MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD for The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
When it comes toThe Legend of Zeldafranchise, there isn’t a bad game (except for the second one). Years later, fans still reminisce about some of its best, most populargames likeOcarina of Time, Majora’s Mask, Wind Waker, A Link to the Past, and many others, and it’s a safe bet that many fans will rememberBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdomfor years to come too. Their launches were massive celebrations among the community, with new things being accomplished in both to this day.The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglassdeserves to stand among these titans, but all too often, it ends up being one of the franchise’s more forgotten titles.
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglassis a direct sequel toWind Waker, just asMajora’s Maskis toOcarina of TimeandTears of the Kingdomis toBreath of the Wild. In it, Tetra is kidnapped by a Ghost Ship that sees players attempt her rescue, while being aided by a memory-addled fairy, a mysterious old man who knows more than he lets on at first, and a fabled, yet cowardly sailor named Linebeck. This all ends, of course, with Link saving the day, rescuing Tetra, and defeating a unique threat to the world. It doesn’t retreat Ganondorf’s story, and while it is a classic that’s in nearly every game, this feels like a breath of fresh air compared to some otherZeldagames and their storytelling.
Zelda: Phantom Hourglass is Critically Acclaimed, But Commonly Denied
The simple truth isThe Legend of Zeldafranchise isn’t defined by good games, but genre-defining great games. There are severalLegend of Zeldagames with a higher-than-90 Metascoreon aggregator Metacritic, and, notably,Phantom Hourglassis one of them. It may not compete withOcarina of Time’s 99, but it received critical acclaim and a 90 Metascore, something many DS games and games in general would kill for. It won several Game of the Year/Best of the Year awards for the handheld and in general, and that has only continued to be recognized since. Yet, it still seemingly plays second fiddle in the public consciousness to its other games. It is a giant, standing among even bigger giants, but it is still a giant nonetheless.
No game is perfect, and there is valid criticism ofeveryZeldagame, includingOcarina of TimeandBreath of the Wild/Tears of the Kingdom. There are three areas of gameplay wherePhantom Hourglassreceived noteworthy, understandable criticism. The first is that it is more casual than otherZeldagames, which is true; however, this is something that has only improved the game as it ages. Casual, cozy games have been on the rise for several years, and that’s exactly whatPhantom Hourglassis: it’s a cozy-styledZeldagame. The other two were tied to its ship gameplay, as well as its recurring Master Dungeon.
True enough,Phantom Hourglassrequires players to run through the Temple of the Ocean King multiple times, getting deeper and deeper into it as players unlock new abilities and story developments. Yet many floors get shorter as players improve their skills, while some can be almost immediately bypassed. Learning the skills to get through it and mastering it helps players master exploration in its world; it’s more of a boon than a detriment, even if it’s understandably repetitive. Meanwhile, the ship gameplay inPhantom Hourglassis just as good asWind Waker, if not better. In terms of occupying the player, both games do it well, butPhantom Hourglassedges outWind Waker when it comes to customization of the ship and exploration with it. It never feels like a chore thanks to its smaller scope compared toWind Waker’s overworld map.
The good ofThe Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglassfar outweighs each of these criticisms, putting them at the bottom of the sea in all it has to offer.
The Best Parts of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
This is all to say that plenty of its highlights are known to the greaterLegend of Zeldacommunity, but it is all too often set aside as a “byproduct” of the early, experimental days on DS. What this criticism fails to understand is how it was a perfect experiment of the time that, like many otherZeldagames, has aged well with modern gaming trends. Even those who don’t enjoy the game can acknowledge it’s not just for them, and that can be true of anyZeldagame. Some folkscriticize the open-world elements ofBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdomand wish a dungeon scheme returned in full; these Switch games are fully as experimental as the DS games, receive just as much praise (if more), and play with more core elements of the franchise thanPHdid. Yet,Breath of the Wildand Tears of the Kingdomquickly took to the same circles asOcarina of Time.
Zelda: Phantom Hourglass Deserves All its Flowers
With innovative mechanical and franchise elements, super strong reviews, and few criticisms,Zelda: Phantom Hourglassis just as good as the Switch games, the N64 games, and so forth. Because the franchise is filled with great games, perhaps it can be understandable that it doesn’t rank as high as some of the more instant classics. It can perhaps be seen as an issue of greatness in the overarching franchise. ButZelda: Phantom Hourglassis on par withOcarina of TimeandTear of the Kingdomand should be treated as such; it’s as fun to play in 2024 as it was at release in 2007.
