This is exactly what I mean. I don't hate the game, I was just really disappointed with it. I got the exact same feeling when I played Wario Land: Shake It! In my opinion, it's nothing when compared to the original four Wario Land games. It's definitely not a bad game, I just found it to be brutally disappointing.

After I finally decided to restart a game and finally complete Phantom Hourglass this summer after two years I bought the game, I discovered a truly amazing Zelda experience. Sure, some of the swing controls are a bit hard to do (I want to swing horizontally!! I want to roll!! I just want to do one spin attack, not two dammit!!), but the game is really funny and it has a certain charm because of the universe they decided to choose for this game (Wind Waker Link is awesome). There were lots of sidequests too. The story was a bit too simple for a Zelda game though, and that's my only complaint about the game. Oh yeah, maybe difficulty too... but every Zelda games are easy anyway.

The Temple of the Ocean King is really fun to redo when you mark what to do on your map (little numbers help), so I never got lost and I was actually having fun trying to complete it as fast as I could every time I had to go back to it. You really need to use your head, that's all, and after replaying the game after two years, I can say that my brains grew because it was definitely too easy now! xD

So yes, I can't wait to see how this new Hyrule looks like without water and if the game will keep that certain charm that made me love The Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass so much.

Hey, I think Zelda II is a really great Zelda game. Then again I liked PH until I got tired of that recurring dungeon....

Not really excited, no, but i'll definitely be pleased once i pick it up.

I find your taste in games disturbing.

Now as for PH, I didn't like the dead overworld and the piss-poor music, but otherwise it was a good game. It made important strides both in terms of gameplay and narrative. Seriously, the way the main cast is involved in Link's quest, and the way the plot supports the gameplay is very impressive for a Zelda game - even if the main plot itself is rather simple.

Overall I liked PH, and I have high hopes for the sequel.

Phantom Hourglass, for me, was a triumph of interface. Fantastic controls and use of the DS throughout the game.

Plot was a little simple and the music wasn't great, as others have mentioned, but still a very enjoyable portable Zelda.

Hopefully Spirit Tracks will take the best of PH, improve on it and add some new things. I'm pretty excited about it.

Now Helios, I don't really see the progress you're talking about. Because it is a handheld version of a Zelda game, I don't really see how they can improve on the narrative when everything is made simple. Your point about the main cast being involved in Link's quest is weak, have you ever played The Wind Waker? Simple characters at the beginning of the game become important ones, such as Medli and Makar. You needed to use those characters in order to complete certain temples in TWW (and they made the story advance by becoming Sages of those temples, praying to restore the power to ban evil from the Master Sword). It was both unique and sad at the same time, because they would have to dedicate their lives to Link's cause from that point on. In Phantom Hourglass, you do use that little Goron to finish a temple, but the interaction wasn't as important as in previous Zelda games. In PH, it's just rehash of ideas put in a simpler way.

Using a stylus to do everything isn't much of a progress if you want my opinion. It's a different way to play, but it would have work as good, if not better, with traditional controls and we would have been able to see the result of Link's quest the same way.

I'm not saying Phantom Hourglass is bad game, but it didn't revolutionize anything in the franchise. For what it was, it was amusing that's for sure! ;)

I am because I loved PH. It's got great controls, I liked the ocean temple a lot and thought it was made really well and felt fresh, and think the game had a lot of charm. Still I think the music could be better and the other temples could be better as they were quite easy and for a lack of better term, felt like holding your hand while playing. Sadly I don't think the second point will get addressed, more likely they will be even easier. Still I'll enjoy the game.

sorry for the double post

I'm more excited for Golden Sun DS. I love Zelda but i hate the choo choo, i will get a copy anyway.... The whip looks cool.... its a whip right?