Where were you, when Nintendo revealed Spirit Tracks? I had taken the day off that day, and had been keeping up with the latest E3 News. I saw three words “New Zelda Video,” and squealed like a giddy schoolgirl. After watching it, I have to admit, I was rather confused. Link….on a train? It was different, but I wouldn’t jump on the “Aonuma has finally lost it” bandwagon.

In the sequel to Phantom Hourglass, Link and Zelda partner up for the first time in, well, ever. Due to a chain of unfortunate events, Zelda looses her body, but is able to travel around Casper style, following Link around in his adventures. In the Spirit Temple, Spirit Tracks’ answer to The Temple of the Ocean King, Zelda is able to posses the Phantom guards, harnessing their abilities to assist Link through his trials. Controlling Zelda is one of the most fun things you’re able to do in the game. Even when she dons the façade of the Phantom, Zelda retains her usual damsel persona, yelling at Link when he’s abandoned her, and cowering in fear whenever she sees a rat. There are little subtitles like that when it comes to every character, and their respective personalities.

I wonder what Chancelor Cole is up to!

Getting around in a train was as strange as I had imagined it, and at first, I much preferred it to Link’s usual boat. After all, Link’s boat didn’t have anything in the way of a whistle. By the time I got to the first Temple, the train rides lost all the charm they had. They weren’t hard, or troublesome, they were simply long. The train has four speeds, Fast, Normal, Stop, and Reverse. They feel more like Slow, More Slow, Stop, and Backwards Slow. I thought all of my qualms about train travel would go away once I figured out warping, a mainstay in most Zelda games. Unfortunately, for some reason the Zelda Team finds it gratifying to change something that isn’t broken. In the Zelda’s of my time, we had these neat songs we would play on an instrument called an Ocarina, which would warp us across the land. It was simple, and very practical. Travel in this game is done through Portals, though I think even the people at Aperture Science would take major gripes with they way they work. Getting around in the game is easily the worst part about it, especially since so much of the main game requires extensive travel.

Warping should be done with this. Similar instruments will also do.

The temples in this game are some of my favorite in any Zelda game, mostly because they are immensely challenging. I’m talkin’ Majora’s Mask challenging. It’s satisfying once you’ve worked on a puzzle for a good twenty minutes to be reward with a small key, or even better, a weapon. The Zelda mainstays are back, such as Bombs, boomerangs, and Bow and Arrows. The new weapons are awesome; the snake whip in particular is a weapon you won’t be able to put down. Who knows, perhaps the next Zelda will have Link as famed archaeologist looking for treasure…

The music in the game is some of the best heard in a while. Unfortunatly, playing music in the game isn’t very satisfying. I don’t know what goomba at Nintendo thought the Mic peripheral was a good idea. I don’t mind controlling Link with a stylus. I never did. I do however, mind blowing into a DS, and getting a headache after a few songs. Luckily, you only have to play music every now and then so it’s not as troublesome as say, the long train rides.

The Goomba who thought the DS Mic was a good idea.

A Zelda game is only as entertaining as it’s worst boss battle. I’m going out on a limb and saying that this game has the best Boss Battles in any Zelda ever. The usual “use the weapon you got in the temple” attack plan won’t always work here. And did I mention they’re hard? Enjoy fighting the Desert Temple boss for the eighth time. I only wish Spirit Tracks had a Boss Battle mode, that allowed me to enjoy the monumental battles over and over.

All in all, the game feels like Phantom Hourglass 2.0. The basic mechanics of the game are still there, but they’ve been made much more user friendly, much more entertaining. The story is better, introducing some pretty awesome allies and villains, contrasted to the one-dimensional story Phantom Hourglass offered.

The Awesome

-Same great stylus controlled action

-Challenging, but forgiving

-Being able to play as Zelda

-Cool and innovative arsenal

-Pan Flute lead soundtrack, surprisingly awesome

-Most epic boss battles in any Zelda

The Not So Awesome

-Train rides feel as long as actual train rides

-Excessive use of the Mic

Verdict

If you dare call yourself a Zelda Fan, don’t miss out on Spirit Tracks. If you haven’t yet joined the stylus slashin’ action, this is the time to do it. If you’re new to Zelda, I suggest starting somewhere easier. This game is so hard, I’m surprised it isn’t compatible with the Konami Code.

Score: 9/10

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