LoZ: PH, a short sword? - 8/10
Link is back, and more interactive than ever. This is the young hero's first outing on the DS which was anticipated since it was hinted at the 2004 E3. The game is not like most games on the DS, this game utilizes the DS's Touch Screen much more than the average game. The Legend of Zelda series started in1986 with the first game, which was titled, Legend of Zelda. It came out on the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System). The second in the series came out a year later, was titled The Adventure of Link, which was also released on the NES. Then we had to wait another 4 years for the next game in the series to be released. That game was titled A Link to the Past, and was released for the SNES (Super Nintendo Entertainment System). The next game was the fist portable Zelda game, it came out for the Game Boy. The game was called Link's Awakening and was released in 1993. Then on the Nintendo 64, a new Zelda game was born, it was called Ocarina of Time, this game was release 5 years after the one before it. There was something different about this game, it was the first "3D"Legend of Zelda game. Link was not so much of a "kid" in this game, he could switch between young link and adult link.
In the year 2000, Majaoras Mask was released, this was the second "3D" Zelda game. In this game, Link could use masks to change into a Deku Scrub, a Goron, and a Zora. There was several releases before the next Console Zelda, the next Legend of Zelda game on a home console was called Wind Waker, which was released on the Nintendo Game-Cube in 2003. this game was the first "cell-shaded" Legend of Zelda game. Link looked younger, a lot younger, Wind Waker is much like Phantom Hourglass, by the way they look and that they both are unique games. I'm going to skip, Four Swords, and Minish Cup, as I can't have this too long. Anyway, the next big release in the LoZ (Legend of Zelda) series was called Twilight Princess, it was released on both, the Nintendo Wii and the Nintendo Game-Cube. This game was very revolutionary, for the LoZ series, Link was now a "teen-adult". Then the latest release, which is the one I'm reviewing, Phantom Hourglass.
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This game is a direct sequel to Wind Waker, which was a great game. On the top screen you can find a map of the area you're currently in, and on that map you can write notes and all. In this game, like most other Legend of Zelda games, you have to complete dungeons and battle bosses to obtain special items and to get further in the game. This Legend of Zelda game is more unique then the others, in this you can utilize the DS microphone and touch screen. If you are unfamiliar with previous Zelda games, Link has "tools" to help him complete dungeons and to get special treasures, you can use the boomerang, grappling hook and even a shovel. The sailing in this game is great! You have to draw a path on the map to control where your ship will sail to and the route it takes, you can equip your ship with a cannon to take enemies down to bottom of the sea. Your ship can be customized and you get gain additional hearts to keep your ship from going down to the deep blue, instead with the extra hearts, you can keep chugging along.
In this game you can also play over Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, which basically means you can play online with random people or with your friends. This mode is basically a game of Hide and Seek. You can only play one-on-one, one player plays as Link, and his goal is to collect the Force Gems and bring them to the center without being caught by the other player. The other player plays as three Phantom Guardians, and your goal is to catch Link and stop him from collecting the Force Gems.
There is three rounds, and each consist of 12 minutes, time may differ if you collect bonuses. Online can sometimes be fun, and sometimes cannot, collecting Force Gems while trying to avoid the Phantoms can get a bit hectic, but overall, the online isn't bad.
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Phantom Hourglass is easily in the top 3 for the best graphics on a Nintendo DS game, if not, the best. Link is cell-shaded again, like it's prequel, Wind Waker. These graphics honestly couldn't work better for the Nintendo DS, it truly look great. The screen shots don't this this justice, it's really some-thing you have to see. Cel Shading is something new to the Zelda series, this is the second cel shaded in the whole series, the whole thing came as a surprise when Wind Waker videos were first seen with the more "cartoony" Link and the "cartoony" environments. In my thoughts, they aren't the best style of graphics but worked perfectly well with the Nintendo DS. Sword slashes, environments and creatures all look insanely great! Highly detailed for the DS, the emotions on character faces are marvelous also.
Water is of a "cartoony" style also, which is found in Wind Waker. The water effects are pretty good, not the best, but pretty good. When creatures jump out of the water, there is a splash effect which adds to realism.
Unfortunately I can't say heaps about this as it is something best experienced when seen with an eye, but it is quite good, graphically.
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Ahh... The touch screen. Before this game came out I was a bit doubtful about the controls being any good or easy to use. After a buy, that all changed. To control Link you must keep your stylus on the Touch Screen, while sliding it in the direction that you want to go in, so you know where your pointing, Navi, Link's fairy, will be under the stylus. There a several movements that you can use, such as the roll, which I think it pretty hard to pull of and not worth doing. Attacking foes is much easier in this game, as all you have to do is touch the enemy with your stylus and Link will slash it, it may take multiple times to kill an enemy though. Attacking with the sword is to easy to pull off, in my opinion, so if you want a challenge, try using your other tools/weapons. Such as the boomerang, which can be used to hit enemies or to bring certain objects to your feet. To use the boomerang, you must draw a path that you want the boomerang to go, once it hits something, it'll immediately come back to you.
This game makes great use of the DS's features, like the microphone, the touch screen and the two screens. Using the mic to blow out candles or using the touch screen to draw a path or even closing the DS to mark an image on a map.
The controls were really thought out for this game, and really impressed me afterwards.
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From the sound of the waves to the grunt of Link. All is well in this little Nintendo DS game. You can hear all the creatures grunts, the environments, and the animals. The music in this is also a good thing, wasn't something that I hated, so I did leave it on. There was one particular sound I hated though, when I had 1 or 2 hearts left, there was a beeping sound, which occurs near death, and it keeps repeating until you die or get another heart, which is health.
Not much I can say here either, but I tried to say what I could, as it isn't one of the main features of the game, and like usual there is no voice acting.
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Overall this game was a hit for the Zelda series! Great gameplay, graphics, sounds and controls! Easily one of my favourite DS games to date. This would be a good game for fans of the Zelda series and particularly people that have played and finished Wind Waker on the GC.
Please 
Thanks for reading,
-Azza123
Submitted by Azza123
09/08/2008
1169
40
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