Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks Announced for DSi

[modeps]

http://evilavatar.com/images/thumbs/zelda_spirittracks.jpg

MCVUK (http://www.mcvuk.com/news/33711/Zelda-Spirit-Tracks-announced-for-DSi) has word that during the Nintendo GDC Keynote, which should be targeted at well... game developers, but guess what? They decided to announce a game. The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks is a new DSi game in the same vein as Phantom Hourglass:

The global president of Nintendo Saturo Iwata has headlined his keynote at GDC 09 by lifting the lid on a brand new Zelda game for the DSi entitled The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks.

"Nintendo is grateful all third parites have done to support our platforms - but we understand that we have the largest responsibility to satisfy long time Nintendo loyalists," president Satoru Iwata said upon his unveiling of the game.

"It will be available alter this year."

I guess this could help sell DSi's if its specific to the new platform.

[Zaro]

I don't think it's just for the DSi .
This time Link have a Train to travel in the world.

[oldjadedgamer]

Phantom Hourglass stands as one of the worst Zelda games made.

[Zaro]

Phantom Hourglass stands as one of the worst Zelda games made.

Maybe this one will be better for you.

[NELS]

Phantom Hourglass stands as one of the worst Zelda games made.

Perhaps. But only because the rest are really really good.

[modeps]

Perhaps. But only because the rest are really really good.

Cept for Majora, never cared for that one.

[oldjadedgamer]

Perhaps. But only because the rest are really really good.

Well, the other ones didn't have me doing the exact same dungeon over and over and over and over again.

I'm seriously stunned at the bad game design decisions in PHG.

[Phhhh]

Phantom was good except for doing that one dungeon a bunch of times.

Everything else was fun. Heck even doing that same dungeon over and over could have been fun if it was more rewarding or optional.

[Elrik Murder]

Phantom Hourglass stands as one of the worst Zelda games made.

That's the most ridiculous statement I've read today and I've read some whoppers. I thought the controls, as well as, the various uses of the DS's features made this title stand out.

Besides the Phantom Dungeon is no worse that the Water Temple from OoT and other like dungeons found in previous iterations. Plus you get your revenge on it in the end. Anyone else sick of this argument? Maybe you should look up the old Zelda CD-I titles on youtube.

[JazGalaxy]

Phantom was good except for doing that one dungeon a bunch of times.

Everything else was fun. Heck even doing that same dungeon over and over could have been fun if it was more rewarding or optional.

I think that is actually what is wrong with every single new zelda game since Zelda 3. The combat is weak and is mainly concidered a "necessary evil" to get to other things.

Doing the same dungeon over and over again in the original zelda was fun enough (All the dungons were basically identical) due to the fact that combat was enjoyable. The game was in trying to vanquish your foes and manage your health.

New zelda games make combat a matter of just mashing buttons and there is no challege or risk/reward to it. Plus, health is so abundant that you rarely ever worry about dying. In The Windwaker you would recieve more health from vanquishing a single foe than you could carry.

That's just broken game design...

[Zaro]

That's my only complaint about Zelda games they are too easy.
At least the Boss need to be more difficult, kill me at least one time.

Maybe for this one i'll try to never pick the hearts that boss give when we defeat them.

[Zurik]

Does this new one coming have the only touch controls? I really prefer to use the directional pad over the stylus, since I hold it left-handed and most games aren't designed for that.

[Zaro]

Does this new one coming have the only touch controls? I really prefer to use the directional pad over the stylus, since I hold it left-handed and most games aren't designed for that.

It's seem that yes.
Look the trailer. (http://www.zelda.com/universe/game/spirittracks/index.jsp)

[UttiniDaKilrJawa]

Bundle it with a gold DSi with triforce emblem and I'm in.

[InfiniteAmmo]

I really prefer to use the directional pad over the stylus, since I hold it left-handed and most games aren't designed for that.

Wait, so you hold your DS upside down? ;)

[oldjadedgamer]

That's the most ridiculous statement I've read today and I've read some whoppers. I thought the controls, as well as, the various uses of the DS's features made this title stand out.

Besides the Phantom Dungeon is no worse that the Water Temple from OoT and other like dungeons found in previous iterations. Plus you get your revenge on it in the end. Anyone else sick of this argument? Maybe you should look up the old Zelda CD-I titles on youtube.

I don't remember being forced to play the Water Temple in OoT 3,000 times. I've beat and love every Zelda except for Phantom. Only one of my friends beat it and that's cause he has OCD and must beat every game he starts but everyone I know gave up on it like I did.

I was very, very disappointed in it.

[lallous]

Phantom Hourglass stands as one of the worst Zelda games made.
Really? Phantom Hourglass was the first Zelda I've ever played and I had a blast with it ! I wonder how much better the previous ones were.

[oldjadedgamer]

Really? Phantom Hourglass was the first Zelda I've ever played and I had a blast with it ! I wonder how much better the previous ones were.

Well, since you started on the bottom you only going to be impressed going forward. Pick up the two Capcom made GBC ones. Those are really, really good. Also try Minnish Cap.

[Gusj]

The Phantom Hourglass would have been my favourite Zelda game if it hadn't been for that crappy temple.

The only reason why I haven't finished the game yet is because of that dungeon.

[MADxMrMike]

Minish cap was the last great zelda game made. Even twilight on the Wii was boring to me. Something needs to change with Zelda. I honestly wish they would go for a super detailed 2D version. Go back to basics but with insane art and sound design. Gameplay wise zelda is always pretty solid. Maybe change up some fire and ice dungeons for something a little less normal, and you could have a classic. Oh and somehow release it for the 360/PS3. It would be the game to rule them all!!!!!!!

[inscribed]

phantom hourglass was far and away the easiest, simplest zelda i've played. like other nintendo franchises (mario kart....), they've made these games with 7 yr old kids with limited reading abilities as target audiences. absolutely zero challenge.

[Mr.Green]

I really enjoyed Phantom Hourglass. More than Twilight Princess. This is great news!

[JazGalaxy]

phantom hourglass was far and away the easiest, simplest zelda i've played. like other nintendo franchises (mario kart....), they've made these games with 7 yr old kids with limited reading abilities as target audiences. absolutely zero challenge.

Exactly. This is my biggest problem with people who say zelda has a "good story". It's written like a bad coloring book. If you think it has a good story, then you're metally underdeveloped.

And the biggest shame of it all is that most adults started playing zelda back when they were 7 yr olds. At what point did we start feeling like we have to talk down to people younger than us when it comes to games?

[Chimpbot]

Doing the same dungeon over and over again in the original zelda was fun enough (All the dungons were basically identical) due to the fact that combat was enjoyable. The game was in trying to vanquish your foes and manage your health.

New zelda games make combat a matter of just mashing buttons and there is no challege or risk/reward to it. Plus, health is so abundant that you rarely ever worry about dying. In The Windwaker you would recieve more health from vanquishing a single foe than you could carry.

That's just broken game design...

You must have been playing some different early Zelda games, because I hated the combat in the early ones. Your shield was useless, so you had to rely on mashing the A-button until your enemies poofed away. OoT was the game that actually advanced combat by allowing various dodges and the ability to draw your shield, thereby giving you an actual form of defense. Twilight Princess, for its faults, advanced this further by including multiple sword techniques; by the time the game was over, I felt like Link was actually the legendary swordsman he was always referred to as in the previous games.

Essentially, our opinions are exactly opposite; I feel the combat is far more engaging in more recent entries such as OoT or TP when compared to the earlier entries.

[laggerific]

Phantom was good except for doing that one dungeon a bunch of times.

Everything else was fun. Heck even doing that same dungeon over and over could have been fun if it was more rewarding or optional.

Wait, there is only one dungeon that had to be repeated over and again? I stopped playing after I got bored of the 1st dungeon, and then read that the game featured replaying the same dungeon over and again, and I knew if I didn't enjoy the first dungeon that I couldn't bear playing any of them more then once.

[Johan]

I'm so torn over Phantom Hourglass. Part of me still wants to get it, but opinions are so mixed (some hate it, some love it) that I'm hesitant.

[dante]

I'm so torn over Phantom Hourglass. Part of me still wants to get it, but opinions are so mixed (some hate it, some love it) that I'm hesitant.

This game seems to be one of those love it or hate it games. Frankly I thought it was great, a bit easy but had that mystical element in a game called fun. It ranks up there with Link's Awakening as one of my favourites (LA was the first Zelda game I played).

[laggerific]

Minish cap was the last great zelda game made. Even twilight on the Wii was boring to me. Something needs to change with Zelda. I honestly wish they would go for a super detailed 2D version. Go back to basics but with insane art and sound design. Gameplay wise zelda is always pretty solid. Maybe change up some fire and ice dungeons for something a little less normal, and you could have a classic. Oh and somehow release it for the 360/PS3. It would be the game to rule them all!!!!!!!

Minish Cap was one of the only portable games that had me coming back for more even when I was at home. I thought they had finally got it, and that the Phantom Hourglass would build on that with the beautiful celda stylings.

Minish Cap had a great balance of plot and exploration...often times when I didn't know where to go next, I would go off looking for medallions or whatever they were, only to discover the next step along with some great medallions. That was one of the only portable games I've ever beaten in that format.

[JazGalaxy]

You must have been playing some different early Zelda games, because I hated the combat in the early ones. Your shield was useless, so you had to rely on mashing the A-button until your enemies poofed away. OoT was the game that actually advanced combat by allowing various dodges and the ability to draw your shield, thereby giving you an actual form of defense. Twilight Princess, for its faults, advanced this further by including multiple sword techniques; by the time the game was over, I felt like Link was actually the legendary swordsman he was always referred to as in the previous games.

Essentially, our opinions are exactly opposite; I feel the combat is far more engaging in more recent entries such as OoT or TP when compared to the earlier entries.

Well, I'd say that that's not the way the orginal games played.

The origial games had a binary combat system where making one successful strike sent the enemies backwards and rendered them invincible for a short period of time while the attack registered. THerefore there was no reason to repeatedly mash the attack button. It wouldn't have done any good. The "game" was in finding an attack vector the scored a successful hit while dodging each enemies unique attack patterns.

The newer Zelda games that you speak of DO feature combos that, as you say, make link LOOK like he's the legendary swordsman, but it's just visual fluff. None of those combos really every did anything. ANd as for yoru sheild, most badguys were simple "gimmick badguys" where once you figured out the trick, they were only annoying as opposed to fun.. Those little bush guys? Hold your sheild out until they attack you and then go hit them. Octorocks? Hold your shield out until they attack and then go hit them. Moblins? Hide until they turn around and then hit them.

You did more hiding and waiting in the later games than you did any real combat. That, to me, isn't gameplay.

As for your shield in the earlier games, it definately did work. That's why you could buy two different ones. And why you were so defenseless when that one monster ate your Big Shield. In Zelda 2 the shield became even MORE prominant.

I guess you're right that we just have differing opinoins, but I personaly don't feel like any game section in which I'm not actively using my brain is just a chore, not any sort of fun. As a result, defeating any badguys by holding down my shield button until they attack and then hitting them, or mindlessly pussing the button while I spam a series of stabs at them is just mind numbing.

[Earth Djinn]

This doesn't really interest me yet, as I dont plan on getting a DSi just yet. Although its nice to know it'll be there whenever I get around to getting one, I suppose.

[Jadbalja]

I too quit playing Phantom Hourglass when it came time to face the same dungeon again for the umpteenth time. The whole time limit thing just made it even more annoying. Other than that, I really enjoyed PHG.

[oldjadedgamer]

I too quit playing Phantom Hourglass when it came time to face the same dungeon again for the umpteenth time. The whole time limit thing just made it even more annoying. Other than that, I really enjoyed PHG.

Yeah, that one design flaw made the game horrible when it could have been one of the best.