LoZ: Spirit Tracks

I take back my earlier comments on this game.
The storyline and some official screenshots and artwork was released a few days ago and I am now wanting to pre-order it.
You know the guy in my avvie? That's Chancellor Cole. From the game. Here's a more amusing screenshot of him:
(the eyes get me every time. XD)

Anyway: storyline right here:

Spoiler:

Little bit of awesome: Zelda is your guide. First time ever.
And they killed her to make her your sidekick. Holy crap.


-HWL/KK

Yes, the enlarge images worked! But the storyline is too long.

Still, I'm sorry to break your squid.

UPDATE:
(News is flying through the air on this title)
"Official Nintendo Magazine has confirmed that Spirit Tracks will contain an instrument for Link, ... it appears you’ll have to use the DS microphone to play ... Spirit Pipes ... They’re basically like a set of pan pipes which you can play to summon special powers. To play them you blow into the DS microphone while cycling through different coloured pipes with the stylus."

Instrument yesss.

Also, the main villain of the game who, up to this point, was simply referred to as "the Demon King", has been called Mallard on the Spanish Spirit Tracks site.

(Mallard, apparently.)

Mallard is the name of the fastest steam train ever built.


(Who else looked at that picture and said "Ganon-train!" when they first saw it? Am I all alone in this?)

Wait, that is a train?

They're going a bit overboard with the train thing and putting 'spirit' in everything.
But as long as Link gets no mechanical transformation, I am a happy gamer.

Hm..........
Nah, it isn't gonna be good.
I mean, look at TP. It was so easy.
And Nintendo wants to, "Make Zelda games for casual gamers, so everyone can enjoy our work."
In otherwords, they're dumbing it down.
I can't imagine a Zelda game easier than TP.

Thing is, they're telling us already that it's harder.
Nintendo wants us hardcore gamers back.

Erhm still, hope it's hard.
Like my

Spoiler:

fffffff-
I see what you did there.
Hell, I'll play it for the fact that they're mixing up the dungeons.
And Ganon-train.

GANON-TRAIN?
Wonder what rule-34 is gonna do with that............

Niko is back!


And he's oldddddd.
I wonder what the Zelda Theorize-ers will throw at us with this.

Whoa.. What a surprise...

Spirit Tracks Q&A!
"Do they explain why Hyrule is no longer flooded?
Well, they explain why the game is set on land, yes.

Compared to Phantom Hourglass, which makes better use of the DS as a system?
I'd say Spirit Tracks. As well as having to use the stylus to control Link and Zelda, you also use the mic a lot. You'll need to blow into the mic for Link's Pan Pipes and the new whirlwhind weapon.

Do any story details overlap with other Zeldas?
Yes, there are recurring characters from both Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass

What's the storyline like?
This is one of the strong points in my opinion. Out of all the 'toon Link' titles, it's easily the darkest and the Phantom Zelda conceit is a great little twist. Cole is a memorable adversary, there's plenty of fan service in the narrative and, all in all, it's a really tight package.

Are there any new enemies?
Yes, numerous, as well as some familiar standards.

Any sidequests? If so, more than PH/WW?
I'd say there are a similar amount to Phantom Hourglass.

Is the game harder then Phantom Hourglass?
Maybe slightly? It's not significantly more difficult in my opinion, but then I've been playing Zelda games for a long time. Perhaps anyone who came to the series with PH will find more of a challenge here.

Are the controls the same as in Phantom Hourglass?
Pretty much. There are few tweaks - it's easier to do a forward roll for example.

Can you customise your train?
Later on in the game you can, but it's not quite as significant element as it is in Phantom Hourglass.

In Phantom Hourglass there were sea boss battles. Are there similar ones in Spirit Tracks?
Yes, there are bosses you fight from the train.

Is there a temple you have to return to once in a while like The Temple of the Ocean King on Phantom Hourglass.
Yes, but you don't have to repeat any sections of it and there is no time limit. It's a much, much stronger element than it was in Phantom Hourglass.

Does the Phantom join you in every dungeon, or just one?
A: Phantom Zelda is always with you but is only playable in the Tower Of Spirits, with a few exceptions.

Can you visit Castle Town?
Yes you can wander around Castle Town.

What's the music like? Is it as good or better than the music Phantom Hourglass?
Well, that's a subjective question! I really liked it!

Is it the best handheld Zelda?
No, but it is better than Phantom Hourglass

Is there as much train driving as there is sailing in Phantom Hourglass?
I'd say roughly the same amount.

Do you really activate the whirlwind item by blowing? That sounds pretty awkward!
It didn't bother me too much actually, but I can imagine that some fans won't love it.

How big is the game's world compared to Phantom Hourglass'?
Very similar size.

Are there any returning characters besides Link and Zelda?
Yes. You will heard about Niko from Wind Waker/Phantom Hourglass. There are others too but I can't give them away yet.

Is there treasure like the Goron Amber, Zora Scales, etc in Phantom Hourglass?
Yes, there are loads of different pieces of treasure to collect.

Does Link shrink in this game like in The Minish Cap?
No.

What is there to explore (in PH you sailed to an island and then explored it)?
Rather than islands, there are loads of different stations for Link to pull in at from which he can access villages, dungeons, challenge grounds, mini areas and such like. Some are only found on hidden routes and unlock later in the game.

How many dungeons are there?
Five, plus a few 'mini dungeons'.

Is there a postman? I loved the Twiliprin postman.
Yes, there's a postman.

Do you get to pull the whistle cord on the train whenever you want?
Yup, you can yank away to your heart's content. It's actually a significant part of the gameplay at some points.

Can you wear alternative coloured tunics or other costumes (besides Conductor) at any time in the game?
No. You wear the red tunic for the first 45 minutes or so, then it's the standard green tunic.

Does the game feature any DSi enhancements?
Nope.

Any returning races? Any new ones?
Yes, there are returning races, as well as some new ones. Again, no spoilers here!

Are there heart pieces to find this time around?
Yup, lots of heart pieces to collect.

Would you say this game feels like a direct sequel to Phantom Hourglass?
Absolutely, in both tone and feel.

In Phantom Hourglass rupees weren't much of a big deal. Will rupees in Spirit Tracks be more useful?
I was glad to see that rupees have been put to better use. It generally feels like things are more expensive and there are more treasures and items to choose from.

Can you get off the train at any time?
No, you can only get off the train at stations or when hailed by an NPC at the side of the track."


As I was reading through this myself, I just have to say:
Dark? Awesome! I wanna see some death in this!
FAN SERVICE gahhhh my eyyyyeeessssss
Also I am sort of disappointed that you can't get off whenever, but at least the overworld has crap this time around and not just water.

Wow... these are small words.

I want to pull the whistel cord in the train!!!!!

I just want to avoid the instant death thing with enemy trains.
Everyone knows how often I get insta-deaths.

Whoa... instant death?

That's not good...

So I give Spirit Tracks a 9/10.
This game kept my interest even through the overworld as I journeyed in my train. The bosses are fantastic and the new villains are pretty cool as well.