In his keynote speech at GDC, Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata announced a new Zelda title for the Nintendo DS. It will be called Spirit Tracks, and is to be released later this year.
From press release:
The new The Legend of Zelda™: Spirit Tracks game that Iwata announced will utilise the intuitive touch control of Phantom Hourglass in an all new adventure that will please longtime Zelda™ fans while keeping the game accessible to all DS owners. The concept behind this Zelda game includes utilising a steam locomotive to travel around the world, switching Phantom and Link to explore the dungeons, and solving puzzles using new items.
Though I’m not sure what the “Phantom” part at the bottom meant.
We’ve also got screens! As you can see it features the same graphical style as Phantom Hourglass
Looks pretty cool. I wasn’t wild about Phantom Hourglass’s controls but I did enjoy the game. Spirit Tracks seems be along the same vein. To be honest I was scared it was going to be another Link’s Crossbow Training.
I am wondering about the use of trains though. A little strange for a Zelda game to have more recent technology in it.
@Andrew Patrick, I agree on the train bit. It just seems off, in my opinion. The steam boat was a valid extension of Wind Waker’s sailboat, but a train? Since when has that been a part of the Zelda franchise? Apart from the mining carts of the Oracle games.