The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass

 Review

Common Sense Media says

Innovative gameplay makes this Zelda soar.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Kids say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this game is a sequel to Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker on the GameCube, but kids don't need to have played Wind Waker first. The game has bloodless fantasy violence with swords, bombs, and so on, but since the main character gains no experience points from defeating monsters, players can avoid confrontation by side-stepping them in most cases. Aside from the fighting, there's no questionable content to note.

  • Not applicable.
  • Non-graphic fantasy violence. Link's arsenal includes a sword, boomerang, and bombs. It's possible to side-step many enemies without fighting them.
  • Not applicable.

What's it about?

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: PHANTOM HOURGLASS is the sequel to the GameCube's The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, continuing the story line and featuring cut scenes rendered in the same cartoonish style. Players once again control the boy Link as he sets out to rescue his pirate pal Tetra after she gets kidnapped during an encounter with a mysterious ghost ship. All the staples that have made the Zelda series so popular over the years are accounted for, including ingeniously designed dungeons, action-oriented gameplay based around Link's trusty sword and shield, and plenty of secret areas to discover. Here's the twist: It's entirely possible to play through Phantom Hourglass using only the stylus -- controlling Link in this manner will soon seem second nature.


Is it any good?

 

It's remarkable how thoroughly and effortlessly Phantom Hourglass exploits the unique features of the Nintendo DS. To throw Link's boomerang, for example, you draw a line with the stylus telling the projectile where to go, which opens up all sorts of puzzle possibilities involving throwing it around corners and over chasms to trigger switches. Players will also find themselves charting courses for the ship by drawing a line from point A to point B on the sea map, signing their name to receive packages from the mailman, blowing into the microphone to snuff out candles, and labeling points of interest on an interactive map that is then displayed on the upper screen.

The adventure itself would be plenty, but Phantom Hourglass also features an innovative battle mode that two players can play over local Wi-Fi. Although abandoning the directional pad for the stylus might be a leap of faith for longtime Zelda fans, Phantom Hourglass doesn't disappoint.


Explore, discuss, enjoy

Families can talk about how the character of Link is an unselfish hero whereas Captain Linebeck is cowardly and greedy. What does Link do and say that makes him into a hero, and how do Linebeck's actions brand him as a scoundrel? Do you like to play video games that are tied to an established brand the way this game is? If so, why? Did this game live up to your expectations?


This review of The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass was written by
Kid, 9 years old
April 12, 2009
 
LOVE IT!!!
I loved this game ever since I got it.But listen,DO NOT USE AN ACTION REPLAY ON THIS GAME!!!.

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Kid, 9 years old
August 27, 2009
 
this game is a good game. it is fun and cool. my favorite thing to do is attack the chicken because when the chicken turns red all these other chicken start attacking.

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Teen, 14 years old
August 29, 2009
 
Perfect Zelda series raises the bar above the ceiling thanks to the innovativeness of Shigeru Miyamoto.
People who love Zelda should get off the computer and pick up this game at the nearest store. Everyone else should, too. Zelda has always been a game where the story never changes: The controls, environment, and just about everything else does, however. Taking place after the events of Wind Waker, you play as link trying to rescue his pirate-friend Tetra from the evil people. The controls, however, is very innovative. For example, you do almost everything using the touch screen. While this may seem overwhelming at first, the interface is very user-friendly. The top screen acts like a map, and pressing a button, the map drops to the bottom screen, allowing you to draw notes, like the answer to a puzzle in a dungeon that remain there if you die and return to the entrance(Zelda fans know how much this feature is useful.) Another cool feature is a particular boss battle where the boss is invisible. On the bottom screen, as usual, you control link. However, on the top screen, the map disappears and becomes a first-person view of the boss! All in all, this game is truly amazing, and with Link being such a good role model (fighting for good) you will have no reason whatsoever to not buy this game. Check it out!
What other families should know:

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Kid, 10 years old
May 14, 2010
 
This game is fun but can get annoying. Every time you beat a dungeon you have to go to this place called The Ocean Temple. You do this dungeon 5 times I think and it gets more annoying each time. I would recommend The Legend Of Zelda Spirit Tracks

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Parent of 13 year old
October 10, 2009
 
perfect for 10+ 9+ ok
love it
What other families should know:

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Parent of 6 and 13 year old
June 26, 2009
 
i must get this
since i know what most zelda games are like, i assume this is just as fun and review it as such. the only zelda i have complaints about is majora's mask. if you don't beat it in under 40 or 50 or something like that hours GAME OVER!!! yeah after dozens of hours that's right!

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Adult
February 12, 2009
 

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Kid, 9 years old
April 9, 2008
 
common sense...
how can you say TP is 12+ and this 9+? both are 6+! CS you only stick to the ratings or say that they are not apropriate for people that age

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Adult
August 18, 2009
 
Zelda rules!!
Link is a great role model. He always tries to do what's right and help others. This is an excellent game, as are all the Zelda games. However, this is probably my least favorite because of the repititon in the main dungeon. Even if you finish the dungeon once, you'll have to go back through it again and again for other tasks. This gets boring after a while. But other than that, good game. Great graphics!!
What other families should know:

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This review of The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass was written by
Platforms:Nintendo DS
Available online?Not available online
Genre:Adventure
Developer:Nintendo
Release date:October 1, 2007
Price:$34.99
ESRB rating:E for (Nintendo DS)

This review of The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass was written by

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