Okay, let's get off of Kairon's silly reason for buying games and go back to how awesome Phantom Hourglass is! =)
I'm three dungeons and something like 12 hours into the game right now (I haven't kept count, and the time you've spent isn't listed...Oh well...) and it just keeps getting better and better...Here's some nice tidbits...
- First, and most importantly, the controls are fantastic...Sword slashes are done by stroking perpendicular to the direction Link is going, sword thrusts by stroking forward, spin attack by making a quick circle around Link...You can also tap enemies to make Link attack them, and if the enemy is a distance away, he'll perform a jump attack...Items are controlled by either selecting said item from the top right of the screen and using the touch screen, or you can hold the L shoulder button as a shortcut...Rolling is the only technique that can be tough to do...You need to make quick, small circles at the edge of the screen in the direction you want to go...Oh yes, if you spin attack or roll more than 4 times in quick succession, Link will go dizzy for a short period of time...Long story short, you'll want these controls in future DS Zelda games, period...
- Travel on the ocean is incredibly fun, and I expect it will be for someone who didn't even like Wind Waker's boat travel (God forbid)...You basically chart out your path on your chart and the boat will get to its destination on its own...However, it's not quite that easy...
There are many obstacles in your way, like mini-cyclones, explosive barrels, and thorn barriers you need to jump over...And once you get your cannon you'll be rarely not fighting an enemy (be it a water Octorok, flying fish, pirate, etc...) Using the cannon is very simple to use, just tap where you want to fire...Very easy and very fun...Oh yeah, treasure-hunting has gotten a huge boost in depth, but I'll save that for everyone to find out... =3
- Dungeon design is short, but very well-done...While I have taken around 15-25 minutes for each dungeon I've done so far, they have been incredibly enjoyable, providing ingenious puzzles and fun challenges on a level that hasn't been seen since Link's Awakening (which is fitting, I guess, since Link's Awakening was also done by EAD)...Interesting tidbit about the boss key:
you no longer carry it around in your pocket...Link instead carries the giant thing over his head, slowing him down and providing an amusing sight...Good thing the boss doors are never too far away!- The three bosses I've fought have been absolutely fantastic, particularly the boss of the
3rd dungeon...They each are defeated using the specific item you got in that dungeon, as in other Zelda games...Interesting tidbit about heart containers:
They now pop up in a chest after every boss, and I haven't found a single heart piece yet...Hmmm...- The most important area of the game: The Phantom Hourglass Dungeon...In these segments, you go down through the dungeon to find a piece of the sea chart, then you'll return when you meet the requirements to continue...You are given an amount of time to complete the dungeon, which is chock-full of puzzles and enemies, most notable are the Phantoms...Invincible Darknuts, Phantoms patrol the dungeon halls looking for trespassers...If they see you, the alarms will sound, and all the Phantoms on the floor you are on will start heading towards your position...Oh shiiiii...Good thing you can run to glowing safe zones that not only make you invisible to Phantoms, but also stops the Phantom Hourglass, giving you a nice breather and time to set up your attack on the floor...You have to go through the same floors you've already passed on consecutive times you pass through the dungeon, but there are shortcuts that you can take with the new items you've acquired, and tougher enemies are dropped into your lap to keep you on your toes...You will receive more Phantom Hourglass sand that will extend your time limit from bosses, and can find it in treasure chests that can be pulled from the ocean bottom...
And that's it for major info, here's some fun little tidbits...
- The game uses every aspect of the DS...Yes...
Every...
- Some of the puzzles feel very Trace Memory-ish...Which is a very good thing...
- Cuccos return, and yes they will go into ultra death attack mode when you slash them too many times!
- Every island is large in size and has a point to it, be it main quest or side quest
- There are plenty of NPCs to talk to, surprisingly...I've only hit half of the map thus-far, and I've talked to around 40 NPCs!
- There are a crapload of items to collect......but I honestly have no idea what to do with any of them right now... =3
- Link can't swim, period...For now at least...
- Return of classic enemies like the Octorok (the REAL kind!) and Hardhat Beetles (the annoying buggers that you can't kill in any other way but knocking them into a pit...)
- Boat customization! Pretty much self-explanatory and VERY cool...
- A huge amount of visual humour and hilarious dialogue...Lineback (the side character we've seen alongside Link in art) is great, but not as great as Midna... =3
Buy...this...game! October 1st!
Topic: Zelda DS: Phantom Hourglass (Read 119971 times)
