The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass

Screenshots:

Fanart:

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Concept Art:

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Background:
The epic story of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker continues as Link finds himself lost and alone in unknown seas in a new adventure. Featuring intuitive touch-screen controls and innovative puzzles, The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass offers new challenges for fans of the series and an easy-to-grasp introduction for gamers new to The Legend of Zelda. But time grows short, and only the Phantom Hourglass can buy Link the minutes he’ll need to survive.

Gameplay:
Link is making his first ever appearance on the DS with the return of the cel-shaded graphics that made The Wind Waker one of the most distinctive looking video games of all time. Although the game is a pseudo-sequel to the GameCube’s first Zelda title, the gameplay is completely unique to the DS, with the whole game being controlled via the touch screen, including Link’s own movements and attacks. You can plot the arc of your boomerang directly on screen, navigate across the oceans by drawing on a treasure map, or conjure magical symbols including the mysterious phantom hourglass. You can even do things like make notes and doodles on the onscreen dungeon map.

Although the graphics are in full 3D, the view of the game world is from a top down perspective, similar to classic Zelda games such as A Link To The Past – although this view does change in the game, most often during mini-games and specific enemy encounters. Since the sailing was not the most popular aspect of The Wind Waker, it’s been completely revamped here with Link now commanding a larger steam boat that doesn’t rely on the wind to power it.

There’s also a multiplayer mode for two players, similar in concept to Pac-Man Vs., where one player is Zelda and the other controls three Darknuts. Zelda has to collect a gem from the centre of the screen and carry it to her base on the side of the maze while avoiding the other player. After complaints that Twilight Princess was sticking too close to the established Zelda formula, this should be the most radical departure for the series yet.

Features:

• Stylus Control: All game control is via the touch screen, and the stylus makes controlling Link more natural than ever. Touch the screen to guide Link through the world, or sweep the stylus around him to swing his sword. Players can even make notes on the map, chart routes for their boat or draw paths for their boomerang.
• The Continuation of Wind Waker; A Challenging Quest: With Tetra missing, Link must enlist the aid of several fairies as he explores dangerous wilds, uncharted seas and baffling dungeons. As he does, he meets an array of fascinating characters, hunts for powerful weapons and collects sand for a mysterious artifact called the Phantom Hourglass. Over time, it will enable him to progress deeper and deeper into the ultimate dungeon.
• Wi-Fi and Adventure Modes: Players compete with a friend over local wireless or Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection as they guide Link through special battle stages to capture Force Gems or command the forces that oppose him.