There are two The Legend of Zelda Games that I feel would benefit immensely from remakes that would bring them into the spotlight that otherwise seem to have been mostly forgotten. Although no one is likely to be considered supreme when ranking the best Seldom games, both of which were among the first titles I ever played in the franchise growing up, giving them a strong nostalgia for me. Beyond that, I can’t deny that some of their mechanics are less than perfect, especially by modern standards, but that’s something new releases would be perfectly capable of fixing.
of course, The Legend of Zelda Has already produced a number of remakes, with the latest of them Skyward Sword HD. Skyward Sword HD Features several changes to the original game, including autosaving and updated controls, although it also frustrates the new fast travel mechanic behind an Amiibo purchase. Before this, the remake of Link’s Awakening For Nintendo Switch received excellent reviews, which alone sets a good precedent for any future remakes for the Switch or Switch 2 (including the long-rumored Switch ports for Twilight Princess And The Wind Wakershould they ever materialize).
Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks deserve modern remakes
Released in 2007 and 2009 respectively, both for the Nintendo DS
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass And Spirit tracks For the Nintendo DS were among the first Seldom Games I ever played. Having never played The Wind WakerIts sequel Phantom Hourglass Storybook-like recap of its events was extremely useful for the younger me in 2007 in gaining context for the gameAnd Tetra’s protests against calling her Zelda immediately made a strong impression on her characterization. From there, I was quickly introduced to the world of the ocean king, and embarked on a sea-faring adventure with memorable characters that captivated me until the end.
Just a few years later, Spirit tracks Was an equally enjoyable experience for me. The uniqueness of the train-based travel system and the colorful inhabitants of New Hyrule, as well as the many antics of the disembodied Zelda, are just a few of the many memorable aspects of the game. actually, Zelda’s hysterical reaction to learning Maladus plans to possess her body is still arguably one of my favorite video game moments.Simply because of its sheer hilarity. The music of the game also stayed with me, especially the main theme of the world.
However, regardless of my nostalgia for these two games, I know that they are far from perfect games to play. Both have mechanics that can be frustrating to engage withEspecially with the benefit of hindsight and greater experience with video games in general. But even so, that just makes the idea of ​​them getting remakes of their own all the more appealing. Not only could these issues be fixed and other modernizations made, but they would, of course, become vastly more accessible to newer generations of players.
The Nintendo DS Zelda games have features in need of change
Graphics and gameplay both need updating
Among the more obvious improvements that could be made to both games are their graphics. While not terrible, both titles are both over 15 years old at this point, and it shows in some respects. Although I doubt a full graphical redesign, such as that enjoyed by Link’s Awakeningwould be necessary, An updated version of The Wind WakerS tone style Of cel-shaded graphics would be more than welcome. Additionally, there are some aspects of gameplay in both titles that would benefit from some adjustments.
At various points throughout Phantom HourglassThe player is tasked to draw various symbols on the touchscreen. While this taught me the interesting trick of drawing the Triforce in a single motion, the DS’s limited ability to recognize certain shapes can be frustrating at times; Personally, this was most prominent in the final battle against Bellum, where my attempts to quickly draw an appropriately 8-shaped hourglass to freeze time repeatedly failed in the heat of battle. If not completely removed, a remake could offer an alternative for motion control, which combined with more fine-tuned pattern recognition should remedy the issue.
Likewise, this cannot be denied The train system in Spirit tracks has its drawbacks. Reaching distant parts of the game map can take time, a problem that is exacerbated when the rail-bound transport is compared to the more freely-directed travel of its predecessors. Dark trains also provide an impassable barrier, their appearances often requiring significant detours to avoid a game-over-inducing crash. Of course, both problems can be easily solved in a remake; The speed of the spirit train could be increased and the layout of the titular spirit tracks adjusted, while dark trains could be rarer and easier to avoid.
Updates to the Switch would mean losing some of the charm of the original games
Touchscreen controls are integral to their design
On the other hand, this must also be recognized The DS games also have some features that should be altered or replaced to match the Switch’s own capabilities. For example, one notable Phantom Hourglass Riddle asks Link to press his map on a wall marking, a task accomplished by physically closing and opening the DS console. Similarly, the immersive ability to physically blow to play Spirit tracks‘ Spirit Flute is impossible without an in-built microphone. Another gameplay aspect that would be difficult to replicate is sequences that use the DS’s dual screens for various perspectives.
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Of course, it should also be acknowledged that little enough is known about the Switch 2 at present That these problems may actually be non-existent in any future portsBut at least some changes to the original gameplay seem inevitable regardless. As such, I can’t help but feel that it would be a shame for differences in hardware alone to forcibly change the original experience in such a way. But in the end, this would be preferable as the games are completely unavailable on the latest console and thus simply become less and less accessible over time.
Remaking Phantom Hourglass And Spirit tracksIf there were some difficulties, it would also serve to bring them right in the modern age. I’m sure there are many who would enjoy the experience of playing the games just as I did, especially if they follow from a new port of The Wind Waker. Despite their issues, these games are certainly underrated at the moment, and fully deserve the updates needed to capture the interest of those new to The Legend of Zeldas extensive catalog of games.