The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks

Developer: Nintendo
Platform: Nintendo DS
Release: 2009

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks is the 2^nd installment of the Legend of Zelda series for the Nintendo DS. Like all its predecessors, this game is also an action-role playing game and has kept the perspective/viewpoint to those of the older 2-dimensional Zelda games while sporting 3-dimensional graphics. Once again, the game lets you control Link, the game’s protagonist, and assumes his adventure to save Princess Zelda. Though unlike Mario games, the protagonist you control in each games are different from one another and existed in different timelines and worlds even though he has the same name. Also unlike Mario games, Zelda games also have a fully fleshed out story. But as the story and characters in each game are not in continuity, it will not be necessary for gamers to play through previous games to enjoy this one.

It is quite a feat for Nintendo to have translated Zelda’s complex control scheme to a portable console. As the DS do not have enough buttons, Nintendo had decided to use the touch screen and the microphone as the interface. You are able to play through the whole game with just the touch screen and the microphone, although buttons can be used to access certain features easily. You move the character by touching the direction you want Link to move and the speed of the character’s movement is based on how far your stylus is from Link, the further the faster. Attacking with the sword can be done through 3 different ways. You can attack enemies by tapping on them, swiping a line between you and the enemy to do a horizontal slash or move your stylus in 360 degree around Link to execute the 360 degree circular slash. There are also quite a number of weapons and items to be collected and used. One interesting weapon is the boomerang. To use it, you switch to the weapon and then use you stylus to draw the path that you want the boomerang to follow. There are also other weapons which require you to blow into the microphone to activate them. The game also features this flute which requires you to blow into the microphone and use the touch screen to move the flute much like a harmonica to play certain tunes.

Movement in the game is not restricted to foot and as the title suggests, you are able to travel around the world on the spirit tracks in a train. The train controls are simple and requires you to either shift the gear to accelerate or brake. You are able to switch paths and attack enemies with a cannon.

The heart of all Zelda games is still the well designed dungeons. There is any mechanics introduced in this game that are not found in the previous Zelda game on the DS. Even so, the puzzles in the dungeons are cleverly designed and are varied enough to keep the gamers engaged throughout. Boss fights are satisfying although the bosses in this game are much easier compared to previous Zelda games. Generally, this can be considered the easiest Zelda game and is particularly noticeable if you have completed other games in the series. That doesn’t mean the game is easy and gamers new to the series will still find it of a decent challenge.

Like the previous DS outing, Spirit Tracks follows the cel shaded art style that was first used in the series by The Legend of Zelda: Windwaker on the gamecube. The graphics are bright and colourful and the cel shaded style allows for extremely expressive facial animations. Much of the game is pleasant to look at with only certain environments that used extremely low resolution textures marring the aesthetics. The music in the game is excellent and is made up of mostly remixed tunes from the past games.

The Legend of Zelda games have always been excellent with interesting story, characters, huge world to explore, tight gameplay mechanics, cleverly designed dungeons and satisfying boss fights. Spirit Tracks does most of that really well and doesn’t disappoint. A good game to tide Zelda fans through until the next installment releases on the wii.

Rating: 9/10
Weiwen