Why Spirit Tracks will return the Spirit to Zelda

No doubt the majority of DS owners are still somewhat immersed in Spirit Tracks this weekend but Staff Writer Trent took some time out look a little deeper into what makes a Zelda release an event worth noting.

The "hardcore" is a group of gamers which Nintendo needs to win back when it comes to handheld Zelda. After Phantom Hourglass, which felt shallow and more like a tech demo, Nintendo decided to try and change that with Spirit Tracks. The original concept of the game was shot into the world of these gamers, straight onto the internet and, as they gasped in shock and horror at this train which was to be the main mode of transportation, the "hardcore" crowd split. But over the subsequent passing months, information for the title has been made available and has skyrocketed the hype from all gamers. Letting the once huge split start to close, the information is saying one thing- that this game is going to be one of the good ones.

You might think this is some crazy pre-release hype which has taken control of the gaming community. While it might be partly true, no one can deny the solid hands on previews and video footage which has been presented over the last few weeks. Being described at most as, while not the best Zelda handheld game, one of the few Zelda games which stand out, what proof can I present, which shows you the gamer, that Nintendo has changed?

1. Soundtrack - I think one of the big things which stand out here is the soundtrack which Spirit Tracks has. When watching the trailers most fans where happy at the master track which was used in them. The track has since then been revealed as the music played when riding the train from various pieces of new footage and while it stands out as the one of the leading music pieces in the title, we are also greeted, as more footage comes out, with new tracks which spark that same emotional feeling.

Screenshots of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass for Nintendo DS

Throughout the video footage, the dungeon tracks speak as weak, but still mystify. For the most part they are borrowed tracks, tweaked from previous games, and most of them will feel like those in Phantom Hourglass, but what we now have here are re-mastered editions of these tracks, making them feel right at home with the other collective pieces of music in the title; music pieces which grasp the emotion of a Zelda game. Previous titles forgot that music is one of the key players which helps to develop the gamer's feelings and relationship with the world inside the game. In Spirit Tracks, we feel what we once felt from the likes of Wind Waker, and even Ocarina of Time. The soundtrack once again lets us feel the pitches of emotion and gives us the desire to adventure. Nintendo has also included once again a musical item, which means there are more possibilities and smaller sound clips which ravel themselves around the game to give a more meaningful experience.

2. Items - Think of Phantom Hourglass like a small side dish which is built up from various flavours such as cheese and bacon, a complete dish. Now get rid of that memory because that isn't what Phantom Hourglass was, instead it was essentially just the cheese; what Nintendo thought worked for handheld games and what they thought you would want. While the formula attracted more "casual" gamers to the series, the "hardcore" where left alone to wallow in what had become of the series. Now put all those pieces back together, your bacon and cheese- that is what Spirit Tracks is; the complete dish.

Nintendo have included more items which have been seen before but also some which we haven't seen. While details of how many items there are, and what all of them are, seem to be tucked away until the final release of the game, what Nintendo has shown in trailers and screenshots seems to be a solid line up of past favourites from the series.

But what gamers see as the most prized item this time around is the Spirit Flute. They imagine the possibilities and compare them with the memories they have of previous Zelda titles. Gamers are hoping for something as detailed as the Wind Baton from Wind Waker or the Ocarina from Ocarina of Time; they picture themselves playing warp songs and songs which expand gameplay for side quests or connections with characters. With the information we have seen, gamers can't confirm whether the Spirit Flute will live up to those prior items. It feels like a dream; a mystical item which seems to depict what we want but at the same time- does it?

Screenshots of Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks for Nintendo DS

It's been revealed that with this little magical item we hope it will be the answer to all our problems. While it plays a few songs, we don't know what they do. But the major problem comes down to the controls: a nice little gimmick, for some, and for others they are just happy to have the item. When it comes down to it though, almost everyone can agree on one thing- and that is why did Nintendo have to choose to use the microphone to play the flute? It seems fun to the casual observer, but raises problems. I will be selecting the note by sliding the flute on the touchscreen, but what about playing it? Do I have to play it straight away after picking the note? Or is it as simple as pick, and blow? What about gamers with little lung capacity- have we been left out just so Nintendo can include a gimmick?

3. Characters and the World - The characters and the overall world seem to have been polished up making them more respectable and desirable. Phantom Hourglass showed us that just because there is a wide ocean and islands of possibility, it doesn't mean it makes for a great experience. Wind Waker proved it could be done, but Phantom Hourglass in the end was a simple cut down version of a world we once knew for the handheld gamer.

We are now once again in a vast land world, and while the game's mechanics make it more linear, when it comes to how you explore the open world, the possibilities are endless. It feels as though there is more to do and see. We have seen some maps which raise questions timeline wise, and the more we speculate the more it seems like if it fits where we want it to, it could be one hell of a ride. We have items which seem almost perfect, allowing us to explore the world in new ways and directions. Questions we ask ourselves seem to be answered each time with another batch of previews or media flushes. We believe in the world once again. While its linear, the possibilities from information we know make it seem like there could be a world which we never thought Nintendo would do again on a handheld title. We know races will be coming back from the dead and living in the new world. We also know we are going to be seeing new ones, what are these races? We have seen little to none in the way of characterisation outside general gameplay mechanics which we have grown to love. These questions are letting us explore our minds to see what we want to see, and while Nintendo might not be mind readers, what we think we see is perfect once again.

Overall - We have taken the time to look at the title, and see what Nintendo wants to show us; a world with more emotion and adventure than that in Phantom Hourglass, and possibly something which goes up against previous handheld greats in the series. But at the end of the day, it's all about the hype train, which is slowly about to leave- is it the right choice to get on board? What is Nintendo really presenting to us? A perfect game or a game with nothing deeper then what we have seen already? With the game just hitting the shores of many dominant regions, these questions will be stuck in the players mind as he gives the game a shot for the first time. What will be the answers to these questions? Well you will find out in the following review from DS-X2.

By Trent Petronaitis

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