Phantom Hourglass gashapon


I'm a cross-platform gamer, but lately I've been playing mostly on my DS Lite. Phantom Hourglass is my first Legend of Zelda game, and I recommend anyone with a DS to try it! I found these Phantom Hourglass gashapon figures at Toys 'R' Us in Vivocity.

It's hard to explain exactly why this game is so much fun to play. I love how natural it is to use the stylus pen to do everything, from running around and swinging your sword at enemies, directing the paths of your arrows, boomerang, exploding rodents, etc, to solving puzzles using the clues you scribble on your maps.

Speaking of DS games, I notice a majority of people playing handhelds on the MRT (our train system in Singapore) are PSP owners. Where is the love for the DS, I ask you?? I saw the reverse in Japan, where guys weren't afraid to be seen playing their DS in public. It's a shame some people back home assume DS games are only for kids or girls.

I'm not knocking PSP owners though, just those who haven't tried any DS games yet decided it's an inferior gaming platform. If you're a gadget person, I understand the appeal of the PSP offering multiple functions (you can watch movies and listen to music on the DS if you want to, by downloading the appropriate homebrew software), but if you're a gamer, casual or hardcore, I suggest giving the DS a shot before you deliver your verdict. :)

Image from Gizmodo

3 comments:

milk said...

The big question is what software is there available for the DS in Singapore? The reason why it's so popular in Japan is because of the multitude of software it has to offer for anyone of any age. There's English drilling software, reading software, kanji practice software, navigation software, manner and etiquette software, stress management software, then top it off with tons of games... I mean you name it, DS has it. Nintendo's managed to take the DS out of video games only and make it useful for daily life. PSP has none of that and that's why it's losing the battle big time in Japan. But in other countries, where handheld video games are just for video games, PSP still is strong.

I'm playing Phantom Hour Glass too right now! Link is a cutie and those gashapon are nice.

Mizu said...

You're right about there being many DS software only in Japanese. Stores here sell mostly English titles, and a few popular Japanese ones like Ouendan, Gyakuten Saiban, etc. But I think it's not so much to do with the games available, just perception of the handheld console on a superficial level.

I don't expect the DS to dominate in other countries like it does in Japan, but I think the DS-to-PSP ratio is way too imbalanced here, from casual observation anyway. ^^;

Online polls usually approximate 50-50 for PSP or DS, which sounds fair to me. I do know many people who change their minds after trying a DS out, because cute game design need not mean a game only for kids. Likewise, great graphics on the PSP do not always mean great entertainment. My boyfriend has a PSP gathering dust at the moment because of the lack of a continual supply of good games.

Thanks for providing your view Nat. Have fun with Phantom Hourglass! ^^

Anonymous said...

Have you heard about GlideTV Navigator for PS3?