Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks

SkylerOcon · Jul 21, 2009

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks

This is the second Zelda game to come out for the DS. Not much else is known besides that Link uses a train to get around, he can control a creature known as the Phantom, and that if follows the same isometric view that Phantom Hourglass did. Discuss ST here (and hope it'll be better than PH!).

Spire · Jul 22, 2009

I'm glad Spirit Tracks ended up sticking as the final title, seeing as how it was pending for some time. I suppose E3 finalized it. It's a refreshing name for the franchise, having a similar charm to Oracle of Ages & Seasons.

hat! · Jul 22, 2009

I hope Spirit Tracks has a higher difficulty level. I loved PH, but it was a little too easy for me. The fact that there's a train in this game is really surprising.

GTA_Hater_331 · Jul 22, 2009

This isn't likely to happen, but I'm not sure if people will think of Spirit Tracks as an expansion of Phantom Hourglass. I've been mostly optimistic about this game, but with so few details, I guess we won't know until December. 8 dungeons is the standard, but I'd be really happy with more. Also, does anyone think this'll be the best DS game of the year like I do?

Darkslash · Jul 22, 2009

Where's the picture of the GIANT Gohma? That thing is freaking huge, and is a crowning moment of awesome for Spirit Tracks. There needs to be more giant enemies like that, and Spirit Tracks will be a awesome game.

Here's hoping thats its better than PH.

Spire · Jul 22, 2009

Darkslash said:
Where's the picture of the GIANT Gohma? That thing is freaking huge, and is a crowning moment of awesome for Spirit Tracks. There needs to be more giant enemies like that, and Spirit Tracks will be a awesome game.

Here's hoping thats its better than PH.

This:

Fighting a large rock-gohma on train sells me the game. That alone beats the entirety of PH.

NukSuCao · Jul 28, 2009

I'm just now getting into PH, but this new train thing... I don't like it. I love how free the boat is and a train can only go so many ways. I hope it doesn't restrict me or become a chore.

If there are epic battles, I'll probably love it. The Gohma... That looks awesome...

Ochobobo · Sep 16, 2009

Just thought I'd point out we finally have a release date if you haven't heard. It's set for December 7th. http://www.businesswire.com/portal/...d=news_view&newsId=20090915006514&newsLang=en

Spire · Sep 16, 2009

Ochobobo said:
Just thought I'd point out we finally have a release date if you haven't heard. It's set for December 7th. http://www.businesswire.com/portal/...d=news_view&newsId=20090915006514&newsLang=en

Sad how ST just isn't getting as much hype as PH got. Hopefully though, it'll deliver oppositely also. Also, I'm going to add the official box art to the OP. It looks sexy for toon Zelda art. I'm loving it!

I'm seeing an analogy here:

WW : TP :: PH : ST

Even though ST is not related to TP in anyway, it just carries the feel of that game more. Also, it's interesting to note that the Japanese translated title reads: "The Legend of Zelda: (Train) Whistle of the Earth". I suppose the title for both the American and Japanese versions is simply to evoke a certain sense of train travel with the respective cultures. We are attracted more to the movement and the engineering background behind "Tracks", with the "Spirit" slapped on their to bring it to a magical level. The Japanese are culturally more in tune with the sounds and patterns in nature and the Earth, so their title reflects as such.

I think it's important to analyze the difference in titling Zeldas between different languages, as it may reveal the intentions of the story. The Legend of Zelda: Train Whistle of the Earth/Spirit Tracks, I believe, is simply a Legend of Zelda told to show that at some point in time following the ancient tale of the archetypal green-clad hero and his "Phantom Hourglass", a new hero would arise in the new world and would traverse via locomotive. It's simply a legend about the hero and the train.

Scott! · Sep 16, 2009

I second the sexiness of that box art. Very excellent. I'm pretty excited for this game. While PH was lacking, I enjoyed it anyway, except the Temple of the Ocean King. I thought it was translated to the DS pretty well, controls-wise. Never had much of an issue with them at all. I liked the boomerang a lot especially. I liked that they included the ability to write down hints and save them for later reference, but I wish they made you really need this. The only time I used it was for recording paths in mazes and once or twice for other uses, and it felt underused. I actually have the PH poster that came with the guise hanging on my dorm room wall right next to my desk. I've got Link and Linebeck watching me type about them watching me type. Good times.

Ochobobo · Sep 16, 2009

Looking at the box art, it's much more clear how that Knight might be more of a Navi type figure... Or maybe an OoT type item. . . Something as important as one of those two.

Phantom7 · Sep 20, 2009

Ochobobo said:
Looking at the box art, it's much more clear how that Knight might be more of a Navi type figure... Or maybe an OoT type item. . . Something as important as one of those two.

It's definitely going to be very important, but something very different by the look of it -- probably like something we've never seen before.

Spire · Sep 20, 2009

It's pretty clear how it works. I want to know why it's paired with Link.

Bowser King · Sep 20, 2009

Ochobobo said:
Just thought I'd point out we finally have a release date if you haven't heard. It's set for December 7th. http://www.businesswire.com/portal/...d=news_view&newsId=20090915006514&newsLang=en

Now I know what to get for my birthday (which also happens to be dec 7th).

The boxart looks pretty good. Probably my favorite out of the cell-shaded games.

Phantom7 · Sep 20, 2009

Ochobobo said:
Just thought I'd point out we finally have a release date if you haven't heard. It's set for December 7th. http://www.businesswire.com/portal/s...14&newsLang=en

It's also on IGN.

EDIT: It looks like ST is going to have Big Skulltulas. Awesome!

Spire · Oct 28, 2009

Hey guys, if you haven't seen, here's the European boxart for Spirit Tracks. By far superior in every way to the American version.

❀W.E.M.P.❀ · Oct 28, 2009

If only ganondorf was in the back with a top hat, monocle and mustache chasing link. that would make it the best box art ever.

Scott! · Oct 28, 2009

I finally noticed from this box art that the design on the front of the train is a simplified Hyrule crest. I approve of this, and am once again jealous of the Euro box art, though as I recall, the US one was pretty solid as well.

urdailywater · Oct 28, 2009

I like both of them really. Kind of makes me want to import the spirit tracks of Europe too.

Also has it been mentioned in this thread that this games actually taking place a century after Phantom Hourglass?

Spire · Oct 29, 2009

WEMP said:
If only ganondorf was in the back with a top hat, monocle and mustache chasing link. that would make it the best box art ever.

Indeed. But we may have to wait for The Legend of Zelda: Monopoly Edition for that.

Scott! said:
I finally noticed from this box art that the design on the front of the train is a simplified Hyrule crest. I approve of this, and am once again jealous of the Euro box art, though as I recall, the US one was pretty solid as well.

It sure is. That was one of the first things I noticed about the train upon seeing its artwork way back whenever that was released.

Also look at the background. We have what may be Death Mountain, the Snowpeak Mountains (??) and some awesome tower that will probably play a key role in the game.

urdailywater said:
I like both of them really. Kind of makes me want to import the spirit tracks of Europe too.

Also has it been mentioned in this thread that this games actually taking place a century after Phantom Hourglass?

Yes, it has officially been confirmed that this game takes place 100 years after Phantom Hourglass. I don't know if it's been mentioned in the thread, but we've certainly discussed it numerous times over the course of the "LoZ" history on SWF.

Realmz · Oct 31, 2009

Remember that early Twilight Princess trailer of Link running away from Gohma in some kind of cave? I guess that cut-out made its way over to Spirit Tracks in a slightly different form.

WEMP said:
If only ganondorf was in the back with a top hat, monocle and mustache chasing link. that would make it the best box art ever.

Lmao XD

Spire · Oct 31, 2009

Realmz said:
Remember that early Twilight Princess trailer of Link running away from Gohma in some kind of cave? I guess that cut-out made its way over to Spirit Tracks in a slightly different form.

Great observation! Yes I surely do remember that trailer clip. It was from the same beta trailer that showed Link riding Epona across a vast, open Hyrule. It looked magnificent. But alas, we ended up with a more 'zoned' Hyrule in TP. I hope those boundaries are broken in Zelda Wii.

Realmz · Nov 2, 2009

Miyamoto just recently said that Spirit Tracks, due to so much creativity with his team, made Spirit Tracks hard compared to PH, and that he wanted to show alot of the new people introduced to Zelda in Japan by PH what a "real" Zelda game is.

He also stated he wanted to add that kind of creativity in Zelda Wii, which should tell us Zelda wii may have an actual chance of being difficult with any luck - Especially considering he rightfully views a harder Zelda game as a REAL Zelda game apparently, which is a good sign.

Spire · Nov 2, 2009

Realmz said:
Miyamoto just recently said that Spirit Tracks, due to so much creativity with his team, made Spirit Tracks hard compared to PH, and that he wanted to show alot of the new people introduced to Zelda by PH what a "real" Zelda game is.

He also stated he wanted to add that kind of creativity in Zelda Wii, which should tell us Zelda wii may have an actual chance of being difficult with any luck - Especially considering he rightfully views a harder Zelda game as a REAL Zelda game apparently, which is a good sign.

Awesome

The original two Zelda games are still difficult by any standard.

I knew I was right to get hyped for Spirit Tracks!

Realmz · Nov 2, 2009

Spire III said:
Awesome The original two Zelda games are still difficult by any standard.

I knew I was right to get hyped for Spirit Tracks!

Hehe, I agree. Spirit Tracks has given off this strange feeling of potential success for some reason, all this time. Hopefully it will be, or my spirits gonna be crushed on the train tracks instead =< Still, I have a good feeling about it.

Also, some food for thought: Could this have been Miyamoto's plan all along? String newcomers into the series with fun, much easier Zelda titles to make them enjoy it while giving them experience, then start creating harder ones once they're into the series with enough experience to handle it while still enjoying it? Chances are, depending on how Spirit Tracks does in Japan with this difficulty, he may or may not make Zelda wii difficult. It might be entirely up to them what the outcome is - But this is just my theory. @_@

Spire · Nov 3, 2009

Realmz said:
Hehe, I agree. Spirit Tracks has given off this strange feeling of potential success for some reason, all this time. Hopefully it will be, or my spirits gonna be crushed on the train tracks instead =< Still, I have a good feeling about it.

Also, some food for thought: Could this have been Miyamoto's plan all along? String newcomers into the series with fun, much easier Zelda titles to make them enjoy it while giving them experience, then start creating harder ones once they're into the series with enough experience to handle it while still enjoying it? Chances are, depending on how Spirit Tracks does in Japan with this difficulty, he may or may not make Zelda wii difficult. It might be entirely up to them what the outcome is - But this is just my theory. @_@

If this has all been planned out, then this is further proof that Zelda is the strongest founded and built video game series ever. I'm inclined to think so due to Miyamoto wanting to change the entire series up by designing a game built around Wii Motion Plus. Around TP's release, he/Aonuma said that it was going to be the last Zelda of it's kind, so we've all speculated on what that meant til this very day. Now it's apparent - the classic formula and control scheme is changing completely. Seems like they may finally move up a whole flight of stairs for the first time since Ocarina. What Zelda Wii may do is establish itself as the third piece to the three most important games in the series:
1. Legend of Zelda (founder)
2. Ocarina of Time (compared to the preceding four games, incredibly different)
3. Zelda Wii (hopefully as different as possible than the preceding 15).

I appreciate that they're continuing a hybrid of 2D/3D Zelda gameplay with Phantom Hourglass/Spirit Tracks. Nintendo is genius.

The Legend of Zelda is not about the history of a fictional world, it's about experiencing a fictional world. There's a difference between reading and playing out a story and Nintendo has chosen to tackle the latter.

UPDATE!

POKE40 · Nov 4, 2009

RIGHT OFF GT, TRAILER UNLEASHED:

Spoiled Trailer by Game Trailers, it literally came out a few minutes since I posted:
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/exclusive-zeldas-zelda-spirit/58650

It was supposed to be aired Thursday, but GT is dumb and forgot it is still Wednesday! Ha.

Enjoy!

UPDATE 10:53 EST:
Game Trailers just removed the video, the link above is invalid.
Spire III got the rundown, so...yeah.

Only a hand full of us got to see it, so all you other guys (except Spire III and me) are still virgins to this video... but it should be out tomorrow.

Spire · Nov 4, 2009

OH MY GOD!!! THAT TRAILER!!!

Okay, so here's the rundown...

Link and Zelda are derailed as magic forces the train tracks to disappear and the large mysterious tower (with the royal crest atop) is destroyed. Then, some kinda Ganondorf-faced train comes out of no where and what looks to be Ganondwarf or a new villain (with his trusty sidekick) kills Zelda. Her soul is then approached by what appears to be Impa on wheels and is told to go with Link. Link is confronted by an antique Phantom, but Zelda inhabits it to save him. Her spirit travels with Link along the train tracks (hence the title) and she inhabits Phantom armor within dungeons to help Link out.

THIS IS SO AWESOME!

zaneebaslave · Nov 4, 2009

Slap me thrice and hand me to my momma!

But eh... the trailer.... It isnt there. I am violently disappointed that there is no longer a trailer. WHERE'D IT GO?!

Spire · Nov 4, 2009

Guys, I took screenshots! I'll cut 'em up and post them.

POKE40 · Nov 4, 2009

zaneebaslave said:
Slap me thrice and hand me to my momma!

But eh... the trailer.... It isnt there. I am violently disappointed that there is no longer a trailer. WHERE'D IT GO?!

GT put the video down.
I should have downloaded it... >_>

Fear not! Tomorrow is Thursday! GT was actually going to show the trailer tomorrow.

I shall have the link up when it GT puts it back up!
Keep watching this thread tomorrow!

Spire · Nov 4, 2009

If anyone is aching to see screens, I'll post. I didn't take any captures of gameplay, rather of the cinematics.

Realmz · Nov 4, 2009

I'm going to hunt both of you and your mothers down if you're messing with us! xD If that really is the storyline, it sounds epic and original as hell. Aside from Zelda having another form once again (but easily the most different out of them all O_o). I was actually thinking Zelda might be a spirit in the train rather than the Phantom. Or both.

But then again you HAVE to be messing with our fanboy heads, right? >_> Legit screen shots next post or the hunt begins! DX Rofl

Spire · Nov 5, 2009

Alright, the pics have been demanded.

DON'T LOOK IF YOU'RE WAITING FOR THE TRAILER TOMORROW!!

Realmz · Nov 5, 2009

ASDFGH()@!&*4789147+_@#1////{{{{ksiojmwuidjbdeudy3e72kmxebdyuheedwkl|

Spire · Nov 5, 2009

Realmz said:
ASDFGH()@!&*4789147+_@#1////{{{{ksiojmwuidjbdeudy3e72kmxebdyuheedwkl|

Exactly

So here's my speculation as to what happened:

ST takes place 100 years after PH in the new Hyrule that the WW/PH Link and Zelda (Tetra) found. As the kingdom was built over this century, the various Phantoms from the Great Sea were put to rest in temples throughout the land. The new Link and Zelda in ST are descendents of the aforementioned ones, with the Link going down in history as legendary (hence why the Hyrule guard is seen wearing similar clothing to Link). Gonzo, the pirate from Tetra's crew appears to have an identical looking descendent who accompanies Zelda as a body guard, but fails to save her from the attack of err... Ganondwarf? Yeah, this is going to be epic.

EDIT: To all of you who are/were familiar with the SWF: Project Zelda thread, doesn't that clock tower, its positioning, and importance seem A LOT like the clocktower we came up with?

Realmz · Nov 5, 2009

Not to mention this is the first game in the series where Zelda - although in Phantom form - fights along side you throughout the entire game, much less be with you the entire adventure. Words can't express how epic this is, not even "ASDFGH()@!&*4789147+_@#1////{{{{ksiojmwuidjbdeudy3e72kmxebdyuheedwkl]".

10,000 thank yous to Poke and Spire. Can't wait to see the video tomorrow on top of this. =)

Scott! · Nov 5, 2009

Can't believe I have to wait till Christmas for this, but it looks like it'll be worth it. Epic indeed. Poor Zelda though.

Alzi · Nov 5, 2009

This is going to have such a strong story linke too it.

Reminds me of Majoras Mask for some reason except on the DS.

Spire · Nov 5, 2009

Alzi said:
This is going to have such a strong story linke too it.

Reminds me of Majoras Mask for some reason except on the DS.

And rather than being based in some weird alternate world (Termina, Great Sea), it's based in Hyrule. Awesome. Looks like this might turn out to be the best handheld Zelda ever.

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