Product Description

The Legend of Zelda gets a bold new chapter; with this long-awaited sequel to the DS hit Phantom Hourglass. Set one hundred years later, the game features the same stunning cel-shaded graphics and intuitive touchscreen controls.

Instead of messing about on the water you now have your very own train to get you around, complete with a giant cannon to blast bad guys with as you go. You'll also have to keep an eye on the track layout and switch directions to avoid collisions and successfully reach your destination.

Inside dungeons you now have some special help in the form of a remote control phantom - the deadly bad guys from the last game. Simply by drawing a route on the touchscreen you can get him to fight enemies for you, carry you over dangerous lava or help solve puzzles. It all adds up to Link's most exciting and accessible adventure yet.

• All aboard: The first sequel to the blockbuster Phantom Hourglass, as Link swaps his trusty ship for an all-new steam train.
• Touch control: The entire game can be controlled purely with the stylus, allowing you to move and fight with ease - but also draw notes and diagrams on the in-game maps.
• Pet phantom: Command your very own phantom as he tackles dangerous enemies and traverses areas Link dares not enter.
• Blow up: Utilise all new weapons and items, including a whirlwind you can summon simply by blowing into the microphone.
• Legend of Celda: Amazing cartoon style graphics use the same cel-shaded style seen in The Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #41 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: Nintendo
• Model: NTRPBKIE
• Published on: 2009-12
• Released on: 2009-12-11
• Rating: Universal, suitable for all
• ESRB Rating: Everyone
• Platform: Nintendo DS
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: .63" h x 5.38" w x 5.09" l, .28 pounds

Amazon.co.uk Review
The Legend of Zelda gets a bold new chapter; with this long-awaited sequel to the DS hit Phantom Hourglass. Set one hundred years later, the game features the same stunning cel-shaded graphics and intuitive touchscreen controls.

Control and defend your train as you travel around Hyrule

Now Link can order around his very own phantom - a magical suit of armour

The boss battles are even bigger and more cinematic

Touchscreen controls means anyone can play, with no confusing buttons to learn

Instead of messing about on the water you now have your very own train to get you around, complete with a giant cannon to blast bad guys with as you go. You'll also have to keep an eye on the track layout and switch directions to avoid collisions and successfully reach your destination.

Inside dungeons you now have some special help in the form of a remote control phantom - the deadly bad guys from the last game. Simply by drawing a route on the touchscreen you can get him to fight enemies for you, carry you over dangerous lava or help solve puzzles. It all adds up to Link's most exciting and accessible adventure yet.

Key Features

• All aboard: The first sequel to the blockbuster Phantom Hourglass, as Link swaps his trusty ship for an all-new steam train.
• Touch control: The entire game can be controlled purely with the stylus, allowing you to move and fight with ease - but also draw notes and diagrams on the in-game maps.
• Pet phantom: Command your very own phantom as he tackles dangerous enemies and traverses areas Link dares not enter.
• Blow up: Utilise all new weapons and items, including a whirlwind you can summon simply by blowing into the microphone.
• Legend of Celda: Amazing cartoon style graphics use the same cel-shaded style seen in The Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass.

About the Developer: Nintendo EAD Software Group No. 3
Nintendo's famous EAD (Entertainment Analysis and Development) studio is managed by Mario and Zelda creator Shigeru Miyamoto. It is split up into six different teams, with number 3 overseeing The Legend of Zelda series, as headed up by Miyamoto protégée Eiji Aonuma.

Manufacturer's Description
Link has a valuable new companion. While navigating dungeons, he’s accompanied by a Phantom, a hulking suit of armor that responds to his commands. Players can tap the Phantom to take command of him, then draw a line on the touch screen to direct him where to go. The stout Phantom can walk through fire or lava, be used as a platform to carry Link above dangers, or even run interference to block Link from harm.

When Link conducts the train, players enjoy a satisfying combination of action and realtime puzzle solving as they determine which track to take and how to best manipulate their speed. When on the train, Link must plot the best route to the end of the line around ever-moving obstacles. While en route, Link might need to fire an onboard cannon at enemies who attack the train or sound the whistle to scare animals off the tracks.

Link uses a variety of new items and weapons, including the Whirlwind, which players activate by blowing into the microphone of the Nintendo DS or Nintendo DSi system.

As with The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, players can draw notes on the ingame maps using the stylus on the touch screen.

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Customer Reviews

Sprit Tracks is even more brilliant then the most excellent Phantom Hourglass!
If there is one thing that you can more less guarantee in life is that when a new Zelda game is released it's going to be something exciting and rather speciel. Spirit Tracks has the same excellent touch screen controls as Phantom Hourglass and the same wonderful graphics style too. The music is very atmospheric and the story is dark and very gripping. You travel around the map on steamtrain which can have a connon added onto it just like you could with the steamer boat in Phantom Hourglass. The boss battles are great fun and look wonderful. The puzzels are clever and are set at just the right level for most gamers. I don't know how Nintendo do it but they always keep their Zelda games up to the most highest of standards which for me and many more people, makes this the best DS game to come out this year.

Brilliant Game and Funny Cinematics
I got this game yesterday and from what I've played so far (Which is a lot but it still is as long as the other) it is REALLY good! The picture is Great, the story line is brilliant
controlling the train is fun (one reason is because you don't have to stick to the route you draw) and it also has more puzzles as well and is truly one of the best games ever in DS history!
For people who found Phantom Hourglass a bit hard in places like the temple which you get the hourglass in you'll find this one easier but it still is a bit tricky to make think more.

Storyline: 5/5

Being a true Zelda game: 5/5

A truly Great game (especially if your playing it on a DSi (which I am))

Phantom Hourglass Pt 2.
This game is undoubtedly one of the better DS titles available, certainly one of the top 3 DS releases of 2009, others would include Scribblenauts and Prof. Layton (ok, so the storyline got a bit far fetched and Japanesey at the end)
So why have I only awarded the game 3 stars of 5 you ask?
There is really no innovation here, whilst the visuals are beautiful and the control system is intuitive and easy to get into this is nothing more than a re-skinned version of phantom hourglass. The greatest novelty is the train rather than boat mechanic, but honestly I found it to be restrictive and repetitive rather than enjoyable, I'd rather explore Hyrule (or whatever the land is called in this iteration of the series)by foot than be stuck on a boat / train / monorail.
Boss battles so far have been easy, to whit I haven't died once during them (plenty of deaths in the dungeons and hitting the demon trains though - is there any way to destroy them? hitting them 3 times with the cannon only stuns them momentarily).
The jump from Link's Awakening to Minish Cap was large; the innovation of the Minish Cap contrasting with the sheer size of Link's Awakening.
The jump to phantom hourglass was different, in spite of the use of the DS capability (blowing out the candles anyone?) I was disappointed with Phantom Hourglass, not as may be supposed by the main dungeon which has often been criticised for its repetitive nature but since the play area within the game was so small and more time was spent on boat travelling from one area to another (i'd had enough of that after 'Windwaker') than on land.
Although I haven't finished Spirit tracks yet I have a depressing feeling that I'm almost 70-80% there (completed the fire temple) and I've had the game less than a week.
What ever happened to the scope and scale of the quality benchmarks in Zelda? `Ocarina' and a `link to the past' - both games featured near enough 12 dungeons and took ages to complete? Honestly I'd sooner ditch some of the fancy visuals and had a game that took me some time to complete. Even `twilight princess' was guilty of this reduction in scale.
Of course I may be wrong and find that I enter a shadow realm and need to complete another 6 dungeons shortly, if so I'll happily rescind this review, but sadly I doubt I will have to.
In all a good game, not without faults (I really am beginning to hate the train sections), that unfortunately fails to live up to the expectation I have come to expect from the Zelda franchise. But for those of you younger gamers who have never seen how great Zelda really should be you'll probably find it great over Christmas.