Review: The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (NDS)

The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass is Link's first outing on the DS, and whilst Nintendo have made good use of the console's features to create a new and fresh approach to the franchise, they have stuck to the tried and tested formula which has made the games so successful. Once again, there's a damsel in distress and the little boy in green must save the day.

The action in Phantom Hourglass takes place immediately after the events of The Wind Waker on the Gamecube. Having rescued Princess Zelda (who is disguised as a pirate named Tetra) from the evil clutches of Ganon, Link is living happily ever after on the ocean waves. That is until a mysterious ghost ship abducts Tetra and manages to shipwreck Link on a small island. Link gets befriended by a fairy named Ciele and begins another quest to rescue Zelda. There may be some continuity issues between the two stories, but they both share the same style. The cel-shaded graphics have made a superb transition to create some of the best visuals to grace the DS; from the exploding bombs to the splashes in the water, the effects in Phantom Hourglass are stunning. With the nautical theme maintained, Link's quest takes him from island to island, travelling on a rickety paddle steamer captained by a treasure-hungry chap called Linebeck. Although Phantom Hourglass never feels as vast as The Wind Waker, it has captured the feel perfectly.

Like previous handheld Zelda games, Phantom Hourglass adopts a top-down view, but with some 3D elements. Link is controlled solely with the stylus on the touch screen, while the top screen is used to show the map. It seems strange at first, but using the stylus is extremely intuitive and one of the best aspects of the game. You point to where you want Link to go and draw lines to swipe your sword, and to attack enemies (or interact with objects/people), you just tap them. With the exception of a few basic manoeuvres (notably rolling), the controls are excellent. Use of the dual-screens, microphone, and touch control immerse you further: you can draw the path that you want Link's boomerang or Bomchu bombs to follow and you have to shout into the microphone to haggle with merchants or stun enemies that are sensitive to loud noises. Although some of the features feel gimmicky, they do lead to some unique puzzles.

The most significant use of the touchscreen is the map, on which you can annotate and make important notes that will help you throughout the game. This is drummed into you very early on and prompts you to make notes of secrets and hidden items. As the game progresses, there are fewer hints, and the ones that do appear become more cryptic and involve you applying the geometry that you learned and forgot in school (you will be drawing parallel and bisecting lines in order to pinpoint areas on the map). It's a great feature and again allows for different puzzles not seen before. The ability to makes notes means that logic and memory puzzles become more prominent, and it lends itself to a more laid-back adventure. That's not to say there's a lack of action, as some great boss battles and decent adversaries will challenge your stylus-swiping skills. It is, however, a slightly different Zelda experience.

Maybe it's the fact that Nintendo are gunning for the casual gamer market, but Phantom Hourglass feels like a 'light' Zelda game. Whilst there are still dungeons, for example, gone is the need to find a map and compass, and you can even pay for hints throughout the game. It has a tendency to point you in the right direction, and it's more restrictive than its predecessors. Although all Zelda games consist of completing one dungeon and moving onto the next, Phantom Hourglass has little in the way of side-quests, and there's no incentive to explore the world. There's a huge emphasis on finding and selling treasure, and your ship can be customised with a great number of different parts, but the people you meet lack character, and the urge to roam the landscape seems to have disappeared. You can collect different gems, which act as a power-up to your weapons, but you don't have to go far out of your way to obtain them.

Travelling between islands is entertaining, and Nintendo have made the effort to make journeys fun. Once you have plotted a course on the map with the stylus, the ship motors along, leaving you to fight off pirates and sea creatures with the cannon, or ensure that the ship doesn't crash by making it jump over obstacles. You can stop and fish (which is handled excellently by the touch controls), and salvage for treasure. It does get slightly monotonous, however, and although you can explore the seas for uncharted islands, you're probably more likely to want to get to your destination as quickly as possible.

Whilst sailing the seas can get boring, it is nothing compared to the Temple of the Ocean King, which you will face repeatedly throughout the game. Not since Majora's Mask has repetition been such a large part of a Zelda game. In order to progress, you will need to obtain items from this temple by tackling each floor, and journeying deeper inside; but you have to repeat all the floors every time you return. It's infuriatingly dull at times, and although new items and weapons enable shortcuts, it's by far the worst aspect of the game. Whilst in the temple, it's a race against the clock, and you have to avoid detection from roaming knights or suffer a time penalty. The stealth approach to the temple completely changes the pace of the game, and the time limit seems unnecessary. It's almost as if Nintendo thought the game was too short and wanted to make it last a bit longer by having you do the same dungeon over and over again. There is a halfway checkpoint which makes things more bearable, and most of the gameplay in the temple is entertaining, with some clever puzzles to overcome, but you will find yourself dreading having to make another visit in order to continue your quest.

It's a minor complaint and, overall, Phantom Hourglass offers hours of classic Zelda gaming with a refreshing new twist. There are seven dungeons to conquer, and each one is distinctive and challenging. The story, whilst nothing new, is entertaining, with some great dialogue between characters, and Linebeck, your travelling companion, adds some nice comedy moments. As you would expect from a Zelda game, Phantom Hourglass boasts an impressive soundtrack, and the effects are nearly perfect (although what's with the new cheesy chime when you find an item, Nintendo?). The DS's strengths are used superbly, and it's a wonderful game to play.

Phantom Hourglass introduces online gaming to the Zelda universe, which is a nice addition rather than an incentive. The 'Battle Mode' is not as brutal as it sounds, and is like a very slow version of Pac-Man. The gameplay is similar to that in the Temple of the Ocean King: players take turns in controlling Link as he tries to hoard pieces of 'Force Gems', while the other player directs sentry knights to impede his progress. The player who has managed to collect the most gems after three turns wins. It's a simple but entertaining game, and offers a decent distraction if you want a break from battling Bokoblins and sea creatures. Once you have reached a certain point in the adventure, you can also use Nintendo's Wi-Fi connection to trade ship-parts and treasures with friends.

Apart from the repetitive aspect of the Temple of the Ocean King, Phantom hourglass is an excellent game. The gorgeous graphics and sound draw you in, and it uses the touch screen to create a fresh feel to one of the oldest game franchises around. It may not have the epic feel of its big console cousins, but the DS manages to create a Zelda experience that is truly unique.

Rating: 8 / 10

Words by Chris Thornton