Zelda Spirit Tracks, a double-edged sword ...

One thing first: My attitude towards this game was rather skeptical because the predecessor indeed was not an overachiever. A successor with the same engine? And even just two years later? That could only go into his pants. Ultimately, this prejudice has however confirmed only limited to happiness.
So we come to the core of the matter ...

the sound:
There is only one word, Zelda precisely. The typical catchy melodies Zelda, of course, again composed by Koij Kondo. For this purpose again the familiar Dungeon soundtracks that provide consistently the right mood.
There is actually not much to complain about.

the chart:
As I said, exactly the same engine as its predecessor. Some character models, such as Link, Niko and Ferro, the looks of the toe to the hairline just like Gonzo, are even completely equal. Also in the dungeons you realize recycling clearly. Some passages appear to the players almost like a déjà vu. Particularly striking in again represented backtracking Temple, the Tower of Spirits, who looks suspiciously similar to the Temple of the Sea King. Those that the cel-shaded look of the wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass negative face, should urgently first audition.
This criticism please do not misunderstand, Spirit Tracks is a completely different game than Phantom Hourglass.
Me only annoys the very similar-looking graphics. At least a revised engine, such as the transition from Ocarina of Time Majora's Mask on, with improved textures and a higher resolution would have been nice.

the game mechanics:
Very classic. Permalink her travels around the world with a top transport, this time a steam engine, gradually turns new ground freely by collecting their rail parts in the Tower of Spirits. Very similar to the charts that have been recovered in Phantom Hourglass in the Temple of the Sea King. This makes it possible to open up the nearest temple and visiting new places. By that, of course existing trains in the rail network, the freedom of movement is particularly limited in the beginning. The train also annoy quickly, because they are repeated too often. In between one times on the way to a new area, only to realize then that one course only somewhere else has to get to any object or a village idiot who hangs out somewhere for advice. Since you can ever roll your eyes, because actually it's Completely restructured clear that you can not penetrate directly to the temple, but you have to go first anyway, to bring in experience why. This is a time simply beastly at the alarm clock. It is becoming more a monotonous adventure flow out ... at least for the upper world. The first course of action in each area always feels somehow equal. The battles with the locomotive that will loosen the go act also very fake and scripted. You do not necessarily testify of great creativity. Later the player loads nothing can explore trains, because there is simply too little to discover. Once again, there is only Heart Container and any parts of the heart, which reduces the side quests to a minimum. Can still remember it how nice it was, in Ocarina of Time or Zelda easy to ride just across the steppe and to look at the world? Gorgeous! This concept of freedom, which once constituted the Zelda series was dropped increasingly in the DS offshoots. Even the gruesome card system from Phantom Hourglass was acquired. Awful, awful.

the dungeon:
The dungeon design is brilliant in Spirit Tracks. It's nice to see that Nintendo has made at least here no compromises, to make the casual gamers right. Criticisms are with so much genius simply in short supply. Negative striking that one can write really the solution of some puzzles.
An Example? In a temple there is a room with four stone tablets on which only says: I am the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th A floor above there then 4 eyes switch at exactly the same positions. N / A? What to do well here?
Another small gripe is that the dungeons are different from the issue here too little. You are not individually and remain therefore not so hang in my memory.
How could they? If the ice temple at 80% of all Lcations looks exactly like the Fire Temple is a damn basically where you grade durchdaddelt be.

the bosses:
Positive. Not only cool insziniert and sometimes not so easy to defeat, but also creative and varied desingt to beat. Kirtik excluded.

The Story:
Also one of the negative aspects of the game, it is, without wanting to reveal too much now, straight through drawn and brought without many turns on the stage. Surprising and funny sequence Twist in vain. Not the end, but not necessarily enjoyable. There is again no Triforce, no Master Sword and no Ganondorf. Whether this is a point of criticism, but everyone must decide for themselves. For this I submit no valuation.

the control:
As in Phantom Hourglass the whole gameplay is controlled with the stylus. Up Start and Select one needs no keys. This works surprisingly well and goes after a certain period of familiarization Completely restructured into flesh and blood. Unfortunately, lasts its time. Before that some difficulties are inevitable. A few inaccuracies provide frustration and also the fact that you start out constantly unintentionally from cliffs to their death plunges does not really help. Mich also annoyed that you can control only the stylus all the items that you find. That is, especially in battles, sometimes just too hectic. A further negative point is the fact that parts are covered by the screen through the stylus and sometimes their own hands, so that you can not see anything ... once I have invented a machine that makes the Stylus and my hand transparent, I call Nintendo at times. Everything about it is also the many Gepuste. Especially the flute is if you play the game on the road, no longer operable, if only the faintest breath of air passes.
Unfortunately, I must confess that my control not quite fit. The actual main reason for this is that it feels as if I had only "secondary" control over Link.
It is no longer so that I control it via an analog stick or a Digi-Cross directly, but it only use the stylus like a point and click "show" where he had to go-out.
Although this is a slight difference, which is extremely important in my opinion, though.

the Conclusion:
The Legend of Zelda - Spirit Tracks makes quite fun, tears due to the hapless game mechanics and the few Seitquests but no one from the stool. Who was good Phantom Hourglass is also in this game have been thrilled, those who could not abgewinnen much the direct predecessor, it should borrow necessarily before. For Zelda fans of the first hour, it is after all a must buy and is willing to keep some funny hours.

Note: When a percentage rating I would probably give the game 86%. I am therefore only comparatively Kritsch, because I see the game, especially with other offshoots of the Zelda series. Would I face Spirit Tracks ordinary action adventure, it would have already earned a 4 star rating. When Zelda offshoot, it is my opinion it is not sooo strong enough.