Today's most stylistic video: DS Zelda controls

by Zack Stern { Jun 14th 2007 at 12:00AM }

With Zelda: Phantom Hourglass nearly released--well, for Japanese gamers, that is--GameTrailers has posted a few brief gameplay clips that show the touchscreen controls. Gamers outside of Japan will have to wait until later this year to play the DS RPG/adventure. (Make the wait even longer by watching Japanese commercials for the game.)

Start forming opinions on the controls. After the break, watch demos of movement, swordplay, and curved boomerang throws, all handled with the stylus.

Tags: celda, control, ds, gameplay, hottest video, HottestVideo, legend of zelda, legend of zelda phantom hourglass, LegendOfZelda, LegendOfZeldaPhantomHourglass, nintendo, phantom hourglass, PhantomHourglass, video, zelda

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

hydralisk456 @ Jun 14th 2007 12:07AM

Looks great, if I didn't want to know what anyone is saying I would import it.

diego @ Jun 14th 2007 12:13AM

It seems like the camera should be pulled back more. You can barely see your surroundings. What if there was an enemy shooting arrows at you from a far. You wouldnt know where to go!

cc123 @ Jun 14th 2007 12:13AM

Hmmm...I might actually buy a DS.

David @ Jun 14th 2007 12:21AM

I agree, the camera is way too close.

NvM @ Jun 14th 2007 12:25AM

I was a little skeptical about the controls at first.
But they look well and I can't wait for this games release.

Pirateinmymind @ Jun 14th 2007 12:42AM

So whats going on on the top screen is that where the map and shit are gonna be.

Qitsyoj @ Jun 14th 2007 1:03AM

Ugh. I hope the next Wii Zelda isn't going to have controls like this. If it does, I know I'm not buying it.

accidental @ Jun 14th 2007 1:19AM

@ diego,
I'm pretty sure the game designers wouldn't put situations in the game where the amount of action viewable on screen was a hindrance. That makes no sense.
For example the situation you used was that an enemy firing arrows at you was off screen... simple: they wouldn't put an enemy firing arrows at you off screen. At least not without a proper way of dealing with it.

I think the controls look fantastic, seems a lot like Animal Crossing Wild World controls, which work great IMO.
The new point of view coupled with the control scheme will allow for some amazing new puzzles.
Mmmmm... Zelda puzzles...

BPM @ Jun 14th 2007 1:24AM

Pirateinmymind:
At least in previous demos shown, yes, the top screen was used for the map and status stuff. You could also pull down the map at any time to mark it with your own notes.

REUYL @ Jun 14th 2007 1:26AM

Holy crap, that camera is close.

tehpyro @ Jun 14th 2007 1:32AM

I really hope I'm not tied to using the damn stylus for everything. I'd rather not use it at all for a game like that. I love nintendo for their innovative controls but sometimes it's a little too much.

Maratu @ Jun 14th 2007 1:38AM

I'll bet that's not really how close the camera is. It might be from the video being the way it is, plus our eyes won't be glued that close to the screen anyway. I'm sure it will be quite better than that, in the very least, not so zoomed in.

bounchfx @ Jun 14th 2007 1:40AM

after playing it I loved the controls. they work great. graphics are awesome too.

diego @ Jun 14th 2007 12:46PM

If "A link to the Past" is mimicked in terms of camera positioning, itll be all good. (4 times the visibility shown in these videos) But if it stays that close,.....woah...thats going to feel very awkward!

John H. @ Jun 14th 2007 2:57AM

Ah, seeing the Wind Waker Link again... awesome.

Purple Haze @ Jun 14th 2007 3:29AM

The boomerang and sword controls look good, but I'm not sure about the movement controls if you going to be using the stylus for everything else. Mind you it doesnt look like the d-pad would be to good for it.

Matters @ Jun 14th 2007 4:09AM

if you get tired while using the stylus you have some serious issues in the health dept.

Ghost @ Jun 14th 2007 4:45AM

I never know why everyone is bitching about Wind Waker Link, at least he doesn't look like a girl(TP) or the odd/angry/boring OoT Link.

The cell shading lends itself better to the bright atmosphere compared to the dull brown one of TP.

Also the characters just look better.

Finnical @ Jun 14th 2007 7:12AM

accidental:
Probably the single most common complaint about video games (other than just sucking) is that their camera position or control is severely lacking. To say that the game developers would never make that error denies the vast history of that error. Game developers are not gods, they make errors like the rest of us. However, I think your point about them not firing arrows from off-screen is valid; that wouldn't seem appropriate for this type of action.

X_Arre @ Jun 14th 2007 7:42AM

Tat looks great, but I hope you can still move/swing your sword with the buttons :/

robh @ Jun 14th 2007 8:29AM

I'm loving this (surprisingly). All will be confirmed/denied when I actually play, but it looks decent so far. Love the graphics, but ya, the camera is a little close, but remember, the DS screen is pretty small. May look ok.

Anam @ Jun 14th 2007 10:55AM

This looks very good, though I'm worried about sword slashing. If both movement and slashing are done with the stylus, it seems like sometimes you would mean to do one but accidentally do the other. But everything else looks great.

Also, I agree with Ghost. Wind Waker was the best looking of all the Zelda games.

AmishPhysicist @ Jun 14th 2007 12:25PM

About the arrows coming in from off screen, the new paper mario game for the wii does crap like that all the time and it really sucks. Hammer brothers randomly spam hammering your grill.

Here's to hoping that they have a little more foresight with this one.

Also, what's with the framerate drop when link does the spin attack on four enemies? Was that just the flash player?