The best-reviewed DS games of 2007
Wednesday, December 26th, 2007 at 7:02pm by Blake
According to Metacritic:
- The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
- Ouendan 2
- Planet Puzzle League
- Pokemon Diamond/Pearl
- Contra 4
Phantom Hourglass, while a solid game, is a bit overrated critically. I’d pick a bunch of non-gamer stuff to grace my DS list, like Hotel Dusk, My Word Coach, and Master of Illusion. That’s why the DS is so great — crazy software!
December 26th, 2007 at 10:24 pm
Well, I am in no way a Zelda fan so this list just points out another reason why I have to buy Ouendan 2.
December 26th, 2007 at 11:43 pm
I don’t understand why Infendo has such an infatuation with Metacritic. It’s not the end all be all review site you claim it is.
December 27th, 2007 at 1:23 am
I was wondering how you felt about hourglass. I’d be interested in hearing your thoughts on it further, as I am considering picking it up. Already have Hotel Dusk, but haven’t spent time with it yet. My latest purchase is My Spanish Coach, but I’m not really thinking of that as a game…
December 27th, 2007 at 3:48 am
My takes:
Zelda PH (it just rocks);
Ouendan 2 (funnier than first one);
Puzzle Quest (mind boggling);
Contra 4 (Hardcore gamer to the purest);
Phoenix Trite (herr I mean Wright): T&T (the perfect end for a perfect trilogy).
December 27th, 2007 at 8:19 am
Agreed that Zelda is a bit overrated. It’s the first Zelda game in ages that I just don’t have a whole lot of desire to play through, sadly.
I am, however, loving Contra 4, even if I hate hate hate it at the same time.
December 27th, 2007 at 10:12 am
What, no Puzzle Quest?
December 27th, 2007 at 11:13 am
“I don’t understand why Infendo has such an infatuation with Metacritic. It’s not the end all be all review site you claim it is.”
It’s good food for thought, nothing more.
December 27th, 2007 at 11:38 am
Actually I think Phantom Hourglass is underrated! And I’ll have to check that Ouendan 2, I loved the first.
December 27th, 2007 at 3:43 pm
I’m glad you liked Hotel Dusk, Blake! It sits at the top of my 2007 list along with Contra 4, Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, Ouendan 2, and Pokeman D/P.
December 27th, 2007 at 3:50 pm
“Agreed that Zelda is a bit overrated. It’s the first Zelda game in ages that I just don’t have a whole lot of desire to play through, sadly.” –Andrew-MG
Is that because you’ve had your fill of Zelda - especially since playing Twilight Princess?
PH is my favourite Zelda game along with Wind Waker.
December 27th, 2007 at 4:26 pm
Well, maybe, but the fact that I’ve played like 9 Zelda games in my life, and stopped at this one seems to speak pretty loudly.
I have pretty strong opinions about where the franchise needs to go, but pretty much no one wants to hear them.
December 27th, 2007 at 6:35 pm
lol andrew- I’d be interested in hearing them. My interest fell with TP, and I have some ideas why.
Blake has previously said he thought TP was overrated, which was an idea I fought until it beat me into agreement, and I was concerned about the same problem with hourglass…. so this is useful insight in deciding where to spend my cash.
December 28th, 2007 at 3:24 am
Zelda TP WAS overrated… it didn’t take the series anywhere… just take Okami for example… Most of people think they copied Zelda…
Wrong!! Even if it resemble the lastest outing on Wii (and GC) it features so many more intresting features that makes the gameplay experience much more fresh than Zelda:TP (which is basically the same of OoT).
That said I prefer the last chapter of Zelda on the DS, even if it doesn’t feel a continuum to the WW game, just because it fitted and exploited the DS to its fullest!
December 28th, 2007 at 10:10 am
Basically I feel that Phantom Hourglass is a huge step backwards for the franchise for a few reasons.
1) The control system was fine and didn’t need to be changed. The system did need a change, but the control system wasn’t what needed changing.
2) The basic progression of a Zelda game (start in village, get sword, go to tutorial style dungeon, get access to larger map, go to dungeon, get item, kill boss, rinse repeat) has been done to death. The items you get in a Zelda game (boomerang, bombs, bow & arrow, hookshot) change only insomuch as the order in which you receive them. Nintendo needs to find a way to retell (and expand) upon the traditional Zelda story in a new way that doesn’t necessarily involve a series of large complex dungeons, the same items we’ve always gotten, and a musical instrument of some kind. Maybe expand the combat a bit, or make the game more about exploring the landscape. Take what was done in ICO or Shadow of the Colossus, or Okami, and apply some game design principals to the Zelda franchise. Re-skinning Ocarina of Time and rearranging the overworld does not make a great game anymore - it’s already been done. Twice.
Majora’s Mask and Wind Waker remain my two favorite modern Zelda games thus far because they’ve both done new things with how you progress through the game. Majora only had 4 dungeons, but had a persistent world that felt real, and lots of required and optional side quests. Wind Waker completely changed the over world, and put a more traditional story-arc into the game.
So basically I feel that Phantom Hourglass is a step backwards because Nintendo changed exactly the wrong thing about the game. They tried to make the game more open to new players, but I can’t think of a single way in which the new control system is more intuitive to a D-Pad and face buttons, a control scheme which has been around since 1984.
December 30th, 2007 at 12:32 am
Haha, see? No one cared.
December 30th, 2007 at 12:48 pm
I cared. I wanted a game just like Phantom Hourglass, and I’m loving it. But after this game, I want the kind of changes you are talking about.
December 30th, 2007 at 10:28 pm
When even Nintendo diehards feel that the series is stale and the lead designer, Aonuma, admits he’s bored with making Zeldas, then you’ve certainly got a problem.
Imo, while they were all great, I wish they never released any of the handheld Zeldas (except the first), Four Swords or Twilight Princess and that they finished Wind Waker instead of rushing it out for that Christmas way back then. Let alone Link’s Crossbow Training or Tingles Rupee whatever tf!
I wish that they concentrated on new IPs and new ideas instead if letting the series become so watered down.
December 31st, 2007 at 10:37 am
“that they finished Wind Waker instead of rushing it out for that Christmas way back then.”
Pretty sure wind waker was a spring/summer title.
Even so, I see your point.
January 3rd, 2008 at 5:27 pm
I can’t believe Etrian Odyssey got a measley 76 rating!
THAT’S my DS Game of the Year!
January 7th, 2008 at 7:16 am
Andrew, I meant the original Japanese release.