Here at LadiesGamers we’re all having a big review of our personal relationships with the Legend Of Zelda series. Now I must say I don’t consider myself a true Zelda fan, I absolutely love the titles I played on DS!
Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks
I know Zelda gameplay has evolved since then, I still look on those two older games on the DS as my benchmark for how a Zelda game should be, even if they may be more “rigid” and linear than newer titles. What charmed me was their simplicity, ingenuity, and humor.
While I enjoy the freedom of open-world games, I also appreciate the simple linearity of Phantom Hourglass (PH) and Spirit Tracks (ST). In these two games, I don’t have a million things to check off my to-do list, just one clear goal after another.
Zelda, as a series, not only keeps things simple but focuses on one thing and does it well: Good puzzles. I’m not usually drawn to action or puzzle games but I love the clever puzzles in Zelda. They start easy and grow in complexity at a manageable pace.
On top of that, Phantom Hourglass threw in the heart-stopping tension of avoiding Phantom Guardians and racing against the hourglass in dungeons.
Spirit Tracks, meanwhile, introduced a unique twist in puzzles by allowing you to play as Princess Zelda—only she’s not in princess form but a spirit who can take control of Phantom Guardians. Some Spirit Tracks puzzles require you to switch between Link and Zelda as they perform different, separate tasks to get across a dungeon floor.
It’s not only gratifying to see the princess take an active role for a change, but it’s also pretty funny to see her (in a gigantic suit of armor) work alongside tiny Link. Zelda games certainly have a sense of humor and cuteness. For me, this is best embodied in Link’s funny expressions, like when he gets dizzy-eyed.
Exploration at it’s finest
Lastly, I have fond memories of traveling over the world: by ship in Phantom Hourglass and by train in Spirit Tracks. While replaying Final Fantasy VII recently, I was reminded that overworld travel can be a chore in some old games. But it isn’t with these two Zelda titles, as you get a cannon to blast at enemies while cruising across sea or rail, which is great for passing the time.
As a fan of complex RPGs, I’m always impressed that I can have as much fun playing Zelda games, which are rather different—barebones plot, minimal dialogue, and no skill-tree development. In other words, Zelda games really are a splendid representative of their genre, capable of appealing even to players who don’t normally play action/puzzle games.
