If you've played a Legend of Zelda game, then you know pretty much what to expect from The Phantom Hourglass.
The story is changed a bit, which seems to be a running theme with Zelda games, in that Zelda is a pirate (a good one) and Link is her traveling companion. They are searching for a ghost ship and upon finding it, Zelda gets abducted. Link goes off in search of her and there's your story.
Gameplay is a bit different on the DS in a good and bad way. The entire game is played with the stylus, which sucks at first, but becomes very cool as you get used to it. You really don't do anything with the control pad or buttons.
This Zelda finds you traveling to various islands in an ocean separated into 4 areas. As you progress the story, a new area will open up until you have access to all 4.
You get around via a ship captained by the cowardly Linebeck. While on the ship, you'll be attacked by various monsters and even Linebeck's old girlfriend, which gets pretty annoying after you stop being rewarded for fighting her. Other activities on your ship include fishing, visiting shops run from ships, docking with mysterious ships, etc. There is also a thing you learn that'll help you reduce your travel time so you're not sailing across the map constantly.
The islands themselves are each filled with their own town (for the most part), dungeon, theme, and people. Some have full fledged villages, while others have specific purpose. Two or three exist only for the mini-game they host.
The story flows very well and usually can be played in snippets, with the exception of the main dungeon, which you visit multiple times and has a pretty interesting twist in how you must approach it. That twist alone will have you playing it more than once for a specific purpose which I can't reveal without spoilers.
The puzzles within are not too difficult, with the exception being Maze Island, which is a logistical nightmare. I highly, highly, highly recommend that once you arrive, go to GameFAQs and just get the maps there on how to beat the island. Unless you enjoy spending hours charting out a specific course through a booby trapped maze where you're given just enough time to finish even if you perfectly run the route.
Overall, I found this to be a very enjoyable "second office" game. It used the stylus far better than any other DS game I've ever played. The corny plot and characters are a bit distracting, but it is a Zelda game...
8 out of 10.
The Legend of Zelda: The Phantom Hourglass - DS
I hated the main dungeon mechanic because everything reset each time. You would eventually get some short cuts but going back two and three times to move the same block while the trying not to be seen by the same guy get annoying.
Still a fun game but this game is down there with Wind Waker as my least favorite Zelda games.
Still a fun game but this game is down there with Wind Waker as my least favorite Zelda games.
I did not care for Wind Waker either. Wasn't it "Walker"?
I didn't mind the main dungeon mechanic because it got faster each time. Plus, there was that yellow portal...
I didn't mind the main dungeon mechanic because it got faster each time. Plus, there was that yellow portal...
"Happy slaves are the worst enemies of freedom." - Marie Von Ebner
"It was always the women, and above all the young ones, who were the most bigoted adherents of the Party, the swallowers of slogans, the amateur spies..." - Orwell
"It was always the women, and above all the young ones, who were the most bigoted adherents of the Party, the swallowers of slogans, the amateur spies..." - Orwell