May 21, 2009 - In many ways, Wind Waker for the GameCube was a major departure for the Zelda series, but it was one that paid off. An amazing and expansive adventure wrapped in a colorful, cartoonish, cel-shaded world proved to be a welcome change of pace for many longtime Zelda game followers. Though it wasn’t a big surprise that Nintendo eventually decided to continue the game with a proper sequel, the decision to do so on the Nintendo DS was a serious shocker.

Phantom Hourglass turned out to be a tremendously ambitious and subsequently impressive effort. With a totally new Zelda game sporting the same slick, cel-shaded style now officially in the works for the DS, fans of the little guy in green have a lot to get excited about.

It’s not entirely clear whether The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks will be a direct sequel to Phantom Hourglass or simply a spiritual successor to the runaway handheld hit. Judging from the colorful teaser trailer, it appears to utilize the same game engine and much of the same touch-centric gameplay that players enjoyed in Phantom Hourglass. The likelihood of a story connection between the two is a pretty safe bet, but Nintendo could always decide to throw us for a loop with a few surprises. As it currently stands, Spirit Tracks already appears to have some distinct differences over the last DS Zelda game.

Jiving with the game’s tentative title, it appears the island hopping, oceanic voyages that dominated Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass have been ditched in favor of a completely new mode of transportation. In-game footage released at GDC 2009 shows Link donning a conductor’s hat and suit at the helm of a suped-up train as it barrels down tracks laid out through lush, green terrain. The rail-based vehicle is armed with the familiar cannon that can deter foes with explosive volleys and likely be put to other helpful uses. There’s also a whistle that can be used to signal you’re approach and possibly even drive friendly animals off the tracks to keep them from being inadvertently squashed. Control-wise, you can adjust the train’s speed using the stylus on a small interface located on the right side of the touch screen and switch tracks when you come to branching paths.

Hyrule seems to be decked out with a snaking network of interconnected railways that allow you to get from one location to the next. Additional details about whether you can upgrade the train, lay out your own tracks, or adventure on foot or horseback, haven’t been released at this point. Additionally, we’re interested to see exactly how integrated the railway system is – especially considering how important ocean adventuring was in the past two cel-shaded games and how it offered numerous mini-game-like opportunities for item collecting and treasure hunting. The inclusion of rails is a major change-of-pace and clever twist that will likely offer some intriguing new options for players.

Beyond exploring the world above, Spirit Tracks will feature the franchise’s trademark dungeon spelunking. These subterranean dwellings will be packed with dangerous adversaries to face and new treasures to obtain. Classic items like the boomerang will make a return alongside more powerful accessories. The trailer footage shows Link being able to direct and control the hulking, armored dungeon guards from Phantom Hourglass using the touch screen – an ability that was only previously available in multiplayer matches. Another new weapon unveiled is a small fan gun that can unleash cyclones. These small whirlwinds can be used to stun enemies or pick up and carry items over short distances, undoubtedly playing heavily into the puzzles to be found throughout the underworld. Link will also sport numerous other items and crucial equipment, though details on the rest of his arsenal are being kept under wraps at the moment. Expect a mixture of old and new goodies.

Phantom Hourglass made great use of the extra visual real-estate from the DS’s second top screen, and Spirit Tracks will follow suit. The epic boss encounters against giant foes that towered high above Link (occupying both screens) will return in full force. In one brief clip, Link faces off against an enormous insect beast with giant pincers and a tough carapace. Using the fan gun propelled the creature high into the air before crashing it down on its back to reveal a weak spot in its hindquarters. Hopefully the development team will keep up a strong variety of boss encounters instead of relying on familiar fare.

There’s a lot still to learn about Spirit Tracks, but it already has our mouths watering and palms sweating for some hands-on playtime. We’re crossing our fingers Nintendo will roll out a playable demo for E3 next month, and you can be sure we’ll deliver the goods with our impressions as soon as we can get our mitts on this one.

By Nathan Meunier
CCC Staff Contributor