DS Den: November 2007 Archives

Pre-Gamecube if you'd asked me what series that in my eyes could do no wrong, one series I would have mentioned without question would be the Legend of Zelda.  Unfortunately, the Gamecube probably proved to be the lowest point in Nintendo's illustrious history and even the Big N's flagship titles, Zelda and Mario, proved to be the nails in the Nintendo console's coffin.  The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker was, in my opinion, the worst Zelda game of all time.  Why?

Firstly there were the graphics which were very much like marmite, you either loved them or hated them.  Coming off the back of the Ocarina of Time which redefined gorgeous, realistic graphics the Wind Waker changed tact and went with Cartoonish "Cell Shading."  To me it felt like a huge step backwards.  Then there was the huge gameplay flaw of how the game was set out.  Rather then an open sprawling landscape, Nintendo opted for several islands in a sea which required a wind powered boat to ride between one and the other.  The amount of time it took to get to one area to another was so long and tedious that it makes my blood boil to this day.

So this brings me to Phantom Hourglass, the direct sequel to the Wind Waker following on from where the Wind Waker ended. (If you could be bothered to complete it - I couldn't.)  Back come the Cell Shade graphics but will this be another blot on the series or have Nintendo learnt from their mistakes?

Firstly let's talk about the graphics.  Where as Cell Shade felt like a step back on the console version, it doesn't really feel so here.  Maybe this is due to the fact that I'm comparing it to the GBA titles Oracle of the Ages/Seasons.  Maybe it's simply to do with the fact that a lot of the game is played from the fabled 2.5D perspective.  Regardless of what the reasons are, you'd be hard pressed to find a prettier game on the DS.  It's colourful, vibrant and a great example of what the DS can do when pushed.

The sound is very much typical Zelda fair.  Right from the get go when you're creating your new game the traditional Zelda music tinkles away in the background giving you the warm fuzzy feeling inside that only a Zelda title can.  Past that and you get the orchestral masterpiece that very few in gaming can do as well as Nintendo.  The effects, again, do not drift away from previous games and I'm glad.  It's evolution without ruining what is already a solid formula.

The gameplay is really what has got me very excited.  The game still takes place on various islands but they've managed to fix the boating issue by having you hook up with a sailing captain with a steam boat.  You simply use the stylus to draw you route to the island you want to go to and then head there at quite an acceptable speed.  I must admit I breathed a sigh of relief.  The controls are innovative in that everything is done with the stylus.  If you want to move Link to a location you point the stylus at it.  If you want to attack an enemy you can click on it, draw a line to

swipe your sword in or draw a line in a circle around yourself to do the legendary spin attack.  To throw your boomerang, you select it then draw lines of where you want the boomerang to travel.

Sounds complicated?  It can be.

There are occasion where the controls let you down.  Sometimes you can be attempting to get on a platform and end up swiping your sword forcing you to plummet to your death.  On other occasions you get a surprise attack by an enemy you can't kill without a certain item and panic combined with switching weapons can lead to you taking unnecessary hits.

That is, however, a small price to pay for everything Zelda does right.  Aside from the usual Zelda secrets, Phantom Hourglass uses every bit of the DS to perform a function from blowing out candles physically via the DS microphone to opening and closing the DS itself to perform a function.  I won't spoil it for you but it is genius.

The lifespan of the game manages to be challenging but never to the point of ridiculous.  I do somewhat wonder how younger gamers may deal with the Phantom Hourglass but for me, the difficulty feels spot on.

In conclusion, is the Phantom Hourglass the best Zelda game ever?  No.  It is inferior to Link to the Past, Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess.  That said it's a brilliant and in parts breathtaking adaptation on the Zelda universe.  If you enjoy role playing games, are a Zelda fan or merely wondering what all the Zelda fuss is about, Phantom Hourglass is definitely worthy of adding to your collection.

I'll give it 4/5

Johnny James

If you're looking to print money right now, you'd not do at all badly investing in the creation of some sort of brain training game, preferably for an online and/or handheld gaming system (to maximise portability and wide use).

Enter the mighty DS and it's brain training collection, which currently consists of two Brain Training games, Big Brain Academy and another couple of Memory games which are tied in with an adventure game in space. The simple aim? They train your brain, you become sharper and smarter, maximise your learning potential and the developers and publishers rub their hands as the moolah flows in.

Sega it seems, are now joining the hand-rubbing club with a DS title promised to arrive during the Spring 2008, currently titled Brain Assist. Details are scanty at the moment, but we're told that the game will be based on a Japanese arcade title called Touch De Uno! and will feature four nurses. Steady, fellas ...