In light of the phenomenal success seen by the Nintendo DS over the last few years, it seems a bit odd that one of Nintendo’s benchmark characters, and one of gaming’s most acclaimed franchises, has yet to grace the system. It was inevitable that The Legend of Zelda would, sooner or later, would find its way to the DS. Some may have been expecting a new Four Swords game or a similar affair. Because of that expectation, gamers were shocked and wowed by the reveal of The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, a full-fledged Zelda adventure featuring the return of Link’s cel-shaded look first seen in The Wind Waker. And while the newest chapter of the Zelda story may look familiar, it will play like no game in the franchise has before.

Phantom Hourglass is unique in that it is a direct sequel to Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, making it only the third “official” sequel in franchise history, following Zelda II and Majora’s Mask. Set a few months after the events of Wind Waker, Link is still on the crew of Tetra’s/Princess Zelda’s pirate ship as it searches for land, as well as a mysterious phantom ship that’s been antagonizing the crew for months. Tetra sets out to try and teach the scurvy dogs a lesson, leading to her crew being attacked once more by the mysterious ghost ship. Tetra leaps aboard to investigate, but the ship sets sail before she can return to her crew. In the confusion, Link is knocked into the water, where he washes ashore on a mysterious island, where he meets Ciela, a young fairy reminiscent of Navi from Ocarina of Time. Forming an alliance with the oddball pirate Captain Lineback, Link gains a new ship, and must once again set on an adventure to save the world.

Not Pictured: The unmarked white van this man is inviting Link to visit

In a bizarre twist to the classic formula, the player will not actually control Link, but his fairy. The gameplay is entirely on the touch screen, and Ciela acts as the cursor for the player’s stylus. Dragging it in any direction causes Link to walk in that direction.. Simply tapping an enemy makes Link strike it with his sword, while signs and NPCs need to merely be tapped to interact with them. A quick circle motion performs Link’s trademark spin attack, while you can quickly stroke the stylus forward for Link’s dodge roll. Also, certain weapons like the boomerang can have their path mapped out beforehand, in order to hit things like switches in a specific order to solve puzzles.

There are a few new features to the game, such as a revised map system which allows players to jot down notes in order to assist with solving puzzles. The microphone will also be used in certain ways, such as to blow out torches or call attention to other characters. Sailing makes a return from Wind Waker, with some notable changes to make it less monotonous. Players draw their path on the map, and the ship sets sail automatically, sans periodic breaks to blast enemies out of the sky or water using the sailboat’s cannon.

Phantom Hourglass also features a built-in multiplayer component – however, those expecting a DS version of the popular Four Swords may be a bit disappointed. Battle mode, as it is called, is a one-on-one match in which one player will control Link, while the other controls a trio of armored knights. Link’s goal is to grab a Force Gem from one of the zones on the map, then bring it back to his own base to score a point. The other player must switch between the three knights and seek out Link, capturing him to score a point. Once a point is scored or time expires, players switch roles. The game consists of three rounds, with each player getting a turn on both sides in each, and, naturally, the one with the most points at the end wins. Players on both sides also get to use some helpful power-ups like the Pegasus Shoes or a Decoy. The game is playable locally with a friend, and Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection play is also supported.

When it comes to magical swords vs. wooden sticks, I'll go with the sword

Graphically, the game looks to be among the DS’s best offerings. Phantom Hourglass is surprisingly on par with Wind Waker, despite being on a much less powerful platform and the top-down angle. It’s a bit more pixilated and polygonal, but Nintendo did a tremendous job with the cel-shaded style, right down to Link’s facial expressions. The game makes use of both the classic 2D Zelda gameplay with new 3D controls, which makes for a unique look that lends itself well to the game’s equally unique control scheme. As is true Zelda fashion, the game should also highlight a solid musical score, headed up as always by the legendary Koji Kondo. Already, both the signature opening theme as well as a remixed version of the Dark World theme from Link to the Past has been featured in trailers, and the pure sound quality seems to be among the best the DS has seen yet.

The Legend of Zelda is one of the few series in existence that warrants a purchase based on name alone, and Phantom Hourglass is looking like far more than a throwaway handheld title. The game looks to combine the look and feel of Wind Waker with the gameplay of classics like Link to the Past, while adding in new touch screen controls that promise to be equal parts innovative and intuitive. The Legend will continue on October 2, and we can hardly wait to play what’s sure to be one of the DS’s defining titles.

Eric Jones