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Phantom Hourglass vs Spirit Tracks

Which do you prefer?

  • Phantom Hourglass forever

    Votes: 5 55.6%
  • Spirit Tracks, definately

    Votes: 4 44.4%

  • Total voters
    9

Uwu_Oocoo2

Joy is in video games and colored pencils
ZD Legend
Forum Volunteer
There's definately been threads on this before, but the last one I could find was from back in 2015. And so, it felt time to gauge everyone's opinions on the subject. Between phantom hourglass and spirit tracks, which do you prefer? Which do you think makes a better game? Personally I like hourglass better, but I know a lot of people think the opposite.
 
Team Phantom Hourglass over here, too.

I hold the unpopular opinion that the touch control scheme of PH is actually much smoother and more responsive than ST revised controls. ST had some fun stuff going for it but PH has a more interesting scenario to me and follows the theme of an experimental direct sequel with an abstract conflict. Having never played TWW when I played it may have made me oblivious to how much it drew from TWW at the time, but it made me really want to play TWW. Furthermore, PH was my first modern Zelda title and the amount it paid tribute to A Link to the Past in its puzzles and level design, really helped that transition for middle school me, and if it weren't for PH I probably wouldn't be on ZD. Linebeck is an all time favorite character of mine, too.
 

Dio

~ It's me, Dio!~
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Absolute unit
I didn't enjoy PH at all. The controls are annoying and the villain is some hentai monster. I prefer ST which has a great soundtrack at least and a more pleasant control scheme. However I'm still not the biggest fan, I never enjoyed the toon link look either yet it was reused two more times after WW.
 

thePlinko

What’s the character limit on this? Aksnfiskwjfjsk
ZD Legend
Both games are some of the best Zelda has to offer, particularly on handhelds, but I definitely have to give it to ST. The story, world, controls, music, and mechanics are all just better, though I actually prefer the TotOK to the tower of spirits.
 

Uwu_Oocoo2

Joy is in video games and colored pencils
ZD Legend
Forum Volunteer
I thought I'd like st better because I really hated the TotOK. But spirit tracks is just so boring. Between every area is dull endless chugging at approximately 0.002mph. Every side quest is to bring someone and/or something to the complete opposite side of the map while abiding by all traffic laws and not being hit by a single enemy. And what do you unlock for your trouble? More. Traintracks. The tedium of it makes me seriously dread having to travel anywhere. I love the Princess Zelda in this game, probably my favorite Zelda yet, but everything else is incredibly slow and same-y.

Phantom Hourglass, on the other hand, was better than it had any right to be. Yes as much as I hate the TotOK, it was challenging in an engaging way. It pushed you to get a little further, get the timing just right. The touch screen controls, shockingly enough, made the game. They fit perfectly, were fun, and made sense to use. It proved a clever gimmick. My mian complaint for the game is that there wasn't enough of it. The ocean was a little empty, and I could've used a few more dungeons. But what we did get wasn't bad, and I think we can all agree Linebeck was an absolute treasure to be cherished.
 
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Good thread.

PH is better, and it is not even close. PH is my 5th favorite Zelda game, and ST is my 4th least favorite Zelda game.

I know a lot of people claim that these games are two sides of the same coin, or similar, but I don't think this is true. One is an LA/MM quality sequel expanding on the themes, story, characterizations, and mechanics of Wind Waker and the other is a lore-confused train simulator. I really have not heard any good arguments for why ST is better than PH, other than the superior soundtrack and good use of Spirit Zelda.

Keep in mind, I played both these games on the Wii U VC so there might be differences in the control scheme (it seems most people picked ST over PH because of its controls). To me, they were identical.

Point by point: the overworld is significantly more interesting in PH (sailing mechanics are more fun than train mechanics), Malladus is not as cool, intimidating or thematically significant as Bellum (Bellum literally means war and it is clear how war has affected the World of the Ocean King (Anouki v. Yook, Goron isolationism, Molida and Mercay's masked citizens, Cobble Kingdom's destruction), the settlements are better in PH (the Goron Island and Cobble kingdom specifically, but Mercay Island is also more unique than Castle Town, Molida is better than Papuchia, the Isle of Frost and the riddles there are better than in Anouki Village), Linebeck is better than Byrne, Oshus is better than Anjean, Spirit Zelda is better than Ciela, but Ciela is still a really cool character (and PH also has Tetra and her whole crew).

Dungeon-wise, ST has slightly better dungeons (the bell mechanic in the Snow Temple and the Sand Rod in the Sand Temple, specifically), but the Tower of Spirits totally ruins the point of the Temple of the Ocean King. I think the Temple of the Ocean King is of equal quality to Majora's time-loop, in both its tedium and its incredible gameplay potential (a lot of people might disagree with me about that). Main quest-wise, Phantom Hourglass has stakes and it doesn't retcon the "erasure of Hyrule" at the end of Wind Waker, whereas Spirit Tracks totally rewrites lore by making New Hyrule in the "Land of the Spirits of Good" (wtf does that even mean, we never meet them) to explain why the whole game revolves around trains, oh my GOSH, don't you love TRAINS aren't they so COOL? They could have at least done @Chevywolf30 a favor and made it about cars.

The side content is also so much cooler PH. Force Gems are not as cool as Power, Wisdom and Courage gems,
the Uncharted Island and Maze Island
are two of my favorite Zelda experiences of all time. ST doesn't have that magic: chasing goddamn bunnies around in a forest on a train does not inspire my soul.

I probably spent too much time thinking about this, but I seriously don't get why ppl like ST more than PH. Maybe cuz Dee Ess island is kinda lame? That's my leading theory.
 

thePlinko

What’s the character limit on this? Aksnfiskwjfjsk
ZD Legend
How the hell are you 2 claiming that the overworld in PH was better when it literally just consisted of drawing a line and waiting 5 minutes?

ST had you actually think about the path you had to make, had you make on the fly decisions based on the demon trains as well as chart which corse is the most efficient. It gave you more control options than the ship, like actually giving you different speeds. It’s literally an upgrade in every way.




Main quest-wise, Phantom Hourglass has stakes and it doesn't retcon the "erasure of Hyrule" at the end of Wind Waker, whereas Spirit Tracks totally rewrites lore by making New Hyrule in the "Land of the Spirits of Good"

How the hell is “settling a new continent” a retcon? That makes absolutely no sense. That’s literally the point of the end of WW, they wanted to settle a new continent to become the new Hyrule, and they did. Sure we don’t see the spirits of good, but why do we need to? STs story actually furthers the plot of WW, as opposed to PH which is completely unrelated in every way. You are clearly grasping at straws with this point.
 

The Dashing Darknut

DD, the dashing one
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Location
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Phantom Hourglass for me was just too boring. Music is pretty bland with a few exceptions, the overworld compared to WW’s isn’t that good, dungeons are eh, and it’s just kind of bland and forgettable

Linebeck, though, he’s great, but he’s the main thing I liked about the game (and the touch controls, bombchu touch controls? Awesome)


Sprit Tracks, to me, stands out a lot more and is just better. Music is more memorable and fun, with some great themes in there, the dungeons are better, it’s got more charm and it’s just more fun. Toon Zelda was great and while I only think it’s decent, it’s my preferred game. Plus the music in it is great

But frick the Spirit Flute. I hate that. My 3DS microphone isn’t very good, so I just really don’t like using it and instead they should’ve just used buttons
 

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