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Ah, legend of Zelda. You evoke so many things for so many gamers. In a way you are the never-say-die spirit of video games.
This almost ancient franchise gets another US DS release with The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks.
Like many of its predecessors, this is a strange story starring a little guy in a green, elfish suit wielding a sword (called Link, of course) and a princess (Zelda) that needs to be rescued, though not quite in the princess-in-another-castle way. This time there is a mysterious train and disappearing tracks that need to be re-mapped by beating level bosses and involving Zelda as a ghostly, albeit chatty, presence.
The Spirit Within
Controls are very similar to The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (DS, 2007) with the touch screen being used to direct movements, use weapons, use items and even make notes on in-game top screen maps.
The game also employs the microphone to control a wind-powered gun that stuns some opponents and can knock around objects into better – or worse – positions. Link even acquires a microphone-activated flute that becomes increasingly useful as the game goes on.
Instead of walking between towns, the game’s implied namesake, a train, is used along via basic speed controls and the ability to look around. As each level is completed more tracks – the Spirit Tracks – re-appear, opening up towns and dungeons to explore. Much like Link acquires powers throughout the game, so does the train, eventually getting equipped with a cannon to blast objects, opponents and even hunt for widdle white bunnies, making it much more (and more fun) than just a way to get between towns.
It has everything you’d expect including side missions, special attacks, a mounted train cannon, hidden objects, silly creatures and plenty of puzzles to solve. Several puzzles also include guiding the spirited Princess by drawing a path.
The Princess is Right Behind You!
This puzzle-adventure game begins with a rather slow pace but it builds at just the right rate to keep things interesting. It’s a guided adventure, so you never wander too far off course (and are rarely stuck in a misguided circle of boring backtracking). It leaves a lot of the, “Where the @#$! do I go next!?!” moments at the wayside for, “How the heck do I get there with what I have?” It helps to appropriately re-focus on the puzzle aspects of the game and utilizing your inventory. For example, the map includes a note system where you can sketch crude images on it to view later. When you are given instructions by a villager, you can then pull down the map, make the appropriate notes and later use it to solve a critical puzzle.
Opponents are patterned but they are appropriately challenging so that you never feel completely defeated. A few times I put down the game in frustration and then realized a few minutes later how exactly to get through.
Well on the Right Track(s)
You need to get through the first hour or so of getting used to the game, the pacing of the story and the controls before its true fun starts to show. From then on, it's all enjoyment that continues to build the longer you play.
This is definitely a decent buy for any DS owner.
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