Official Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass Information and Speculation Thread

[Smile Guy]

The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda: Adventure of Link
The Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventure
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass

And there we have it. The 14th edition to the infamous series! (Forget the remakes such as Master Quest and DX, and let’s not even get started on the CDi games).

The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass

So what do we know so far?

THE BASICS

• It's for the DS. Yep, it's the elusive Zelda DS!
• It's developed by Eiji Aunoma and the team -- they brought you the Wind Waker.
• It's got the Wind Waker cel-shading style. Though obviously slightly more primitive compared to the Gamecube.
• It appears to have the same Link from Wind Waker as well.

INTERESTING FACTS

• Sailing is back!
• Navi (or at least a guiding fairy) is back!
• Sea and Islands are back!
• Tingle is back! ... Just kidding. I hope...

ENEMIES:
Red Chu Chu
Crow
Rat
Darknut
Yellow Chu Chu
Peahat
Octorok (tornado)
ITEMS:
Sword (same as in The Wind Waker)
Shield (same as in The Wind Waker)
Boomerang
Bombs
Cannon (on boat)

HOW WILL THE TWO SCREENS AND TOUCH SCREEN WORK?

• The top screen, the majority of the time, appears to show a map, and definitely in dungeons.
• The bottom screen shows a top down, yet 3D view of the world.
• Sailing is done differently. You draw on the touch screen your course, and then automatically move where you've drawn. This may sound boring but, the amount of enemies bombarding your ship are extreme. You're constantly fighting man!
• Puzzles use the touch screen as well your usual skills.
• One puzzle shown, involved drawing the path you wanted your boomerang to be thrown. It looked quite slick.

LINKS

• IGN's Zelda DS Page
• Hyrule.net -- It's down... And it looks like it might never be back up! Aww, I loved Hyrule.net!
• Zelda.com - (No info yet but stay tuned)

If anymore info is requested or indeed, you have info, then please don't hesitate to post or PM me.
And yes I know there are other threads on this, but this is official. Heh heh. More as it comes!

-- Smile Guy

 

[Dr. Zafs]

wow that great...
I had no idea that nintendo was working on a Zelda game for the DS

 

[RBTransformed]

This is so cool. This excites me because I've been obsessing over Metroid Prime Hunters ever since I got it yesterday, but this is almost better. I'm sure I'm not the only one who liked WW and the style that was used and apparently Nintendo liked it too! Just one more awesome game for the DS to wait for! Now if only I could get my hands on Twilight Princess...

Anyways, thanks for the information Smile Guy and great job on putting as much detail in it as you could.

 

[Bulk]

I was on Wikipedia about half an hour ago and saw this game ont he Zelda page. I thought it must've been Fan stuff just posted on for a laugh but this sounds/looks (now I've seen the video) great. I will definatly be getting this.

 

[Atomic Boo]

I love the idea of going back to Nes camera angles on a graphically wonderfull sysytem, just keep the gameplay up to standard.
What am I saying, this is Zelda, it WILL be great.

 

[Silverwing]

Looks cool, and based on what Hyrule.net said, it will be out later this year. Not that I'm planning on it, but still, that's pretty quick. I'm kind off sad that it's cell shaded graphics, but then, so is every other current generation Zelda game. Just in 2D though. I've never played Wind Waker, but now I need to get it. And if this is a sequel to Wind Waker, it will make the Ocarina of Time a triology with this and Wind Waker.

Now that my rant is over. I'm going to speculate. Now, where as I've never played Wind Waker, I've heard that Ganon was killed/destroyed/defeated. In this game Ganon was never really killed/destroyed/defeated. So Navi comes back and tells Link this. And based on the the title The Phantom Hourglass, Link will again have to travel back in time. That or speed up time or slow it down. Something with time travel though. That's what I think.

 

[blaze boy]

I wonder if this game will get push back too just like Twilight Princess.

 

[Smile Guy]

Hmm, I'm gonna get speculatin'! Please note there may be some spoilers from some previous games.

What I would love is a storyline where Link from Wind Waker along with Tetra is out to find the promised land they went looking for at the end of Wind Waker. However, they get seperated.
Navi appears as if from no where -- and of course, this Link doesn't know who this fairy is -- and says that (and this is Silverwings idea (ish)) that Ganon has managed to escape from a Master Sword in his head, turned to a statue and the entirety of the ocean crashing down on top of him ( a real Houdini act!).
The first bit of the game then is trying to get to Ganon and then you manage to get the Phantom Hourglass.

Um... I'm a bit stuck now.

 

[Silverwing]

To speculate some more, I think that the phantom hourglass is a item, much like the ocarina of time, that you need to finish the game. It can turn back, speed up or stop time.

 

[Smile Guy]

What I would LOVE the Phantom Hourglass to be able to do is not only what Silverwing just ^^^ said. But also transport you to different ages (similar to what happened Oracle of Ages, but much more advanced).
Imagine being in a dungoen, and seeing that everything has crumbled away. Time warp yourself to the Hero of Time legacy and it will all be fixed up. I'm imagining a story with paradoxes... meeting yourself or a previous Hero for example.

 

[Kez]

I think that this game looks ok, but i can not say my definate opinion of it until more information is released. I am glad that there is going to be another zelda game released, i just hope that it is much better than that not so good (IMO) Minish Cap. I also hope that it has some decent side quests, a trading sequence, and more that just 4 dungeons, which seems to have become the standard for this game.

I first thought that this thread was in the wrong place, like it belonged in the fan section. But after watching the video on gamespot I think that it looks ok. I just hope that the graphics improve before release. I mean, i have to agree with Silverwing that i am disapointed with the cell shaded look, but i am more bothered about the game play. Anyway, as i was saying, i hope that the graphics look better, i mean, on that video, liknks face looked a bit not right.

 

[Another Fan]

You sure it is Navi? Not some other fairy.

Didn't she die in between Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask?

 

[Thunder Child]

It can't be Navi. For one, Navi is blue, this one isn't. For another, this game appears to be the sequel to TWW, meaning Navi would have to be over 200 years old to be in the game, something which I doubt is possible. If she did survive, she'd be hanging with the Deku Tree, and probably would have made herself known or would've been assigned to the 'new' Link.

 

[Smile Guy]

I guess I'm just praying that it will be Navi. It would mean that it could add to the complications to the timeline. I'll change the info page... It's just I assumed when the game had just been revealed that it would be Navi... Aww well, I can dream.
Actually, I've just thought. Why would this Link have a guiding fairy anyway? He's not a Kokiri or even a human who's lived with the Kokiri. Hmm... *Pores over the video some more*

 

[ghost master]

Looks cool, and based on what Hyrule.net said, it will be out later this year. Not that I'm planning on it, but still, that's pretty quick. I'm kind off sad that it's cell shaded graphics, but then, so is every other current generation Zelda game. Just in 2D though. I've never played Wind Waker, but now I need to get it. And if this is a sequel to Wind Waker, it will make the Ocarina of Time a triology with this and Wind Waker.

You forget some details. First of all there has only been two cell shaded games WW and MC. FS & FSA arent cell shaded they are based off of Alttp's style. Also It wouldnt be a trilogy. All LoZ are linked together its just been kinda hard to. TP we already know explains the gap between OoT and WW. So it wouldnt be a trilogy anyway. I reccomend you try WW its alot of fun but unfortunately the end of it is kind of boring. The Triforce hunting is the part thats boring but you can get the game for $20 so even though its a little shorter than most games its worth it.

I so far really like the idea. I suspect this will be a new Link not the WW since Link was seen riding on the original boat called King of red lions in this one hes riding on a steam boat. I hope this game will be the game that directly follows WW and explains what happened to Tetra and WW Link. I'm already excited for this game. I really like cell shading style. This one can be longer than OoT anyway. When you think about it it could be almost as long as a GCN title since MPH was just as long and included so much more in the way of multiplayer. I can see this being so mewhat time related due to the title of the phantom hourglass. The phantom hourglass seems like a darkish name for a zelda game.

 

[Bulk]

WEll, how do we know how long fairies in the the Zelda universe live for? Surley they could live for centuries. Maybe it's possible Navi was sent from the past by the Deku Tree via the Phantom Hourglass to help this link get rid of Ganon for a while. Anthing's possible really. It's a fantasy so they could probably make up anything so it fits in nicely.

 

[Charziken 13]

I saw the video on IGN last night right after it was posted, and I have to say that I am almost excited about this as I was at E3 04(exageration, but you get the point). I personally am stunned by the graphics. Aonuma and his team are a bunch of geniuses. Considering it's the DS, they are quite detailed, with characters that you can easily tell were in WW, and even compare side-by-side.

Now, rant of amazement over, I belive that this will be the final nail in the coffin for the PSP. Not trying to sound like a fanboy, here, but look at the situation. PSP has GTA and Lumines, along with some pretty graphics, and music/movies. DS has plenty of games proven to be popular by their sales. Mario 64, Nintendogs, Castlevania DS, Advance Wars, Mario Kart DS, now Tetris DS and Metroid Prime Hunters, among many more. Add PH, and you can pretty much kiss the PSP goodbye.

Other rant over, the features of this game intruige(sp) and excite me. Mainly the boomerang control(think of the precision) and the map. I really like the idea of being able to write yourself notes, like in the movie. Saves you a lot of trouble. I also like the proper ship you get this time. No more one-person sailboat. A steamship with a real cannon. Could the steamship mean that the world of Hyrule(or whatever they decide to name this new place) is advancing technologically? Could we see the first gun in a Zelda game, with the main villain trying to use his fancy weapons, etc. to advance the world, and forget all of this lore about magic, goddesses and other races? This could be a pivotal title for the series.

 

[Silverwing]

The phantom hourglass seems like a darkish name for a zelda game.

So, Twilight Princess isn't the most happy name for a Zelda game either.

Why would this Link have a guiding fairy anyway?

You've brought up a great question. If this is the same Link, then why does he need fairy this time around. This makes me think that this game isn't in the same generation of people that the WW Link was in. I think this game will take something like 100 years after or something.

Didn't she die in between Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask?

Possibly, however from what we know, Navi just left Link after OoT. We don't know what happened to her after that.

I also agree with Kez on Link's face not looking right and such. But, then again, this was just a trailer. Hopefully the graphics will improve by the time the game comes out. And as to the final nail on the coffin for the PSP. Where as some of us can hope. I doubt it. It would be nice, but I doubt it.

 

[MidnightScott]

Thanks for wasting your time and tell me stuff I learned just from downloading the video 8D

I can't wait for this - I never even beat The Minish Cap for some unknown reason but all I can say is that I loved it. I love the Legend of Zelda series, though I haven't really played all the games either. (I was born in 1989 and my brother never got those games I think)

Phantom Hourglass seems interesting and I love the Touch Screen elements

~Scott;229;

 

[Smile Guy]

Thanks for wasting your time and tell me stuff I learned just from downloading the video 8D

It's my job!