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GDC09: Train your eyes on 'The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks'
Zelda more like Celda news now, with the return of Nintendo's favorite saucer-eyed adventurer in a new DS game. According to some very brief footage shown during Nintendo GDC 2009 keynote, The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (tentative title) sees cel-shaded Link ditching boats and single-horsepower vehicles for a train. Considering said train is also equipped with a cannon, we think it's safe to call this the franchise's first on-rails shooter.It's due to be released later this year, if you can believe that.%Gallery-48535%
Today's most stylistic video: DS Zelda controls
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.
Japan's Zelda: Phantom Hourglass commercials
Ready for the return of Celda? As the Japanese enjoy Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, the rest of us wait until the nebulous "Holiday 2007" release. Well, you can check out these two new commercials for the game above and after the break. For those not fluent in Japanese, allow us to translate: "You want Nintendo stock to triple by 2008. Zelda is cash cow, drink milk." Yeah, the Hitler translation still wins hands down.
The Shields of Zelda
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/The_Shields_of_Zelda'; If you paid close attention to yesterday's Phantom Hourglass commercials, you might've spotted the lobster design (or is it a crayfish?) on Link's shield. What do you think of the new look? Wind Waker fans should recognize the crustacean shape, as it originally showed up on our hero's pajamas in the GameCube game. Link's shield has been as much a staple of the Zelda series as the adventurer's green cap, deflecting octorok attacks and pushing away charging enemies. Over the past two decades, the defensive device's design has evolved much from its original cross emblem to incorporate Triforces, various winged figures, and decorative accents. We've collected over a dozen of the different layouts that we spotted at The Hylia, leaving out mirror shields and other deviations (e.g. Ordon shield), and have lined them up for you to compare and constrast after the post break. Enjoy!
Okami: before and after cel-shading
Notably the only upcoming PS2 game to feature magical wolves, aggressive painting and beautiful cel-shaded surroundings, Okami has come a long way since its original inception. Dubbed Ohkami, the early version presents quite a different experience to the one currently preparing to hit US shores. A comparison clip over at GameVideos (embedded in the second part of the post) puts the more realistic art style of the old version in stark contrast to the cel-shaded update. It seems that the PS2 was simply not deemed powerful enough to render Clover Studios' original vision and so the shift was made to a different and more feasible art style. It's interesting that the decision marks one of the few occasions where technical limitations actually (and arguably) lead to a more visually striking game. If you had a choice in the matter, would you rather have the realistic (erm, as far as magical wolves go) Okami or the cel-shaded one? Comments from the "Zelda more like Celda" crowd are welcomed, of course. [Thanks Demian!]
