Official Phantom Hourglass Thread

Alright, official as of now (march 25). This thread is for discussion about the game and it's release. Theories about the game may be placed in TP Spoilers.

SAN JOSE, Calif., March 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Nintendo President Satoru Iwata
today challenged a crowd of game developers to think differently and take a
fresh approach to the creation of video games. During his keynote address at
the Game Developers Conference in San Jose, Calif., Iwata said Nintendo will
provide developers with the tools they need to disrupt the traditional methods
of game creation, much as the company already has.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050915/LATH122-b)
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/...6/NINTENDOLOGO)
These tools include the controller for Nintendo's next home console
(code-named Revolution), which lets users control the action on their
television screens through the motion of the controller itself. The
controller lets game developers create new kinds of gaming experiences, ones
that enhance the experience for hard-core gamers while making video games more
accessible and less intimidating to novices. The new forms of innovative
software that can be created by any size developer will be made available for
download via Revolution's Virtual Console service.
"This new approach is like stepping onto an unexplored continent for the
first time, with all the potential for discovery that suggests," Iwata said.
"No one else can match the environment we're creating for expanding the game
experience to everyone. Our path is not linear, but dynamic."
Iwata also announced partnerships with Sega and Hudson to offer
downloadable access to their classic games via Revolution's Virtual Console.
Revolution owners will be able to relive their past gaming glories from the
Sega Genesis console by playing a "best of" selection from more than 1,000
Genesis titles, as well as games sold for the TurboGrafx console (a system
jointly developed by NEC and Hudson). These games join Revolution's access to
20 years of fan-favorite Nintendo games from the NES(R), Super NES(R) and
Nintendo(R) 64 eras.
Iwata also revealed for the first time that a new game called The Legend
of Zelda(R): Phantom Hourglass would be released for Nintendo DS later this
year.
Iwata, a game developer himself, revealed behind-the-scenes stories about
the development of three key initiatives.
For the industry leading Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, internal engineers and
developers overcame a series of hurdles to make the system seamless and
flexible enough to allow players to choose to play wirelessly either with
friends or against unknown opponents. The Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection reached
1 million unique users in just 18 weeks -- nearly five times the adoption rate
of the leading online game console network.
He described a pivotal meeting in coming to agreement on development of
the incredibly popular "brain games" in Japan. A leading Japanese scientist
attached a sci-fi-looking wired helmet to a Nintendo staffer and then visually
demonstrated stimulation of brain activity as the staffer played prototype
software.
Finally, he described the hundreds of sketches, dozens of prototypes and
company-wide collaboration that led to the final form of the unique Revolution
controller system, which resembles a traditional TV remote control. He called
the related research and manufacturing costs of the new control system,
"...our method to disrupt the market...realizing a new way to connect a player
to his game."


GDC thread has more details, as well.

http://blog.wired.com/games/
there they are
OMg its soo crappy...almost like those Cd-i games!

That's like... semi 3D. Still cool though

Cool enough. Not surprised though. Zelda DS was bound to be unveiled eventually.

Those pictures are of bad quality. Hopefully we will get some better pictures in a few days. Oh well anyway I am really excited about this game. Whether it looks like crap or not I don't care the game play will be second to none. I can't wait till the end of this year.

GAMEPLAY VIDEO!

http://www.nintendo-europe.com/NOE/e...TPRZMbliXeeJM1

For non-quicktime users, use this link
http://youtube.com/watch?v=ZT9EgQHYdHw

Thank me later. It's 3-D and looks to be an awesome game.

^thanks for the vid

EDIT: Well, this definantly looks like a sequel to tWW, the saling action and such, the drawing mechanic really seems to add SO MUCH to the gameplay. The control however is very very very different, it seems as though you move your fairy friend and link follows, very awkward, I'm sure there will be a backlash with this new movement, but at least it makes the game that much more fluid. This game definantly seems to be puzzle oriented, I haven't seen red and blue switches in a while, and those "talking" stones seem rather interesting.
The overworld combat seems really fun, with the new sailing mechanic I can definantly forsee intense sea battles. I'll give more impressions as I watch the trailer more.

oooh fairys are back ^_^ lol much to the dismay of the majority of zelda fans apparantly =/
EDIT: it's Navi... well... it sounds like her ^_^

I gotta say, after actually seeing that vid, the game looks pretty good.
Great blend of 3D combat with traditional Zelda puzzles (return of the blue/red switches!),
not to mention some innovative drawing to customize the gameplay....it's gonna be pretty creative game.

EDIT:

Logo


Some screens from vid.


Download link:
http://media.nintendo-europe.com/com...hIK1Rv3Sa8.mov

Yay! Return of cel-shading, that's a plus for me. It looks like touch controls will be put to good use in this game. I'm more excited about this then any Twilight Princess =D. Well, not really, but that's given me something to look forward to. Hopefully Europe will see it this year.

Guess my avatar is outdated then.

If you have server problems with the above link, you can try this one.
http://www.nintendo.com/newsarticle?...5zU-s70OLsg6Fm

Now that I've seen the video, I'm intrigued. The graphics look cool, and Nintendo gets a second shot at executing an ocean based overworld. I'm very much hoping it'll be designed better than TWW's Great Sea. And, the Faerie companion makes a comeback, which is neat. The gameplay looks pretty fun. Okay, my skepticism is diminishing a bit now... hope springs eternal.

notice how you can draw on the map, according to what you find out, FINALLY I real interactive dungeon map, away with those crappy maps of old. Hopefully those three islands we saw are really really big.

If someone can get the time, would it be too much to upload the video to Youtube? Currently, I'm not able to watch it. (No Quicktime)

I wonder, is this game still gonna be on the Great Sea, or are we actually heading to a Hyrule this time? Maybe these were just islands you can visit from the main land?
Heck, who knows? We may even be seeing Epona.

Wow, looking good. I'd have to disagree about controlling the fairy, though. Looks to me like you control Link and the fairy follows either in front or behind.

Ooh, maybe they'll put the dungeons in that they cut from tWW.

Either way, a few more vids like this and I might consider getting a DS. :O

I'm pretty positive that it is a ww sequel, I hope it's a direct sequel. This made me really happy

^nope, look again, every one of links movements, as well as his sword movements, are influence by the fairies placement on the screen. Draw a circle around link and link will preform a spin attack, a quick slash over the enemy will make link jab or slash depending on the enemies placement in relation to link, really interesting if I do say so myself. The combat is very akin to the brush strokes in Okami, I guess great minds think alike.

So now I guess I really gotta invest in a DS.

Ah, so navi or anoterh fairy returns to hel windwaker link? What a twist I am very much going to get the DS just for this. *hoogles screenshots*

Originally Posted by vacumgod

^nope, look again, every one of links movements, as well as his sword movements, are influence by the fairies placement on the screen. Draw a circle around link and link will preform a spin attack, a quick slash over the enemy will make link jab or slash depending on the enemies placement in relation to link, really interesting if I do say so myself. The combat is very akin to the brush strokes in Okami, I guess great minds think alike.

I see what you're saying. So probably where ever we place the stylus, the fairy is at that point, and Link follows for the movement?

EDIT:Wait that can't be for all the actions though. On the boomerang you just draw a line, no fairy follows. And at one point during combat with the octorok you can clearly see the fairy behind Link. So the fairy will probably be just for moving Link?