Regarding Link's new locomotive:
"Yes, controlling Link on his train is fun. The player can control both the speed of the train and the switches the determine how the tracks will guide the train at intersections. Link's got a cannon he can fire at threatening enemies who ride on boarback up to his train (tap anywhere to fire that cannon, as seen in )."
Although the train integration seems like a fun and refreshing vehicle for Link, Crecente noted that the demo only allowed him to use the train for mission based gameplay, as opposed to an open world mode of conveyance such as Epona in , or the talking Kind of Red Lions boat in . While this is probably just a function of the demo and not the final product, Crecente notes:
"I'm the first to cheer Zelda innovating, but there's a hint here of a choppier flow for this next Zelda. I need to see more to be convinced this won't detract from the joy of open exploration found in most Zeldas."
Outside of the new train innovation, Link gets some new gadgets as well, the most notable being "some sort of wind-blown propeller thing." The wind-blown propeller thing will naturally force players to use their own wind blowing skills, blowing into the DS's mic for the new item to work its magic.
The game will also feature a brand new partner character for Link: The Phantom, (one of the big bully guards as seen in Phantom Hourglass) is a character that will help Link over the usual ledges, gaps and switches throughout the games dungeons. Players will be able to control and direct The Phantom with the stylus, drawing a route on the screen for him to move, similar to Link's boomerang in Phantom Hourglass. As an added bonus, player will be able to send The Phantom in to fight your battles for you:
"Drawing the Phantom's path into that of an enemy sets the Phantom on the attack. Let him fight Link's battles. The Phantom seemed like a more satisfyingly powerful, and more easily controllable partner, than those allies who showed up in some Wind Waker dungeons."
For Crecente's final thoughts, he noted that it was too early to tell whether the confines of the game are only a product of the demo or an accurate representation of the final game, but all the same, he felt the game had a great control scheme similar to that of Phantom Hourglass and that the new title had all the elements for another fun Hyrulian adventure.
"Those who have become fatigued of the Zelda series are weary of repetition of certain items and types of quests. Those are not elements that could be judged in the E3 Spirit Tracks demo. People who are still delighted by Zelda enjoy discovering new ways for Link to get around his world and new puzzle mechanics in his dungeons. In the E3 demo, both of those showed well."
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks is set for release later this fall for the Nintendo DS.
Check out the full article here at .