate descendants of Link and Tetra from Phantom Hourglass), where the land has dried up to reveal the ancient Spirit Tracks that allow the train system to thrive across Hyrule. In usual Zelda stylee, the Princess herself has gotten kidnapped by a guy who is too cool for just one hat in order to resurrect his Dark Master, Malladus. Link arrives as a young train engineer who, aided by the spirit of Princess Zelda herself, must travel across Hyrule with the ancient Spirit Train, reviving the Spirit Tracks to allow him to contact the remaining masters of the ancient Lokomos tribe which may help restore the Spirit Tower and recover Zelda's body from the clutches of Malladus. So far, so straightforward. Gameplay retains the essential Zelda spirit (pun definitely intended) so that those familiar with the series, or the vague 3D RPG/adventure genre should have no trouble getting to grips with the basic mechanic. Indeed, the controls are as simple to pick as ever, and the game is so confident in this regard that it largely dispenses with a tutorial for each new action or item acquired; letting the player get a feel for how it operates themselves without spoiling the fun of discovering its potential. The main story is more developed than its predecessor, and Tracks will last a good 20 hours of charming main storyline, excluding a nice dose of side-quests for those who're still hungry for more. For those hungry for more minigames, how about catching rabbits with a giant, train-mounted net? Or collecting stamps from every new town, village or dungeon you descend upon? Treasure-collection returns to allow upgrades to the train car, and there's also a heap of escort side-quests to transport various NPCs and items across Hyrule on the back of your train which further unlocks regions of Hyrule with new Spirit Tracks.In both looks and operation, Spirit Tracks resembles a slightly more refined Phantom Hourglass, and it's nice to see some familiar sights in the sequel: The appearance of Linebeck, the pirate captain; familiar tribes and locations, like the Anouki and the Gorons; a stained-glass depiction of Tetra in Hyrule Castle. The 'notebook' mechanic is even more integrated than in the original, where 'secret' maps can be memorised and complex combinations jotted down; making Hyrule, and its many temples and dungeons, just as much a joy to traverse as it ever was. To boot, the range of NPCs in Hyrule's vast green fields (and where Phantom Hourglass was all blue, Tracks is all very green) seems to reach ever-charming levels. The key new item in this game is, like the Ocarina of Time and Wind Waker that preceded it, musical; taking the form of the Spirit Pipes, which make full use of the DS' microphone for blowing as one would a set of pan pipes, while moving the pipes left and right with the touchscreen to change the pitch. Despite around six songs to 'collect' which can be operated in normal play (such as to 'reveal' an item hidden underground), the only other operations are to 'jam' with the Lokomos elders in order to revive the Spirit Tracks in a new zone; where you're forced to copy the rhythm and mimic the tune. The overall effect is a criminal underuse of a mechanic you'll only ever critically need a handful of times in order to finish the game. The other new items - the Sand Wand (where the temptation to rhyme 'wand' with 'sand' is inescapable), the Whirlwind and the Whip- all nestle among the familiar items without disturbance, but also instigate key puzzles revolving around their mastery. The mix of 'familiar' and 'unique' in such balance keeps it fresh for the Zelda veterans (though not since Majora's Mask, or perhaps the visual style of Wind Waker, has Link's adventure seemed so fresh) while still offering newbies the much-honed 'core' of the series that's kept it ahead of its competitors.The constant presence of multi-puzzle dungeons still permeates Hyrule, all filled with all kinds of nefarious traps and baddies that'll challenge both newcomers and veterans: Baddies that emit purple death clouds which you 'blow' away with the Whirlwind, traps requiring quick actions and fast item-changes, creepy giant hands that chase you when you're carried the Boss Key (somewhat resembling the Master Hand from Super Smash Bros., and no less disturbing). Just as you'd expect, Zelda's main hook of classy dungeon design is as visible as ever, and fighty-action-puzzle bits are numerous enough to keep you interested but not descend into grindy dungeon crawl too swiftly. Less, however, can be said for the bits in between: While there's no tedious sailing this time, tedious train-manouevring is in abundance. The innovative, but ultimately disarming, locomotive controls are difficult to get used to, and the lack of freedom to travel exactly where you want causes untold levels of frustration as you're forced on a linear route at an often crawl-like pace. While it's certainly nice to leave the boat at home on this outing, the change in transport can be just as troublesome, with the presence of monsters that unpredictably appear in your path and wipe out health instantly requiring either an attack with your train-mounted cannon or a sharp blast with the train's whistle to dispatch: You can never 'abandon' your game and let the train take you directly from A to B, since one slash from a nasty sends you right back to the station you departed from. Hence, you're forced to keep a watchful eye on your travel (making adjustments along the way) and constantly monitor Link's snail-like progress with a patience that soon dissipates once you get a few hours into the game.Similar to Navi from Ocarina of Time, it is Zelda herself that acts as your 'guide' in Spirit Tracks. Stripped of her physical form, she remains a spirit who accompanies you everywhere, taking on further roles in certain dungeons where she's able to occupy the empty suits of armour formerly under the control of Phantoms. It's a nice break from the familiar dungeon grind, since it's one that requires a totally new perspective, and also justifies the 'step up' in difficulty: Where Phantom Hourglass was mostly a breeze without a hitch, the last dungeon of Spirit Tracks caused me headaches for a good few hour.: Exceedingly frustrating, but ultimately vastly rewarding, the solution requires multiple talents with all of the items and skills acquired during the rest of the game (including Zelda's work herself, occupying different Phantom armours, each with different abilities) over puzzles stretching over multiple floors and requiring formidable planning in order to advance. Here, the strength of the Zelda series really shines through; the superb design making the game accessible to all, but challenging (although never to the point of 'throw the console across the room'-style frustration) for fans of the series.The DS controls still work like a charm and the honed 3D engine looks fantastic; Tracks is assuredly one of the best-looking games on the ageing handheld. The cel-shaded style inherited from Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass seemed renewed, somehow, as if the move from the submerged Hyrule has given the visuals increased vigour with a greater range in depths and hues of a terrestrial world. Likewise, the character design and models all look great, with the main pro-/antagonists looking delightfully unique (including the irrepressible henchman Staven, who's by far the best Zelda baddie of recent outings) and the vast array of NPCs taking on many shades of individuality and charm. The game's sound effects and music represent a high point for the series, with some of the game's main musical themes being fantastically catchy and seemingly immune to the effects of repetition, as they remain just as enjoyable in the last hour of the game as the first. Everything that previously had a sparkly sheen has been buffed further, so that the game typifies one that's essentially been honed continuously over it's twenty-odd year lifetime, and one that shows no sign of letting up in future instalments. The Legend of Zelda remains probably my most favourite game series that's still ongoing (after Final Fantasy lost me after it's tenth instalment and Monkey Island's sporadic activity fails to reproduce the glory of the first two games), and certainly Spirit Tracks does nothing to change that; if anything, re-affirming its relevance and bolstering it impact.For a game series that's on its fifteenth or so outing to still feel fresh and innovative, whilst defining the most integrated and polished title on a console that itself is five years old, is staggering. You'll never find a truly disappointing Zelda game; and while some may have obvious flaws, they're never ones that detract from the main game, or subtract enough from it to make it an unworthy title in the series. While Spirit Tracks still has a few niggling weaknesses, its glorious main game and the great swathes of improvement over its predecessor make it a decidedly essential title for anyone who's a contended owner of Nintendo's handheld. I still say that, overall, Phantom Hourglass is a better game, and definitely a better introduction to the Zelda mythos, but Spirit Tracks can certainly hold its own and further raises the bar that some competitors fail to reach. If you haven't yet, get Phantom Hourglass and revel in its glory. And when you've finished that, then Spirit Tracks will be waiting for you; a fine locomotive companion piece to a superlative ocean cruiser. [8]

2.2.2010

This is my first review, so here goes:There's few times when I finish a game and verbally say `wow'. Spirit Tracks is one of those games and I can honestly say it's the most fun I've had playing a Zelda game (or a DS game, for that matter). The game's presentation is pretty impressive and you'll find few games on the DS with as high production values.The control scheme is incredibly intuitive and it'll take mere minutes to understand the basic mechanics. If you've played Phantom Hourglass you'll feel right at home here. Link is entirely controlled via the stylus, while either shoulder button will activate your secondary weapon.Don't worry if you're left handed; Nintendo has you covered here.There are less main dungeons here than there are in previous games - 5 in fact. There's still a returnable dungeon like there is in Phantom Hourglass, but you're not required to visit previous floors, there's no time limit and utilizing the phantoms is actually part of the mechanics instead of avoiding them completely. However, having less dungeons isn't a problem at all because for what Spirit Tracks lacks in quantity it more than makes up in quality and passion. Spirit Tracks is a game that feels as if a lot of love and thought just went into. Often you might be left after solving a puzzle and end up thinking `How on earth did they think of that?' The boss fights are all impressive and utilize both the DS' screens and each one is more impressive than the last. The final boss fight sequence instantly became one of my favourite boss fights ever.There's also hours worth of side quests to do, which will give you access to extra sections of tracks, allow you do customize your train, upgrade your shield and sword and even change Link's clothes. If you just want the collect treasure then you're also free to do that - which is where the mini-games come in. Spirit Tracks has five mini-games, all of which are completely different from each other and incredibly fun. Each one act as a means to gain useful items, treasure or just to pass the time.The characters carry the same charm as they did in Phantom Hourglass and each town has its own unique qualities. There's no Linebeck like there was in Phantom Hourglass this time around though (who has arguably the best character in that game), but you do have Zelda tagging along with you instead. Spirit Tracks actually manages to make Zelda more than just a plot device and actually makes her into a fairly charming, likeable and entertaining character. She's also an integral part of the gameplay too.The music - especially the overworld music (which you'll be hearing a lot) is incredibly well done. There's even the added touch of the train sounds actually syncing up with the music. If I had a top list of game themes, Spirit Track's overworld theme would pretty high on the list. It's incredibly catchy, gets you in the mood and you'll probably be whistling or humming along to it as you play. There's a few other songs in the game that stand out as well, such as the Goron Shooting Range theme.Graphically, you're not really going to get any better on the DS. Spirit Track is a pretty gorgeous game considering it's on the DS and the only games that springs to mind with comparable graphics would be its predecessor and Avalon Code. This is a perfect example of why a stylised art and graphical direction are much better than trying to look realistic.There are a few minor problems though, but they might only be a problem to the completionist. When you start a game, certain items from the treasure pool will become rare and incredibly hard for you to come by - probably to promote the trade system. This is a problem when collecting train parts since they all require a certain amount of treasure to purchase. There are workarounds to counter this, but they're still fairly time consuming. The rabbit catching fetch-quest can also a bit long and tedious, but not something to worry about unless you really want to go for a 100% save game or want your sword to shoot beams. There are also sections of slowdown while on the tracks when certain enemies appear in certain areas, though this isn't much of a problem.So overall, I personally find this game to be the best handheld Zelda game available. While Link's Awakening and the Oracle games were amazing for their time, Spirit Tracks just brings everything to an entirely new level while still managing to introduce some new themes without falling on its face.It's not your conventional Zelda game, and it's all the better because of it.

16.10.2013

After finishing The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3DS, I bought The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks and now, 48 hours later, I have done most of the side quests and defeated the final boss. I thoroughly enjoyed the game, and wish to tell you why I found it so much fun to play.First things first - this was released long before the 3DS, so there is no 3D effect, but that's okay because this game features the cartoon Link seen in the Wind Waker and its DS sequel Phantom Hourglass (or, to be accurate, a descendent of that Link). The perspective is mostly a nearside top-down 3D, apart from the sections featuring what may well be Hyrule's first ever passenger train (I haven't played all the games yet,having only recently rediscovered the LOZ games on my return from Xboxland).As in Ocarina of Time, Princess Zelda is not your standard helpless videogame princess. The story sees her become a spirit only Link can see when a traitor from the royal court steals her body so that an ancient demon can use the power of her lineage to re-enter the world. Now in spirit form she accompanies this time period's current Link incarnation on a quest to defeat the demon and restore the spirit tracks (mystic railway lines connecting the villages of the kingdom's forest, snow, ocean and fire lands), which have disappeared along with Zelda's body. Zelda can possess various types of metallic robot-like guards that inhabit dungeons and, using the stylus, players can guide her actions by drawing paths for her whilst also controlling the actions of Link. The stylus is an integral part of the control mechanism, controlling Link's movement, sword attacks and a whole host of familiar tools and gadgets (bombs, bow and arrows, boomerang, whip and magic wand). The dungeons are imaginative, full of puzzles to solve, and can take a long time to complete - so if you go into one, make sure you have the time to complete it.As dungeons are solved, more and more railway tracks become accessible, allowing Link and Zelda to visit many different villages with unique and interesting inhabitants. My favourite encounters in the game were with my old friends the Gorons, especially because their signature music from Ocarina of Time plays whenever you meet them. Riding the train is possibly as much fun as you could ever have on a videogame train - surely only the real thing is better - and you actually get a strange feeling, odd as it sounds, that you are actually a train driver as you control the speed, the points, the whistle and, believe it or not, a cannon! Various enemies will try to attack the train from time to time, so the cannon comes in very handy! Side quests often involve villagers wishing to travel to other places, and you have to keep them happy by obeying speed and whistle signs and preventing the train from getting hit by enemies, otherwise the villagers jump out and you are not rewarded.Music is always a big part of Zelda games, and the music in this game is really catchy; it sticks in your head and you may find yourself humming the "riding the train" theme whilst in the middle of a meeting at work, or in the school assembly! Interactive music is an even bigger part of Zelda games, and having a microphone in the DS / 3DS means that when you are required to play a tune on the "spirit pipes", you do so by blowing into the microphone and moving the pipes with the stylus.There are a large number of mini-games that will earn you heart containers or treasure items you can either sell for rupees or trade in for a wide range of customised train parts (visual only, these do not affect armour, speed, etc).The difficulty level can't be altered, but all boss encounters are learning experiences - if you fail the first time, you will usually make it on the second or third attempt, as you learn what attacks work and form a strategy. The end of game boss battle has so many stages that you are unlikely to do it first time, but when you do complete it, you feel a great sense of accomplishment.I don't think it's possible for Nintendo to ever make a less than perfect Zelda game, and am really glad I bought this. I may have finished the game, but I will return from time to time for a visit.

2.3.2010

When i bought Phantom hourglass, i had never played a Zelda game before- i only bought it because it looked good. I fell in love with it and to date is the only ds game that when i finished it, i played it again straight away. So when this was announced, i pre-ordered it without hesitation. I will admit, i am reviewing this after my second playthrough as i didn't complete it the first time round. I won't go into the story as there's plenty of other reviews that have done that already.There are many things i liked about this game- Zelda being a playable character was excellent, and felt that the phatom/link playing was clever. The puzzles are great (especially the block ones near the end of the game)and the characters and story are brilliant too (nice that it's a little darker this time), with a few familiar faces popping up. The train is a nice touch, the different stations are different and each have their own area to explore with many surprises. The cutscenes looks good, and i liked how the endind changed depending on what answer you give for the last question zelda asks. The boss fights are challenging and many times i turned the air blue! The controlls feel a little better, with a double tap replacing a small circle to perform a tumble toss. The new weapons are fun to use and make for some good puzzles too. The mini games are good fun and can earn you a lot of treasure which is very useful.There are a few things though which i didn't like about this game- i didn't get the same "wow" factor as i did when playing phantom hourglass, but that would be the same had i played the games the other way round. The train, although i like it, is way too slow! It takes forever to get to your destination and has considerable slowdown should more than two enemies attack you, which takes the enjoyment out of the game. I feel that these journey's were added to pad the game out as repeating the dungeons is now out. I feel that it's more difficult to get rupees and treasure, which means revisiting temples and dungeons just to top up, which isn't great if you're saving up for certain train parts. Another major complaint are the side quests- without the spirit tracks guide i wouldn't have known they existed. For example, you get a vase from the wise one at Papuchia Village, so where do you take it? Did you guess to visit steem in the snow realm? Or when you buy more cucoos in castle town you take them to rael in the sand realm? There is no reason to revisit them and the game gives no indication that they need something, which means that you will miss out on some treasure which is needed to get the golden train parts. Although multiplayer is available, it is only local wifi, so for those who don't know anyone else with this game (like me) will miss out.Overall, this is one of the best games available on the ds and it's one of the best i've played. It deserves the gold award from nintendo and shows that the zelda saga is going from strength to strength. It may seem that there are a lot of negatives, but the positives hugely outway them. I'd strongly recommend getting the spirit tracks guide as it shows many things which would otherwise be missed (i got the collector's edition with the map and love it, which i've also reviewed). An excellent buy.

16.1.2010

When a new Zelda game is announced you just know that something great is on the way. Spirit Tracks feels so familiar yet so new and refreshing at the same time. Every dungeon you visit requires you to find a weapon which you will use to progress through that dungeon before finally figuring out how to use it against the boss at the end! But it's the way you get there that's new, sure some of the classic weapons are back like the boomerang and bow and arrow but there are some new weapons which uses the DS's technology nicely. One of the early weapons you pick up requires you to blow into the microphone to use the weapon and then there is a pan flute which you play also by blowing into the microphone,little touches and attention to detail like this are the reason Zelda will always be loved by fans.The game plays so easily with no problems at all and the graphics really push the DS to its limit, everything looks so perfect and nicely polished off.Like all the other Zelda games the story follows Link (who you will name whatever you choose) who has just become and engineer working on the trains, this will become your method of transport throughout the game. Using the train to get around is a nice touch but like the sail boat in the Phantom Hourglass and The Wind Waker it gets boring fast, little things happen along your journey like being attacked or being forced to redirect but sometimes you just want to get to your destination quicker. Also along the way there are boulders which you can blow up (once you acquire the bombs early into the game) which hold items like replenishment hearts or rupees but some are hiding rabbits which will start a mini game to capture it with a net.The control for the train uses the stylist to change the speed and also change the track direction the way you are going, but tapping anywhere else will rotate the train which you can accidently do when trying to slow down the train.The puzzles along the way are great and fun to work out some might even take you some time to work out. The boss battles at the end of the temples are spectacular especially Cragma in the fire Realm which is a really enjoyable fight.In the Spirit temple Zelda can inhabit Phantom Guardians that patrol the levels after Link successfully attacks them. Once Zelda has possessed one of these, the player can direct the Guardian along a stylus-drawn path or to attack a creature, to carry Link safely across dangerous fields, or to simply follow Link. There are different Phantom Guardians which you will need to use for different puzzles.There are lots of side quests that you can take part in which normally includes Link to transport a passenger along the rails, and require the player to keep the passenger happy by following the signs along the side of the tracks, such as slowing down for tight turns or blowing the train's whistle, in order to successfully complete the mission. You don't have to do these but certain sub quests will open up new tracks, shortcuts and items which includes extra life hearts.The game is easier then the Phantom Hourglass so having a full health meter isn't necessarily needed but it is fun getting the most out of this game. The best handheld Zelda game since Link to the Past came out on the Gameboy.

13.4.2010

If Metacritic has thought us anything, it's that gaming journalists have a herding instinct. The last Zelda DS game was almost universally praised for it's brilliant controls and all of it's Zelda-on-the-go goodness. Then the wind changed. Now it's the done thing among critics to complain about back tracking and repetition across the Zelda series so this has dominated the reviews, opinion pieces and feature articles that I've read in the last year that discuss this game. Very odd, because Metroid-vania games are all about back tracking and most FPS games or God of War clones seem to be constructed out of kits in an ikea warehouse. And yet critics ignore this and hand out 5 star reviews to the most pedestrian trash.But I digress....My point: this little gem of a game has the miss fortune of being released at the height of a Zelda back lash in the press. So forget what the journalists are saying and just play the thing; it's brilliant!The development team have clearly learned from most of the short comings in the previous Zelda DS title (Phantom Hour Glass): the story is more engaging, riding the train works better then the boat system, a lot of the back tracking is optional and the treasure hunting is less onerous. There are some flaws: the vehicle up grades are as pointless as before and yet again you get access to the last dungeon when you've only seen 2/3 of the game world (meaning you suddenly have to go on a lot of side quests if you want to see everything - many of the quests are closed to you until the penultimate dungeon has been completed, so you really can't do them until the very end). Once the final boss is within my grasp I just want to beat it, but I know that it'll be a long time before I come back to the game once I've completed the story, so I find myself jumping through hoops in trading quest after trading quest which I would have enjoyed much more had they accrued earlier in the game. Also, the battle mini/multi player game is back and is as uninspiring as last time. Note to Nintendo: Zelda didn't need this for 20+ years, so what changed?So why still give it 5 stars? Because whilst not perfect, it really is a wonderful game and a must for DS owners. The puzzles are ingenious and the characters are full of charm. The pacing of the first 2/3's is spot on. The control is so intuitive that I have stopped noticing it, and the music is brilliant. It may not be as good as Ocarina of Time, but then what is? As it stands, this game is a special one and has reminded me of why I liked gaming in the first place: it's fun, it makes you think and it can capture your imagination.In short, if you are even slightly interested in this game then you really ought to get it. It's got that Zelda magic that has made the series one of the crown jewels of video games. If you have never played a Zelda game or an adventure game before then you are in for a treat you won't forget in a hurry.In fact, I am jealous of kids who get to play this as one of their first gaming experiences. They will have many happy memories, were all I have are dark recollections of 'Way of the Exploding Fist' and 'The Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles game'. Urk.There, I think that'll do.

2.1.2010

was a good Zelda game and it looked very different from any other Zelda game which came before it - Spirit Tracks continues that look and improves on it.Spirit Tracks makes fantastic use of cell-shading and 3D graphics, you can skip past the explanatory animated scenes which link various parts of the game but you won't want to, they really help to marry together the story and the actual gameplay.In Phantom Hourglass you got to sail a boat and fire a canon - here you get to drive a train and toot the whistle, it doesn't sound as exciting but it feels like a much more efficient way to get around the map and again it gets the full 3D treatment (you do eventually get to fire a canon though!).

26.11.2013

The 2nd Zelda release for the DS plays more like an extension rather than a sequel to the previous, Phantom Hourglass. Bits of gameplay have been tweaked rather than revamped, other elements removed (travel by train instead of vessel) but it still feels like you're playing the same game (controls are exactly like PH). The story follows Link and Zelda's quest to restore "Spirit Tracks", rail tracks used to keep a demon from being resurrected; and to rescue Zelda's body (Zelda is there in spirit you see) fro being used as the demons vassal. Makes sense so far...Now if you've been playing PH, you'll know these controls perfectly. Those new to Zelda, the DS offers a different experience in gameplay to the regular Zeldas.

31.12.2009

First off I love the Zelda games they are one of my favourite games so I may not be as critical as other people but I can tell you how this ranks compared to the Zelda games I have played in the past.Ocarina of time (N64)Links awakening DX (Gameboy colour)Wind waker (Cube)Twilight princess (wii)Phantom hourglass (DS)Unfortunately I missed Majoras mask which I really regret but may try to play in the future.I am not going to give away any spoilers so I can not go in to as much detail as I would like, the real fun in the Zelda games is discovering things out for yourself.A common statement that often comes up when reviewing any Zelda game is its like the other games and you know what to expect.

8.5.2010

I have been a Zelda fan ever since the very first game. My son and I have played and completed every one of them between us. My personal favourite so far is Twilight Princess on the Game Cube ( Link is left-handed as he is supposed to be).Now for Spirit Tracks. To my mind there are far too many side quests a lot of which drastically affect the course of the game and many of which are actually essential if you want to stand any chance of completing dungeons or fighting baddies. My main gripe is that stupid train and how much time is wasted going from one place to another even with all the warp gates open. I much prefer wandering around on foot and beating up a few hapless monsters in exchange for a few rupees.

11.12.2009

This is the newest game in the now 2 decade spanning zelda franchise and its great, i must say it doesn't disapoint. There are a few things about it which i don't like e.g. the fact that the gameplay and mechanics are essentially the same as the phantom hourglass but thats fine because i loved the phantom hourglass, the boat has also become a train now which means that the travel is less direct and can become annoying because it really does feel unnecessary, like its just there to pad out the gameplay time. But less of the negatives, this is probably one of the best ds games as of yet in my opinion. Again in classiczelda style the ideas in the game are great, i thoroughly enjoyed the story,

24.4.2011

This is a great Zelda game and I've loved zelda since Ocorina of Time. Any way the story for this Zelda game is good. The story basicly gose; Links engineir training has reached its final test, which is driving a train to Zeldas castle for his cerimony for passing the test. Zelda secretly gives Link a letter that says she wants to his help to escape the castle and go to some big magical tower. Any way on your to the tower the trains rails (AKA spirit tracks) vanish and its your job to restore them. The game is great. The difficulty is good, some times easy, sometimes hard. Now I would like to say that I've heard and read reviews on this game about people complaining that nintendo still arn't useing real time graphics on the portable Zelda games,

23.12.2009

Phantom hourglass was a great game. But it was slightly lacking in zelda magic. Spirit tracks takes a new approach, but it has all the magic you could possibly stuff in to the small DS cartridge! There's the spirit pipes, and although they don't have many songs (five) you use it a lot and it's great fun to play! Having zelda coming along with you everywhere is great and you get to hear her opinion on all the places (this beach is lovely, I wish we could stay longer...) and best of all, the central dungeon, the spirit tower, is no longer in the slightest bit tedious, it's actually incredibly fun! As for the bosses, again, they're a major highlight, the final boss is just AWESOME...And even now that I've completed the game,

20.1.2010

Having played Phantom Hourglass during endless hours it wasn't a difficult decision ordering Spirit Tracks. I partly expected more of the same, awesome stylus control, well thought weapons and items and a lot of cartoony cuteness. If this game was only a follow-up of the first title I would be happy. But it turns out to be much more. I haven't played half-through it yet but it obvious that this is not simply a re-hash. The graphic style and even some of the sprites and textures are easily recognizable maintaining all the charm of the original. But there are some new control mechanisms (involving the stylus of course), the puzzles are more varied (and hard because of that).

11.12.2009

If there is one thing that you can more less guarantee in life is that when a new Zelda game is released it's going to be something exciting and rather speciel. Spirit Tracks has the same excellent touch screen controls as Phantom Hourglass and the same wonderful graphics style too. The music is very atmospheric and the story is dark and very gripping. You travel around the map on steamtrain which can have a connon added onto it just like you could with the steamer boat in Phantom Hourglass. The boss battles are great fun and look wonderful. The puzzels are clever and are set at just the right level for most gamers. I don't know how Nintendo do it but they always keep their Zelda games up to the most highest of standards which for me and many more people,

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (DS) - Reviews

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