There are two The Legend of Zelda I think those games would greatly benefit from a remake that would bring them into the spotlight, which otherwise seem to be mostly forgotten. Although none are considered highly when ranking the best Zelda The games, both of which were among the first titles I played in the franchise growing up, held a strong nostalgia for me. Beyond that, I can’t deny that some of their mechanics are less than perfect, especially by modern standards, but that’s something new releases will be perfectly capable of fixing.




of course, The Legend of Zelda has already spawned several remakes, including the most recent Skyward Sword HD. Skyward Sword HD The original game features several changes, including autosaving and update controls, though it disappointingly locks its new fast travel mechanic behind the purchase of an amiibo. Earlier its remake Link’s Awakening Nintendo has received excellent reviews for the Switch, whether it’s the Switch alone or the Switch 2 (including the long-rumored Switch port Twilight Princess And The Wind Walkerwill they actually be implemented).


Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Track deserve modern remakes

Released in 2007 and 2009 respectively, both for the Nintendo DS.

Cover art for The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Track.


The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass And Spirit Track The first was for the Nintendo DS Zelda Games I’ve Ever Played never played The Wind Walker Its sequel phantom hourglass’ The storybook-like recap of the game’s events in 2007 was extremely useful for my little ones to gain context.And Tetra’s protest against calling her Zelda immediately made a strong impression on her characterization. From there, I was quickly introduced to the World of the Ocean King, and embarked on seafaring adventures with memorable characters that captivated me to no end.

Just a few years later, Spirit Track It was an equally enjoyable experience for me. The uniqueness of the train-based travel system and the colorful inhabitants of New Hyrule, as well as the many antics of the isolated Zelda, are just a few of the game’s many memorable aspects. actually, Zelda’s hysterical reaction to learning Maladus plans to possess his body is still one of my favorite video game moments.Just because of her sheer glee. The game’s music also stayed with me, especially the main overworld theme.


However, regardless of my nostalgia for these two games, I know that they are far from perfect games to play. Both have mechanics that can be frustrating to engage withEspecially with the benefit of hindsight and greater experience with video games in general. But still, it makes the idea of ​​them getting their own remake all the more interesting. Not only can these issues be fixed, and other modernizations can be made, but they will certainly become much more accessible to new generations of players.

Features of Nintendo DS Zelda games require modification

Both graphics and gameplay need to be updated

Legend of Zelda Link


One of the more obvious improvements that could be made to both games is their graphics. While not terrible, both titles are over 15 years old at this point, and it shows in different areas. Although I’m skeptical of a complete graphical redesign, as it has enjoyed Link’s Awakeningwill need An updated version of The Wind Walker Its toon style Cell-shaded graphics would be more than welcome. Furthermore, there are aspects of gameplay in both titles that would benefit from some adjustments.

at various points throughout The Phantom HourglassThe player is tasked with drawing various symbols on the touchscreen. While it taught me the interesting trick of drawing the Triforce in a single motion, the DS’s limited ability to recognize specific shapes can prove frustrating at times; Personally, this was most prominent in the final battle against Bellum, where my attempts to draw a proper 8-figure hourglass to fix in the heat of battle repeatedly failed. If not removed entirely, a remake could offer a motion control option, which when combined with more fine-tuned pattern recognition should remedy this problem.


Similarly it cannot be denied Train system in Spirit Track It has its downsides. Distant parts of the game’s map can take time to reach, a problem exacerbated when rail-bound transport is compared to the more freely-guided navigation of its predecessors. Dark trains also present an insurmountable obstacle, their presence often requiring significant detours to avoid a game-over-inducing crash. Of course, both problems could easily be solved in a remake; Spirit trains can be sped up and the layout of the title’s spirit tracks can be adjusted, while dark trains can be made rarer and easier to avoid.

Updating the Switch means losing some of the original games’ appeal

Touchscreen controls are integral to their design


On the other hand, it must also be acknowledged These DS games have some features that need to be modified or replaced to match the Switch’s own capabilities. For example, a significant The Phantom Hourglass The puzzle asks Link to press his map onto a wall marker, a task achieved by physically closing and opening the DS console. Likewise, the immersive ability to physically strike for play Spirit Track‘ Spirit Flute is impossible without a built-in microphone. Another gameplay aspect that will be difficult to replicate are sequences that take advantage of the DS’s dual screens for different perspectives.

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How Zelda: The Phantom Hourglass on Switch can improve DS controls

Rumors point to a possible The Legend of Zelda: The Phantom Hourglass Switch port, but how would a remake handle the Nintendo DS game’s control issues?


Of course, it should also be acknowledged that considerably less is currently known about the Switch 2 That these problems may actually be non-existent in a future portBut at least some changes to the core gameplay seem inevitable regardless. As such, I can’t help but feel that it would be a shame to forcefully change the original experience in this way for hardware differences alone. But in the end, it would be preferable to games being completely unavailable on the latest consoles and thus becoming less and less accessible over time.

Both Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Track were previously made available for the Wii U Virtual Console, demonstrating the need for gameplay changes for the upcoming home console release; Notably, the former’s wall-map puzzle was solved by opening the home menu, a completely uninformed compromise.


Remaking The Phantom Hourglass And Spirit TrackWhile posing some difficulties, the modern era will also work to bring them right. I’m sure there are many who will enjoy the experience of playing these games just like me, especially if they follow from a new port. The Wind Walker. Despite their issues, these games are definitely currently underrated, and fully deserve the updates needed to capture the interest of newcomers. The Legend of ZeldaExtensive catalog of games.

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