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The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks game review

When a new Zelda is released, it’s not simply an event. It’s a chance to savor the artful nature of one of the best game series ever made.

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: SPIRIT TRACKS
Nintendo for DS, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older

Graphics: 8.5
Gameplay: 8.5
Sound: 9.0
Replay Value: 9.0
Overall Score: 8.75
Pros: Drive a cool train. Save Zelda. Control Phantoms. Great soundtrack.
Cons: Hard to pull off some moves with the touch screen. Every player needs a game to play wirelessly.

ALL ABOARD

The adventure begins with Link at the helm of an old steam-engine train. Passing through green countryside, you see Zelda is with him, sitting happily on the roof of the passenger car.

Once that movie is finished, you get to captain the train yourself all the way to the palace, where Zelda is waiting with your official engineer’s certificate. What fun! Just chase the animals off the track by blowing your whistle, and avoid other trains along the way.

You can explore the castle’s grounds. But stay away from the trees in the upper left corner—there’s a nasty swarm of bees in there. You’ll meet a variety of non-playable characters who will give you information.

LEARNING YOUR MISSION

As you accept the engineering certificate, Zelda hands you a secret letter with a special route to her room that bypasses her protectors. She needs your help because the Spirit Tracks, the routes the train takes through the kingdom, are disappearing. If we can go to the Tower of Spirits, she suggests, maybe we can find the answer to the mystery.

First, though, you need to strategize. How do you get Zelda past the many guards keeping her in the castle? Do this by leading Zelda away from anyone’s notice via the touch screen. Then you can distract the guards. Once this is done, tap the “Call” button and Zelda will come back to you.

But it’s a Zelda game, which means things won’t go that easily. As you head to the tower, Chancellor Cole, a meany with two strange hats, separates Zelda’s body from her spirit. Now, only her spirit can accompany you on your journey.

Once you arrive at the tower, a wise being tells you something startling: If all the Spirit Tracks disappear, the long-imprisoned Demon King will be freed from his shackles underneath the kingdom. And no one wants that.

CHALLENGE AFTER CHALLENGE

The difficulty ramps up quickly from here. Take driving the train, for example. At one point, you’re gritting your teeth as you try to avoid another train speeding at you.

Then, an angry mob of snowmen throw their heads at you as you try to pass. You have to launch cannonballs at them to complete the mission. If you thought being an engineer would be a peaceful experience, think again.

As you move through this lengthy but enjoyable journey, you’ll have help from cool Phantoms. Just power up your sword with one of the Tears of Light you find. Then tap the Phantom on the back. At that point, the spirit of Zelda will possess the ghost, and you’ll have full control of the character.

BEAUTY IN THE DETAILS

There’s much more here, too. You’ll also encounter various monsters, including one made of rocks that appears as you try to move the train through a tunnel. You’ll get to play the Spirit Flute by selecting a note and blowing into the microphone. Play a tune correctly, and some secrets of the kingdom will be yours.

Since this is a role-playing game, you’ll find tons of small things you’ll enjoy along the way. Various potions will make you briefly very powerful (and some might make you laugh). Collecting postcards from your travels hither and yon will eventually get you prizes.

You can soup up your train by trading in treasures you’ve collected at Linebeck Trading. Plus, you can use the force of Whirlwinds to solve some puzzles and force enemies back if they get too close. A boomerang helps defeat some smaller monsters, too. Link even has a bullwhip that can act like a grapple to help him across canyons.

SMALL DRAWBACKS

Using the stylus to get around and do battle can be frustrating at times. Nintendo needed to tighten up these controls a little more to make the generally magical Zelda experience more precise.

The other annoying thing is that to play wirelessly in Battle mode with up to four players, each player has to own a copy of the game. It would be a lot better if only one person needed the game to play with friends.

These are small things, however. What the Nintendo team has done with Spirit Tracks is to add some new-fangled gameplay to a terrific series that’s a tried-and-true videogame tradition. It makes you want to play the upcoming Wii game (supposedly due at the end of the year)—right now.

57 Comments on The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks game review

  1. has anyone noticed that the spirit track bosses are not all that dissimilar in powers or appearance to the phantom hourglass bosses
    Example: Fraaz divides into two monsters = Blaaz divides into three monsters

  2. the game was awesome don’t get me wrong but when i beat it the game was back to the last part it was as if i had never beat the game

  3. wind waker has the best toon link but twlight princes is best, even better then skyward sword

  4. I boght this game and am playing it. I think it is one of the best zelda games i have ever played. Zelda has much more of a childlike,fun sort of attitude than other zelda games I’ve played.

  5. linkforever // January 8, 2012 at 9:37 am // Reply

    While agree with most of you, (this is THE BEST DS game I have ever owned), I am stuck on the ocean temple. Any help?

  6. Toon Link is awesome! How many of you like Toon Link better than realistic Link? (Don’t get me wrong, I like both Links just the same.)

  7. dark the hedghog // August 18, 2011 at 3:58 pm // Reply

    I want it but don’t have it and i’m tring to get it but when i do that’s the only game im playing until i beat it.

  8. MasterPok'emonFan // February 22, 2011 at 4:09 pm // Reply

    Nintendo and the Zelda company did us all a big favor by making this game… How do you completely beat the game without going back to the Demon world part?

  9. one of the best games I have ever played. I’ll call it a…uh…an EvilCorgi Pick!

  10. After I defeated Malladuss, and after those AMAZING cutscenes…NOTHING HAPPENED! No bonus levels, no nothin’! Why? Tell me, why?! Why did the game act like I didn’t even win? Still, LOVED the game, LO-O-OVED the Ending!

    • yeah same here it was like i never beat it. weird that it does not let you save during the final battle. i saw the end clip then it restarted it said i never beat malladus

  11. Does ANYBODY know who did the voice of Princess Zelda?! I MUST KNOW!!

  12. Pokemon man // June 20, 2010 at 3:22 pm // Reply

    I dont have it but it sounds awasome!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  13. I wonder who did the voice of Princess Zelda…
    Princess Zelda has a sweet, soft voice.
    Does 2020st know?

  14. Spirit Tracks is SO fun!!!

  15. Here’s some delish info! Do NOT Throw your boomrang or any other item multable times at Zelda when she’s a Phantom, or you’ll face her anger… not like I just tried out that stuff. Of course I didn’t!

    • MasterPok'emonFan // February 22, 2011 at 4:05 pm // Reply

      I wonder how many hits from Phantom Zelda it took to realize that…

      • Rich4270 // August 2, 2011 at 5:15 am //

        Hit her too many times and she’ll chase you around, saying, ”I’LL SHOW YOU WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU MAKE ME ANGRY!” If she catches you she’ll hit you once with her sword REAL HARD! It will be a big mistake to make Zelda angry SO DON’T DO IT.

    • Richard, I know by heart you tried that stuff.

  16. sir engineer // May 22, 2010 at 2:40 pm // Reply

    i dont have the game yet…..BUUUUTT i will buy it after my book report

  17. zeldafan // May 6, 2010 at 4:04 pm // Reply

    my sister has the game i cant wait till i can play it

  18. Yoshi lover // May 3, 2010 at 1:00 pm // Reply

    I beat Wind Waker! I was stuck on getting the Compass of Light, but my sister wanted to play it so bad, I had to, and then she started over on it…

  19. i dont like it but i do think wind waker is good!!!

  20. Zelda games r the beast

  21. ok maybe yall r rite but still original zelda games take the cake

  22. I borrowed it from my friend but I gave it back because I got bored with it and I got caught up on other games. However, this was a really fun game!

  23. The review is wrong! It is possible to do multiplayer with one game card!

  24. I love it! By the way pokemon2000 get the official guide!I’m 3/4 of the way through the game.

  25. I want to get it first

  26. worst game ever

  27. pokemon and zelda rulz // February 27, 2010 at 6:49 am // Reply

    It’s SO adiccting!!!!!!!

  28. Mysteryperson // February 23, 2010 at 9:09 pm // Reply

    My cousin has this game, we sat around playing it for hours, great game!

  29. I want the game so bad!!! I here it is fun. I beat phantom hourglass

  30. I got this game already. BUT I might try to get my hands on “The Legend of Zelda Wind Waker” at Gamestop.

  31. Eaglescout44 // February 8, 2010 at 6:05 pm // Reply

    I have to say that this is one of the best games in the series right behind the The Legend of Zelda wind waker. I got a kick out of this game, it was fun and exciting all at the same time. Excellent job Nintendo on making another great game.

  32. This comes, like, 100 years after spirit tracks (in the chronology of the series).

  33. i have it and a dsi in fact im typing with my stylus now

  34. Wind Waker is the prequal of Phantom Hourglass

  35. its freaky when zelda turns spririt

  36. it is not easy to beat!

  37. sounds cool.

  38. This is the sequal of Phantom Hour Glass

    • Phantom Hour Glass was better. P.S., does anybody know how to beat the third spirit tower part, the one with the darkness?

      • cementhead // March 18, 2010 at 4:03 pm //

        use ur bumerang to transmit fire from one pedastle to another. When Zelda turns phantom, attak them with her sord

  39. And you can play multiplayer with one game card you know.

  40. Can’t wait for the new one,right now trying to beat Wind Waker and Spirit Tracks!

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