A while ago I chose between this game and Spirit Tracks, its sequel. I reasoned that they would have refined any niggles in their experimental control system for the sequel. Having now finally played both, the main difference is they changed how the roll works; it is annoying to pull off in this game, but barely ever used so it’s not a big deal. On the whole I enjoyed this first game a lot more.
Phantom Hourglass is an early first-party DS game, so it goes all-out with mandatory touch screen controls, using the microphone, etc. It works fairly smoothly, and apart from some overlap between moving, interacting, and attacking (not to mention forgetting that blowing the microphone was a valid input from time to time) I had no problem controlling Link; this time I knew from the beginning that the shoulder buttons were used for items, which I discovered halfway through Spirit Tracks. Oh, I just remembered the final battle which dumps a symbol-drawing thing out of nowhere. Had to watch a video for how to do that. Apart from the gimmicks, the double screens are used excellently, with gameplay and maps, the ability to make notes on your maps, and both being used during certain boss battles for an epic feel.
The story is a direct continuation of Wind Waker, but the cast is all new apart from Link and Tetra. It’s this generation’s Link’s Awakening really, with an existing Link entering a sort of alternate world governed by a whale deity (although you only find this out at the end). Having it carry on the story from another game is nice, and the new characters are ace, especially Linebeck. His bickering with fairy companion Ciela are a great source of humour and personality, and travelling with them in the ship has a great adventurous feel. This is helped by the ability to upgrade and customise the ship, although it gets tedious to be “rewarded” with duplicate ship parts as the game progresses.
Speaking of rewards, the Spirit Gems are a good idea; your fairy companions can be upgraded, affecting your abilities, by finding these collectibles. Unlike Spirit Tracks, I was motivated enough to obtain them all, and all the Heart Containers. But why, what’s the difference? It might be as simple as the ship being more fun to control than the train. It’s freeing to be able to sail anywhere at any time: open seas adventure to uncharted islands. ST has Zelda as a main companion character, which is a huge plus; but the party of Link, the earnest Ciela, and the loveable scoundrel Linebeck made for a better dynamic.
PH has a fishing minigame, which earns it points from me. This was strangely missing from Wind Waker. Treasure salvaging returns, but there’s a minigame attached to that as well. Overall the game feels like a mini Wind Waker, with a smaller world and streamlined mechanics for the control scheme and format, but with additions and expansions in some areas. I think the ending undermines it slightly but the game is well executed, there’s lots to do, and it’s very endearing. If you’re going to pick only one of the DS entries as I did long ago, choose this one.
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