Howdy! If you happen to be watching this then thanks! And also it'd be crazy cool if you check out my channel and maybe sub if'n ya want! I'm working on new stuff all the time and I'd love to see ya around these parts again.
There was one boss fight where the boss itself is invisible, but the top screen showed you the boss' POV as it moved around. I remember that blowing my mind as a kid and it was such a fun and unique fight. And then there was that puzzle with a map, where you actually had to close your DS and open it again to transfer details onto your map or something. They really made use of the medium the game was played on in such interesting ways.
@Hern Hern Oh just days? I spent months xD, and just got it cause i just closed it to have lunch -.- That was the hardest part of the game, after that the game was easy in comparison xD
I fucking loved PH, it was my first zelda game and exposure to the series, i played ST and same thing, loved it from start to end (arguably more than PH), even playing some of the other zelda games i still have those fuzzy feelings more in the DS games than the more newer ones, i still have yet to play wind waker though so i will hop on that asap
Same here. I get that people might not like its control scheme after what previous handheld titles established. But just looking at the game itself, it's just a fantastic game and one of the best DS titles. And graphically impressive for the platform too.
Temple of the Ocean King is one of my favorite things in all of Zelda. I think it's just polarizing... but most people hate it. And unfortunately they're probably never going to revisit the idea in a major way again. But I personally love revisiting that place with new tools and trying to get through it more and more efficiently.
you visit the dungeon 5 times (one for each map + one for bellum) but you can actually visit it only 4 times. The last 2 maps can be retrieved during a single run if you already know the pattern, it's just hard af since you don't have the grappling hook
Great video! Phantom Hourglass was my first Zelda game, so with no previous Zelda experience, I was floored by the amount of freedom and exploration the game gives. Also, I was hoping Tropical Slacking would be your secret song. 😂
same! although to this day, even though I have never finished a single Legend of Zelda game, in phantom hourglass, I can proudly say I made it the closest to completion! might blow the dust off my cart and see if my file is still there so I can save Hyrule for the first time! heck, I even still have the custom gold ds lite that came with the bundle I got for Christmas! (albeit the top screen is broken and the stylus is missing...)
The DS games were my first introductions to Zelda and hold such a special place in my heart. I agree they’re not the best in the franchise, but they deserve some love too haha. This video does that wonderfully
Mine were a mix of that and Twilight Princess on Wii. Dad tried playing it, but didn't like playing as the wolf, so he just left the game in a closet until my sister found it.
@@beccacroce7380 Exactly the same with me. Played Hourglass and Twilight Princess. Especially Twilight Princess blew my mind. The Dungeons were the best of the franchise
@dice5709 Phantom Hourglass was my first Zelda game when I was like 7 or 8, and I absolutely adored it. But I didn't care to play anything else in the series, because I didn't like those "realistic games" (Twilight Princess was the new kid on the block, and somehow I didn't know Wind Waker existed lol) When Spirit Tracks came out, I was absolutely thrilled, and it blew my mind with how good it was. Loved the game, and I wished there were more like it. But then for Christmas 2011, my sister got me Twilight Princess for Christmas (I assume it was on sale since SS had just come out lol). Even though I wasn't interested, she already got me the game so I figured I'd give it a shot. And oh my goodness I fell in love. I always say that PH was my first Zelda game, but TP is the one that truly got me into the series. The dungeons, the story, the atmosphere, the gameplay. As an adult it's not my absolute favorite in the series, but it's definitely near the top and always will be
ive only played it with the mod that makes it have actual controls... I dont like the touch screen controls as it originally was, but otherwise its not bad
I really love Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks. I still remember playing them on the train and having to subtly cough into my DS because the game wanted me to yell into the microphone but I didn’t want to be yelling like a madman on the train lol.
As much as people don't agree, Spirit Tracks is my all time favourite Zelda game. (Yes I've played MM, BotW, WW and MC) The world, characters, soundtrack, presentation and story really stand out among the rest of the series in the best way possible. (The tower of spirits is one of the best dungeons in the series.) It's a fully underrated game similar to Phantom Hourglass, give it a re-visit when possible!
gotta agree with your take on how the story stood out among the rest of the series, spirit tracks is my all time favorite zelda game too and a big part of that is the fact that zelda is an actual companion and there's an actual bond forming throughout the whole game. you go through thick and thin with her, she quite literally saves your life taking over the phantom armor in the first segment of the tower of spirits and throughout the game there's a few fights where you need to team up with her, notably the 2 lizalfos battles, bryne and obviously the 2 last phases of the final boss. i feel like it's such a spin on the classical damsel in distress zelda or mario games always have that made the sequences where you fought with her or celebrated your victories simply were that much more charming and memorable.
Simple question. Is it your very first zelda game you completed? Don’t get me wrong, I really like the DS games. Even if I was a little disappoint at the time (forgive the 12 years old me) because I finished it In 3 days. I ask you this because I think my favorites (at least, the games I have most feelings for) zelda are Link’s awakening for 2D games and Wind Waker for 3D. And they are respectively of their representation my first zelda games.
While I agree that Spirit Tracks really nails the "keep coming back to this one dungeon to progress a little further each time" aspect, which Phantom Hourglass kinda fails at. I would argue that this is very much because you have ghost-zelda who gives you a tool to work with in the dungeon, instead of feeling powerless to beat the knights littered all around. On the other hand though, lots of exploration/freedom is lost because of the titular train mechanic, which attempts to make world-traversal a slow-paced on-rails puzzle minigame rather than actual "free exploration" - i think the Phantom Hourglass boat handles this better. Also, Phantom Hourglass has a better inventory of items, in the sense that all of your items will be of use in many situations, outside of dungeons. I think it is not the mark of good game design when items are only used in the dungeon where you get them (remember the sand wand ??? its like Spirit Tracks didn't understand the lesson from Twilight Princess' mistakes...)
Hourglass may not be the best, objectively speaking. But i think its noteworthy for how accessible it was. The entry level hardware, the stylus controls, ability to take notes, and plot routes made it a dream for a noob gamer kid like me who wasn't great at learning button combos. But it never felt dumbed down or kiddified either. Some of the puzzles still blow my mind. Granted its not for everyone. But It will always be my first zelda. And the first game I ever completed from beginning to end. And I love it dearly.
I remember wanting this one specifically because my elementary school library had the manga adaptation and I would always check it out. This ended up being the first Zelda game I ever played.
Phantom Hourglass and Spitit Tracks were my first Zelda games my 9 year old self loved them so so much and finished them multiple times, imagine my surprise when I eventually played TP, SS, OoT and then Wind Waker in particular! My then 12 year old mind couldn’t handle how different PH and ST were in comparison. I replayed them last year and I gotta say they have a lot of charm and remain very special to me. And while I think Midna is the best companion I believe Linebeck is the second best he’s so funny and his development is also great! So yeah PH underrated
I looove how people started to make videos about PH and admit it was actally good recently! Really enjoyed watching yours, it's short but very on point. Phantom Hourglass is one of my fave Zelda games, I've enjoyed it at lot and Linebeck is my favorite Zelda character! PH was probably like the third zelda game I've finished and the second one I've did 100% of! I was very proud of myself lol I'm glad you came back to it after so many years!
Just finished replaying it probably 10 years after I first played it, and I agree on most of your points except I really like the Temple of the Ocean King (I enjoy optimizing). BUT HOLY SHIT WHY IS NOBODY TALKING ABOUT THE LINEBECK-BELLUM FIGHT. The entire game the player is taught to never over-extend and press their luck, that it is bad to blindly slash at large foes, and you'll probably end up taking damage if you do. At the same time, many large enemies make heavy attacks that allow the player to get a hit in afterwards. What are you meant to do against Linebeck-Bellum? Slash and slash and slash and you win. Why, at the very final phase of the game, when all you're left with is your sword and your know-how, are you forced to follow different rules than the ones that have been established? This caused me tons of frustration and left a bitter taste after finishing the game, and I haven't seen this opinion expressed elsewhere (hence the rant here). Great video!
That's super interesting! Definitely not something I've put a lot of thought into. I suppose I was so taken by the linebeck drama that it never occurred to me lmao Also definitely can understand why someone would enjoy the TOTOC, I think I just have a negative lean towards it because of my childhood experience Thanks for watching the video!
I actually didnt get to play this gem until a couple years ago when i was 19 ish and man i really love it. The story, characters and world are sooo charming. It, Sprit Tracks and Wind Waker were games thta i didnt get the chance to play beforehand bc ive never had a gamecube but tbh ik that doesnt matter bc its never too late to jump into these awesome games. Also i just recently found your channel, I really love your casual but genuine tone.
Same here. Back at the end of 2019/through the start of 2020, I had an opportunity to play this game. Having never properly played a LoZ game before, I decided to give it a shot. And man am I glad I did, because this game is easily my favorite in the series, and one of the best games I've ever played.
I'll never forget the day that a guy in my class was stuck on the temple part where you had to use the neat mechanic of closing the screen and opening the pathway. I remember feeling so amazed that I figured it out by myself as I told him that's what u gotta do and he was like "oh!"
Great video!!! This was super quality video that hit a lot of nostalgic spots for me. I really loved how you showcased some of the games tracks, very underrated arrangements of some beloved classics! I might have to dig up my old copy of this game to revisit it!
"Phantom hourglass is not anyone's favorite Zelda" Lies, its still my favorite. It was my first and it has all of the unfair advantages that comes with that. Super good video btw! Love hearing people's thoughts of one of my favorite games of all time
@Hajilee pretty sure Linkus7 made a positive Phantom Hourglass video sometime recently (two years ago, i can’t believe it’s been that long), if you were interested:)
I’ll never understand why so many people despise the Temple of the Ocean King. I legitimatelly think it’s great, both in atmosphere and design. It’s a unique change of pace from the other dungeons, and not just because of the Phantoms that roam it. (Always loved the Phantoms, everything about them is awesome) Going back with new gear and techniques to find new secrets and paths each time is *EXACTLY* what Zelda games (or any games with unlockable tools/items) *SHOULD* do! It’s fantastic! One of my favourite parts or any Zelda game, is seeing unique things that i cannot yet interact with yet, and *NO* Zelda game has done it better than PH and ST. It’s entirely unrivaled. It’s such a wonderfull way to spark curiosity in the player, and the satisfaction in finally returning with the right tool for the job is really nice! My only real problem with this game as a whole, is the difficulty... Or rather, that there is no difficulty... In a perfect world, this game would have a modding community, and someone would create a hard-mode for it, with more complex enemy attacks, more damage taken, and *faster phantoms!* >:)
I always thought that temple was a fun way to see how new tools and willingness to explore could save time and create memorable encounters when you go deeper
phantom hourglass was my first ever zelda game and even since playing all the others it still holds a really special place in my heart. it's just so unique with the touch controls and just it's incredible use of the ds's hardware in general
This video only makes me appreciate more that I went to the effort to finish this game when I was a kid. It really does get better when you appreciate it as a whole. Great video, my only criticism is the audio quality/vocal delivery. I look forward to your other videos.
I had a similar experience with windwaker as I’m sure many people did as a kid, but phantom hourglass and spirit tracks were a huge part of my childhood, since I ended up playing them a lot - - Lineback is also my favorite side character in the legend of Zelda, both “generations”
Phantom Hourglass was my first ever Zelda game and it has a lot of nostalgic value. It had very unique uses of the ds system. I remember I got stuck for a very long time in the dungeon where you have acces to the sun key map location. I think the first time my cousin told me the answer, but for the second time I replayed the game I completely forgot about it until I accidentally closed my ds one day without turning it off, and to my surprise when I see the location transcribed in my map. My small mind blew. After that, I always tried to close my ds to see if that would solve a puzzle in any game. I think the only game that had this was Hotel Dusk 215. After playing other zelda games I get why this one isn't so liked, but I think it was a neat introduction to the fantastic world of puzzle solving of this franchise.
thats almost the exact way my brother solved that puzzle! our mom told him to pause the game, so he just closed it instead, then heard the jingle while she was talking. Sure enough it worked.
What a trip down memory lane man. Stuck in the house with a cold this weekend and this big dose of nostalgia really cheered me up. First Zelda game I ever played.
This was my first Zelda game ever, and solidified my love for the series. I remember my dad handing his DS and this game down to me, and I fell in love with the story, especially Linebeck. I have such fond memories associated with this game, and I’ll always defend it. In fact I still have my OG copy, with my dad’s original save file still intact. Love this little game.
I grew up in a house where no one played video games. My parents have never touched video games. I never touched a console game until I was like nine. And I’m a girl, so when I was young, most of the games I knew were the ones marketed at our demographic, like Nintendogs, and Barbie games, and the really bad Ubisoft fashion games. I was in fourth grade when a friend of mine found this game. She showed it to me, and I was so excited, because I had never seen anything like it. Up until this point, I really hadn’t seen video games used as a storytelling medium. The possibility of such a thing had never occurred to me. I begged my parents for this game and one day, when we were about to get in the car to take a long drive to the beach for vacation, they surprised me with a copy. I still remember sitting in the hotel lobby while they checked in, playing the game and being blown away. A lot of gamers either have gamer parents or were exposed to games from a very young age, so this is nothing new for them. But for me it was something completely novel. I don’t play Nintendo games anymore, but if it weren’t for Phantom Hourglass I don’t think I’d be the gamer I am today. So I’m indebted to it. Seriously.
I actually liked the Ocean King Temple, yet to hear so many people disliking is a bit understandable when they give their reasoning. But each time you go through you have new tools to quicken the pace of the Temple, to the point that if you really try your best and get all the gold pots at percise timing, you can clear the temple with a full 25 minute hourglass. It made for a fun challenge trying to conserve as much time as possible while simultaneously going out of my way to collect the gold pots necessary to do this. So if you don't like the repetitive temple, then try making challenges for yourself each time you go through it. Kill all phantoms. Kill no phantoms. Never get spotted. Speedrun the temple. Never enter a safe zone (unless it forces you to to move forward). There are many fun self imposed challenges you can do to try and liven up the experience.
Phantom hourglass will always be special to me as it was my first zelda game. I really enjoyed it as a teen and it was the doorway that introduced me to this amazing franchise. I still remember my frustrations in trying to figure out that puzzle where you need to press the map together, after an hour of trying to figure it out, I closed the ds and left it on overnight. After I woke up and opened it, seeing the puzzle solved by pressing the map together had my jaw wide open for a while.. it had just blew my mind that nintendo could use the actual hardware in the game itself.
my guy, you have a LOVELY speaking voice ❤ ive definitely heard certain cc's that sound like they just dosed up on nyquil and ambien, but your voice is perfectly balanced, relaxing to listen to but a lovely cadence and performance ♥️
Just want to say: where in the world did all of y'all come from this video had like 300 views for like 4 months lmao Thanks so much to everyone that's subscribed as well, just an insane feeling to go from 30 to almost 700!
Not sure where, but I’m brand new. And imma say this RN. I connect and love the. Content and whole heartedly have a past with windwaker and it acting as my escape. Brother PLEASE make the windwaker video
Really appreciate the DS games having its defenders; I always feel like a crazy person by thinking they are actually great. Great video too! Love your delivery and humor
Thank you for this video! I loved this game as a kid, and having replayed it recently, it's one of my all-time favs. I really do think it's a masterpiece of game design, the way it builds up your progress in layers, each one making you feel more powerful & more clever. The difference in player experience when you first enter the main temple (phantoms are terrifying, oh my god they're after me help) as opposed to the final time (I am a god, cower before me) is one of the most satisfying things I've experienced in any video game. And it utilized the DS' capabilities in really fun and clever ways, without coming off as annoying or gimmicky (unlike Spirit Tracks, which kind of dropped the ball in that regard IMO). Anyway, awesome game, everyone should play it.
Phantom Hourglass was my introduction to TLOZ. It was my brothers game but i really took to it and played it more than he did. It always makes me think of my brother and even if it wasn't for the memory of him, the game is still fantastic. My favorite TLOZ game of all time.
I love how soft and calm your voice is it's such a nice change compared to every other ZeldaTubers SUPER EXCITED AHHH IN YOUR FACE AHHHH voice lol. It's just like I'm hearing a friend talk.
When I was little I was broke and all my gaming experience was relegated to last gen consoles or gifts from relatives. I still remember my first non 2nd hand console, it was the ds lite phantom hourglass bundle. I loved that game and played it 20 times over, now after this video imma go play it again for old times sake.
Toon Link: "NoOoOoO!!!, i dont want to be DSificated, please!!...." DS Toon Link: (DS noises*) (Cant make clear sounds, the speakers are low quality*))
The ocean temple is so based, I had so much fun revisiting it and going through it faster and faster each time. Think my best was somewhere between 2-4 minutes, but that could be wrong. It's been a while since I last played it so I don't remember the exact time.
Phantom Hourglass was my first Zelda and it really gets good the more you play it and I totally agree that its underrated. Even Spirit Tracks is really underrated for how fun it is though its much better near the early game but isn't paced that well in my oponion.
Thank you for this video as there isn't really any with positive comments on this game It was my first, it's not my favourite as of now (MM is, I love the concept), but it was a positive experience for me. In fact I tried to finish it 100% many times before, but failed because I can't find the red/blue/green "gems" to upgrade the sword The boss battles are creative The characters are remarkable and have personality And I love Temple of Ocean King: the concept of the hourglass, the fact that unlocking new things would also unlock new paths (and I love to find all of them!) A truly underrated game
My main issue playing this game was the final boss (mechanics spoilers ahead) That STUPID hourglass drawing requirement... I spent like a whole hour trying different ways to get it to just take my drawings and it just WOULDN'T! In the end, I did manage to beat it, and realized the problem was actually that i was drawing the hourglass shape TOO accurately (I'd like to note that I'm a digital artist and animator, so I can draw simple-ish shapes fairly accurately in a split second, and an hourglass counts as simple-ish). In the end, I basically actually had to draw a sort of Z shape. But that's the angriest I've ever gotten at a Zelda game, and the closest I've gotten to just straight up quitting without beating it. It drove me crazy that I was essentially too good at the mechanic for it to actually work :/ Currently I'm going through every main Zelda game (and by that, I mean basically just look at the timeline then add A Link Between Worlds and Tri Force Heroes) trying to beat it normally, then I'm going to replay most of them to get 100% (if there's not a substantial difference between completion and 100% such as Four Swords then I won't replay. I'm also not gonna 100% BOTW, don't have the patience for the Korok hunt). That final boss is the only thing making me dread Phantom Hourglass- every other 3D game that I've already played I'm looking forward to, including Spirit Tracks
I found that drawing the number 8 works with an almost guaranteed success. Its enough of the hourglass shape to work, and simple enough to draw quickly. Hopefully this helps. Edit. Start at the top left of the 8, and go left and down for making the 8, that way link ends with a spin.
I loved your video. Your humour is awesome and I loved how you sprinkled some footage of the game’s commercials (which I totally forgot about). The ds lite era’s marketing aesthetic was just cool
ah mannn, hearing island life takes me back to christmas when i got this game all those years ago... permanently solidified in my head. I really enjoyed this video and share a lot of the same sentiments that you had, especially with the initial disappoint of this game in comparing it to my favorite of all time, the Wind Waker. It definitely had its flaws, but I think it holds up pretty well looking back now! The ghost ship too really stands out in my memory as well.
idk how i missed zelda games growing up, but my first zelda wound up being phantom hourglass. I didnt know much about other zelda games and I loved phantom hourglass.
Phantom Hourglass will always hold a special place in my heart. It's not perfect, but it's good. I got Phantom Hourglass when I got my DS lite, I also got the guidebook and a cool Phatom Hourglass DS sticker cover. Whenever I think of the DS I will always think of Phantom Hourglass and the countless hours playing it in the car.
I bought PH this year again after having lost my childhood copy years ago. I wanted to replay it even though over the years I had come to the idea that it wasn't a good game. After finishing it I was surprised at how much I actually enjoyed it still. I liked it as a kid but it being my first Zelda and the online debate around it made me question that over the years. It's not the best Zelda for sure but it's still a really good time imo.
Thank you! Even being not high on WW myself, PH has been one of my favorites as soon as I got through the first 2 dungeons. Unfortunately ST has turned out to be an unbearable drag for me.
Oh nice a second person besides me who likes Phantom Hourglass! Jokes aside, I still remember being absolutely blown away by the finale of the game as a kid and still cherish my original cartridge to this day
Phantom hourglass was the first Zelda I've ever played. I remember playing it over and over again, while never be able to progress the temple. Finally beaten at age 20, it feels good. It is the perfect game for a ds emulator on your phone thanks to the touch screen controls too
Phantom Hourglass wasn’t the first zelda game I played, but it’s accessibility made it the first in the series I managed to get past a single dungeon in. Largely because I found the controls more accessible. It’s too bad it’s not talked of more. While I wish the ghost ship and other elements to the antagonist where expanded on more, I still feel like your traveling companions and it’s humor carry it a long way. Heck, even Ciela manages to have a story arc of her own, even though fairy companions tend to have little focus on them. I do wish the scrapped concepts you mentioned made it into the game . I’m curious to see what PH would look like if those concepts were implemented as additional content along with an overhaul in the graphics and overworld.
This was my first Zelda game, my grandma got it from the (I think she said Walmart return section, but it could also be from the local thrift store), she got it as a grab bag of other DS games in a white plastic cartridge book, and I loved this game (also, I pieced together that I could solve puzzles faster with new items immediately because I remembered the odd cracked blocks that cut off the first floor with phantoms were the same as the ones in the fire temple)
I'm getting my girlfriend into Zelda. I had her play OoT, WW and PH (she also watched me play ALttP since that one was too hard for her). Her favorite so far in WW. She beat PH 2 days ago though and she had such a big smile on her face! She really loved the game. Linebeck is now one of her favorite characters and she can't get his theme out of her mind so much so that she set his theme both as her morning alarm and music for when I call her. Phantom Hourglass is also one of my favorite Zeldas and I have played all of them aside from the CD-i games. The music, story and characters are all amazing. I loved it since the 1st time I have ever played it as a young teen though.
I adored this game growing up and replayed it probably a dozen times. It was always something I came back to when I had a little spare time, or we were going on a road trip or something
My first zelda game growing up and one of my favorite game ever. I’d give a lot to experience the feelings of playing this game for the first time again
Phantom hourglass was my first zelda game ever and also one of the first games i owned. The zelda series has some of my favorite games and I have so much nostalgia for them. Never finished phantom hourglass as a kid, but it has left an impact on my gaming experience :)
Honestly, Phantom Hourglass is probably my favorite Zelda game because of how much I loved it as a kid, and I genuinely don't understand all the complaints about the temple of the Ocean King, being able to revisit a dungeon with new items (which basically means new puzzles to solve every time you go) is such an awesome idea that no other Zelda game has done before or since. Maybe it's just me, but I love this game so much
About three years ago I decided to play every single-player Zelda game from start to finish, and promised to myself that I wouldn’t skip a single one… but being Wind Waker also my favorite video game of all time I couldn’t stand the DS games and ended up skipping them. You made me want to finish phantom hourglass with lowered expectations. Great vid!
Phantom Hourglass is probably in my top 3 Zelda games. I played it when I was a kid as well and got frustrated with TotOK, so I had never finished it up until recently. I wasn't able to appreciate how much of a leap forward it was for Zelda, even though I had started that back half where things really started to get juicy. As you put it yourself, the control scheme and the ability to have two screens allowed for a lot of really novel mechanics. Couple that with it being one of the first and only Zelda games that really honed in, not necessarily on just having good, interesting characters, but having good character growth, and it's a recipe for a more mature, character driven game, vs the classic formula of "save the world get the girl". Twilight princess did this to some degree with Midna where she became more friendly and caring about link over the course of the game but for the most part she was still characterized as a spunky imp that exists to be the titular character and guide us to where we need to go. Like an upgraded Navi. The only other games that I can think of where they put an emphasis on character growth as deep as they did in Phantom Hourglass would have to be it's sister game Spirit Tracks, with Zelda herself, andd Skyward Sword. #GrooseGang! Pretty much every other Zelda game out there relies on static characters that didn't change as you played through the game, even Breath of the Wild. Characters simply aren't kept around or interacted with enough for them to become a factor in the story, functioning more as pushes towards the next area, or the next character interaction. I do have to concede though that Zelda has never been a character or plot driven series so it becomes difficult to expect that kind of depth in a game where breadth is so much more valued. Excellent video, I'm glad that people are finally coming around and playing this game again and appreciating it's deviation from how the series normally plays, and spent more time on exploring the "what if we do this" aspect of making games.
the whole DS Lite age was a pretty good time for Nintendo. It had its own special charm and feel, and Phantom Hourglass is part of that. I can see how people would come back to it with a newfound fondness
Phantom Hourglass was actually my first Zelda game I ever played before I even knew what Zelda was. I honestly do not understand why the DS games are so maligned. The Temple of the Ocean King honestly isn’t even that bad imo and is one of my favourite dungeons in the series because of how differently you can approach it on each visit. The touch controls are honestly great and far better than the motion controls Nintendo were forcing on players with Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword. While they’re not my absolute favourite entries in the series I am rather fond of them. Frankly, Phantom Hourglass is a better sequel to the Wind Waker than Tears of the Kingdom is to Breath of the Wild.
Just randomly popped up on my front page, but I figured it'd be interesting to see what you'd say. I was in 7th-8th grade when this game came out. And I've replayed it a few times over the years. While it's been a few years since I've always been willing to defend it. It has its problems with TotOK being the biggest probably. The idea is an interesting one, but it perhaps overstayed its welcome. (Likely why Tower of Spirits in ST had you going to completely different floors directly on each revisit.) That being said one puzzle that has always stuck with me is when you have to close the DS to imprint the Courage symbol onto your map. It's such a Nintendo idea and I love it. The unique usage of the grapple connecting two poles for tightrope walking or jumping is also a very enjoyable experience. And yes. Linebeck becomes one of my favorite characters by the end of the game. (I hate fighting Bellum-Beck due to that. Feels bad man.) His growth is so interesting and I'd love for both PH and ST to get remakes with the WWHD engine they have. Would require changing some things probably for Switch, but yes please.
Wind Waker HD is my favourite video game, the GameCube version was the second Zelda game I ever played. But my first was Phantom Hourglass, and as a member of the 1% that enjoys The Temple of the Ocean King, it's part of my top 15 Zelda games :)
I remember as a kid going from wind waker to this wondering why the controlls were so different, and that alone made me not touch it till I picked it back up as an adult
it’s sad to hear that so many people disliked phantom hourglass. it was one of my favorite games as a kid, and was a huge comfort to me. even as an adult, i still love to replay it.
i didn’t get to play spirit tracks until i was 17, but i still loved it just as much, if not more! it would be a 10/10 game for me if it didn’t require you to blow into the screen so much. i’d feel so light headed every time i had to use an instrument lol
i LOVEEEEEE phantom hourglass!!!!! spirit tracks and phantom hourglass were my intro to the series, then i played oot and ive been obsessed since. linebeck is soo fun and having zelda as a companion was SOOOO fun
I actually really liked the Temple of the Ocean King, mainly because kid me really got a kick out of intentionally getting seen by the knights and then running for my life to the nearest safe area lol.
I remember having a lot of fun with this as a kid. I actually went back last year to 100% complete the game and got all of the ship parts! Technically the only thing missing is ranking up in the multiplayer mini game but thats for another time, usually being ignored by 100% runs :P
"The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass is not anyone's favourite Zelda" HOLD UP! NO NO NO NO!!!! No! WRONG! I literally clicked on this video BECAUSE it's my fave Zelda! How could you!
so phantom hourglass was my first zelda game. grappling hook supremacy. i remember the temple of the ocean king infuriating and boring me as a youth but now its more like a familiar stomping ground, and i took measures of enjoyment as i got further in the game and discovered the more novel ways of traversing the temple, even devising my own route for the quickest and most optimal treasure collections runs to complete my boat parts collection. i was never able to find all the gems for the fairies independently tho, this game was sneaky asf and kept things hidden in obscure buried spots and minigames. ill argue that i enjoyed, and still enjoy, spirit tracks much more. its so full of charm with its more extensive character roster, unique interactions between npcs via the side quests (which were pretty much absent from PH), and the tower of spirits was much more fun to navigate, save for the blackout areas my god. the music still slaps nuts when i hear it
it'd be so cool if nintendo could remaster both the two zelda ds titles. i loved playing phantom hourglass and spirit tracks as a kid, man. made plenty of childhood memories playing those games on my DS.