Despite some bumps in the railroad, Spirit Tracks is a great ride for Zelda fans.
Taking place 100 years after the events of Phantom Hourglass, the story of Spirit Tracks begins with our hero Link as he prepares to become a train engineer and receive his honorary certification from Princess Zelda in Hyrule Castle. Of course, not long afterward, things go horribly awry when a lecherous castle staffer-an impish fellow by the name of Chancellor Cole---puts a sinister plan into action that results in Zelda being separated from her body, forcing her to wander as a flowing spirit. With the gears turning like clockwork, Cole brings about the disbanding of the ancient Spirit Tower and the subsequent ressurrection of the Demon King Malladus within Zelda's physical form. So, naturally, all eyes are on Link as he journeys across the vast landscape of Hyrule to restore the shattered fractals of the Spirit Tower, reunite Zelda with her earthly vessel, receive the aid of the six Lokomo Guardians, and defeat this menacing new threat before it takes full form. To do all of that, he must not only bring to book his traditional swordsmanship and puzzle solving ingenuity, but also his engineering certificate, as he and Zelda will travel across Hyrule by means of a magical locomotive monstrosity armed to the gills with a mounted cannon, a modest carrying capacity and a five-heart armor sustainability. (Not too shabby.)
Phantom Hourglass received some criticism for being heavily dependent on the stylus and touch screens to the point of it being the only means of controlling your character in the game. To that end, Spirit Tracks is no different. You'll use your stylus exclusively in maneuvering Link in all eight directions and variations thereof, attacking with his sword, drawing paths for boomerangs, and scribbling notes on maps. Disappointingly, there's still no option to use the traditional means of the directional pad and buttons, but in all fairness, Spirit Tracks seems designed around the totalitarian use of the stylus and touch screens. Moving around is effortless and smooth-with pinpoint precision typically not found in an analog stick. Targeting enemies is as easy as tapping them for an immediate sword strike, and performing a spin slash simply requires the drawing of a crude circle several times around your character in succession. Consequently, some instances occur when stylus response is wonky and uncooperative. And, it can also prove to be fatal. For example, during an intense boss battle, one wrong move can mean a world of hurt, and when the stylus does not act how you want it to, you're bound to feel it a lot more often than you'd like. Yet, to the game's credit, it works generally well if the player takes the time to grow accustomed to it and tolerate its shortcomings.
An interesting new element that Spirit Tracks introduces is Princess Zelda accompanying you as a playable character for the first time in the franchise's history. Well, sort of. In her ethereal spirit form, she will take possession of Phantoms, those nasty hulking armored behemoths from Phantom Hourglass, and the player will then guide her movements and actions with a simple stroke of the stylus, switching between her and Link in specific situations during gameplay. Spirit Tracks places a great deal of emphasis on teamwork in solving perplexing puzzles, defeating enemies that Link cannot best alone, and climbing the recesses of the Spirit Tower in one piece-let alone two. Thus, it makes for an interesting and refreshing touch, expanding upon Phantom Hourglass' gameplay mechanic in many ways. Also, you can't help but smile whenever Princess Zelda acts outside her royal compennuance, as you will often be treated to a lighter, funnier side of her regal character-especially when she cries out "all aboard!" or "choo choo!" from time to time.
While Phantom Hourglass' world was a giant ocean that granted freedom of exploration on a stylus-driven boat, travel in Spirit Tracks takes place on land and is a bit more restrained, and the steam boat has been replaced by a steam engine that curdles along on carefully-placed tracks. Because of these restraints, there are situations where you'll run into a Dark Train (to two, or three) parading along the track routes, and hopelessly plow yourself into it with little to no means of escape---resulting in an instant game-over. (Issues with camera control and the oftimes erratic nature of your train worsen the lot.) This makes trying to get from one place to another needlessly taxing and frustrating, and going at such a slow rate of speed (even on the highest possible shift) doesn't help matters. On the flip side, you'll get to take in the scenic routes of mountains, forests, snow-capped vistas and sand-choked deserts---a nice change of pace from staring at oceans and seagulls. You'll also get to test your stylus-tapping, cannon-firing prowess on wayward enemies ---- something that adds both a little fun and a mess of irritation to your train rides. While I wish more could have been done to streamline and improve the world travel mechanics of the game, minor contrivances fail to hinder the overall experience and, as such, it can still be enjoyed and appreciated given the rate of your tolerance.
And it wouldn't be a Zelda game without puzzles, mini-games and dungeon exploration. Thankfully, Spirit Tracks fulfills all of this and then some. Dungeons are laid out similarly like Phantom Hourglass' hovels, with challenging new puzzles and obstacles that will surely test both you and Zelda in equal measure. Many of them aren't difficult enough to be impossible, but they can rack your brain---so long as you take the fullest advantage of scribbling notes on your ingame map and being observant of any and every clue you come across, you should have no trouble. Mini games are optional side-quests that reward you handsomely if you are of the completist nature (the arcade-style arrow shooting mini-game that occurs on Pirate's Hideout stands among my personal favorite, with the Rabbit Rescue being my least-due to its frustrating nature) You are also periodically given the chance to use your train as a ferrying service-carrying NPCs from one place to another---provided you keep their mood light and follow train protocol (i.e. blowing your whistle, adjusting train speed and avoiding damage to your train during enemy encounters). Doing so will grant you Force Gems which unlock more train routes that grant access to shortcuts and important areas of interest. In addition, you can find small trinkets (treasures) that you can either sell to the descendant of Linebeck (from Phantom Hourglass) for quick Rupee gains or customize the look of your train and its compartments. All that said, there is no shortage of things you can do in Spirit Tracks, so it goes without saying the player may be hard-pressed to glue their eyes on the DS for a spell.
And, if you're feeling competitive, the multiplayer mode returns from Phantom Hourglass that allows you to have at it in fierce, head-to-head arena-style battling with three other friends to see who can hold on to the most Force Gems before the expiration of an imposed time limit. You will gather as many Force Gems as humanly possible as well as attack your friends to get them to drop theirs. There is no WiFi capability this time around, but the good news is that if you are playing locally, you need only one copy of Spirit Tracks and four DS units to get started and get busy. Though lack of WiFi is indeed a little disappointing, the multiplayer sessions are fun and quite intense, making for good times with fellow pals in your neighborhood.
Aesthetically, Spirit Tracks is impressive, and the game world is remarkably lush and vibrant with more variety than Phantom Hourglass---you'll travel through red mountain ranges, deep forests and open-ended snow regions. Theoretically speaking, the charm of the previous game has not been lost in transition, so if you liked Phantom Hourglass' visual style, you'll feel right at home in Spirit Tracks. The music is also pretty good---with the overworld train theme standing out the most.
Whether or not you enjoyed Phantom Hourglass, Spirit Tracks is only successful in its endeavors if you can thoroughly appreciate what it offers even in the midst of some blemishes. Yet, in the end, when all is said and done, it earns its place as a worthy addition to a long-standing video game legacy.