The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks is an action/adventure game for the Nintendo DS and DSi that sets Link, the iconic hero of the Legend of Zelda series, on a daring new adventure. The game provides players with a new tale, more puzzles, a new mode of moving–by train–and a new companion in combat, the Phantom. Together these offer up new possibilities for conundrum-solving, adventure and fun to both longtime and new fans of the franchise alike.
Propulsion and Conundrum-solving
One of the most prominent features of The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks is the ability to travel by rail throughout the game. When Link conducts the train, players delight in a satisfying combination of action and real-time puzzle solving as they determine which track to take and how to best manipulate their alacrity. When on the train, Link must plot the best route to the end of the line around ever-moving obstacles. While en route, Link might need to fire an onboard cannon at enemies who attack the train or sound the whistle to scare animals off the tracks.
 New adventure, a new means of transport, and a new companion.
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The Phantom
In The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks, Link has a valuable new companion in combat and puzzle-solving, the Phantom. A faceless knight in a hulking suit of armor with immunities to perilous elements like fire and magma, the Phantom responds to Link’s directional commands. Players can simply tap the Phantom with their stylus to take command of him, then draw a line on the touch screen to direct him where to go. He will engage enemies automatically when he comes within range of them. The stout Phantom can also be used as a platform to carry Link above and over dangers, or even run interference to block Link from harm or help end off an enemy.
New In-game Items
Spirit Tracks also introduces a variety of new items and weapons to The Legend of Zelda franchise. One of the most notable is the Whirlwind, which Link uses to go items and overturn enemies. Players activate this by blowing into the microphone of the Nintendo DS or Nintendo DSi system. Other new items include a whip, useful both in combat and in platforming, as well as his train’s cannon, which can shoot bombs into the space.
Map Functionality
As with The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, in Spirit Tracks players can look forward to helpful interactive map functionality. The game map appears on the system’s top screen, as opposed to the action on the bottom, and players can draw clarification on the in-game maps using the stylus on the touch screen. This allows players to quickly mark spots in the game world of note for later exploration, or to note them as already explored. |
There are over 2500 video sports meeting for the Nintendo DS. 95% are junk. The Legend Of Zelda: Spirit Tracks is one of the resolution best. Question yourself this: “Do I Like Quality? – Or Am I A Monkey?”
NO SPOILERS
I am not a qualified critic. I’m a consumer. Which means I don’t play sports meeting for free and trash them for cash.
10 BEST DS GAMES OF ALL TIME
ACCORDING TO MY TALKING THUMBS
ALL OF WHICH I’M PROUD TO OWN
PURCHASED NEW WITH COLD HARD CASH
1 – Advance Wars: Dual Strike
2 – The Legend Of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
3 – New Super Mario Bros.
4 – Mario Kart DS
5 – Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Tale
6 – Meteos
7 – Rune Factory
8 – Scribblenauts
9 – Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon
10 – The World Ends With You
Spirit Tracks is better than Phantom Hourglass. I only place the best of each franchise on my list. I’m worried you and I are just going to have to live with that. It’s my list. You want a different list, post your own, Babaganoush.
Sometimes, like with this game, Spirit Tracks, I wish Nintendo would ignore the rest of the world and just make the game I want them to make. Maybe they could glide me to Japan and I’ll give them specific design or art advice. I don’t speak Japanese, but I can point and nod with precision. I could poke Miyamoto in the shoulder until he agrees to my changes. Then maybe, because I’m awesome, every Nintendo game would get a 100% on Metacritic. Because every right gamer agrees on the definition of OMG!. (But when a game really gives me a strong Frownface
I punish Electronic Arts by renting first or buying used, because you got to punch them in ol’ the digitalnutsack.) I bought Zelda: ST new with cash at my local [coughcough] because I just couldn’t #&@% wait!
LIKES / DISLIKES
For example, If I was Japanese I would nod a lot. Zelda: ST is a touchscreen game. My wife likes Touch sports meeting because she can play them with her nipple. And I like to watch. I have an extra large stylus, which she feels is too huge and sometimes hurts. Sometimes she likes to watch me play, but she’ll help by blowing. Zelda’s main plot is 25 hours long and this requires a lot of blowing from my wife. I’m tall and can’t reach. The princess art is mildly erotic, but I doubt any kids would drool. I’m just particularly sensitive to large-headed empowered women. Basically, even though I’m American, and I reflect American, and I talk and write American, That’s okay. This sports meeting would really get mostly nods, and I would only poke Miyamoto a few times, but he would already know, and Just Smile, because he’s ticklish and knows that even 5-star sports meeting have 4-star moments, but they “ain’t gonna spank the fun” (He said that in Japanese and I translated but I reflect his words were different because I couldn’t hear because he was tickling me because that’s what it’s like to experience the Nintendo Seal Of Quality.
BUY IT. PLAY iT. LOVE IT.
Rating: 5 / 5
This is probably one of the best adventure puzzle solving sports meeting for ds.
The graphics are clean the game play is excellent the bosses are fun and the controls are unadorned.
FOR A ZELDA GAME THOUGH!!
The game is no oot . . . .
Rating: 5 / 5
After the monotony of playing Phantom Hourglass, I was really looking forward to a more fascinating game based on all the clear reviews I’d read. Unfortunately, I have just given up on the game and would rate Spirit Tracks as one of the WORST sports meeting in the series. Here’s some reasons why:
The train-related gameplay is incredibly dull and feels like a whole lot of unnecessary padding between dungeons and towns. Imprecise controls make a mess of trying to effectively use the camera while aiming the train cannon at enemies. Route plotting feels inaccurate and often leads to crash with enemy trains which result in instant death.
In the first part of the game, two major gameplay mechanics are introduced which both depend on the player blowing into the microphone. One of these is a wind weapon which is needed with specific enemies that will otherwise cause hurt to the player if regular attacks are used. Unfortunately, there is a detachment between using the stylus to aim the weapon and then moving your face to the microphone to blow. This makes a situation where you can’t look at the screen properly while the enemies you’re trying to kill go out of the weapons path and score cheap hits on you.
Less talk, more action. The environment provides a rich visual narrative which is then hampered by endless prattle from NPC’s. Going back and playing the original Legend of Zelda, you’ll notice just a few shape of dialogue guide the entire game forward. These days Nintendo seems keen to write an entire novel’s worth of dialogue which really slows the game down to a crawl.
I would like a version of this game that streamlined the train part of the game and offered an optional control scheme to replace the microphone.
Rating: 2 / 5
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks is a game one should only buy if they answer yes to the following questions:
1. Do you like playing sports meeting were developers find ways to artificial extend gameplay at the expense of the player?
2. Did you like Majora’s Mask?
3. Does the thought of controlling character movement by touch screen seems like a excellent thought?
If you can answer yes to these question, in particular 1 and 3, then you should give this game a try. If not then you should pass on this game, or at least wait for it to come down in price.
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks is in fact rather small in length compared to Phantom Hourglass, the only reason it seems longer is because of train travel. The train can only travel on tracks, tracks that a small later in the game are patrolled by demon trains, which forces the player to take longer routes to avoid them. Factor this with the fact that your train, even on the highest alacrity setting is slow as hell, makes for a very dull and dull experience. Most of your time playing this game will in fact be spent on the train. For this reason alone Spirit Tracks gets 1 star and I would recommend you avoid this game at all cost or if you must, buy Phantom hourglass.
As for the controls it seems to have gotten worse compared to Phantom Hourglass. Precision in controls, even while controlling the train, and the fact that they changed rolling to two taps of the screen instead of the loop to loop motion can lead to accidental hurt or death while playing. This issue but is minor, and one could play this game without being bothered by it too much. If you’re the type of person that prefers, or would have preferred the option to use the D-Pad, try the game out before you buy it or just avoid it.
Finally the game itself is not much better than Phantom Hourglass. If you played Phantom Hourglass before, you pretty much already played this game sans trains. Although the conversations between Link and Zelda are cool, and she makes a excellent side kick, the tale is truly no better than Phantom Hourglass. In some respects, it’s worse. Spirit Tracks is the Majora’s Mask of the DS, so to those of you that didn’t care for Majora’s Mask shouldn’t bother with Spirit Tracks. Otherwise don’t be surprised if you experience a lot of “been there, done that.”
If you’re a huge Zelda fan and Nintendo can do no incorrect ever, have fun with Spirit Tracks. If you’re a gamer and want the best cash can buy, I’d tell you to wait for a lower price or avoid this game entirely. If you are going to buy this game, make sure you research it/try it out before you buy it. You’ve been warned.
Rating: 1 / 5
I like zelda and was so excited to play this game. That being said, I HATE that I have to use the mic for so many elements. I despise playing the flute, I despise having to make random noises just to go owing to conversation. To be honest, I got owing to the Ocean Realm and place the game down because it was so irritating.
Rating: 3 / 5