loz phantom hourglass all hidden islands

Between the map and the cannons, the game develops a real swashbuckling feel, like you are truly the captain of a sea vessel. Cannons can be fired at will, without using bombs, by tapping the screen. A route is laid out in advance and can be edited on the fly, by tracing a path over the map with the touchscreen. Gone are the wind controls and in their place are maps and updated cannons. While undeniably a major part of Wind Waker, Phantom Hourglass does a lot to put its own spin on the mechanic. Return trips allow you to exploit these alternative routes, increasing your speed through the opening salvo of floors in order to save time in your hourglass for the unknown ahead.Īnd then there’s the sailing. Each visit foreshadows future shortcuts and secrets, showing you the pathways but denying you the tools. Upon your return, you get the titular Phantom Hourglass, an hourglass that will stop the temple from draining your life but only while it still has sand in it. The first time you arrive, you can only explore a bit of the first floor as the temple will slowly sap away your life. The central temple, or Temple of The Ocean King, is a remarkably unique mechanic for the series. It acknowledges that tapping on enemies isn’t the most exciting and seeks to divert your attention elsewhere. Monsters roam the world, but you’re never forced into combat with more than a few at a time. Yet, for its simplicity, Phantom Hourglass is remarkably reserved with its combat. Tap on enemies to attack, draw a circle for a spin attack, and stand a bit back before tapping for a jump slash. It’s a simple and intuitive system, one that meshes nicely with the combat. Double tapping on the edges makes Link roll. Movement works simply enough just hold the stylus on the screen and Link will waddle towards it. Phantom Hourglass recognizes the limitations of touch screen controls. And lastly, sailing has made a comeback from Wind Waker, albeit with a touch screen update. Also new is the Temple of the Ocean King, a central dungeon that requires frequent return trips. In fact, the only buttons you (may) ever use are the L and R buttons for quick item access, but even those are just for convenience rather than necessity. Link no longer moves with the DS d-pad, but by touch screen. The clearest change is the movement controls. Phantom Hourglass introduces several new mechanics and updates a few of the old ones. Zelda is kidnapped, Link is sent on a quest through unfamiliar lands, but each game brings its own twist to the tale. This is all common territory for the series. He awakes on a new island where his adventure will begin in earnest, taking him across unfamiliar seas and through forgotten temples in his journey to rescue his captain, Tetra/Zelda. Link attempts to follow but is separated. Their crew has a run-in with the mysterious Ghost Ship and Zelda leaps aboard. Picking up almost immediately after the events of that game, we rejoin Link and Princess Zelda, who is once again garbed in her Wind Waker outfit and going by her “pirate” name Tetra, as they sail the seas of the flooded Hyrule.

Just as Spirit Tracks is the successor to Phantom Hourglass, Hourglass is the successor to Wind Waker.

And while reuse isn’t a problem in and of itself, the problem lies in execution. Spirit Tracks liberally reuses ideas and assets from Phantom Hourglass, reskins bosses with slightly updated behavior, and generally seeks to replicate the feeling of Phantom Hourglass. Yet, the DNA between the two is so similar that it is hard to separate them. Taking place approximately a hundred years after Phantom Hourglass (and on a totally different continent), Spirit Tracks is more of a spiritual successor, pun only partially intended. Unlike the last Legend of Zelda twofer I wrote about, Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks are not as intrinsically linked. This week, we are taking a look at both Nintendo DS entries Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks. That’s why we’re going to cover the entire Nintendo Franchise, including handheld games, every week. At 25YL, we love gaming, and moreover, we love The Legend of Zelda series.

Loz phantom hourglass all hidden islands