Give These Underrated Zelda games the Remake Love They Deserve!
Two Forgotten Zelda Gems: Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks
Let's be honest, the Zelda franchise has a ton of amazing games. But some seriously awesome titles get overlooked! I'm talking about The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks for the Nintendo DS. These were some of my first Zelda games way back in the mid-2000s (and Phantom Hourglass even gave me my first serious lesson on how to make a triforce!), which are why these have huge nostalgic value to me. They might not rank super high in overall Zelda greatness but they deserve a huge upgrade, especially for newer players. It was the right game for me at the time; and this nostalgia for the old classics truly deserves to be rediscovered by the younger generations of players; even when it clearly had flaws.
Nintendo already remastered some of the best titles; and this makes us all want to revisit those incredible Zelda classics and these deserve their day in the sun; especially after games like Skyward Sword HD (though the amiibo lock on fast travel was questionable!) and the amazing Link’s Awakening remake. And if rumors of Twilight Princess and The Wind Waker getting upgraded versions are anything to go by, then remakes of Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks become extremely appealing too!
Why Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks Need a Modern Makeover
Okay, I'll admit it, Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks weren’t perfect! Some of those older game design mechanics could totally grate on people these days – particularly some of the newer generations playing on new consoles for the first time; which is another aspect which I would highlight to readers who want to simply try these games for the first time, using the superior control schemes of modern games would help the gaming experience! But this does not diminish how much these games mean to many; but those aspects truly should be improved in many ways; there is that amazing core storyline, engaging and memorable characters; aspects which a better remake could capitalize on effectively! I love this original version despite these technical issues which means these kinds of upgrades are all the more necessary, even desired and even a totally crucial necessity. And remaking those games improves their accessibility for everyone, bringing in tons of new fans who’ve completely missed those titles when they came out. This deserves more.
Both Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks feature many areas requiring specific interactions with the original Nintendo DS; resulting in questionable decision-making which required some additional steps that are not very useful; yet also create specific issues which need addressing in a new generation of console ports: that includes outdated graphics and clunky mechanics such as requiring the player to use physical techniques like physically interacting with the map (found within Phantom Hourglass) that don't work and do not really carry forward into any sort of equivalent methodology that would create meaningful interactions and would have a sensible purpose!
- Phantom Hourglass’ touch-screen drawing: It's quirky but easily frustrating! A motion control update, combined with more precise recognition of shapes, makes for a vastly superior way of handling this mechanic.
- Spirit Tracks’ train travel system: it took ages! And getting around the map's obstacles took considerable effort that should easily be corrected! A faster train; along with adjusted map design makes all the sense!
The Challenges of a Modern Remake (and Why It’s Worth It!)
Here's the slightly tricky part. Those original DS mechanics need either removing, changing, or replicating them with sensible equivalence for newer generations of game systems; that might sound easy, yet its actually incredibly hard: some things used that original DS’ dual screen and unique physical capabilities; stuff that’s super hard, maybe impossible to reproduce: for example; placing that game map onto an in-game device might've made a clever idea that only that original Nintendo DS made possible! Also, Spirit Tracks’ Spirit Flute mechanic only used that console’s mic! It does mean changes to those unique DS elements which makes many fans extremely uncertain. They fear a new experience would lack that feeling that is inherent within this DS gaming generation.
That being said, a clever upgrade can retain those awesome things we loved and it improves greatly how accessible these would be. These need to exist, though! Without those fixes, these remain mostly on older devices. If done effectively however this could revitalize those titles.
Moreover, consider how prior Wii U virtual console releases actually compromised some mechanics; attempting to maintain parity of experience while transitioning to another hardware system and showing exactly how much better some aspects of gameplay could work without that initial technological restriction; for instance, Phantom Hourglass’ wall map puzzle, used a frankly awful fix on Wii U to solve some issues–it actually relied on the menu, adding another unnecessary extra step and ruining the original intent behind the initial puzzle itself. The overall conclusion is quite evident: a creative update would actually work better overall than the less creative and slightly poorer method done by the developers prior.
Conclusion: Remaking the Classics!
Remaking Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks is no easy task! It is important to consider all of the limitations presented by moving those design aspects inherent within an original DS gameplay scheme and to successfully translate these to the newer, modern schemes! However, they both deserve an update; becoming better accessible! Even small quality of life updates matter!
Addressing existing problems and making use of newer technology would increase enjoyment for many and revitalizes older gems! If that Wind Waker remake ends up happening; there's an awesome precedent already set; creating amazing hype and expectations. This article just proves how worthy these old favorites remain, bringing immense enjoyment to multiple players across multiple platforms and this is only possible by maintaining fidelity while delivering high quality improvements across the board! I believe a full generation of players needs to be able to re-experience those amazing titles, in the best possible quality for years to come.
