3.5/5 ★ – ThatsALotaChris's review of The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks.

With the exception of Tears of the Kingdom, I always seem to struggle with these direct sequels to previous games. Obviously Phantom Hourglass would be worse than Windwaker, but I was kind of hoping that this would be a step up from there. In terms of actual gameplay and quality of life improvements, this is an upgrade. It feels more responsive, the controls have been tweaked, and the combat feels more dynamic. I’d also say the dungeons are improved, offering more variety and not forcing you to backtrack like the previous game. Unfortunately where this game lets me down is in the gimmicks. I never quite got into the train, especially compared to the far more fun boat of Hourglass. They add some creativity to choosing your path to make it seem dynamic, but so much of it is just waiting to get where you’re going. Also, utilizing the microphone for the flute? Disastrous. I could not tell the difference between when I succeeded and when I failed, and it will make you do it dozens of times if you’re not quite getting the timing right. It’s not even the difficulty that’s annoying, it’s that I just felt out of breath! Utilizing Zelda as a companion did feel like an obvious “finally!” decision. She makes far more sense than yet another fairy, and the gimmick to let her assist you in armor is creative and fun. That said, while Link’s controls are better, her controls are atrocious. Sending her anywhere with the stylus is a nightmare, especially when foes are actively attacking Link. A good idea that definitely needed tweaking. Ultimately, I’d recommend Phantom Hourglass between the two DS games, but once again, if you’re a Zelda person, it’s a full adventure through and through. In general, however, if you’re gonna go mobile, I’d recommend the Gameboy games over the DS, though I have yet to try the 3Ds titles! We’ll see soon!