... The first DS Zelda game. Sounds revolutionary, doesn't it? Sounds fantastic fun, doesn't it? Shocker of the month: it's not all it's cracked up to be.
Don't get me wrong, this is a goodish game but it is, compared to other Zelda games, nowhere near as good. And it's all down to one reason ... Read review
The epic story of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker continues as Link finds himself lost ... more
and alone in unknown seas in a new adventure. Featuring intuitive touch-screen controls and innovative puzzles, The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass offers new...
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The epic story of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker continues as Link finds himself lost ... more
and alone in unknown seas in a new adventure. Featuring intuitive touch-screen controls and innovative puzzles, The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass offers new...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Run, swing a sword, steer a ship, throw a boomerang.... All with the DS stylus!Link's ... more
latest adventure comes to life on Nintendo DS! When Link's friend Tetra is whisked away on a mysterious ghost ship, he sets out to rescue her! With the help of Lineba...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: Out of stock
Taking the helm, in this direct sequel to the Nintendo GameCube hit, The Legend Of Zelda: ... more
Wind Waker, The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass picks up with our legendary hero Link, along with Tetra (also known as Princess Zelda from the fallen kingdom o...
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A slip for the Zelda franchise.
Advantages: Graphics, some nice ideas, some audio. Disadvantages: Gimmicky, bad gameplay, controls, story.
...a harsh reviewer and only the BEST games get above 90%.
A Zelda game. A DS Zelda game. The first DS Zelda game. Sounds revolutionary, doesn't it? Sounds fantastic fun, doesn't it? Shocker of the month: it's not all it's cracked up to be.
Don't get me wrong, this is a goodish game but it is, compared to other Zelda games, nowhere near as good. And it's all down to one reason really: it lacks the Zelda charm. More of that ... ...into your DS and tap the icon of it. And, oh my goodness, it looks nice! A spectacular seascape with, get this: Wind Waker seagulls and Wind Waker clouds and Wind Waker graphics. Seriously: the graphics are officially awesome and in a stark contrast to other DS games, the start of the game seems super promising and, guess what? It is.
Once you set up your file (only two this time round compared to the usual three, random move by Nintendo), ... more
Sorry if I'm going to be harsh in this review but I am a harsh reviewer and only the BEST games get above 90%.
A Zelda game. A DS Zelda game. The first DS Zelda game. Sounds revolutionary, doesn't it? Sounds fantastic fun, doesn't it? Shocker of the month: it's not all it's cracked up to be. Don't get me wrong, this is a goodish game but it is, compared to other Zelda games, nowhere near as good. And it's all down to one reason really: it lacks the Zelda charm. More of that later.
So, you slot this little game into your DS and tap the icon of it. And, oh my goodness, it looks nice! A spectacular seascape with, get this: Wind Waker seagulls and Wind Waker clouds and Wind Waker graphics. Seriously: the graphics are officially awesome and in a stark contrast to other DS games, the start of the game seems super promising and, guess what? It is. Once you set up your file (only two this time round compared to the usual three, random move by Nintendo), you tap Go and you're instantly there on Tetra's ship! Ooh! I'm not going to ruin the narrative but umm, how shall I put this… Tetra gets captured. Again, yes, but since this a handheld game, in Nintendo's opinion, the story doesn't matter. So the story is a downer for me, with generally the same thing going on all the time and an uninspiring narrative that doesn't keep you interested.
And that is one of the key thing about handheld games that Nintendo has overlooked. If you want to keep coming back to it (Zelda is really not a constantly play game on the DS, again more of that when we talk gameplay), story is a key issue. So, back on track from my first moan, we have the graphics again. Yes, they are tasty (!) and essentially the best part of the game. It really does look like Wind Waker squeezed realistically into a tiny DS game cartridge. By far the best graphics on DS so far, beating other good lookers such as Final Fantasy III. Actually though, Mario Slam Basketball is good too.
So, the first island - you've been washed up (on a side note, this part of the story does work since you feel new to the island and you have no burdens) and have to explore "Mercay" Island. And this really sets a high height to reach for the rest of the game - playing through this first island is inspiring stuff and makes you think the rest of the game is going to be officially awesome. But then it slips. It's hard to place but the novelty seems to wear off and the controls start to annoy you. And it's gimmicky really.
The ability to write on the map is a nice prospect and is quite helpful for some dungeons, but when the method is repeated over and over again it gets very boring and samey. The note making is also restrictive and tough to do. The controls - the controls! They're awful. Well, at first they're nice but soon they also get gimmicky. It becomes inaccurate and your baby Link character is aimlessly moving around. The "privilege" to be able to tap on enemies is broken and adds no difficulty to the game - it's literally tap on an enemy and that's it: dead. Well once you get out on the ocean to the frankly gorgeous visuals, you hope the controls will perk up a bit. They don't. Drawing a route on a map means that it's tricky to turn if you see something and since I had to do a fair bit of this game to review it, I took to reading something on the journeys across the ocean and occasionally tapping on the touch screen whenever an enemy appeared. Seriously, after the first go, it's not interesting whatsoever.
It is, without a doubt, an innovative game, with plenty of extras. Also, map noting is a fantastic move by Nintendo but including it in EVERY SINGLE DUNGEON really isn't that pleasant and it soon becomes a restrictive hindrance. There are so many HUGE opportunities here for a Zelda game but they are overlooked and missed out… Where's an island like Windfall Island from Wind Waker? Where's an interesting dungeon? Where's a vaguely interesting enemy? The answer: nowhere. And blowing into the bleeding microphone: don't even get me started. It's unnecessary and RUINS the Zelda experience. It's like imagining Twilight Princess where every so often, you have to randomly shake the Wii Remote to open a door. It would be an unnecessary hindrance. I mean, Phantom Hourglass does unquestionably use the DS's features, but not in a solid and interesting way. Some of the best games on DS are the ones that don't use all the features at once! Take Advance Wars and Mario Kart DS: class games - no gimmicks.
Now, gameplay. Zelda gameplay has always been awesome (bar a few exceptions: Zelda II, I'm looking at you!). It's not awesome for Phantom Hourglass. Like I previously said: the first Island is great fun gameplay wise and sets a high standard. But it's so repetitive! The dungeons could have been done so well - the puzzling action - filled mastermind dungeons of Zelda lore have gone out the window: now it's all gimmick after gimmick. In one respect, it's like the 360 title Assassin's Creed (linking a Zelda game to that tripe, I never thought I'd see the day), awesome first level, repetitive rest of the game.
One other plus point is the WiFi. You can do single cart play and multi card play, friend code online or anyone online. This is how all multiplayer games should work with the options and apart from the shoddy controls; the online game is good and quite strategic. You have to get various Force Gems scattered over the map and place them in your base etc etc. However, when you play as the Dark Nuts, the level of control goes down a notch and you have to resort to drawing a route on the map. Grrr! But it is a good point to the game and does work. But there are heaps of quitters…
I might be feeling harsh and mean, but considering my previous love for Zelda games, it doesn't inspire or attract me whatsoever. Repetitive, gimmicky, too many DS features used, horrid stylus controls but lovely graphics and good WiFi mode. This really is one of the downsides of the Zelda Series and in my opinion; the DS has ruined a perfect formula.
So for the scores!
GRAPHICS: 9.5/10 Amazing graphics - the only game to rival this on the console is Mario Slam Basketball so this gets away with a 9.5 rather than the perfect 10.
AUDIO: 7/10 Zelda tunes but on the DS speakers they don't live up to their name. And they include some REALLY odd, annoying tunes in there too - 7.
GAMEPLAY: 4/10 Great gameplay at the start but is let down by repetition and gimmicks. The dungeons (compared to other Zelda's) are thin and sparse so this huge amount of doing the same thing over and over gets it a measly 4.
INNOVATION: 6/10 It does unquestionably use all the DS functionalities. But in an unnecessary and downright repetitive way. The writing on the map puzzle in EVERY dungeon soon gets old and the controls can get very glitchy.
SCORE: 64% "But it's a Zelda game!" - I hear you scream. This has no Zelda charm and no feeling to it. Repetitive, gimmicky and dull. Only the graphics and the audio (and the fact that there are some horrendous DS games out there) saves it from falling below 60%.
oblivion252 09.10.2008 (09.10.2008)
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Review of The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (Nintendo DS)
Advantages: Its amazing and uses all Ds functions Disadvantages: To short
Intro
Since the Nes version of Zelda all games in the series have tended to improve on each other. They are essentially the same game with the same goals. You could say if you have played one then you have played them all, but what sets these games apart is they are all have excellent game play flawless controls, fantastic graphics and exceptional level design. The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass is no exception. It takes everything good about ... ...Taking full advantage of the touch screen, mic and even the auto shut off function.
Basics
As soon as you turn the game on and watch the introduction you can tell you are in for a real treat. The graphics are familiar the music is familiar, it like visiting an old friend. As soon as I Watched the introduction I had a smile on my face and couldn't wait for the game to continue. This game takes off from where the wind-waker ended, and sees you sailing ...
monkeykong1 14.02.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (Nintendo DS)
Advantages: Stunning Graphics, Intuitive Gameplay, 8 Of The Best Zelda Bosses There Have Ever Been Disadvantages: It's just a little bit short...
...game was exciting in itself...it's the sequel to the critically acclaimed Gamecube adventure, Legend Of Zelda: Wind Waker. For those of you who haven't played it (1. You should!) it's swapped the series traditional moody and dark 3D atmosphere for a bright bubbly universe, filled with larger than life caricatures of long running characters in the series. Some didn't appreciate the change, saying that the Gamecube had far more graphical potential ... ...brains however, appreicated it for the gem it was.
Four years on, in a full sequel, the style has lost none of it's appeal, and from the beautiful introductory sequence, you just can't help but thinking that the DS was the platform Wind Waker should have been on, indeed, Phantom Hourglass feels like someone grabbed the Gamecube game and stuffed it inside the two-screened system to see what would happen. And luckily, something magical must have happened ...
Double_Gemini 04.11.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (Nintendo DS)
Advantages: Gripping Game, You wont want ot put this Down, Graphics are Excellent, Well Planned Out Game Disadvantages: Game Could be Longer
Quite simply one of the best games i have ever played. I have now completed the Game 5 times. Here's a quick review of the Game - This statement is in my opinion. Let me make this clear first, this is the best Zelda game ever! If you were one of those people who said "no" to the cel-shaded graphics, and I know that some of you reading this review were, then you wouldn't be saying that now. Link, the cool little guy, looks miles better in his childish ... ...people will prefer this to the other titles. There are brilliant missions to complete which I love. There is one point in the game where you have to explore a giant stone island in the shape of a DS! Anyway, the main aim of the game is to venture deep, deep down into the Phantom Dungeon (I will not tell you why because I don't want to spoil the game for you.) The only problem with this though is that there is life-sapping evil in the dungeon that ...
fimbles 02.09.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (Nintendo DS)
Advantages: Good story, sailing, sidequests Disadvantages: Unimpressive audio, a few minor oversights/annoyances
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass is the newest Zelda game, released in 2007. It was released after Twilight Princess, sometimes considered one of the best Zelda games. Can this game compare?
Graphics: 9/10
This game uses cute, cartoony graphics like those used in Wind Waker, which this game is a sequel to. It was definitely a good move by Nintendo - the DS most likely could not have handled realistic graphics or even if it could it would ... ...should be used more often. The game's graphics are beautiful, particularly in the sailing section of the game. The only criticism I have with them is that the graphics can sometimes be a bit edgy. But it's not too bad, and it is a handheld game, after all.
Story: 7/10
You are Link, a hero travelling with his friend Tetra on a pirate ship. You are looking for the Ghost Ship, a mythical vessel which no one has managed to find before. Some events ...
saq3m 01.09.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (Nintendo DS)
Advantages: +amazing gameplay +fantastic control systems Disadvantages: -Too short for a pro gamer
...often been said to be the game that DS was made for, while there have been plenty of amazing titles before it, none really scratch up to it on any level and there wont be for a long time.
The Legend of zelda - Phantom hourglass has covered all of its bases, it pushes the DS graphically, with beautiful cell shaded rendering and flawless character and environment models. Often developers designing for the DS push it too hard, causing flawed animations ... ...areas, But nintendo has found the line between beautiful and busted, and is standing right at the edge, looking over with great pity. the control system is also so intuitive and revolutionary that you know that this was designed with every movement and factor considered in great depth. menu screens are activated by using the digital pad or key buttons, while all of the action is carried out using the touch screen, movement and fighting combined seamlessly. ...
callmegreer 19.04.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (Nintendo DS)
Product Information for "The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (Nintendo DS)" »
Product details
Publisher
Nintendo
Developer
Nintendo EAD
Release Date
19th October 2007
Age
7+
Genre
Role-Playing Game (RPG)
Max Number of Players
1 Player
Platform
Nintendo DS
EAN
45496737788
Manufacturer's product description
The epic story of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker continues as Link finds himself lost and alone in unknown seas in a new adventure. Featuring intuitive touch-screen controls and innovative puzzles The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass offers new challenges for fans of the series and an easy-to-grasp introduction for gamers new to The Legend of Zelda. But time grows short and only the Phantom Hourglass can buy Link the minutes he'll need to survive. Many months have passed since the events of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and Link Tetra and Tetra's band of pirates have set sail in search of new lands. They come across a patch of ocean covered in a dense fog in which they discover an abandoned ship. Tetra falls into danger when she explores the ship alone and Link falls into the ocean when he attempts to rescue her. When he washes up unconscious on the shores of a mysterious island he is awakened by the sound of a fairy's voice. With the aid of this fairy he sets off to find Tetra - and his way back to the seas he once knew.
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