"An improvement over Phantom Hourglass, but by how much?"

For the most part, I love the Zelda franchise. The portable titles in particular have a history of getting on my good side with Link’s Awakening being my second favorite title in the whole Game Boy catalog (next to Tetris). That being said, I was shocked when I didn’t fall in love with 2007′s Phantom Hourglass.

While Spirit Tracks looked disturbingly similar to the object of my disappointment, the Zelda fan in me was determined to give the game a fair shake from beginning to end.

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks takes place about 100 years after Phantom Hourglass. As somebody who’s dabbled in writing Zelda continuity theories in the past (nerd alert!!), having a well defined place in the timeline is something I can really appreciate. There are direct references to the characters of the last game and even some clever nods to the heroic deeds of the previous Link. For example, you will start the game in your engineer clothes (you know… because you ride a train), but end up with the iconic, green tunic by disguising yourself as one of the castle guards whose uniforms now resemble the famous hero of old.

The story of Spirit Tracks is very quirky and lighthearted. The new mythos explaining the trains, as well as sages known as the Lokomo is very silly. Fortunately, the game never takes itself very seriously, so this actually works to the game’s advantage. Due to various circumstances introduced in the beginning of the story, Zelda follows you around throughout the game as a ghost (it’s no longer a spoiler when it’s on the game’s cover in certain regions). Since she’s present for the whole game, they actually made her into a character with a personality. Her dialogue is often genuinely funny and one of the game’s highlights.

"The graphics look a little better this time around, but the changes are subtle."

If you played Phantom Hourglass, you know exactly what to expect from the mandatory touch-screen controls in Spirit Tracks. You’ll be dragging the stylus around to make Link walk, double tapping to roll, and so on. Though I prefer the button setups of the earlier games, the controls are bearable… most of the time. In certain instances, I longed for the precision buttons provide. I can’t count how much health I lost from failing to adequately compensate for the slipping caused by icy floors or how many times I had to restart a long sequence during one of the final boss’ last forms due to a dodge roll that I accidentally performed in place of a slash. Knowing that my failures were caused by imprecise controls rather than level or enemy design are what had me cursing at my DS from time to time as I played the game. Also, be prepared to blow into the mic a lot; both to use one of your items and to play your magical pan flute.

Like Phantom Hourglass before it, Spirit Tracks abandons the series’ staple of an overworld for a vehicle mechanic. Given the nature of how trains work, you won’t be drawing paths every which way this time. Instead, you’ll be tracing along preexisting tracks which will increase in number as the game progresses.

Your train can move forward in two different speeds, but you’ll soon wish it had a third. There are occasional enemies, but most of the time you will simply wait to reach your destination. While there are a few teleports unlocked as you progress, they are very inconvenient. Traveling by train is often so uneventful that it feels like an interactive loading screen. Sometimes there will be invincible, evil trains traveling on certain tracks that you’ll have to avoid. But rather than adding a much needed spice to your travels, this just temporarily shifts the trip from boring to downright annoying. In what I can only assume is some kind of sick joke, you’ll sometimes be forced to take on passengers that will force you to slow down during certain parts of the track.

"I'm not sure what feels slower: Zelda's Phantom body or the train."

Between dungeons, you’ll mostly travel back and forth to towns. These sections drag on. Anytime I wasn’t in a dungeon I was wishing I was. Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks are the only games in the series that have made me loathe not being in dungeons. The continued removal of the overworld in the DS entries is nothing short of baffling to me. The overworld is a vital staple of the franchise. Removing it is like taking jumping out of Mario. Without it, much of the joy of getting a new item is diminished since you won’t be using it to advance between dungeons. One of my favorites aspects of Zelda is exploration, and it pains me to see the developers toss this aside yet again.

The items you collect in Spirit Tracks are a mixed bag. The first two you acquire are literally Twilight Princes’s Gale Boomerang split into two separate items in two separate dungeons. I don’t mind them reusing items (the series does it all the time), but splitting an existing item’s abilities into two separate items, stripping the possibility of another unique item, just feels lazy. On the other side of the spectrum, one of the game’s last items, a rod that lets you control sand, feels very fresh and innovative.

Spirit Tracks has two sets of dungeons. First, you have the standard dungeons that provide you with your new items. Second, you have the Spirit Tower. Unlike Phantom Hourglas’s Temple of the Ocean King, the Spirit Tower never forces you to repeat floors you’ve already completed. It also has no time limit. These are welcome improvements over the last game.

The Spirit Tower is where Zelda will be able to occupy the bodies of Phantoms (the large knights) after meeting certain conditions. You can have her follow you or draw direct paths for her to follow. This leads to some pretty clever puzzles, but like the train she is incredibly slow. In fact, she is so slow that I’d often reach for my phone to keep myself occupied while I waited. There are different types of Phantoms Zelda can control, each with a different power. But this led to more moments of impatience as, for example, I walked a few steps at a time to allow a fire-based phantom to light the way in a pitch black level. As I neared the end of the game, I started to resent the Phantom almost as much as I resented carrying Princess Ruto through Jabu Jabu’s belly in Ocarina of Time.

"Download play was a great idea. Too bad they forgot to make the multiplayer fun."

Spirit Tracks also features a multiplayer mode, but it really feels like an afterthought. You and up to three friends can battle (without swords) to collect the most force gems as you try to trigger traps to disrupt your opponents. Jonah and I both agreed the mode was a disappointment, but at least your three friends don’t have to buy their own game cart to find that out.

I’m sad to say that The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks is more tedious than fun. While it manages to fix some of the problems I had with Phantom Hourglass, it adds a few new ones and retains some of my most glaring gripes. If you were a fan of Phantom Hourglass, you’ll most likely enjoy Spirit Tracks. If not, though, this isn’t a better enough game to win you over.

In West Grenoble, born and raised, on a podcast is where he spent most of his days. Chillin out, maxing relaxing all cool and all shooting some b-ball outside of the 1968 Olympic Winter Games… OK, I think I broke that one. Plus, the show was like, twenty years ago.

On a very special forty-ninth episode of our humble podcast, Barrel Roll, we are joined by The Xbox Domain‘s PR rep,  Holly Attesi. She gives us the low-down on the site and what they do at their community focused site. She also tells us about what she has been playing lately, which is mostly Forza 3.

Returning guest-host, Wesley Johnson, tells us of his time with The Saboteur, Jesse has been obsessively playing Star Prince, one of the many fine games in Retro Game Challenge, and Jonah has finished Silent Hill: Shattered Memories and is currently in the beta for Star Trek Online. There is also much lamenting what has become of the Zelda franchise as Jesse has finally completed The Lenged of Zelda: Spirit Tracks.

In the news we talk about more Super Street Fighter IV info, the upcoming Rockman Zero collection, the return of NBA Jam, and much more. We even discuss “The Legend of Chun Li“; was the worst movie (of any kind) of last year.

Tune in to the latest in Barrel Roll‘n goodness to get the hot scoops and wackiness that inevitably ensues.

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Music during the break – “Blaze Down” (Remastered Tracks Rockman Zero 4 – Physis)

Outro Music – “Fortuna (Star Fox)” by The OneUps

The Xbox Domain

NBA Jam Returns

Capcom Natal News

Legend of Chun Li (our review)

When our heroes aren’t busy uncovering the fate of lost legends or fighting evil Nazis that are trying to use supernatural powers to take over the universe, they do this podcast. What podcast you ask? Why “Barrel Roll! A Video Game Podcast” my good sirs and madams!

On this, our forty seventh installment, we discuss the recent Steam sales and subsequent acquisition of Lumines and Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis. Jesse has finished the game/musical experience that is Flower and tried the retro-tastic Castlevania: The Adventure ReBrith.

As the game of the year nominations have been heating up, the guys have also given Assassin’s Creed II a spin. Jonah has spent some quality multiplayer time with Left 4 Dead 2 while Wes kicked back on the Nintendo DS and played some Nostalgia and Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks.

In our “Let’s Play Together” segment, Jesse and Jonah give their initial impressions of Resident Evil 5. We then go into the news, which was admittedly pretty light this week.

All this and more (seriously, we talked a lot of games in “What We’ve Been Playing”, to the point that I didn’t even bother listing them all here) on episode 47 of the do a Barrel Roll show!

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Music during the break – “Kung Fu Disco” by Shoes (Let’s Tap Soundtrack)

Outro Music – “Fortuna (Star Fox)” by The OneUps

Most Pirated Games of 09

"You think I don't know Space Glasses when I see them?"

On a very special forty-fifth episode of “Barrel Roll! A Video Game Podcast”, the guys learn the hard way that even a man with space glasses can’t always trust his own space glasses to get him out of space glasses related troubles.

…or CAN he?

In “What We’ve Been Playin”, Jesse fills us in on The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks and the space glasses fueled shooter, The Conduit aka Space Glasses: The Prometheus Chronicles. Wes has been keeping busy with Trine as well as his new favorite iPhone game Chronicles of Inotia 2. As it turns out, Jonah loves some Rock Band: Unplugged a lot more than he expected to, and also started down the dark and snowy paths of Silent Hill: Shattered Memories.

We have a “Let’s Play Together” in which Jesse and Jonah played co-op through the Halo 3: ODST campaign, and a “Friday Old Games Roundup” of Disney’s the Little Mermaid.

In the news, we are happy to announce Jesse’s recent winning of the Dark Void Remix contest, in which Bear McCreary chose his remix personally as the winner. Then we are immediately saddened when discussing Greenday: Rock Band.

All this and much more on the latest Barrel Roll Show!

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Show Notes:

Intro Music – Crystal Bearers Ramble (FF: CC: The Crystal Bearers)

Outro Music – “Fortuna (Star Fox)” by The OneUps

Dark Void Remix Contest Announcement

New Gums Day Fundraiser for Wesley Johnson

"No Photoshopping Required"

On a very special forty-forth episode of “Barrel Roll! A Video Game Podcast”, the announcement that Mega Man 10 will be coming out this March is discussed, much to the joy of one Jesse “writes for the Mega Man Network” Gregory.

In our “What We’ve Been Playing” segment, Wes has been spending more time on his iPhone with Chronicles of Inotia 2 and the PC version of the epic space opera, Mass Effect. Jonah has been playing some co-op on Borderlands and finished Batman: Arkham Asylum. Jesse, when not busy freaking out about Mega Man 10, was finishing Mega Man Legends and trying out the new Zelda: Spirit Tracks.

In “Friday Old Games” we discuss whether or not Goldeneye on the N64 really holds up. Then there is the news. The Mega Man 10 related news. And Mystery Science Theater 3000 on Hulu! Oh sure, it’s not game related, but it’s Jonah’s favorite TV show of all time.

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Show Notes:

Outro Music – “Fortuna (Star Fox)” by The OneUps

Mega Man Remix Album by ilp0

Mega Man 10 (WiiWare) revealed in Nintendo Power
http://www.themmnetwork.com/2009/12/09/mega-man-10/
http://nintendopower.com/images/NP250_DLmega.jpg
http://www.themmnetwork.com/2009/12/11/meet-a-robot-master-commando-man/
Rumor: http://www.fanboyreview.net/2009/11/21/are-we-getting-mega-man-10/

"The Legend of ChooChoo: Phantom, the Friendly Ghost"

There’s something we all need to come to grips with right now: Link rides a train. Why does Link ride a train? I have no idea, but let’s just get past that for now.

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks demo was divided into three sections. Each one had a different focus. The first one put you in a dungeon with your new Phantom pal. The other scenarios showed off a boss battle and Link’s latest wacky vehicle, the train. Thanks to multiple visits to the Nintendo booth, I was able to try out all three.

I selected the dungeon scenario first. Controlling Link is identical to how it was in Phantom Hourglass. Dragging the stylus around will make Link walk and drawing a quick line will have him perform a slash. What made things interesting was Link’s new Phantom friend.

Controlling the Phantom is done indirectly. If you put your stylus on the Phantom and draw a path, he will slowly follow it. Clicking on objects will have him interact with them, whether that be hitting a switch or an enemy. Thankfully, there is a call button to command him to follow you so that you don’t have to constantly be drawing paths while you move around the dungeon.

The Phantom appears to be invincible. Because of this, you have to use him to get past obstacles that would normally harm our fragile hero, Link. One example is lava pits. Disregarding all empathy, you can send the Phantom into a pool of lava, jump onto the safety of his head, and tell him where to go. Another part of the dungeon required me to have the Phantom walk across one path to block streams of fire while Link walked across a lower path. This also caused me to be separated from my ghostly chum temporarily before solving another simple puzzle. Other uses of the Phantom were pretty predictable, such as having him stand on buttons or hit switches.

The item I found in the dungeon allowed me to shoot tornadoes by blowing into the microphone. It’s similar to the gale boomerang in Twilight Princess, except without the boomerang. I’ve never been fond of blowing into the microphone to perform actions, but it seemed to work well enough.

The boss scenario was everything you would expect from a standard Zelda boss fight. I had to use the dungeon’s item  in a two-form battle with a giant beetle. Much like Phantom Hourglass, the battle took place on both screens.

Now what you’ve all been waiting for: the train. If you thought the boat in Phantom Hourglass was boring, I have some bad news: the train isn’t much better, if at all. In fact, a few of the train’s controls are lifted straight from the boat. Tapping the screen will shoot bombs out of your cannon, breaking rocks and destroying enemies. The right side of the screen has your throttle. There are two different forward speeds, stop, and reverse. Finally, there is a rope you can pull to sound your horn.

To allow you to still control where you are going, there is a switch at the bottom of the screen that controls which track to go on in conjunctions. One thing the train has over the boat is scenery. Looking at a lot of flat areas covered in blue gets old really fast, so it’s nice to see some landscape. I even had the pleasure of going through a tunnel with enemies crawling on the walls and ceilings.

I’m disappointed that Nintendo still feels that we need a vehicle to traverse the overworld map. The horse featured in Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess was a fine addition as it was fun to use and didn’t impair your freedom to roam the world. Both the boat and train feel like a chore, dumbing down the very thing that made me fall in love with the series in the first place: exploration.

Fortunately, I had a lot of fun playing the dungeon scenario. In fact, controlling the Phantom was much more enjoyable than I thought it would be. When I played Phantom Hourglass to completion, my enjoyment started high went downhill by the hour. I can only hope that Spirit Tracks doesn’t suffer the same fate.