Should I play Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks?

Also, Phantom Hourglass had the most amazing puzzle I've encountered in a Zelda game to date.

I won't tell you what it is lest I spoil it to some, but some of you should know what I'm talking about. (Too lazy to use spoiler tags)

Try them out. They didn't live up to everyone's standards, but they're still worth playing.

You should at least try them out. Theyre not the best of Zeldas, but theyre good games regardless.

YES. I think they are awesome. And don't believe any Phantom Hourglass hate talk. It's a great game. Plus Spirit Tracks has probably the best soundtrack I've ever heard in a Zelda game. Play the Windwaker and then go right into Phantom Hourglass.

Yes, they are definitely worth picking up if you have a ds, I personally loved ST

Personally, Phantom Hourglass. Spirit Tracks was my least favorite game in the series. PH had all the awesome exploration elements that WW did. (Obviously not as large because of handheld). But PH is a beautiful thing.

It is okay but it is not the best in the series but they are pretty fun to kill time quick or to prepare a speedrun for a major game.

Alright, so anyone who says that PH was absolutely awful is exaggerating greatly. It isn't amazing, believe me, but it wasn't actually terrible.

The touch screen controls idea was very innovative for the time, as generally portable zelda had always been a control pad+button mashing thing more than a screen swiping type deal. But either way, it is generally a good experience. I personally think that the reason that people don't like PH or ST is because it didn't really measure up to the game it was supposed to be a sequel to. Wind Waker was a masterpiece, and PH is barely good enough, and it doesn't help that they decided they had to smash it into a cartridge. From that point on it just became worse and worse. The characters that aren't Linebeck, Link, and the Pirate crew are extremely dull and lifeless, and honestly, there's a central temple you come back to in-between dungeons that is just agony if you're not prepared to complete it when you go in (but if you're prepared and know you're going to be able to sit down long enough to finish, it can be kinda fun to figure out where to go next in there with the new item you've obtained).

The story isn't half bad either. It gets a little dull about 1/4 of the way through, but after the half way point it picks back up. The only problem I have with the story is whether or not any of it actually happened (which you'll get to decide on your own if you play it). The ending is similar to the way Link's Awakening ended, where it might have happened but is probably a dream; little hints drop afterwards that kinda makes you think.

Some of the sidequests are fun (I use 'fun' loosely), like the goddess gems or whatever to power up your sword. But right now, because of how not-memorable they are, I can't even think of any others. If you buy a game for sidequests and replay value as a large factor, PH may disappoint.


Now, ST.
When I got this game it was my 12th birthday, so I was playing PH when I was like 9 or 10. Coming from PH as a 10 year old with the bad dungeon layout and the central dungeon, I wasn't expecting much. I only got it because, well, it was Zelda and I love me some Zelda. Little did I know I was going to love it immensely and replay it many, many times afterwards. A lot of people don't get/diss this game because of the fact that trains are simply not a Zelda-y concept. However, the idea of trains and spirit tracks are done really well with this. They made it seem like New Hyrule (where this takes place) has had these forever so that our minds start to think that trains have been around since Wind Waker, we just didn't know they were there. It takes place 100 years after PH/WW, so you're not playing as the same Link (and the Zelda isn't a pirate ).

Dungeons are magnificent. I love these so much, SO MUCH. I believe there's either six or 8, not counting this game's central dungeon (which is actually fun). Each of them has a wonderful item inside that's extremely innovative and in my opinion seems to use the touch screen to the fullest. And at the end, you get to fight multi-screen bosses that are just absolutely fantastic. I enjoyed the fire dungeon's boss, because it was just such a cool idea (but I won't spoil any more).

The Spirit Flute that they show in trailers is not as useful as the ocarina was in OOT, or the Wind Baton was in WW. However, the ways it was used in are very fun, even though they're a little gimmicky.
You meet these sages throughout the game where you play duets with their instruments, and you have to blow and slide the flute when you play it, and you have to play in time with the other player. So if you like music in a game, this one's pretty fun and entertaining from that aspect. There's still the little songs you learn in the game that do more obscure things, but they're not nearly as useful as OOT or WW songs.

Speaking of music, the soundtrack was AMAZING for this one. For DS synthesized instruments, the music blew me away. Composition was not only great, but the dynamics and phrasing of the melodies and countermelodies are absolutely phenomenal.

This game has a central dungeon like PH did, but you don't have to start from the entrance each time and go deeper, you just continue a floor above where you finished. It's very fun and uses the fact that Zelda is a ghost as a tool instead of just being like OMG SHE HAS NO BODY.

I love this game.



LOL wrote a novel about two of the least renowned Zelda games xD


tl;dr,

Phantom Hourglass
-Story: 3/5
-Gameplay: 2.5/5
-Music: 1/5 (Absolutely terrible)
-Replay value: 1/5
-Innovativeness: 2.5/5
-OVERALL: (not an average of above) 3.5/5

Spirit Tracks
-Story: 4/5
-Gameplay: 3/5
-Music: 4/5
-Replay Value: 3/5
-Innovativeness: 3/5
-OVERALL: 4/5



This is all my opinion and I just wanted you to make sure you knew what you were buying when/if you buy it.
SORRY FOR WRITING A NOVEL

I really like both Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks. I think as a Zelda fan it's a great idea to experience both of them.

I enjoyed both PH and ST. Although PH and ST weren't any of Nintendo's best games, they still are good in their own way.

Play them! Lol, i bought back PH cuz i wanted to play it, forgot how funny that game was!
Don`t ask me why i selled PH... i regret it yes...

Depends. Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks seemed to be more geared toward children. Or at least that's how I felt. The puzzles are super easy. Even so, I really enjoyed them. I really liked the music in Spirit Tracks. Didn't care as much for Phantom Hourglass. I would recommend them, but I'm a pretty hard-core fan. There isn't a Zelda game that I don't like.

I really enjoyed them both. A lot of people said they weren't that good because of the touch screen controls and over all stray from the main series, but I loved them. Still some of my favorite DS games to date.

In my opinion, you should play ST first.

Because i found that i played much more of ST compared to PH.