Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass [DS]

[J0e Musashi]

It's very, very easy. So far I've collected the spirit of courage and I'm yet to even take a hit, all this in about 2 hours of play. I think I preferred it in Japanese as there was at least something of a challenge. I guess it helps that I know about all the sidequests so I've been going round collecting extra items that I perhaps shouldn't have yet.

Do not follow the manual in regards to rolling. If you are running to the right at the edge of the screen do left, right instead of drawing a small circle. To push a block simply hold the stylus on the arrow in the direction you want to go. When you let go it'll stop pushing.

[peo]

It's very, very easy. So far I've collected the spirit of courage and I'm yet to even take a hit, all this in about 2 hours of play.

How funny, I've found it quite a bit tougher than other recent Zelda games, only up to second temple and died quite a few times! Maybe I'm just being cack-handed.

[reektan]

Finished this last night - superb tight controls that really work for this top down type adventure, i've wanted the map to be available in dungeons on a seperate screen for a long time after all my zelda playing so this was perfect. Best use of the DS yet , some real ' wow ' moments as to what they're accomplishing using the DS' power and simply incredibly fun to play through.

[J0e Musashi]

Finished this last night - superb tight controls that really work for this top down type adventure, i've wanted the map to be available in dungeons on a seperate screen for a long time after all my zelda playing so this was perfect. Best use of the DS yet , some real ' wow ' moments as to what they're accomplishing using the DS' power and simply incredibly fun to play through.

Did you do all the sidequests? Find all teh secret islands etc?

[Golgo]

Well chuffed I preordered this off VG+ for release date just in time for the post strike!

Still in limbo somewhere.

Can see myself getting it off UK shelves a week Friday!

Damn you, unreasonable militant postie swines!

[Nu-Eclipse]

Well chuffed I preordered this off VG+ for release date just in time for the post strike!

Still in limbo somewhere.

Can see myself getting it off UK shelves a week Friday!

You're not the only one - I'll be furious if it comes to me having to purchase this over here next week!

Paying my local Post Office Delivery Center a visit later on this week.

[reektan]

Did you do all the sidequests? Find all teh secret islands etc?

Have done a majority of it .. got all the treasure from the maps etc and spent a fair while pottering about on the islands. The save after completion has you in the boat so I can still mooch about and clear up any bits i've not seen. Proper fun game so i'll definitely replay this one.

[Nu-Eclipse]

FINALLY got my hands on this yesterday morning!

Haven't played much of it (just at start of first main dungeon/temple), but I'm already impressed with Phantom Hourglass.

For me, the touch-screen only control system works excellently - Nintendo have really set a very, very high standard for DS developers who want to properly implement this type of control method into future DS releases, and I can't stress that enough. Those on this thread who have scoffed at the lack of D-Pad control really and truly don't know what they're missing out on here.

As for the game itself - graphically very good (if lacking a little resolution, but that's being picky) and certainly the best-looking DS game around, though in a way this has only served to increase my interest/anticipation of Tecmo/Team Ninja's forthcoming Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword - a game that's looking to both implement a similar control system and display impressive technical capabilities.

Haven't got around to using the Wi-Fi/Multi-player Battle Mode yet. It seems to be fun (judging by the tutorial), but I'm a little disappointed that it appears to be 2-Players only.

[Dogg Thang]

Well what I'd be missing out on with d-pad control is having my stylus and some of my hand on my viewing area at all times, like having someone walks in front of the telly while playing a console game. I'd be missing the random interpretation of certain moves - like whether I want to pick up a bomb or hit it with my sword, or the memory of trying to pull off a spinning pile driver that springs to mind every time I want to roll on command. I'd also likely be missing the fun that is only having one item selectable at any one time bringing me to a menu a few times a minute.

Yep, I'd be missing out.

Pointless stylus control aside, I'm enjoying this. I like the mechanic of being able to get deeper and deeper into that main dungeon each time. While it bugged me the first time I went back down that I had to remember what to do on each floor, that's where the notes feature really comes into play and works really well. The route system on the ship is better than steering on WW too, though there is still a hell of a lot of nothing out there in those seas. I'd always prefer land simply because, when they have to fill it, they usually fill it really well. Almost all of the 2D Zeldas, for example, were really interesting to explore.

The look works really well on the DS and I'm so glad the WW style got another outing. It has loads of charm.

[J0e Musashi]

You don't have to draw a circle to roll. Forward, back, forward is your friend.

[Dogg Thang]

Yeah, it's kind of weird that they tell you to draw circles. I couldn't roll at all until you told me about the forward back trick. Now I get them about every 3 in 5 times.

Anyone know if Tingle makes an appearance in this? I haven't seen him yet but I'm hoping he does.

[Nu-Eclipse]

Well what I'd be missing out on with d-pad control is having my stylus and some of my hand on my viewing area at all times, like having someone walks in front of the telly while playing a console game. I'd be missing the random interpretation of certain moves - like whether I want to pick up a bomb or hit it with my sword, or the memory of trying to pull off a spinning pile driver that springs to mind every time I want to roll on command. I'd also likely be missing the fun that is only having one item selectable at any one time bringing me to a menu a few times a minute.

Yep, I'd be missing out.

Your point about the item selection is valid (though I haven't personally got that far into the game). But tbh, your comments about the stylus control smack of over-exaggeration. It isn't nearly as bad as you make it out to be - quite the opposite, actually.

It's intuitive & it works fine for me personally (and the vast majority of others).

[MikeF]

The stylus control works perfectly on this for me, have no trouble doing any of the moves at all.

Currently upto the

->Open Spoiler<-

Ocean King temple for a third time

. Loved the puzzle on the uncharted island.

[crocky-chocky]

Stunning game so far.

I can see why folks have issues with the controls. But personally, I think they add a great deal of freshness to the Zelda format. I've had my DS over 2 years but control on this feels especially revolutionary.

It looks absolutely ace too. It's so close to Wind Waker, which is visually my favourite game of all time. A little lo-res, but still it looks gorgeous...in fact my only real niggle is that my hand gets in the way of those tasty visuals.

Great characters so far, too. Linebeck and the old guy in the village (forget his name) are both fantastic designs.

So yeah, brilliant.

[Dogg Thang]

Really getting into this now. Just finished the

->Open Spoiler<-

Ghost Ship bit

. It's very much more of the same (and, no, using a new control method does not make the actual game any different) and the dungeons so far have seemed really small but they're very enjoyable.

I really wish they'd give you the character names when someone talks because I've been given tips about a couple of people but have no idea who they are.

The look of the

->Open Spoiler<-

Ghost Ship

was excellent too. Somehow by removing direct control from the ship (by just plotting a route) they've made it slightly more engaging for me by just having to react to things instead.

A decent Zelda game so far.