Zelda Spirit Tracks (image: wiiplaygames.com)
I know a lot of people bash Nintendo for courting the casual game market, but they still seem pretty special to me - and not just because a write a few casual game reviews. I love the fact that their game worlds go right back to the days of Game and Watch and the NES. And when they roll out a new version it does justice to all that has gone before.
Zelda on DS
Looking ahead to reviewing The Legend Of Zelda: Spirit Tracks from Games Basement I realized that these are as much sentimental experiences as anything else. Sure, the gameplay is great and the puzzles tax my brain, but it is hearing those same victorious tunes and iconic imagery that most connect me to what is going on in Hyrule. It’s the consistency of the world between games that gives them a last appeal.
I recently played Links Awakening on my old 90’s Gameboy and loved it. Once I’d found a copy of the game and dusted of the yellowing plastic of my first portable games machine I was away. The architecture, the sounds and the characters were like old friends even though this was my first play. Little things like opening a chest to find some rupees looked, sounded and felt just the same as it did in Wind Waker, Twighlight Princess or Phantom Hourglass.
Zelda on 90's Gameboy
Although I know Spirit Tracks will have plenty of surprises, I also love the idea of returning to somewhere familiar. The funny thing is that when I play a new Zelda game it also makes me want to revisit the older titles too. So here I am tinkering away at Links Awakening until I can start on the next chapter for Link and Zelda.
