Poll of the Day > Zelda Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks?

(+) Yeah! (+)

I think I have overlooked these games in the Zelda Library. I've hear mixed things some dealing with repeatativness by revisiting a lot of places?

Yeah Phantom Hourglass is really egregious with this where there's a dungeon you have to reclear several times, and more rooms get added each time you go. I think you can open shortcuts or something iirc. But yeah These are easily the weakest Zelda games that aren't the CDi games. They're really not worth playing imo. Also you control literally everything with the touchscreen. Walking? Touchscreen. Swinging the sword? Touchscreen. Driving the boat? Touchscreen.

If you want to play a handheld zelda from that era, play A Link Between Worlds.

I tried playing Spirit Tracks on the 3ds and the instrument (you had to physically blow into the system) was totally broken. Practically made the game unplayable.

I thought Phantom Hourglass was a bit better, just because of the fun writing. Overall neither are memorable - I feel bad for bailing on Spirit Tracks during the final boss, but I was just annoyed and done.

Spirit Tracks was better, but neither were really great.

tbh, the theme that plays when you're in the train is what kept me going.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5W_bFLwB0WY

ReturnOfFa posted...

I thought Phantom Hourglass was a bit better, just because of the fun writing. Overall neither are memorable - I feel bad for bailing on Spirit Tracks during the final boss, but I was just annoyed and done.

That was me with Skyward Sword. I got to the final dungeon, and saw what the dungeon was and was like "holy shit that's a cool concept for a dungeon" but I was so sick of that game I never finished it.

Edit: Actually, a lot of the dungeons in SS were incredibly well designed, it's just everything else about that game made it unfun to play.

I still haven't played Spirit Tracks, but I enjoyed Phantom Hourglass. The one dungeon you have to revisit several times can be a little annoying, but there are shortcuts so you don't have to run through the entire thing every time.

The touch screen controls work well enough; a lot of people just don't care for them because they're not traditional controls. Having touch controls allows you to do creative things like map out the course of a boomerang or bombchu, and there are some puzzles that utilize it or the dual screens.

papercup posted...

That was me with Skyward Sword. I got to the final dungeon, and saw what the dungeon was and was like "holy shit that's a cool concept for a dungeon" but I was so sick of that game I never finished it.

Edit: Actually, a lot of the dungeons in SS were incredibly well designed, it's just everything else about that game made it unfun to play.

I was pretty dedicated to finishing SS at some point in 2015, so I plowed through it, but relate. The final back bit of that game almost trolls you with how long it drags on. I recall a 4th wall breaking joke where it was like...'find one more thing!?!?' The dungeons were fun, but all the in-between and repeated bits were a bit tedious.

Also, I liked the dungeon you have to revisit in Phantom Hourglass.

Definitely recall some friends liking Spirit Tracks more, but I couldn't objectively like the train more than the boat. Automatically self-limiting.

The music is good. The plots are decent-ish. The gameplay relies to heavily on using the mic to talk (read: shout almost at the top of your lungs) or blow (hard) to progress at points. It makes no sense you cannot walk on land in the latter game, except inside of stops such as towns or dungeons, as you are treated like you fell into a bottomless pit if you try. PH was indeed way too repetitive in that you had to redo the same rooms of one dungeon every time you visited before doing more rooms; whereas ST added ladders to alleviate the bad design somewhat.

Phantom Hourglass was better than Spirit Tracks, imo.

• better dungeons
• less restricted travel
• better weapons (didn't like the whip or the pinwheel in Spirit Tracks.)
• better side quests and mini games
• better plot

Yeah, didn't like Spirit Tracks despite hearing many people saying how better it is compared to Phantom Hourglass.
Also, I liked revisiting the Temple of the Ocean King.

Deku_Link posted...

Phantom Hourglass was better than Spirit Tracks, imo.

* better dungeons
* less restricted travel
* better weapons (didn't like the whip or the pinwheel in Spirit Tracks.)
* better side quests and mini games
* better plot
Yeah, didn't like Spirit Tracks despite hearing many people saying how better it is compared to Phantom Hourglass.
Also, I liked revisiting the Temple of the Ocean King.

Hmm, we align completely on this! I have definitely heard a lot of preference for Spirit Tracks and don't get it. That being said, all these points are pretty well established, except for revisiting the Temple of the Ocean King...probably only me and you, and you obviously just meant it as a personal thing since you didn't include it in the point-form list.

I liked Spirit Tracks better, but both are absolute bottom tier Zelda games. 2007 to 2012 were truly the worst years for the Zelda franchise.

faramir77 posted...

I liked Spirit Tracks better, but both are absolute bottom tier Zelda games. 2007 to 2012 were truly the worst years for the Zelda franchise.

You sure about that?

keyblader1985 posted...

You sure about that?

I can't think of any new Zelda games that came out in those years? SS maybe? Or was It just ports of OoT and MM to the 3DS?

They are both trash.

Mensis posted...

I tried playing Spirit Tracks on the 3ds and the instrument (you had to physically blow into the system) was totally broken. Practically made the game unplayable.

Yeah this.

Late game Spirit Tower probably has the best puzzles in any Zelda game.

Dmess85 posted...

I can't think of any new Zelda games that came out in those years? SS maybe? Or was It just ports of OoT and MM to the 3DS?

Other than ports, the new Zelda games from 2007-2012 were the DS games and Skyward Sword, so you were right. A Link Between Worlds came out in 2013.

They're okay. ST inarguably has a better OST than PH if nothing else, and they improved the controls a bit from PH to ST, though the pipes set the game back significantly in that regard. I liked the more prominent role Zelda got in ST.

I also liked being able to just draw on your map; I wish more games would let you do that in addition to having stamps and such.

I don't think I'd play them again without some sort of modification to their control schemes, tbh.

Phantom_Nook posted...

Other than ports, the new Zelda games from 2007-2012 were the DS games and Skyward Sword, so you were right. A Link Between Worlds came out in 2013.

Forgot that Link Between Worlds felt like a bit of a revitalization of 'good' even though it was a facelift of Link to the Past. It innovated within the Zelda formula before BotW showed up to do something entirely different. The 'out of order' element was at least fresh and worked.

I liked Spirit Tracks more then Phantom Hourglass because the world and story was more interesting, and Zelda actually being your companion instead of a background character.

They both have the same core concept, a central dungeon you keep returning to after acquiring the ability to get further into it, and that central dungeon is filled with enemies which can't be killed and need to be run from.

ReturnOfFa posted...

Definitely recall some friends liking Spirit Tracks more, but I couldn't objectively like the train more than the boat. Automatically self-limiting.

I agree the train was worse then the boat, especially once they start having the enemy trains patrolling around that can't be killed and have to be avoided, but aside from that I enjoyed Spirit Tracks more. I don't remember the boat being fun, but I don't remember anything about it at all, and I do remember the train travel being annoying.

Generally speaking I dislike the concept of enemies that cannot be fought, and must be avoided in general, as you can imagine I dislike most horror games.

Ive beaten every mainline Zelda game, and while Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks were fun for what they were, idk if Id say theyre must plays like some of the other portable releases (Oracle games and Minish Cap, for example). I would recommend Phantom Hourglass over Spirit Tracks though because

Mensis posted...

I tried playing Spirit Tracks on the 3ds and the instrument (you had to physically blow into the system) was totally broken. Practically made the game unplayable.

The fact that you have to use it during the final boss fight was so fucked up. It was a fun idea, but it not working all that great made me almost not finish it. Took way too many tries to have a lucky run on that boss where the stupid flute managed to work the whole way through.

Oh yeah, Links Awakening should have definitely been mentioned in my parenthetical mention of great Zelda games.

also, I enjoy trains a lot and was excited to play a Zelda centered on a ghost train. It was still fun for what it was and I agree with the people who think the story is stronger than Phantom Hourglass (though Zelda is one of the few series that Im generally not playing for the story), but again, that flute really, really brings down the game a lot imo.

I will say this as a positive about Phantom Hourglass

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVJ3TW8jxS4

Linebeck's theme is one of the best in the entire franchise.

ST is better than PHg, but both are pretty fun once you get past the controls.

The repetitive elements in both is kinda the travel aspect, although the Temple of the Ocean King has you go through it a few times where you're trying to do it faster each time. Although people kvetch about TotOK, it's really not that bad and in the post-game you might re-try it for ship parts or fun

papercup posted...

Yeah Phantom Hourglass is really egregious with this where there's a dungeon you have to reclear several times, and more rooms get added each time you go. I think you can open shortcuts or something iirc. But yeah These are easily the weakest Zelda games that aren't the CDi games. They're really not worth playing imo. Also you control literally everything with the touchscreen. Walking? Touchscreen. Swinging the sword? Touchscreen. Driving the boat? Touchscreen.

Yet another shit opinion.

ReturnOfFa posted...

I thought Phantom Hourglass was a bit better, just because of the fun writing. Overall neither are memorable - I feel bad for bailing on Spirit Tracks during the final boss, but I was just annoyed and done.

"A game where you're followed around by Zelda's ghost isn't memorable"? lolwut?

And I loved both games' bosses. ST was better put-together, particularly in that the boss felt like a bigger deal.

ReturnOfFa posted...

Also, I liked the dungeon you have to revisit in Phantom Hourglass.

Yeah, it was neat despite the repetition.

faramir77 posted...

I liked Spirit Tracks better, but both are absolute bottom tier Zelda games. 2007 to 2012 were truly the worst years for the Zelda franchise.

Bottom tier opinion. You're disappointed me, old chum.

TigerTycoon posted...

I liked Spirit Tracks more then Phantom Hourglass because the world and story was more interesting, and Zelda actually being your companion instead of a background character.

Yeah, that was a great touch.

Phantom Hourglass was pretty meh. Not terrible but also definitely the weakest mainline Zelda that I played.

Didn't even play Spirit Tracks.

ToastyPOP posted...

Didn't even play Spirit Tracks.

You should listen to the OST, at least. It has some nice tracks.

Hourglass sucked hard, it was just an inferior Wind Waker.

Spirit Tracks had a couple good things going for it, mainly the whole train thing was different and worked well for the type of game it was, and Zelda herself being the companion, Zelda seriously needs to have more presence in the games, I'm really tired of her being a damsel in distress, I mean even in ST she still is one. also the overworld theme is a great one.

It still sucks though, I never beat it because of the flute playing segments, no matter how hard I tried it was complete RNG wether the flute worked or not, it was never consistent.

They both had awful controls and thier own annoying gimmicks.

Cruddy_horse posted...

Zelda seriously needs to have more presence in the games, I'm really tired of her being a damsel in distress

That's kind of two different points. Zelda has been getting more active roles in the stories, with Ocarina, Skyward Sword, Breath of the Wild, etc. But overall I don't think the latter point will be going anywhere anytime soon. Saving the princess is sort of a major theme of many of the games, just like with Mario.

Mensis posted...

I tried playing Spirit Tracks on the 3ds and the instrument (you had to physically blow into the system) was totally broken. Practically made the game unplayable.

This. I actually got to the final boss of ST twice and couldn't beat it because the instrument just didn't work for me.

PH is alright. Not great but not bad either. Also Linebeck is one of the best Zelda companions ever. Not a fan of ST though. Like besides the instrument issue the game has a lot of problems like the restrictive/slow overworld movement. I do love Zelda though, she's a delight all game.

papercup posted...

Yeah Phantom Hourglass is really egregious with this where there's a dungeon you have to reclear several times, and more rooms get added each time you go. I think you can open shortcuts or something iirc. But yeah These are easily the weakest Zelda games that aren't the CDi games. They're really not worth playing imo. Also you control literally everything with the touchscreen. Walking? Touchscreen. Swinging the sword? Touchscreen. Driving the boat? Touchscreen.

If you want to play a handheld zelda from that era, play A Link Between Worlds.

You're going to have to go in more detail because that actually sounds fun to me.

Revelation34 posted...

You're going to have to go in more detail because that actually sounds fun to me.

Every time you clear a new dungeon, before you continue to the next one, you have to sail back to the first area of the map and do the Temple of the Ocean King or whatever it was called and do that dungeon again for story reasons. And more gets added to it/enemies get more dangerous every time you have to go back.

I enjoyed both games, but they weren't without their flaws. Mostly the controls: They were serviceable, but so much of it boiled down to "we're making you use the touch screen for the sake of using the touch screen" because there were quite a few actions that would have been better mapped to the L button instead of cramming even more touch screen actions into an already crowded suite of touch screen controls. I also wasn't a fan of ST's overworld travel. I didn't mind the train thing, but the whole "if you mess up and touch an evil train you die instantly" thing meant all overworld travel felt like the worst kind of QTE, which was almost enough to turn me off of the game altogether.

I didn't actually mind revisiting the Temple of the Ocean King. It made for a repetitive environment, certainly, but the backtracking process was streamlined enough to not be a problem, and the actual dungeon content was varied enough to hold my attention.

These games feel devoid of the charm that the preceding handheld Zelda games had. They tried new things which I appreciate but they felt like a chore to play at times. The only memorable character introduced was Linebeck.

papercup posted...

Every time you clear a new dungeon, before you continue to the next one, you have to sail back to the first area of the map and do the Temple of the Ocean King or whatever it was called and do that dungeon again for story reasons. And more gets added to it/enemies get more dangerous every time you have to go back.

Why is that bad?

adjl posted...

enjoyed both games, but they weren't without their flaws. Mostly the controls:

There is a fanmade hack that maps the controls to the DS buttons rather than the touch screen