The Legend of Zelda series can be described as a jewel in Nintendo’s glittering crown and whilst Nintendo could be forgiven for producing an under whelming version that just rides the coat tails of it’s predecessors, it seems as though they have taken on a duty of honour to the gaming community to continually release versions that surpass expectations. In this Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks review, we see that this new game encompasses everything we have come to love about the series, and introduces new elements that make this game a treat to play.

The story is rich and detailed, with the back story told in a series of stills during the opening sequence describing how the demon king Malladus became imprisoned beneath the land of Hyrule, bound by shackles that criss-cross the land. As a young Link, you’ll travel to Castle Town for graduation as Link completes his apprenticeship and becomes a fully qualified Rail Engineer. It is here that Princess Zelda explains that the railway lines covering the kingdom are in fact the magical bindings of Malladus’ prison and she confides in Link that she suspects something may have gone horribly awry inside the Spirit Tower, which acts as a lock holding the prison shut. After a series of events Link is charged with the task of recovering the maps that document the spirit tracks, spread throughout the land in various – and familiar- themed locations. Each land of course contains a dungeon that you must guide Link through, complete with the well-known acquisition of new weapons, key collecting and of course final boss battle. The standard regime of using whatever weapon was discovered in the dungeon to solve the puzzles and defeat the boss is back, but somehow doesn’t feel tired. The introduction of a new tool, which is a cross between a whip and the hook-shot, is quite fun and long time players should welcome this addition to Link’s arsenal. Fortunately, the dungeons are not very troublesome, and the design of each has been well thought out with very little instances of tediousness, something the previous title was flawed with. The Spirit Tower itself also serves a massive multi-levelled dungeon that introduces you to a new feature, controlling Princess Zelda. Once Link has collected three Tears of Light he can power up his sword and attack the Phantom Guards, enabling Princess Zelda to control them, and in turn help Link to solve the puzzles within each level of the Tower.

The graphics are superb and follow in the same cell shading style as 2007’s The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, but with vast improvements. Each region is littered with detail and the environment is challenging, with blizzards hampering your way in the Snow Realm and molten-rocks falling from the sky in the Fire Realm to block the tracks. And it really is the small details that make it such a visual feast, including the way steam escapes from the engine when you come to a stop, or the golden dolphins in the Ocean Realm reacting to your train’s whistle, which incidentally will bring out the ten-year old in you as there is something inherently pleasing about using your stylus to blow the train’s whistle. The whistle isn’t only for decoration either, as it’s used in a number of puzzles that occur during the transition between realms, and to signal people along the tracks that you’d like to interact with them. Being the third major vehicle Link has had at his disposal throughout the series, the train is surprisingly well designed, not only from an interface point of view, but also from a story perspective. Every element of the train is tied into the story as it unfolds, from the engine to the freight cart, and the storyline itself is entertaining containing plenty of Zelda-esque plot turns and a nice dash of humor thrown in.

The music is excellent, with familiar tunes gracing your ears, and some new songs that form parts of the games puzzles via the Spirit Flute that is controlled by the DS mic and your stylus to achieve something akin to actually playing a musical instrument. Initially you’ll feel a little embarrassed puffing away at your DS, especially if you’re on the bus, but when you’re in the heat of a boss battle and about to pass-out a quick gust of breath will induce the healing song and return you to the action. A small blemish with this is the mic does pick up every sound around you, and background noise can interfere with your musical endeavours. Headphones really are a must-have with this game, as the sound effects, combined with the music, will have you fully submerged within the game.

The game is long, in fact it’s really long and you’ll be constantly veering from the main story line to complete side quests and mini games, an element that was really missing from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. But in no way is the length of the main story frustrating. The pacing is excellent and you’ll be reaching for your DS whenever you have a spare fifteen minutes just to explore the land. A major town filled with characters unique to the area governs each region with multiple outposts dotting the map, and even a rabbit rescue farm has been included. Whilst some of the side quests are just retrieval based, you’ll encounter some others that are simply outstanding and without giving too much away, the pirate hideout is well worth discovering for it’s unique side quest.

Not everything within the game is this well polished though. The stylus is back as your main control option, and while Nintendo has improved this feature from Phantom Hourglass, it’s still a little tiresome to use. Inaccuracies easily occur when trying to move Link in certain sections where your footing must be precise, and in some instances this can lead to repeating puzzles as your health bar depletes returning you to the start of the level. In addition to this the control of Princess Zelda in the Phantom Guards’ suit can be cumbersome when calling her back to your side, as she quite easily gets stuck on a corner of wall, forcing you to manually control her back to where Link is standing. The camera is also a problem at times, especially whilst riding the train, as it has the tendency to pan 90 degrees whilst you go around a corner, leaving you blind to enemy attacks.

These flaws aside, The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks is an excellent inclusion to the Zelda series, containing elements from the more popular Zelda titles and well worth the investment if you’re new to the franchise. For players returning to the series, expect a wild ride of adventure and fun. A must have game for the Nintendo DS.

Score: 8.5/10

• Pros:
  • Excellent use of cell shading providing crisp graphics.
  • Lots of depth in the main story and heaps of side quests.
• Cons:
  • Some control issues with the stylus.
  • Not the hardest game you’ll ever play.
• Random Fact: When asked why Tetra didn’t make an appearance in this game, Producer Eiji Aonuma, who was fond of the character, stated that the director explained to him that “[he didn't] like Tetra all that much”.

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks was developed and published by Nintendo and released for the Nintendo DS in North America on December 7th 2009.