Don't get too comfy with the "mature" Link in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. Although Nintendo finally satisfied those select group of critics that bashed Wind Waker's "kiddie" design, the company has not discarded cell shaded Link. The little rascal will appear in the DS adventure, The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, a charming and highly anticipated game that'll once again challenge people to navigate the high seas, collect rupees and battle gigantic monsters; this time, using the touch screen.

Unlike previous Zelda adventures, Phantom Hourglass discards traditional d-pad and face button controls for the stylus. To maneuver Link, players draw on the touch screen. For example, to make him walk, gamers tap the screen and Link responds by moving in that direction. To make him slash enemies, tap the bad guys. To perform his classic spin attack, draw a quick circle around him. If they need him to throw something, they poke the desired item and then select a direction. Similarly, players can make Link dig after equipping his shovel and then pointing at the place where they want him to dig.

Expanding on this concept, Link attacks enemies and/or solves puzzles with his boomerang. To use it, gamers draw a path for the weapon to travel, paying close attention to corners and other obstructions. Seeing as how the boomerang will be impeded by various hazards, people will need a steady hand and a good idea of their surroundings in order to be successful.

While the game's map appears on the top screen, it may also be brought down to the bottom screen and drawn on, the goal to make note of various goings on. By using the map as a crib sheet, gamers will be able to remember key pieces of information, especially for some of the more bothersome puzzles. At least this way, players won't have to use pen and paper to copy symbols and keep track of places they've been.

Phantom Hourglass also gives players the opportunity to hop into a boat and do a little sailing. However, instead of dropping players into an enormous ocean and forcing them to find their way (and possibly because the DS lacks the GameCube's processing power), Nintendo keeps things simple by allowing people to plot a course by drawing on the touch screen. Once they do that, the game transitions to an on-rails shooter in which they fire a canon at sea creatures without having to manually steer the ship. Fortunately, they can change directions (and thus, courses) on the fly.

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