The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass

 DS
User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 626 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 446 out of 626
  2. Mixed: 129 out of 626
  3. Negative: 51 out of 626
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  1. Tokyochuchu
    Apr 10, 2012
    5
    Although initially charming, fun and easy to play, Phantom Hourglass soon degenerates into frustration. This is due to the unintuitive control method. In heated battles, it is very difficult to select a weapon (such as a boomerang) and then draw an attack course with the stylus. By the time you have done so, the target has already moved out of the way. It's a control scheme so annoyingAlthough initially charming, fun and easy to play, Phantom Hourglass soon degenerates into frustration. This is due to the unintuitive control method. In heated battles, it is very difficult to select a weapon (such as a boomerang) and then draw an attack course with the stylus. By the time you have done so, the target has already moved out of the way. It's a control scheme so annoying that it out-right kills the game for me, and I just can't continue past a certain point. That is a real shame because when it isn't murdering it's own combat system, Phantom Hourglass is good fun.… Expand
  2. KittyCat13
    Nov 30, 2011
    6
    This game has a neat story, great characters, and makes creative use of the DS system, but I didn't find it enjoyable and it was not what I have come to expect from the Zelda name. The controls were very annoying, and the dungeons were boring. The sailing in this game doesn't feel like exploration and you're constantly bombarded by pointless enemies. While I can see why people love thisThis game has a neat story, great characters, and makes creative use of the DS system, but I didn't find it enjoyable and it was not what I have come to expect from the Zelda name. The controls were very annoying, and the dungeons were boring. The sailing in this game doesn't feel like exploration and you're constantly bombarded by pointless enemies. While I can see why people love this game, I just couldn't get into it.… Expand
  3. JuanLuisGG14
    Nov 17, 2015
    6
    Definitely, one of the Zelda games i liked the least. Story is decent, although not so relevant.
    Gameplay is in my opinion the worst part, the most casual Zelda in this terms, and the use of items could be better. Graphics are fine,too.
    Another thing I did not like were dungeons. They were meant to be for casual gamers too, so they feel way too easy. Bosses are really awful. Only    Definitely, one of the Zelda games i liked the least. Story is decent, although not so relevant.
    Gameplay is in my opinion the worst part, the most casual Zelda in this terms, and the use of items could be better. Graphics are fine,too.
    Another thing I did not like were dungeons. They were meant to be for casual gamers too, so they feel way too easy. Bosses are really awful.
    Only dungeon I really enjoyed was Temple of The Ocean King (i know, rare choice here), probably because it was the most challenging part of the game.

    6/10    … Expand
  4. Akauro
    Nov 27, 2016
    9
    Так, саундтрек 8.5/10.Геймплей 10/10 . Cюжет простой но он не главное для игры этого жанра. Очень крутая игра, всем советую. Очень крутые головоломки. прекрасно 9/10
  5. FOJAKV
    Oct 2, 2007
    10
    Great, Great Great!! An old franchise with a new air and tons of control innovations, really a 9.5 score. One of the best adventure / rpg of al times stil captivating and going a step farther..good job Nintendo. Buy It !!
  6. darkzaga
    Mar 31, 2017
    10
    muy interesante propuesta de nintendo. la continuación de un importante juego de game cube adaptado a portátil y explotando todas las características de la doble pantalla. Muy conforme con este titulo.
  7. Ray520010
    Jul 15, 2018
    8
    This is the first Zelda game on DS platform. I have a mix feeling about this game. I like the new ways to play game, such as shouting to the console, drawing the line, and using the touch screen. Nintendo show us how to play a game without the controller, but I do not like it. This is an easy game among Zelda franchise by using the controller. However, Nintendo intends to show the playersThis is the first Zelda game on DS platform. I have a mix feeling about this game. I like the new ways to play game, such as shouting to the console, drawing the line, and using the touch screen. Nintendo show us how to play a game without the controller, but I do not like it. This is an easy game among Zelda franchise by using the controller. However, Nintendo intends to show the players how to play a game with two screens, so players need to use the lower screen all the time.
    This game takes the fully advantages of the console's technology.
    This game is accessible for newcomers, such as me. I think Zelda games are really hard, but this one is an easier one.
    The up screen can show you a full map of the current dungeon, which just like cheating. This is really convenient for me to locate where i am.    … Expand
  8. propjoe
    Oct 27, 2010
    5
    This game is almost excellent. It maintains the classic Zelda style and feel, and while most of the dungeons are simplistic, it always feels like a Zelda game. The controls are some of the most intuitive I've ever seen - there was never a question of how anything works, and for the first time in a Zelda game I didn't find myself wasting bombs or arrows because of the imprecise aim.

    That    This game is almost excellent. It maintains the classic Zelda style and feel, and while most of the dungeons are simplistic, it always feels like a Zelda game. The controls are some of the most intuitive I've ever seen - there was never a question of how anything works, and for the first time in a Zelda game I didn't find myself wasting bombs or arrows because of the imprecise aim.

    That said, the Temple of the Ocean King is the worst dungeon I have ever played. If I only had to do it once it might be fine, but the game forces players through the same dungeon levels about 10 times through the course of the game. As a point of game design, it is simply awful.    … Expand
  9. SnivySomnia
    Oct 21, 2012
    6
    The only member of the franchise I can't stand. The gameplay itself works fine, being controlled entirely on the touch screen except when using items. Everything else annoys me, though. The over world is the worst in the franchise, the puzzles were pathetically easy, the music sucks, the Temple of the Ocean King got annoying really fast, and the plot felt like an excuse to play the game.The only member of the franchise I can't stand. The gameplay itself works fine, being controlled entirely on the touch screen except when using items. Everything else annoys me, though. The over world is the worst in the franchise, the puzzles were pathetically easy, the music sucks, the Temple of the Ocean King got annoying really fast, and the plot felt like an excuse to play the game. Probably what annoys me the most, though, is how, while it has good replay value, I have no real incentive to play it. Other Zelda games that I've already experienced gave me a feeling of adventure when I replay them like Majora's Mask or Wind Waker. This one just bores me. In conclusion, it's a functional game, but falls flat just about everywhere else.… Expand
  10. Crazyqazqaz
    Oct 27, 2008
    10
    Zelda games are famous for having incredibly long story lines, mind boggling puzzles, scores of mini-quests and the notorious Water Temples that consume hours of your life and have even been made into a slang (if a bit underused) term for something incredibly difficult. This, though, is a breath of fresh air. The game is lovingly crafted using bright, welcoming colours and a story line Zelda games are famous for having incredibly long story lines, mind boggling puzzles, scores of mini-quests and the notorious Water Temples that consume hours of your life and have even been made into a slang (if a bit underused) term for something incredibly difficult. This, though, is a breath of fresh air. The game is lovingly crafted using bright, welcoming colours and a story line that manages to be genuinely funny while being brilliantly unpredicable. The control scheme is fabulous, I really can't see what people have been complaining about. It isn't overly difficult but not a total breeze either. It will stump you at times, but that is nothing that a little creative thought and a small amount of thinking outside the box won't solve. A brilliant little game, can't praise it enough!… Expand
  11. spageopriya
    Dec 11, 2014
    5
    Set some time after The Wind Waker, Phantom Hourglass opens with Tetra and her pirate crew along with Link chasing down a ghost ship claimed to have taken sailors and residents of the local islands. The crew discovers the ship, but when Tetra goes aboard to explore, she disappears. Link attempts to follow her but ends up adrift in the ocean.
  12. JohnnyK.
    Oct 5, 2007
    10
    Awesome zelda game, sweet graphics and control. Defenitely a must-buy
  13. grandpajoe6191
    Nov 9, 2011
    6
    When I look at "The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass", im sad of how they could have done better with it. It had great originality, but failed in the lacking quality of gameplay and controls. Enjoyable overall...for the moment.
  14. MattMo
    Jan 30, 2013
    4
    I'm a HUGE Zelda fan, and very accepting as well. But this game was a disappointment. One word, repetitive. The Temple of the Ocean King is the bane of my existence. At least Spirit Tracks got it right by making separate levels in the Tower of Spirits. Music was ehh, except for Linebeck's theme, which is very good. This game also allows you to have, like, four navis. 'Nough said.
  15. Plasmaneedle
    May 29, 2014
    9
    The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass makes excellent use of the DS touch screen. The gameplay is more or less what you would expect from the series which is definitely a good thing. Some complain about the Temple of the Ocean King getting repetitive but I thought it added something new to the gameplay.
  16. DaveH
    Jan 4, 2010
    4
    Just like the review of NintendoWorldReport, I have to agree that this game is rather for 8 year olds rather than zelda veterans, the poor story, poor overworld, dungeons and characters make it the worst zelda game there is. Its a pity that very few publications have the guts to give a Zelda game a mixed or negative review.
  17. RoyD.
    Oct 27, 2007
    10
    The best game on the DS. The use of sylus and mic are refresing. Sometimes frustrating. (Ocean's King Temple) Very innovative.
  18. JCA.
    Oct 2, 2007
    0
    So boring. The levels are cheap, and they never teach you how to defeat the impossible with horrible moves. Now why doesn't Zelda have these moves in the other games?
  19. ChrisC.
    Oct 7, 2007
    6
    The best handheald Zelda game so far, but also the easiest. Great graphics and storyline is what gave the game a 6. No friendly Zoras was a major surprise, and the Gorons seemed to have deproved from LOZTP. The Goron dungeon was the only I enjoyed, as you were able to play as another character during one room and the boss fight. The gossip stones and tablets basicly gave away how to do The best handheald Zelda game so far, but also the easiest. Great graphics and storyline is what gave the game a 6. No friendly Zoras was a major surprise, and the Gorons seemed to have deproved from LOZTP. The Goron dungeon was the only I enjoyed, as you were able to play as another character during one room and the boss fight. The gossip stones and tablets basicly gave away how to do all puzzles, and redoing the Ocean King Temple 5 times was annoying. If your planning on buying a DS but can't decide on a game choose this, as it introduces all features for the DS.… Expand
  20. MejaR.
    Oct 9, 2007
    2
    It's very repetitive... eg the Ocean King's Temple ... give me a break... fancy graphics, etc do NOT make a good game. RENT IT and save your $$.
  21. Anonymous
    Jan 3, 2010
    2
    Boring movement throughout the world map, dungeons that a toddler would solve easily, gimmicky control failure, and going through the same dungeon a gazillion times? This the Zelda game you'll wish you DIDN'T buy.
  22. JaredC.
    Oct 2, 2007
    0
    Zelda when she is a baby, and weak, and pethetic, this game is just like that. It misses out on the main story and cliches the slackness of undarkening material. it just doesn't work with all the others.
  23. MiguelM.
    Mar 21, 2008
    4
    I was initially excited about the thought of a Zelda game on the DS, having enjoyed the Twilight Princess and Ocarina of Time on my Wii. At first I thought Phantom Hourglass had a lot of potential with an attractive cell shaded art style and surprisingly well Integrated touch screen controls. However, the overall game design is surprisingly terrible. Between every step of the game you are I was initially excited about the thought of a Zelda game on the DS, having enjoyed the Twilight Princess and Ocarina of Time on my Wii. At first I thought Phantom Hourglass had a lot of potential with an attractive cell shaded art style and surprisingly well Integrated touch screen controls. However, the overall game design is surprisingly terrible. Between every step of the game you are forced to return to the same dungeon and redo the parts you did before. Way to ruin the pacing and sap the fun out of the game. The ship travel is far too slow and the inability to save in the middle of a dungeon is crippling for a portable game. This game probably would have had some potential if it hadn't shot itself in the foot.… Expand
  24. ZvenA
    Sep 4, 2009
    3
    Boring + terrible in a game, wish they would have kept it to the old school style.
  25. LouisB.
    Nov 11, 2007
    6
    There are some good moments with the game, such as the same old zelda formula. But the shaved down world, rehash of the same damn Ocean King Temple, and the half ass controls really disappoint. Playing through the game now, and I have to say the controls are lacking. While you can move great, your hand covers the damn screen. Secondly the movement and swinging the sword with any precision There are some good moments with the game, such as the same old zelda formula. But the shaved down world, rehash of the same damn Ocean King Temple, and the half ass controls really disappoint. Playing through the game now, and I have to say the controls are lacking. While you can move great, your hand covers the damn screen. Secondly the movement and swinging the sword with any precision are simply painful. I cannot mention enough there should be options to use the controls or the stylus. Or at the least the ability to use the D-pad for hot swap option. Dumb. The fact that you cannot move and strike independently is simply stupid. The other problems include the damn timed dungeon that you have to backtrack several times throughout the game. Part of the quest is to find more sand for an hourglass so you can go further in the timed dungeon. Who the hell thought that was fun? Also, I do not like screeming into a handheld device unless I am on the phone with customer support - definitely not while playing a game. All in all, if this were not a Zelda game, I would have given it a lower score. The nolstagia of playing that tried and true formula does count for something. However, the gameplay is lacking.… Expand
  26. JakeH.
    Oct 17, 2007
    1
    Horrible game. Too repetitive.
  27. MarkusE.
    Sep 25, 2007
    3
    Dungeons: You have some of the most linear (even more so than TP), generic, and simple dungeons you will ever see in any Zelda game. There _are_ some challenging puzzles in Levels 6 and 7 (think TP Master Sword puzzle difficulty), but for the most part, the dungeons are cake. The "jot down notes on your map" gimmick gets old by the second half of the game. If you want to challenge Dungeons: You have some of the most linear (even more so than TP), generic, and simple dungeons you will ever see in any Zelda game. There _are_ some challenging puzzles in Levels 6 and 7 (think TP Master Sword puzzle difficulty), but for the most part, the dungeons are cake. The "jot down notes on your map" gimmick gets old by the second half of the game. If you want to challenge yourself, try memorization. Dungeons will take an average time of 20-40 minutes each for an unaided first playthrough, making some of the shortest dungeons since the days of ALttP/LA. Game Length and Difficulty: I'd expect an average player to finish in 10-15 hours for an unaided first playthrough, and 20 hours for 100% completion. Veterans of this series should not take more than 10 if they focus on the main quest. The average player will score some gameovers, but nowhere near as many as the early NES/SNES/GB games. This game also takes a giant step backwards from TP in a lot of ways: Dungeon design: Instead of themed dungeons in TP, where each dungeon has a unique gameplay mechanic to remember it by (for example, guiding the statue in the Temple of Time), PH's dungeons are once again generic (Level 3 could have easily been Level 5, and vice versa), linear (even more so than in TP), and almost jokingly easy until near the end. Inventory: There are no new items (i.e. everything is taken from previous LoZ titles). There are two items for which you draw out their flight paths in advance, and for the remaining five, you point your stylus where you want to use the item. Neither is particularly revolutionary or interesting. Stylus controls: Surprisingly, they're not as bad as people make them out to be. You will get used to them by the end of the game. There are occasional annoyances (for example, your hands get sore after long periods of play much more easily), and I can't say that I prefer this scheme to the traditional D-pad/analog stick setup, but it's definitely tolerable. Plot development: Three cutscenes: beginning, middle, and end. No dynamic characters. Story has almost nothing to do with The Wind Waker or the franchise. Tetra has about 10 minutes of on-screen time and you'll get the feeling she was thrown in just for the heck of it. Music: For the first time since ALttP, each dungeon does not have a unique theme. In fact, the same theme, which consists of just 4-6 repeating notes, is used in all eight dungeons, and it gets really annoying fast. Most songs are simply remixes of classic tunes, and in many cases, their quality has been downgraded. For example, the Goron theme from TP got nerfed, and the light world dungeon theme from ALttP was "borrowed" to become a character's theme in PH, and boy, it sounds awful. Other gameplay gripes: You have to return to the Ocean King's Temple [the master dungeon] a grand total of six times, and must restart from the topmost floor (there are 13 basement levels) upon each visit. This becomes an annoyance. Yes, after a few return trips, you will be able to open a checkpoint at the halfway mark, as well as use alternative pathways/puzzle solutions with newly acquired inventory items. Nonetheless, there's still a lot of overlap and repetition (think six return visits), and it gets stale. The time limit is _NEVER_ a problem as long as you remain patient and refrain yourself from taking chances and running into phantom guards. Since there are time bonuses on almost every level of the dungeon, it's actually possible to finish the whole thing with a net time of zero. Verdict: Solid rent for me. The game's strong points are its graphics, boss battles, and multiplayer mode. Everything else is meh. I really think this game is being incredibly overrated by the press.… Expand
  28. PhilG
    Mar 21, 2009
    0
    The worst LoZ game yet. Awful graphics and art style, terrible controls (the touch screen is mostly useless), lame story and characters...a poor recap of Wind Waker is all that drops you into the action and leaves you there to struggle with the poorly thought out touch screen controls. For further complaints, check out Zero Punctuation's review. Those were my main ones though.
  29. BabyJ.
    Dec 12, 2007
    6
    The games is one of the worst Zelda games I have ever played. The awkward touch controls have made it the first hand held game that I have yelled and screamed at. It has also made me thrown my DS at the floor in frustration for the first time. I thought it would have just been the beginning of the game I was having trouble with, and that the rest of the game would pick up. No it The games is one of the worst Zelda games I have ever played. The awkward touch controls have made it the first hand held game that I have yelled and screamed at. It has also made me thrown my DS at the floor in frustration for the first time. I thought it would have just been the beginning of the game I was having trouble with, and that the rest of the game would pick up. No it didn't. The timed parts of the same dungeon that you have to keep going back to and do the same thing got repetative the first time I had to do it, not knowing that I was going to have to almost repeat it infinitely. This game also has boring characters that I either I hate or don't care about at all. The sailing is the opposite of fun. The multiplayer uses the worst part of the game and it was something I will never play again.… Expand
  30. metacensorship
    Nov 13, 2016
    8
    Apparently this one takes place after Wind Waker, so I'd expect them to correct their mistake of not having the underwater area 51, but nope, they're still **** around. But they put the Sands of Time from Prince of Persia in it for some reason to make up for it and that's pretty alright. The illuminati has the Sands of Time confirmed, now if we can confirm that they have the real DeLorean,Apparently this one takes place after Wind Waker, so I'd expect them to correct their mistake of not having the underwater area 51, but nope, they're still **** around. But they put the Sands of Time from Prince of Persia in it for some reason to make up for it and that's pretty alright. The illuminati has the Sands of Time confirmed, now if we can confirm that they have the real DeLorean, we'll be set.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best DS Game of 2007
1
#1 Most Discussed DS Game of 2007
1
#1 Most Shared DS Game of 2007

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
90

Universal acclaim - based on 57 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 56 out of 57
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 57
  3. Negative: 0 out of 57
  1. Computer and Video Games
    100
    There are many excellent games on the DS but few masterpieces. This one, though, is a masterpiece. And worth every penny you'll pay for it. [JPN Import]
    Read full review
  2. Nintendo Gamer
    95
    20 of the finest gaming hours of the year. [Dec 2007, p.42]
  3. Games Master UK
    94
    It's a game that should be seen from start to finish, if only to witness some of the finest level and puzzle concoctions ever to grace a Zelda game and, without question, the finest single-player experience to grace the DS. [JPN Import; Sept 2007, p.68] Hourglass drips quality and innovation, no DS owner should be without it. [Dec 2007, p.62]
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