Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks

[aubergine]

Iwata announced it at GDC: it's new Zelda DS, on a train. Yes, a train. He did at least say the title was subject to change.

[Maxi]

Moar.

[Charlie_]

Sounds...fun?

[AranchineD]

Hopefully it won't be as boring as Phantom Hourglass.

[Maxi]

Just googled it, found a video on Joystiq... **** me. It looks shit :(

[Stevorooni]

A train? A ****ING TRAIN?

I loved Phantom Hourglass (although curiously the moment I completed the main quest I put it down and never felt compelled to played it again or find all the secret stuff) so as long as this plays the same way then I'm cool.

I hope the train is just the method for traveling between specific areas/dungeons.

[bulkerking]

No new Wii Zelda meh :(
________
Montana medical marijuana dispensary (http://montana.dispensaries.org/)

[Lex]

Zelda with a train? Good job nintendo, always innovating.

[Stevorooni]

Hey it worked for Resident Evil

[Hyperblau]

Looks good to me, i loved Phantom Hourglass, and this just looks like more but instead of a boat, you get a train.

[Maxi]

SINCE WHEN HAS HYRULE HAD TRAINS???i

[Sweating Bullets]

Looks pretty cool imo!
More Zelda! Bring it on! Bring on the train also!

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RpV6ksvF0LE/SZXksrQKu7I/AAAAAAAAAJg/RdOx2JuXr5Q/s320/choose240x186.jpg

[Stevorooni]

Looks good to me, i loved Phantom Hourglass, and this just looks like more but instead of a boat, you get a train.

They can keep up these different modes of travel for the next Zelda Game:

The Legend of Zelda: Gorons on a Plane

Followed by

The Legend of Zelda: The Fast and the Forest

SINCE WHEN HAS HYRULE HAD TRAINS???i

Since the price of petrol went through the roof!

[AranchineD]

Personally I would like to see The Legend of Zelda: No, this version doesn't have any stupid gimmicks, we just made a good game

[Rambo]

Pfft, that will never happen Aran, geez.

[Stevorooni]

It's not the gimmick that's important, the gimmick is the catalyst that drives the story.

The story of collecting 3 objects, then another 5 across multiple dungeons before killing the bad guy.

[Grubdog]

Zelda with something new! How old!

I really like the music in the trailer, I hope this game has a nice haunting atmosphere like Majoras Mask.

[Nic Xtreme]

While I think the name is shit, and the really shouldn't make a big deal about the train - it's just the form of transport for heavens sakes - more Zelda for DS makes me happy! I really ended up loving Phantom Hourglass and its new spin on puzzles, so I'm glad Nintendo is taking the Zelda series in two different directions - the more the better! (As long as they remember the direction they should be taking on the Wii one, that is...)

Let's hope there is no recurring dungeon, and that there is more Linebeck.

[Dukotoja]

altho it looks like more of the same and only two items (the wind thing and the ghost thing that you control) where show im still excited about this. looks pretty polished at this point as well even if it is just the PH engine.

[Stevorooni]

As soon as I'm done with GTA:CW I might fire up Phantom Hourglass for another romp through.

[McChimp]

Personally I would like to see The Legend of Zelda: No, this version doesn't have any stupid gimmicks, we just made a good game

Or maybe Legend of Zelda: There's no need to hunt for the boomerang, bow & arrow, grapple, weight boots etc. cos we've been doing that for the last 20 plus years.

[Grubdog]

Zelda with no items? How about they remove the jump button from Mario games too. Starting to get sick of cars in driving games as well.

[AranchineD]

I think he just meant different items, which I agree with, I'm sick of finding exactly the same thing in exactly the same order every single god damn time.

[Slippery]

Care factor for new Zelda? Near 0, and what a fan I used to be.

Next Zelda game I buy will have to be, well, not really a Zelda game.

[SOX]

This immediately sprung to mind when I read the title.

http://i735.photobucket.com/albums/ww353/soxinthebox/art-bjd468419fig5.jpg

[Watchers]

I have loved every Zelda game with the exception Phantom Hourglass, so another Zelda on DS doesn't exactly thrill me. Controls sucked, no real overwold sucked, Linebeck sucked and hvaing to replay the same dungeon over and over sucked.

Spirit Tracks? Seriously? Why not 'Soul Train'? :(

[Stevorooni]

Now that I've watched the trailer it looks exactly like Phantom Hourglass.

That's good enough for me!

[aubergine]

I enjoyed Phantom Hourglass. If the storytelling retains the high standard then any manner of stupid title and transportation will do.

I don't see how a train is less fitting to the zeldaverse that say a steam powered boat or a wind-powered baton. Hopefully it's a time-travelling train like Doc Brown's.

[Stevorooni]

Hopefully it's a time-travelling train like Doc Brown's.

You know what would be awesome?

A Zelda game where you start out as Link living in the future (like a technomological future) who then travels back in time to previous adventures of other Links from the other Zelda games to fix things that a time travelling Ganon is screwing up in the past.

What would also be cool is if they kept the graphical style of whatever 'game period' you're in, except modernised for 3D, like those 3D sections of Super Paper Mario or something. Future Link could remain in his original style at all times too.

It's utter fanwank though and only diehard Zelda fans would know what the **** is going on so it'd never happen.

[aubergine]

Chrono Zelda.

[Kefka]

Way to innovate, Nintendo!
"So hey... lets replace the boat with a train"
"Will that be enough to get the fanboys to rebuy the same game for a 50th time?"
"Probably, we'll tell them it's New and Innovative - We'll make millions!"

[Jay]

Personally I think it looks kinda cool, and depending on how they use it it could end up being awesome. And as for the no trains in Hyrule thing...um...who ever said there were no trains in Hyrule (at any stage in its history)?

[Grubdog]

Way to innovate, Nintendo!
"So hey... lets replace the boat with a train"
"Will that be enough to get the fanboys to rebuy the same game for a 50th time?"
"Probably, we'll tell them it's New and Innovative - We'll make millions!"
Yeah, people who buy Zelda games are real stupid.

[AranchineD]

Personally I think it looks kinda cool, and depending on how they use it it could end up being awesome. And as for the no trains in Hyrule thing...um...who ever said there were no trains in Hyrule (at any stage in its history)?

Hyrule has no history, it just has alternate dimensions, dimensions that are built according to whatever the hell Nintendo what Link to ride around on this time.

Which is okay, but that's only been something that's really apparent in recent titles in the series (Wind Waker onwards, I guess you could say), and I kinda think it's a weakness of the franchise overall.

[Jay]

Exactly. So the problem with there being a train is...?

[Maxi]

Why can't they just go back to him not riding anything ;_;

[Jay]

Not even Epona? :(

Or Zelda? :( :(

[FrozenSoul80]

I want a Zelda title where you play as the Link that came before the WW incarnation. You know, the one that failed or sacrificed himself or whatever happened. Then it could deal with an unstoppable Gannon and flooding and general awesome.

[Maxi]

Not even Epona? :(

Or Zelda? :( :(

He didn't ride Epona til the 5th game... so I really don't know why you have to bring that up.

Also, Link never gets it on with Zelda. He is too heroic. He only has sex with the most expensive whores.

[Tukenstein]

looks pretty polished at this point as well even if it is just the PH engine.
Whaddaya mean just? Phantom Hourglass looks absolutely stunning even by today's DS standards.

[Jay]

Sorry, Maxi. Didn't realise it was a sensitive issue for you. :p

BTW, does he get his rocks off with some quality Gorons?

[AranchineD]

He didn't ride Epona til the 5th game... so I really don't know why you have to bring that up.

Also, Link never gets it on with Zelda. He is too heroic. He only has sex with the most expensive whores.

Epona was cool though, because riding around on the overworld was something new.

Riding around on the overworld isn't something new anymore though, is it?

[Charlie_]

Is there any chance this is a DSi only game?

[Dukotoja]

Whaddaya mean just? Phantom Hourglass looks absolutely stunning even by today's DS standards.

I meant it looks exactly the same, no upgrades of the system is all, I agree that PH was stunning to look at.

[Kefka]

Oh cool they are still milking the franchise while beating off a dead horse.

Oh... I assumed those puffy white things were sheep, not horse semen.

[Nic Xtreme]

Is there any chance this is a DSi only game?

Nope. They discussed plans for them, as well as "DSi Enhanced" games, but none were mentioned.

[AyatollaofRocknRolla]

hmm...PH was decent. I'm not sold on the whole train thing, but the over world of PH wasn't that interesting anyway. Hopefully there's a bit more than a train differentiating it from PH.

[aubergine]

Is there any chance this is a DSi only game?

No. I would say that I expect there'll be something extra for DSi owners (maybe a feature to put a photo of yourself up in the dining carriage) but Nintendo have failed to meet the very minimum of my expectations for years now.

I have to take the journalists to task as well. People keep reporting Nintendo announcements as if they only just announced it: for example, the New Play Control games which were actually talked about years ago then presented again the other day as if they were a new thing. At GDC, Nintendo letting everyone know they've finally updated the thing to let us run VC games and DLC off SD cards is being treated as some kind of 'surprise announcement" - despite Nintendo telling us that storage solution was on it's way ages ago. The GDC story should have read "Nintendo solves problem in fashion they announced ages ago after doing nothing for ages."

That said, being able to update the Wii via software to be able to work off HCSD cards (thus giving them up to 32gigs of memory, and possibly more in future) does in fact make the lack of hard drive seem pretty damn redundant.

[RunningMild]

Zelda with no items? How about they remove the jump button from Mario games too. Starting to get sick of cars in driving games as well.

They already did that with Mario games (Party etc). And no cars in driving games? Buy Crazy Frog Racer and just float around the track! :p

Linebeck sucked

TRIPLE DOUBLE SUPER ULTRA BLASPHEMY!

Come on Stevo, let's shun the non-believer. Shuuuuuuuuuuuun... :p

I also think the controls were awesome tbh.

You know what would be awesome?

A Zelda game where you start out as Link living in the future (like a technomological future) who then travels back in time to previous adventures of other Links from the other Zelda games to fix things that a time travelling Ganon is screwing up in the past.

What would also be cool is if they kept the graphical style of whatever 'game period' you're in, except modernised for 3D, like those 3D sections of Super Paper Mario or something. Future Link could remain in his original style at all times too.

It's utter fanwank though and only diehard Zelda fans would know what the **** is going on so it'd never happen.

Assassin's Creed starring Link? ;)

BTW, does he get his rocks off with some quality Gorons?

Nah, Link has standards. It's Zoras or nothing. :p

Is there any chance this is a DSi only game?

Not if Nintendo love money as much as I think they do. :p

Anyway, I loved the video, this game looks great and I'm definitely going to buy it.

lermqfhhJx4

[Nic Xtreme]

My dream Zelda game is stars Link in a seaside town with an art style that mirrors Kiki's Delivery Service. In Chrono Trigger-esque fashion, you then go forth and play the adventure whilst stumbling across cracks in time that send you to the past/future etc., the world changing along with the time. It has to be epic, though, and feature plenty of emotion, such as characters who you develop an attachment to who later die probably as a result of Link and time-travelling, as well as awesome sidequests, including FFXII-like "Hunts" that get Link out there in the land, sea, or whatever else might feature, fighting awesome big creatures. And plenty of pointless, optional extra items like magic rods and magic in general - but lots of them, see, so you could tailor your fighting styles or hit the weak points of enemies for massive damage.

It would have to be epic, and have awesome fighting and Kiki's Delivery Service art, though.

Awesome.

[RunningMild]

My dream Zelda game is stars Link in a seaside town with an art style that mirrors Kiki's Delivery Service. In Chrono Trigger-esque fashion, you then go forth and play the adventure whilst stumbling across cracks in time that send you to the past/future etc., the world changing along with the time.

Oracle of Ages?

It has to be epic, though, and feature plenty of emotion

Oh.

[aubergine]

I'm over Zelda. There's been enough Zelda games.

(LOL, RUNS)

[Blue]

Hyrule has no history, it just has alternate dimensions, dimensions that are built according to whatever the hell Nintendo what Link to ride around on this time.

Which is okay, but that's only been something that's really apparent in recent titles in the series (Wind Waker onwards, I guess you could say), and I kinda think it's a weakness of the franchise overall.Wind Waker was connected to another Zelda game, although I can't recall which. It was set years after an existing title. OoT was connected to MM. If OoT was the game that WW was connected to, that's a pretty solid main timeline.

But yeah, Zelda's canon ain't canon. They couldn't exactly piece it together like Metroid, could they.

[Saxby]

I would have thought that the next natural step in milking a series was a cheap spin-off where other characters get their own games - Zelda herself for example?

They could call it... Link!

[SOX]

I would have thought that the next natural step in milking a series was a cheap spin-off where other characters get their own games - Zelda herself for example?

They could call it... Link!

Weren't they at one stage going to have a Tetra game? But instead they merged it into 4 Swords on GCN (much better idea anyway)?

[RunningMild]

I would have thought that the next natural step in milking a series was a cheap spin-off where other characters get their own games - Zelda herself for example?

They could call it... Link!

There's that game based around Tingle.

And there SHOULD be a game based around Linebeck. :p

[JimmyKane]

Spirit Tracks pisses me off. It's gimmicky and more of the same (I liked PH so I'll probably still get it just for some harmless fun). But I'd rather Nintendo just do something deeper, that you can come back to again and again, finding something new each time. Majora's Mask is pretty much the only Zelda game that has achieved this in my opinion (maybe OoT as well).

I kinda like the idea of no items, actually. I don't know how it could be implemented, but it could freshen things up.

But it's not really the gameplay that I'm tired of. It's the meaning and emotional impact behind the gameplay that was shown in Majora's Mask that Zelda needs more of.

Some lovin' for Majora's Mask! (http://www.4colorrebellion.com/archives/2009/03/27/majoras-mask-nintendos-fluke/#more-6382)

this one (http://www.zeldauniverse.net/articles/the-legend/the-message -of-majoras-mask/)
Good links WhyMe, they have some good points (with just a dash of fanboy craziness).

[Queenie]

It looks cool.

perhaps an interesting direction to take would be to actually tell the story of hyrule's descent into darkness which forces the people to cry for assistance from the gods- and rather than defeating the bad guy at the end, your quest is to get the gods to assist you, and there could be all sorts of cool stuff in there, like the gods not doing it the way you thought, while the people who've played wind waker will know the ending (sort of) making it a (forgot the word), and you could connect it to majora's mask somehow by way of:

termina's recapture of faith, and redemption coinciding with a decline in hyrule (being parallel worlds) and this resulting in a release of ganon, and link comes back and goes OH SHIT i gotta save the world again and halfway through he realises that it is his fault in a way.

[Stevorooni]

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/65/20090401a.jpg


http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/3453/98783203.jpg

[Cerebral]

Web comics are by and large gay, but that last one is excellent.

[Watchers]

And there SHOULD be a game based around Linebeck. :p

The Legend of Annoying Douche?

[JimmyKane]

perhaps an interesting direction to take would be to actually tell the story of hyrule's descent into darkness which forces the people to cry for assistance from the gods- and rather than defeating the bad guy at the end, your quest is to get the gods to assist you, and there could be all sorts of cool stuff in there, like the gods not doing it the way you thought, while the people who've played wind waker will know the ending (sort of) making it a (forgot the word), and you could connect it to majora's mask somehow by way of:

termina's recapture of faith, and redemption coinciding with a decline in hyrule (being parallel worlds) and this resulting in a release of ganon, and link comes back and goes OH SHIT i gotta save the world again and halfway through he realises that it is his fault in a way.

Yeah, that.

And Mr M, Linebeck is a pretty one-dimensional character. He goes from arrogant guy who takes credit for stuff then slowly realises Link's merits. I wouldn't call him an annoying douche, but...not that great.

[aubergine]

Linebeck was very enjoyable. Characterisations in Zelea games have been a highlight lately, like the imp chick in twillight princess, and, basically everyone in Wind Waker.

[Stevorooni]

Linebeck was awesome.

The bit where he shakily picks up the sword in the final battle was an epic moment in gaming history.

I hope he returns for Spirit Tracks

[punkgorilla]

Midna should definitely appear in another game before Linebeck does. In my opinion Midna is one of the best new characters that Nintendo have created for a long time. I doubt that there's any chance that she'll be in Spirit Tracks though. She wouldn't suit the style anyway.

[Queenie]

nor would it make ANY sense for her to be there.

perhaps if midna became the gimmick of the new wii zelda somehow by learning how to TRANSFORM INTO YOUR WEAPONS as you play.

it would also lead to some awesome innuendo.

link, you're pulling my trigger <--- crossbow, etc.

[Stevorooni]

Contains plot spoilers I guess

pXxuys7I-W0

Looking good!

[RunningMild]

So December 7th for the US, no release date in sight for Australia?

PLAY-ASIA HO!

[Mr.Mew]

December 11th for us-ness.

[RunningMild]

Really? IGN just says TBA 2009, and last time I asked EB they didn't even have it on their system.

I may just order it from PA anyway, because I don't trust Aussie release dates. Last time someone told me that 'importing would mean I get the game later rather than sooner', the game in question was delayed by two weeks! :D

[fleshtea]

So you guys... hate the fact that everything is new and unZeldary... and hate that it's the same Zeldary game again...?

I've never been disappointed by any Zelda title. It's always been changed just enough to give off a totally new world-vibe, but still have that formula of Hidden Enjoyment Found With Your Newest Item and no leveling up to do.

[Grubdog]

So you guys... hate the fact that everything is new and unZeldary... and hate that it's the same Zeldary game again...
Welcome to the internet.

Spirit Tracks release date is December 10 according to some online retailers.

[Queenie]

For the next zelda, they should just release a sequel to majora's mask (title character being ofc that same link).

Or, of course, majoras mask with graphical updates and other things. Maybe like URA-Zelda.

[AranchineD]

So you guys... hate the fact that everything is new and unZeldary... and hate that it's the same Zeldary game again...?

You're confusing people's complaints of "This just looks like a clone of Phantom Hourglass with a train instead of a boat" to "THIS IS TOO ZELDERY/NOT ZELDERY ENOUGH WHAT A FAIL".

[Lex]

My main problem is that instead of a zelda game, we're getting TOOT TOOT NEXT STOP; ******RY.

[igotnewsuper8systemWRONG!]

Christ what the **** has happened to Nintendo. There is a new Zelda game coming out and no one on a gaming forum gives a ****.

[Queenie]

Nintendo should pull their heads out of their arses and realise that people care more about other franchises like halo now rather than theirs.

Perhaps they have, and they've come to the conclusion that they should stick to kiddy zelda while halo and COD manage the dakka dakka mature themes dakka dakka.

Here's what I say. Zelda. With. Emotionally. Mature. Themes. And. Story. Like majora's mask.

Or, as I've said in post #60, Termina+Hyrule = parallel worlds, and they make a story where link, saving one, destroys the other inadvertently. Link and the player must deal with these issues. Insert more things, solve people's problems, and basically culminate in what happens in the opening cutscene to Wind Waker.

Or maybe in some twisted sense that's what they were getting at in that cutscene.

ohshit

[RunningMild]

Christ what the **** has happened to Nintendo. There is a new Zelda game coming out and no one on a gaming forum gives a ****.

I do!

[Grubdog]

Me too.

The game will go on to sell just as much as any other Zelda title.

[AranchineD]

Will depend on how many people who were disappointed with Phantom Hourglass give it a go.

[RunningMild]

I bet if they get rid of the 'temple that you have to re-do eight times', EVERYONE who played PH will give it a go. ;)

I don't care, I think it looks great. The new items like the whip and the tornado launcher look like fun, not to mention the ability to possess phantoms, plus the train sections look cool and PH was one of my fave DS games anyway. :p

[BB2K]

I liked PH.....

[AranchineD]

Well to be honest EVERYTHING about Phantom Hourglass annoyed me. Didn't really like getting around on the boat, the touch screen controls pissed me off beyond all belief, that temple of course.

I guess I just don't get excited about new items and such when I want the entire game to play differently while still retaining that Zelda feel. Something along the lines of "wanting to recreate the experience, not the game itself."

[BB2K]

I take it back, I loved PH.

[Stevorooni]

I too loved Phantom Hourglass and look forward to Spirit Tracks

[RunningMild]

I just hope they have some cool things to do on the tracks. Half of my time in PH was spent sailing around, getting treasure, fishing, etc. Hopefully ST can have something like that as well. Maybe you get a hook to pick up mailbags from the side of the tracks or something? :p

Also, I want to see more puzzles that involve drawing lines/clues on the map to find shit. If you want to ask what PH had that hadn't already been done in every other Zelda game before, that was it.

[fleshtea]

I just hope they have some cool things to do on the tracks.

There's gunna be cool things on the tracks. There is no way Zelda is going to make a game on a train, without you driving that train into rupees and making you jump the missing bits of track and whatever. I highly doubt that the main feature of the game is that it's going to be on a train though, we're just getting all hyped about it because it's one of the few things we know for sure so far. The fun is going to be with all the colourful characters and new items and dungeon puzzles, business as usual.

[Stevorooni]

Also, I want to see more puzzles that involve drawing lines/clues on the map to find shit. If you want to ask what PH had that hadn't already been done in every other Zelda game before, that was it.

Yeah I loved those puzzles so I hope there's a lot more of them, they really used the DS's strengths.

[FrozenSoul80]

I bet if they get rid of the 'temple that you have to re-do eight times', EVERYONE who played PH will give it a go. ;)

Yeah, this. That ****ing temple ruined the whole game for me. It was bad enough playing it the first time, then they made us go back again... and again... and again...

[Stevorooni]

If only they had provided shortcuts activated by new weapons you find in your quest to skip a whole pile of bits you had done before :(

[Halt, Hammerzeit]

Ooo, snap!

[FrozenSoul80]

A time limit and a dungeon full of un-killable enemies that can kill you in one hit. I don't care how many shortcuts are in the dungeon, that's just horrible level design and experiencing it once was bad enough.

[Halt, Hammerzeit]

I don't see what people are complaining about. Sure it wasn't the most enjoyable part of the game, but it was far from the mind rape that everyone's making it out to be.

[Stevorooni]

A time limit and a dungeon full of un-killable enemies that can kill you in one hit. I don't care how many shortcuts are in the dungeon, that's just horrible level design and experiencing it once was bad enough.



I'd ask you to cry me a river but you'd probably complain that the river was too wet and now you have to change your socks even though you already changed them once today.

[FrozenSoul80]

The problem was we had to go back to it multiple times. If you have to go back to a dungeon you want it to be pretty ****ing good. I would have easily forgiven the game had I only had to go in there once. Most games have bad levels, that's alright, but the Temple of the Ocean King makes up one third of the game!

[VanAce]

I liked the final boss battle in the boat. That was pretty cool.

[RunningMild]

Yeah I loved those puzzles so I hope there's a lot more of them, they really used the DS's strengths.

The one where you had to mark four points on the map, join them with lines and then dig where the lines intersected was pure magic.

A time limit and a dungeon full of un-killable enemies that can kill you in one hit. I don't care how many shortcuts are in the dungeon, that's just horrible level design and experiencing it once was bad enough.

I'm always amazed when I find someone who doesn't like the stealth bits in a Zelda game.

[tau]

That dungeon ****ed with the flow of the game bigtime. It wasn't necessary and was simply lazy game design. The game screamed formulaic and predictable in every way.

The fact that I felt like I had done it all before wasn't being helped when they kept making me repeat a dungeon only with a little bit more each time.

edit: lol, "stealth". They should be renamed to Patience Testers. Yay, you can wait patiently while an enemy goes up and down a corridor! Engaging!

[Halt, Hammerzeit]

That dungeon ****ed with the flow of the game bigtime. It wasn't necessary and was simply lazy game design. The game screamed formulaic and predictable in every way.

You mean like "Collect these three pedants, unlock your special sword, the do afew more dungeons to finish the game" sort of predictable?

[punkgorilla]

edit: lol, "stealth". They should be renamed to Patience Testers. Yay, you can wait patiently while an enemy goes up and down a corridor! Engaging!

You mean like every stealth game ever?

[tau]

I didn't say otherwise.

[fleshtea]

The stealth/patience tests were pretty freaking boring. But I didn't really mind the revisits - there WERE shortcuts when you got new items, remember? When you got a new item you could suddenly go the next floor within 10 seconds instead of 5 minutes.

[naclj]

that temple is the only reason i never bothered to finish it.

its the only zelda game ive given up on, but apart from that i was enjoying myself so i am looking forward to spirit tracks and hope that there is nothing as horribly bad as the ocean king temple in it or if there is, that i only need to do it once.

oh and trains are cool, if there are some good puzzles involving train routes and such it could be a nice way to get around

[AranchineD]

The stealth/patience tests were pretty freaking boring. But I didn't really mind the revisits - there WERE shortcuts when you got new items, remember? When you got a new item you could suddenly go the next floor within 10 seconds instead of 5 minutes.


Yes but you had to revisit multiple times before you started getting shortcuts, and even when you used the shortcuts you had to revisit those next areas a few times before you got to the next shortcut.

[RunningMild]

A time limit and a dungeon full of un-killable enemies that can kill you in one hit. I don't care how many shortcuts are in the dungeon, that's just horrible level design and experiencing it once was bad enough.

But you could stun them after you got the bow, right? Or am I mistaken?

[Stevorooni]

Man I'm gonna replay through this game now just to prove how some of you are wimps!

[Stevorooni]

Started playing through Phantom Hourglass again this morning on the train.

Such an awesome game and the controls just feel so natural (apart from the stupid somersault roll)

Really pumped for Spirit Tracks now

[Lex]

Such an awesome game and the controls just feel so natural (apart from the stupid somersault roll)



Srsly? I had to use the dpad hack just to make it playable. Hope the next game let's You use that as an option.

[Stevorooni]

Srsly? I had to use the dpad hack just to make it playable. Hope the next game let's You use that as an option.

It took a little time to get used to but then it was just natural to use the stylus to move around and fight.

What's the dpad hack? Never heard of it

[Halt, Hammerzeit]

I loved the controls for PH. It's the first DS game I've played where the touch screen had a meaningful role in the gameplay.

[Stevorooni]

Plus the whole map scribbling thing is so convenient.

The thing that gets me the most is how they continued the art style of Wind Waker. I loved that game and am probably due to give it another run through these xmas holidays.

[AranchineD]

"Hmm, there's an enemy approaching me from the right, I think I might walk left while slashing to the righ-UH OH"

[JimmyKane]

Wind Waker had times where it got very tedious.

Just sayin.

[BB2K]

But the rest of it was, pretty much, the best game ever.

[Lex]

best zelda game ever, maybe. and that's only if you took the shit bits out, which leaves about half of it :/

still a great game though.

[Halt, Hammerzeit]

The only part of Wind Waker I can remember getting tedious is trying to find the Triforce shards. That got annoying. The rest of the game was awesome fun. The art direction was awesome, but I'm glad that Nintendo are focusing on a 'realistic' Zelda for Wii and the cartoon Zelda for the DS.

[AranchineD]

^Agreed with these, and I didn't even find the Triforce hunt really boring because the sailing was actually fun (and I don't think I spent a single Rupee throughout the entire game up until them so getting the maps translated wasn't as much as a bitch for me).

[RunningMild]

"Hmm, there's an enemy approaching me from the right, I think I might walk left while slashing to the righ-UH OH"

But you can't do that with D-Pad controls either. :confused:

Started playing through Phantom Hourglass again this morning on the train.

lol irony.

Such an awesome game and the controls just feel so natural (apart from the stupid somersault roll)

The somersault roll doesn't work unless you're running full speed. Once you figure that out it's surprisingly easy to do.

Alternatively, you can just slide the stylus towards and away from Link instead of drawing a circle (actually, I think you were the first one to post that), but you still have to be going full speed.

[Stevorooni]

Stupid microphone controls which are bad for playing in public transport.
Last night when I had to shout into the microphone I got away with just coughing loudly but this morning I had to blow into it to clear dust off a map but I didn't want to look stupid to the other weirdos on the train so I didn't do it >_>
My battery was dying anyway so I just shut down and listened to some music instead, then cleared the map off when I got to work :p

[Halt, Hammerzeit]

From memory, can't you just blow into the mic when it asks you to shout?

[borgster101]

Stupid microphone controls which are bad for playing in public transport.
Last night when I had to shout into the microphone I got away with just coughing loudly but this morning I had to blow into it to clear dust off a map but I didn't want to look stupid to the other weirdos on the train so I didn't do it >_>
My battery was dying anyway so I just shut down and listened to some music instead, then cleared the map off when I got to work :p

You could have sneezed for the blowing? :p

[RunningMild]

From memory, can't you just blow into the mic when it asks you to shout?

You sure can! I certainly did!

[Australian Ninja]

Same here, just put your mouth really close to the mic and blow.

Stupid stupid shout input.

[AranchineD]

And if you want to look like even less of a tool you could just click your fingers near the microphone.

[Blob]

Or tap the mic.

[fleshtea]

Last night when I had to shout into the microphone I got away with just coughing loudly

Aw, you tiny fewl, you're supposed to click or blow. Blowing is socially appropriate http://www.hyper.com.au/forums/images/icons/icon14.gif it just looks like you're blowing dust off the screen.

I know it's not compulsory in Phoenix Wright but I saw a kid the other year on the bus who didn't. He was saying quietly-but-in-a-shouty-sort-of-way "objection!" into his DS, causing me great amusement and others great annoyance.

[naclj]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

heres a quote from Aonuma, producer of Spirit Tracks

“I believe that the latter half of the Tower of Spirits dungeon in The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks — [which] players will revisit throughout the game — has puzzles which require a different type of approach from those of previous games,”

noooo, they have another bloody repeat dungeon.

its not exactly a nail in the coffin yet, as it is possible that they handle a repeat dungeon in a less frustrating way but if this is as painful as the ocean king temple then im going to be really pissed

[Stevorooni]

hahaha awesome I can't wait!

I've forgotten most of the puzzles in Phantom Hourglass so playing through it again is almost a new experience.

[Jickle]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

heres a quote from Aonuma, producer of Spirit Tracks

“I believe that the latter half of the Tower of Spirits dungeon in The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks — [which] players will revisit throughout the game — has puzzles which require a different type of approach from those of previous games,”

noooo, they have another bloody repeat dungeon.

its not exactly a nail in the coffin yet, as it is possible that they handle a repeat dungeon in a less frustrating way but if this is as painful as the ocean king temple then im going to be really pissed

Apparently you don't have to repeat sections this time around, you can go right to where you got up to last time.

[RunningMild]

Apparently you don't have to repeat sections this time around, you can go right to where you got up to last time.

as it is possible that they handle a repeat dungeon in a less frustrating way

Problem solved! :p

[naclj]

if thats true then good.

i remember how incredibly awesome it was in OOT where you had to return the desert temple later in life, repeat temples can be great if the puzzles are done right, i think the main problem with phantom was that the puzzles themselves in the ocean king weren't fun. then having to repeat them was a downer.

im really looking forward to a new zelda so much so i think i may need to go and replay OOT which i haven't touched in years

[RunningMild]

im really looking forward to a new zelda so much so i think i may need to go and replay OOT which i haven't touched in years

Or you could wait until January and get Darksiders. ;)

[naclj]

Or you could wait until January and get Darksiders. ;)

I'm intrigued by Darksiders but am yet to be convinced. id much rather hear some definitive news about beyond good and evil 2, the first was a zelda inspired game that i thought was brilliant.

im sure spirit tracks will tide me over though, (if i can find any of my DS's)

[Nic Xtreme]

Wait what Darksiders is a zelda-type game?! Definitely have to keep an eye on that now!

[RunningMild]

Wait what Darksiders is a zelda-type game?! Definitely have to keep an eye on that now!

It sure is! Go to dungeons, solve puzzles, get new equipment that can be used to reach new areas or in combat, ride a horse...

[Mr.Mew]

It sure is! Go to dungeons, solve puzzles, get new equipment that can be used to reach new areas or in combat, ride a horse...

...don green clothing, save a princess, talk to fish people, talk to rock people, talk to normal people, Shout 'Eyarrrhhhh!'...

[RunningMild]

...don green clothing, save a princess, talk to fish people, talk to rock people, talk to normal people, Shout 'Eyarrrhhhh!'...

More like don red and black (?) clothing, clear your name, talk to demons, talk to angels, don't talk to normal people because they're all dead, shout something that strikes fear into the hearts of everyone...

Clearly, this is where the similarities end. :p

[naclj]

More like don red and black (?) clothing, clear your name, talk to demons, talk to angels, don't talk to normal people because they're all dead, shout something that strikes fear into the hearts of everyone...

Clearly, this is where the similarities end. :p

I do believe he has a horse though, likely its not called epona and wont magically appear with a whistle of your absent ocarina

[Halt, Hammerzeit]

I do believe he has a horse though, likely its not called epona and wont magically appear with a whistle of your absent ocarina

What about on a blade of grass?

[AranchineD]

He's ****ing War.

He can just yell "OI RUIN YOU ****ER COME HERE I WANNA RIDE YOU FOR A BIT" and the horse will magically appear.

[JimmyKane]

You should all read Smithereens

Meeting of the Four Horsemen:

12 pm: lunch. Famine abstaining.

[RunningMild]

I do believe he has a horse though, likely its not called epona and wont magically appear with a whistle of your absent ocarina

Yeah, the horse is named Ruin. War is a 'HORSEman of the apocalypse', after all. ;)

As for Spirit Tracks- hooray, ten more days before my copy ships!

[tau]

not sure if i want to play this, considering how bad I thought PH was. Might fiddle with it tomorrow.

[Hyperblau]

http://www.gametrailers.com/video/review-zelda-spirit/59651

Gametrailers Review = 9.0

[McChimp]

'Tis a good game, so far. Believe me when I say, it deserves the hype! ;)

[RunningMild]

My copy should be shipping tomorrow. With 1-4 day postage, it will still arrive earlier than the Aus release date! Hahaha, importing wins again! :p

[McChimp]

I can honestly say from my brief time with this that I'm finding it more enjoyable than Phantom Hourglass by far. There's just something about it, including some of the new elements/ mechanics, that make it more interesting on a whole.

[Stevorooni]

Woohoo out this week!

[RunningMild]

I'm getting worried. My copy hasn't shipped yet, and Play-Asia doesn't even have a release date for the game. Why is this?

[Filthy Old Drunk]

You ordered it fromPlay-Asia? They've been completely shit for new releases lately. The last four games I've ordered from them have shipped late, then taken over two weeks to arrive. I don't know what's going on with them as a year or two ago they were great.

[RunningMild]

Well once I ordered Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword and they said their stock was arriving in a week, so I cancelled the order and bought it off eBay. If they get late stock for this game, I might just cancel and buy locally.

Then again, I have a few other games to play atm, so I may just wait the two weeks in order to save some money...

[Rambo]

I've been playing this for a bit, but I'm still not as hooked as I was with the Wii version. I didn't really like Phantom hourglass either.

Is there something wrong with me?

[Stevorooni]

Is there something wrong with me?

yes there is.

[RunningMild]

For those who played Phantom Hourglass, it sounds like a repeat design. Where Sprit Tracks gains its edge, however, is in the actual spirit tower itself, as the dungeon is difficult, far more diverse than its predecessor, and is no longer time-based in design. Once an area is beaten, you're finished with it entirely, moving up the tower via a huge spiral staircase rather than going through every finished labyrinth over and over again.

As the duo climbs each floor the puzzles become more complex, bordering on some of the most unique and mind-bending dungeon play this side of Ocarina of Time.

So stop bitching! :p

According to IGN, this game is way more challenging and lengthy than Phantom Hourglass. Now I'm really looking forward to it!

[Rambo]

I read that, but I am still waiting for it to deliver. I really shouldn't judge until I've beaten at least 1 temple :P

[RunningMild]

I read that, but I am still waiting for it to deliver. I really shouldn't judge until I've beaten at least 1 temple :P

Really? Ya think? :p

[Watchers]

So stop bitching! :p

According to IGN, this game is way more challenging and lengthy than Phantom Hourglass. Now I'm really looking forward to it!

But it still has touch screen controls right? Probably the first Zelda game I'll pass on.

[Halt, Hammerzeit]

I loved the touch screen controls. I thought they were innovative and not just a gimmick. I'll be picking this up as soon as I can.

[AranchineD]

But it still has touch screen controls right? Probably the first Zelda game I'll pass on.

I just know that I'm going to get frustrated at least a few times trying to control Link and Zelda at the same time.

[V²]

dear nintendo,
thank you for a game that covers my ds in spit

[Stevorooni]

yeah from what I've read you have to blow into the microphone for one of your weapons, which should make us all look like dorks when playing on public transport. I wish they gave a button alternative for that.

[Stevorooni]

Bought my copy today, can't wait to play it on the train tonight!

[Halt, Hammerzeit]

Got mine yesterday. I've finished the first dungeon. I'm not sure sure about the train, though. I'm not really liking it so far. I'm hoping you get something to attack with soon, because just simply running from the evil trains isn't doing it for me.

I didn't have too many issues with blowing in the microphone. That could possible have been because I was playing with a fan blowing behind me, though, so I didn't really have to blow at all.

[Slippery]

I've heard the blowing sensitivity is pretty good so you don't look like a retard

[RunningMild]

I'm hoping you get something to attack with soon, because just simply running from the evil trains isn't doing it for me.

Like a cannon? :p

[Halt, Hammerzeit]

Like a cannon? :p

Cannon-ish, yes :p

[Zip]

Pulling the horn on the train makes me happy in a weird way, finished the first temple, I hope it's actually got some legnth to it though..

Really loving it so far :D

[Australian Ninja]

yeah from what I've read you have to blow into the microphone for one of your weapons, which should make us all look like dorks when playing on public transport. I wish they gave a button alternative for that.

Blowing things on the train is never a good look. They have places for that sort of thing.:D

[Halt, Hammerzeit]

Pulling the horn on the train makes me happy in a weird way, finished the first temple, I hope it's actually got some legnth to it though..

Really loving it so far :D

I'm hoping for a dark world or something like that. Something radically different like in A Link To The Past, though, not like Twilight Princess (which was cool, but not another world like ALTTP)

[Stevorooni]

The game is meant to be longer than Phantom Hourglass and some puzzles are meant to be so hard that even Zelda developers were stumped by them (because they were approaching them the usual way which they shouldn't have been)

[Stevorooni]

Well I've spent a little time with this now, unlocked the 2nd map and I have my cannon.

It's easy to tell that it's almost a reskinned Phantom Hourglass, same controls, a major temple which you must go back to (thankfully without repeating past sections) to unlock the 4 different maps, travel between destinations on a train instead of a boat - but it doesn't matter! It's still a fantastic game.

I prefer boat travel to the train though simply because you have more freedom in the path that you take but whatever.

Bit dissapointed that there's no next generation Linebeck to talk to :(

[naclj]

where is the cheapest place to get a copy (other than play asia etc)

apparently harvey norman has it for $49 but when i got EB to price match, they called up and harvey had no idea what i was talking about, so i didnt end up getting it last night.

any one know?

[Hyperblau]

Bit dissapointed that there's no next generation Linebeck to talk to :(
I had heard that there was...

[Stevorooni]

I had heard that there was...

Well I havent come across him yet but now I am excited!

[Halt, Hammerzeit]

I think he's refering to

Spirit Zelda.

I like how there's a few characters carrying over from Phantom Hourglass, like Niko at the beginning, and isn't the Chief Engineer dude that's training you (and gives you the cannon) one of the pirates as well? Makes sense that the decendants of one of the pirates is a former palace guard.

[Hyperblau]

eh...?

[Stevorooni]

eh...?

I think he means that Zelda is acting as your counterpart kind of like Linebeck was there to talk to in Phantom Hourglass.

But anyway I couldn't wait so i looked up a zelda wiki and

You meet a character called Linebeck III who is the spitting image of Linebeck. Obviously the grandson of the original

[Hyperblau]

Yeah
he has a new hat

[Nic Xtreme]

I bought this game today and I looooooooooooooooove it so much! It's just a big improvement over Phantom Hourglass - I lost interest in PH initially just because (1) I didn't really enjoy the boat and (2) it really started off slow (though it did pick up later!). Spirit Tracks has far superior pacing already, the world is just gorgeous, the music is memorable, the flute is ****ing brilliant, and I'm loving the characters! The chancellor dude (and his song) are just so Majora's Mask it gives me goosebumps!

AND THE TRAIN how good is the train? It's so quick to get around in, and I love honking the horn (especially to the music!). Plus, how do you scare away badguys? Fighting the camera and shooting a cannon? NO YOU HONK THE HORN IT IS FANTASTIC!!!

So yeah. This game is awesome! Buy it now everyone!

[Stevorooni]

Screw the stupid microphone bits, was trying to play the tune to unlock some more spirit tracks while I was on the train this morning (I was on the train, not Link on his train!) and all the background noise kept messing it up.
When the psychic lady was asking me questions one of the answers actually came through as the train god voice saying "Doors closing - please stand clear"

I wish there was an alternate method for when you're not playing in a silent room

[Halt, Hammerzeit]

Does the answer you give the fortune teller actually affect the answer she gives you though?

I think I've reach the last dungeon. I've got all the weapons and I'm back in the Tower of Spirits again. I think I've palyed enough to list some pros and cons. I'm going to put them in spoiler tags just in case some people are sensitive about knowing what's coming up in the game.


Pros:
I love the Sand Wand. It's an ingenious new weapon that differs from anything that's come before it (the whip is basically a hookshot, and both the whip and hookshot were in WW)

Taking passengers and cargo on the train was fun as well.

The dark sections of the Tower of Spirits were a good puzzle to try and work out.

Using the Phantom to help solve puzzles added a new way of thinking. Granted it still comes in the form of you've discovered the Warp Phantom, now use it. The last section of the Tower of Spirits gets you to swap between them, though, and it requires a bit more thinking as to what phantom to use where.

The Tower Of Spirits is a big improvement on the Temple Of The Ocean King from PH. No time limits, don't have to go through the same section multiple times. I would like it if the lift could take you up as well as down, though. I don't think I ever used it to go down, but I damn well would have used it to go up.

I liked seeing the throw backs to previous Zelda games. Even though it's a 100 years after PH, you've still got Niko, and Alfonso looks like one of the pirates from WW and PH, but is a former palace guard. I know they'll never do it (unless it's a direct sequel like PH to WW or MM to OoT), but I'd like to know what happened to Link and Zelda from the previous games. It doesn't have to be much, just a throw away line somewhere referencing them (apart from Niko think that the new Link reminds him of someone).

Cons:
The train got a little annoying for me. Just not being able to turn around when required got on my nerves. I think I prefer the boat or Epona to the train as a mode of transport. While I didn't like it towards the end, it wasn't too bad, though, so it's just a minor annoyance.

Anjean suddenly going "Oh, and here's a sword that you can use to get Zelda in Phantoms straight away instead of collecting the tears of light" pissed me off. Even thought I was thinking I'd missed having a 'Master Sword' of sorts for this game, having it just given to me was a bit of a cop out. I'd rather earn it.

I feel the game was a bit short too, although for a DS game I guess it's about average.

I know it's hard to come up with original weapons after 12 or so Zelda games, but can we at least try? I know the Sand Wand is new (and I loved it for the new puzzles it created) and the boomerang, bow and arrows and bombs are main stay Zelda items, something new would be nice. And what's happened to magic? We've had, what, 3 new Zelda games with no magic items(magic was in WW wasn't it? If not, 4 games)? I want them back, dammit!

The boss fights seemed to be boring. I remember being very happy with the boss fights in PH for using both the top and bottom screens (the boss in the temple where you get the hammer has to be one of my favourites), but ST bosses just seemed to be dull.

I didn't like using the micrphone so much. It was fun for the first bit, but got old quickly. I would have liked a button replacement for the leaf weapon thing, probably not for the pan pipes, though. I mean, what's the point of having pan pipes if you don't blow them?

While I may have written more for the cons than the pros, I still enjoyed the game. It has enough different in it to keep it interesting and it has improved on PH. 8.5/10.

[Stevorooni]

Does the answer you give the fortune teller actually affect the answer she gives you though?


No idea, when background noise wasn't answering for me I just blew into the microphone and it accepted it as an answer :p

[RunningMild]

I got an email from Play-Asia saying my order had shipped.

Good, I'll have a few more days to play all the stuff on my PSP (recently got a 32GB stick and downloaded everything on the download list), then three weeks to finish Spirit Tracks before Darksiders consumes my life. :p

[Lex]

AND THE TRAIN how good is the train? It's so quick to get around in, and I love honking the horn (especially to the music!). Plus, how do you scare away badguys? Fighting the camera and shooting a cannon? NO YOU HONK THE HORN IT IS FANTASTIC!!!

oh ok, I guess the game does suck then :(

[Stevorooni]

I don't really like the train. Is there actually a way to warp the train to another section like you could with the boat? Because I'm already sick of travelling to one section only to be told to go back to the other side of the map to collect some crucial item and then come back.

[Halt, Hammerzeit]

You know those circular things missing a bit at the top that you go through in the train? When they get a green triangle in them, hit the triangle with a bomb and it will turn yellow. Now all you have to do is hold down the train whistle while you go through the circle and it will warp you to a different location. I've found that a lot of them need you to get Force Gems to open up more track.

[RunningMild]

Game arrived today. I may not get to play it until midweek! :(

[Nic Xtreme]

You know those circular things missing a bit at the top that you go through in the train? When they get a green triangle in them, hit the triangle with a bomb and it will turn yellow. Now all you have to do is hold down the train whistle while you go through the circle and it will warp you to a different location. I've found that a lot of them need you to get Force Gems to open up more track.

Did you say bomb? Boo-hiss! What happen to the horn as a weapon? :(

[Halt, Hammerzeit]

Once you've activated it with the bomb, you need to pull the whistle to make the warp appear :p

I finished the game last night. The Last bit of the Tower Of Spirits was a bitch, but in a good way. It was challenging and you had to use the 4 different types of phantoms in new and innovative ways. Whoever said it earlier was right, knowledge of traditional Zelda puzzle solving methods do not help you. Then there's a train battle and a fight against the big bad guy, which is quite epic.

Very enjoyable. After actually finishing it, I'm going to raise my score to 9/10.

[Stevorooni]

I think I'm nearing the end. I've put the spirit tower back together and have unlocked what I presume is the final temple before the epic boss battle.

This game is pretty awesome but I still think that Phantom Hourglass is better because it has more connections to the awesome Wind Waker :p

[naclj]

i finally got me a copy. (well it was given to me as a bday pressent)
i love my zelda games but it has reminded me why i dont play on my DS anymore.
they are just too uncomfortable for long periods of gaming.

when i play a zelda i want to be able to sit down for multiple hours and get truly engrossed but on the DS that's a pain to do.

that said im still having a lot of fun with it.
i love trains so thats a bonus and i like the tone of this game.
i start holidays in a week and am looking forward to really getting stuck into it.

oh and damn zelda is a pushy little biatch

[Halt, Hammerzeit]

oh and damn zelda is a pushy little biatch

HEY! Wait for me!

[AranchineD]

You know, this game could have used a "I've played a Zelda game before" option, which stops the game from describing to you in great detail THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN IN EVERY SINGLE ****ING ZELDA GAME SINCE THE DAWN OF MAN

Also microphone things hard on a DS Phat. Everything else seems fine.

[Halt, Hammerzeit]

By DS Phat do you mean the original DS? Because I had no problem with my original DS.

[RunningMild]

By DS Phat do you mean the original DS?

Yeah, that's what people mean by DS Phat.

I recently had a moment which made me realise why I love this game.

After getting the boomerang, there was a room with a torch and four unlit torches. I thought 'well, this doesn't take a brain surgeon', and threw my boomerang to light them all, BUT IT DIDN'T WORK. However, I noticed that the flame from the boomerang had melted the ice on the ground, so I melted more ice and discovered that each torch was next to a set of dots carved into the floor. These dots indicated the order that the torches had to be lit- one dot was the first torch, four dots was the last, etc.

I was left thinking 'Oh, you sly bastard! I didn't think you had that kind of ingenuity left in you!'

If I can compare this to another recent high-profile Nintendo release: NSMB Wii didn't have anything that I hadn't seen before or wasn't prepared for. With every new challenge, all I could think was 'yawn, is that the best you could do?' But with Zelda: Spirit Tracks, I've seen so many new things and so many surprises. The Whirlwind is unlike anything I've seen in a Zelda game before, and the new puzzles they've come up with are sheer genius. Hell, the amount of new uses they've found for the friggin' BOOMERANG after all these years is astounding!

[Halt, Hammerzeit]

Yeah, that's what people mean by DS Phat.

I recently had a moment which made me realise why I love this game.

After getting the boomerang, there was a room with a torch and four unlit torches. I thought 'well, this doesn't take a brain surgeon', and threw my boomerang to light them all, BUT IT DIDN'T WORK. However, I noticed that the flame from the boomerang had melted the ice on the ground, so I melted more ice and discovered that each torch was next to a set of dots carved into the floor. These dots indicated the order that the torches had to be lit- one dot was the first torch, four dots was the last, etc.

I was left thinking 'Oh, you sly bastard! I didn't think you had that kind of ingenuity left in you!'

If I can compare this to another recent high-profile Nintendo release: NSMB Wii didn't have anything that I hadn't seen before or wasn't prepared for. With every new challenge, all I could think was 'yawn, is that the best you could do?' But with Zelda: Spirit Tracks, I've seen so many new things and so many surprises. The Whirlwind is unlike anything I've seen in a Zelda game before, and the new puzzles they've come up with are sheer genius. Hell, the amount of new uses they've found for the friggin' BOOMERANG after all these years is astounding!

Just wait until you get to
the ice flames and have to use it to freeze water so you can walk across it.

There are plenty of great puzzles that are different from your typical Zelda puzzles (the last dungeon (and the weapon there) and your last trip to the Tower Of Spirits are two of the most fun and challenging sections of a Zelda game for a long time). There were more that a few times towards the end where I had to put the game down for a while so I could come back to it with fresh eyes.

[RunningMild]

Just wait until you get to
the ice flames and have to use it to freeze water so you can walk across it.

Yeah, already reached that bit. One of the new uses for the boomerang. :p

[RunningMild]

Quick question:

Does this game only have four dungeons, plus the Spirit Tower? That's the direction it seems to be going. Is it a Majora's Mask kinda game, ie. less dungeons but tons of stuff to do in between (ferrying people around etc)?

[Dynomite]

I'm playing this game now, and I'm currently about to start the Water Temple. Is anyone else finding the dungeons short, and somewhat simple (I'm yet to die in one).

I'm going the the forest and snow temples in less than 25 minutes each. I mean I don't expect the size of the Water Temple from Z:TP, But I thought the dungeons in Z:PH longer than this.

[RunningMild]

Short? Yes. Simple? Maybe a little, but the inventiveness of the puzzles makes up for it IMO. Also, I'm still having loads of fun playing it regardless of any shortcomings.

[punkgorilla]

I actually prefer the shorter length of the dungeons. It means that they cut a lot of the unnecessary stuff that seems to plague Zelda these days. Plus, I don't have the time or interest for overly long dungeons.

[Jickle]

I've plugged maybe an hour, an hour and a half into it. I'm enjoying it quite a bit, although the bizarre train fixation is a bit odd, and completely out of left field. It's like the design committee, after a night of heavy drinking/drug taking, sat down at the table, and one of them said "hey, guys...how about, like...it's just like normal Zelda, right.....except for some reason everyone really ****ing loves trains." And another guy was all "Woah....dude....it's like.... yeah man, I get that, because ****ing, like...trains, they take you to the place you need to go, and that's, like...that's what Zelda is, man. That's ****ing beautiful, man."

Still, good fun!

[AranchineD]

Well due to some...reasons, I had to start the game again, and am thankful every minute that they included an option to skip cutscenes. IT FINALLY HAPPENED IN A ZELDA GAME! (At least, I don't remember it being there in past games...)

[AranchineD]

Well I just finished the Ice Temple. Kinda bored with it all. No real interesting puzzles so far, and I'm not really enjoying the temples. The Spirit Tower is okay though. Driving the train is boring as shit, I just let the train roll and do something else, wait until I hear DANGER MUSIC, then tap the screen 5 or 6 times and go back to paying attention somewhere else.

I know there's a lot of stuff to do later in the game but this first part is almost exhausting to get through just to see any of that.

[RunningMild]

Seeing as the first two games had water and land vehicles, the next one will probably have a plane or airship. Or maybe they'll have a spaceship and have 'planets' a la Super Mario Galaxy. :p

[V²]

I know there's a lot of stuff to do later in the game but this first part is almost exhausting to get through just to see any of that.

Don't get exhausted yet, we can help each other with the blowing parts, then that'll exhausted us

[AranchineD]

Man, the game has made be blow enough already, "There's a big beetle I THINK I'LL BLOW ON HIM."

It's just too big a load, I have absolutely nothing left.

[V²]

So I can't work you boomerang for a while then?

[AranchineD]

Not unless you want to play with my bomb bag at the same time.

[RunningMild]

Be quiet or I'll whack you in the face with my snake whip!

[AranchineD]

Oh cool, so in the space of one tower level the puzzles went from mind numbingly simple to stupidly and deliberately obtuse. Some good balancing going on here.

[RunningMild]

Oh cool, so in the space of one tower level the puzzles went from mind numbingly simple to stupidly and deliberately obtuse. Some good balancing going on here.

Speak for yourself, I had no such issues. :p

[AranchineD]

Well when they put a switch for a bridge out of direct sight of both your characters, and the only way you'd even know it's there is if you just happen to equip your boomarang AND just happened to aim as far as you could in one direction for no reason whatsoever, I'd consider that 'obtuse'.

[RunningMild]

Well when they put a switch for a bridge out of direct sight of both your characters, and the only way you'd even know it's there is if you just happen to equip your boomarang AND just happened to aim as far as you could in one direction for no reason whatsoever, I'd consider that 'obtuse'.

I just do that all the time anyway so I can have a look around, so I didn't notice. :p

[AranchineD]

Okay, the Fire Temple was pretty good actually, mine carts are always fun, even if my wonky touch screen means I can never shoot arrows where I damn want them to go.


Also please tell me that the last item slot I have is something we haven't seen in a Zelda game before, otherwise it'd make the fan the only new item in the game (and technically it was in Wind Waker anyway).

[Jay]

You seem to be forgetting the flute thing.

[AranchineD]

It's a reskinned ocarina/'Wind Waker' baton.

[Jay]

It's a reskinned ocarina/'Wind Waker' baton.

But...but...it's flute you play with your mouth! So just like an ocarina then... :(

[AranchineD]

Look, it's not that it's a bad mechanic or anything, it's just that the game does absolutely nothing with it. It's kinda fun playing with the Lomoko, but apart from that they give you a bunch of songs that you play like twice each in the entire game.

Actually that's characteristic of the whole game: doesn't really do anything new, and does the old stuff even less.

[RunningMild]

Also please tell me that the last item slot I have is something we haven't seen in a Zelda game before, otherwise it'd make the fan the only new item in the game (and technically it was in Wind Waker anyway).

What about the whip?

Also, the last item is pretty new.

[Jay]

So is the co-op stuff. I know there were a couple of sections in Wind Waker, but they were more escorting than true co-op. The Zelda bits here are quite fresh, imo.

[AranchineD]

What about the whip?

Also, the last item is pretty new.

Uh...it's a grappling hook.

But that second sentence sounds good.

Also I will agree the co-op stuff is pretty cool, even if the pathfinding leaves a lot to be desired and she gets stuck if you even look in the direction of a wall.

[RunningMild]

Uh...it's a grappling hook.

Oh yeah, Wind Waker's grappling hook was identical... :(

Still, I'm fairly sure the last one is unique.

[BB2K]

I think he means the PH grapling hook, which, despite a few differences, is basically the same.

[RunningMild]

I think he means the PH grapling hook, which, despite a few differences, is basically the same.

Nah, it's totally different to the PH grappling hook, which let you create ropes between two different objects to cross chasms or collide objects and such. The WW one lets you grapple overhanging branches and swing from them, so it's got the exact same function as the ST one IIRC.

Finished the game today, and finally got an engine made of gold. Hell yeah. :p

Also, do you get a different ending depending on how you answer that pre-battle question?

[RunningMild]

There's something about this game that I just find amazing.

The number of dungeons DOES NOT EQUAL 8!!!!!!!

There are 5 regular dungeons, 6 if you count the Spirit Tower as one, and about 10 or 11 if you count all the sections of the tower separately. Proof that this is one of the most innovative Zelda games of all time. :D

[AranchineD]

On the other hand, 4 dungeons in this game is equal to about half a dungeon in some of the previous games. >_>

[BB2K]

**** you, Lokomo duet things. You're the worst Zelda mechanic ever.

[Halt, Hammerzeit]

There's something about this game that I just find amazing.

The number of dungeons DOES NOT EQUAL 8!!!!!!!

There are 5 regular dungeons, 6 if you count the Spirit Tower as one, and about 10 or 11 if you count all the sections of the tower separately. Proof that this is one of the most innovative Zelda games of all time. :D

You mean like Majora's Mask?

[RunningMild]

You mean like Majora's Mask?

I suppose. This is like the Phantom Hourglass version of Majora's Mask. ;)

Except not.

[naclj]

**** you, Lokomo duet things. You're the worst Zelda mechanic ever.

last night i was close to throwing my DS in rage because of this exact thing.

it wasn't even a hard duet, it just wasn't working.
and i was getting really pissed off.
i miss button presses. (for everything)
i never thought id be that enraged by a stupid mechanic in a zeldagame. a puzzle that has me stumped, fine! but not a stupid little wind instrument just to get a map

other than that though, i do really like the game, the puzzles are fun and while slow at first, the world is quite fun to explore

[Dukotoja]

did i miss something? was this game developed for under 10 yr olds? was this created by a team which had a single member from any other zelda game?

last night i was close to throwing my DS in rage because of this exact thing.


This. I dont know if my ds is broken or old or the mics ****ed but i have resorted to just yelling into it instead of trying to blow, this seems to be working slightly better.

[JimmyKane]

It is pretty shit. Though some of the puzzles are nice, better than PH.

But overall, shit. **** the train forever. And the Song Of Birds puzzles.

[AranchineD]

Well I liked the "close the DS screen to flip the symbol" puzzle in PH better than any puzzle in ST.

And that wasn't even a 'puzzle'.

[JimmyKane]

I forgot about that, that was pretty sweet.

But overall, imo, Spirit Tracks has better puzzles. I love the return of making water freeze. Probably cos it reminds me of MM.

[RunningMild]

This. I dont know if my ds is broken or old or the mics ****ed but i have resorted to just yelling into it instead of trying to blow, this seems to be working slightly better.

Your mic must be ****ed, because I can blow really softly (so softly that you can't even hear it) and it registers. Check the mic sensitivity in the options screen and crank it right up.

[Dukotoja]

Your mic must be ****ed, because I can blow really softly (so softly that you can't even hear it) and it registers. Check the mic sensitivity in the options screen and crank it right up.

i cannot find this option in game or in the DS options menu.

[JimmyKane]

Frikkin air con sets mine off.

[RunningMild]

i cannot find this option in game or in the DS options menu.

It must only be in certain games then, unfortunately.