Publisher: Nintendo of America
Genre: Adventure/RPG
Platform: Nintendo DS
What they say:
Control all of the action on the Touch Screen as you wield powerful weapons, slay monsters, and explore unknown lands…
What I say:
Phantom Hourglass is the latest in Link’s adventures on the NDS, and is the conceptual successor to the critically acclaimed [and artistically controversial] Windwaker. As always, the player takes the role of Link on a quest to save the Princess, as well as the world along the way. While much of the core game mechanics remain the same (bosses in dungeons, collecting rupees, many of the familiar weapons), the use of the DS’s touch screen and various other features make the puzzles worthwhile. Furthermore, the use of a single central dungeon to propel the storyline provides a unique challenge to players as they try to improve their time spent on each iteration.
This was one of the first NDS games I’ve played that relied on heavy usage of the touch screen. While I had my initial reservations about the heavy stylus usage (especially on a moving vehicle), the intuitive control scheme exceeded my expectations. Just keep in mind that the game does require a certain level of manual dexterity, so playing in a moving vehicle can be a bit tricky.
One of the biggest drawbacks of the game is the overall difficulty. I found the game to be quite simple, with only a very small handful of puzzles offering a significant challenge. As a result, I was able to get through the game with only minimal effort in about 25 hours.
Overall though, I’d like to think the game was well worth the time and energy. The story was well put-together and the dialog was refreshing.
Was it worth it? Yes
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