Import Review: Most of you reading this live on an island - one of the persistently rainy British Isles, probably. And your correspondent lives on the Japanese island of Honshu. So we at least have that much in common with Link in Phantom Hourglass. Of course, part of the fun of living on an island is the opportunity to leave and visit another one. On a boat. And that's something else Link gets his kicks from in this magical DS debut, which has just been released here in Japan. All aboard, then, for another classic Zelda adventure!
Don't worry people, we're not giving away any major plot spoilers in this review.
As in that '98 classic, Link is accompanied by a fairy (and later on in Phantom Hourglass, fairies) on his quest. There's no better cursor than a cute little ball of spirit dust, so quite understandably Nintendo has opted to appoint Sierra, Link's whiter-than-white fairy companion, as the conduit through which you control Link's basic actions: drag Sierra around the screen and Link will follow, walking/running/rolling in sync with the accentuations of your stylus movements. Trust us - within 30 minutes it becomes so natural that you'll wonder how you ever completed Link's Awakening and Link to the Past, with their quaint d-pad control systems.
All the traditional Zelda elements are here - from Link's trusty sword and shield to his boomerang, cartoon bombs and bow-and-arrow - but thanks to the DS' touch screen interface, everything feels fresh and new again. The boomerang, in particular, is more useful than ever. Switches are often out of sight but, thanks to the boomerang, not out of reach: just draw a line from Link to your desired boomerang target (even if that means sending it down the corridor and round the corner) and it'll come zipping back, having flicked a switch or collected a key. Think laterally and Phantom Hourglass will pat you on the back, say "Well done!" and let you through to the next area. Perfect satisfaction: a job well done.
Sword control is also perfectly engineered. Tap enemies on their bonces and Link will rush towards them, landing a sword strike if at all possible. Surrounded by a gang of baddies? Just swirl the stylus around Link and he'll instantly unleash a 360-degree sword swipe. Nifty. Or, should multiple enemies charge at you from the same direction, scratch the stylus like fury and Link will perform a quick burst of hack-slash wizardry. Easier done than said.
Comments
45 comments so far...
Mark240473 on 4 Jul '07 said:
Looks pretty cool. Must admit that i'm impressed that you completed it in japanese form. Maybe a reason to own a DS instead of a psp, deliberating you see. I have a ps3 so the psp had the slight edge being able to download the classic ps1 games onto it. Now I've seen this, I'm back to square one again. Is it out this year though? Could get a psp now and wait till just after xmas to get a ds. The missus would kill me if I got both. Still smarting from the lashes she gave me for blowing £1000 on ps3 and HDTV!
leefear1 on 4 Jul '07 said:
Where did you get a HDTV For £500? I want one (or maybe a few at that price).
CVG Gav on 4 Jul '07 said:
The review was done by our man in Japan, who is at one with everything Japanese.
nick_gc on 4 Jul '07 said:
I wish I had a man in Japan.
Mr_A_Hulse on 4 Jul '07 said:
Can't wait for this game! It's going to be so, so good! Might have to import it. Will the multi player bits work if I have a USA version and want to play against a UK version? Or would it not matter because you only need one copy of the game?
boskersrevenge on 4 Jul '07 said:
On a diet?
There really isn't anything to say about PH... nothing at all. Essential purchase...
ledickolas on 4 Jul '07 said:
Damn, now I've got to buy another DS.
Mark240473 on 4 Jul '07 said:
Since when were ps3 £500? Anyways, you can buy a 32" Toshiba HD ready tv for less than £500 in these parts. Argos I think.
AlbertStoots on 4 Jul '07 said:
Omg I so need this game! Now!
JVC on 4 Jul '07 said:
Mr CVG Staff, I hate you.
DanMW on 4 Jul '07 said:
He probably means one with 1080p output which are more expensive.
This is out in October in the US right? also I don't think Nintendo would like to miss the holiday season in Europe.
nick_gc on 4 Jul '07 said:
CVG Mike on 4 Jul '07 said:
I need this game more than air.
Shadow_Fury on 4 Jul '07 said:
a person after my own heart...
potnoodle1 on 4 Jul '07 said:
I may just end up buying a DS now.
Anonymous on 4 Jul '07 said:
I may pick a copy up, not overly fussed about it .
gothchild on 4 Jul '07 said:
10!?
Jeeeeeezzzzz
me
want
mucho
Mr Vengeance on 4 Jul '07 said:
Very good review but he never mentioned anything about how the dungeon/dungeons worked and the time limit mechanic
Still, it sounds like the game is suitably different to previous Zeldas so all good then.
seancuk23 on 4 Jul '07 said:
Wow
! just wow! 
Anonymous on 4 Jul '07 said:
We'll just have to wait until it comes out in the US on October 1st to get it in English.
Unless you're fluent in Japanese that is
dead_head1 on 5 Jul '07 said:
My bro got a 32" HD telly that does output of 1080p for a whpping £400, tahts rite four hundered, he got it off the net, they are out there you just need to look for em!
Biggwedge on 5 Jul '07 said:
If Ninty can do this on the DS, simply imagine what they can create on the Wii.
gatchacaz on 6 Jul '07 said:
I can't w8 for this game!
The DS is clearly an awesome console and it sounds like Ninty have managed to utilise every function teh console has!
I hope Ninty do us proud and get it to the UK before Christmas!! I have quite a few friends who are also waiting for this game so that multiplayer option will be getting quite a hammering!!
Zero_Cool on 6 Jul '07 said:
I want to know what drugs CVG were on then they gave this game a 10? I've got the JPN version also and at best the game is a 7 out of 10.
Who reviews these games, honestly.
ahmer71 on 6 Jul '07 said:
hope this is better than the wiitard zelda version
Demoki on 7 Jul '07 said:
not u thankfully
fatgoron on 7 Jul '07 said:
Why so? Should this guy not have an opinion or what?
Anonymous on 7 Jul '07 said:
PLEASE STOP AUTOMATICLY GIVING ZELDA GAMES 10/10. THEY ARE NOT THAT GOOD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mario_128 on 7 Jul '07 said:
Sigh now I have to find the money for a ds I know theyre reasonbly cheap but still
vulcanraven01 on 10 Jul '07 said:
If the Zelda and Mario game didn't auotmatically get a 10 then no one would want to buy a Nintendo console now would they...
falloutwarchief on 10 Jul '07 said:
I'm with you. Seriously, 10/10? It's only Zelda, they really aren't that much better than other games to garner near-perfect scores every time. I enjoyed the two Zelda games I completed... OoT on N64 and Link's Awakening on GBC, but they really are not stand-out games at all in my opinion.
Review scores should not be based purely on a series' legacy or the reviewer's fond childhood memories, and I think with Zelda they sometimes are. But that said I believe this will be one of the best DS experiences out there which would of course justify a high mark, though maybe not a 10. No game is perfect.
seancuk23 on 25 Jul '07 said:
I am tired of waiting for games like this!
Anonymous on 1 Sep '07 said:
Hi NGamer!
Please e-mail me once the UK release date for Zelda is confirmed!! Im desperate to get it!
Anyway, love the mag!
Bye!
P.S: Cant wait for Zelda!!
Anonymous on 30 Sep '07 said:
i got a 21" computer monitor which can display in HD for 250 quid, i felt that was a pretty nice deal
and yes, i wuold be willing to give all my kidneys to mr. miyamoto for a copy of this game.
dragontorc on 17 Oct '07 said:
Can we have a Wii sequel please...............
starvinbull on 17 Oct '07 said:
But i don't understand i thought people didn't want to play long games anymore.
Eyhren on 17 Oct '07 said:
if ur gonna say that then do you think you could elaborate a bit then? its s**te doesnt quite do it for me sorry, anyway... teh gayme r0xxz0rz and i cant wait for it xD
goggy on 17 Oct '07 said:
Had this game for a while, and C&VG are spot on.
Actually, i would have given it 11/10, is that ok?
thelazyone on 17 Oct '07 said:
Well, I dont understand why they didnt review the american version (Was released on the 1st of October!)??
I have a copy of the americian version and yeh its good.A few hours into it,(just got it a week and a half ago!) but the graphics are cool (shocked actually), by far the best i've play on the ds. (And ive got quite a few ds games!)
I've give it ten too. Maybe 9.8 on a bad day lol,
Long live Zelda!
thelazyone on 17 Oct '07 said:
Wow, u have the same nickname as me lol...shocked lol haha
Demoki on 18 Oct '07 said:
you are correct, he should not have an opinion. But to honest who would listen to a review that had one line "I've got the JPN version also and at best the game is a 7 out of 10." wow, magic review, summed it up perfectly......
mfnick on 18 Oct '07 said:
I agree with you too.
As much as i love my Zelda games (& I do love them a lot). I do think they are masively overrated & instantly get greated with stupidly high scores sometimes I feel just because it is Zelda. If it was named anything else it wouldnt have scored so high. The same can be said about Halo.
Anonymous on 29 Oct '07 said:
all the people blamming this game, i suggest they play it first. I agree with the guy above this game is absolutely fantastic - the boss fights are amazingly fun. I would probably give this game 9.8 out of 10, there are the slight feelings of dread everytime i have to go through the whole temple of the ocean king....
Anonymous on 29 Dec '07 said:
Now, I'll agree that a game doesn't deserve an instant ten based on its predecessors. HOWEVER, as far as I'm concerned, the Zelda games have actually gotten much better in recent years. I was never much for the NES, SNES or GameBoy versions of this series, and it wasn't until Wind Waker that they finally began to just seem right - certainly not easy, but not ridiculously complicated like OoT turned out to be, and most importantly fun as balls. Since then, we've been blessed twice more, first by Twilight Princess (the perfect console game) and now by Phantom Hourglass (the perfect handheld game). This game is pure, glistening gold in a tiny plastic case. If you haven't played it, play it now.
Honestly. This game deserves a ten not because it has Zelda in the title, but because it's an utter joy to play.
corlock on 29 Jan '08 said:
Japan is somewhat always first when it comes down to great playing great games. LOL