The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: SPIRIT TRACKS

Today, the Legend of Zelda has trains! But, seriously, today, we'll be covering Spirit Tracks, a game set roughly a hundred years after Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass, on a new continent where Toon Link and Tetra's descendants have built a brand new Hyrule, and have apparently gone through enough of an industrial revolution to have constructed trains. The story follows a new Link and his best friend Zelda after her soul is ripped from her body by her advisor, secretly plotting to resurrect a demon named Malladus (Not Ganon, but really might as well be).

Toon Link is our main character, armed with such standard weapons as his sword, his shield, his bow and arrows, his boomerang, and his bombs, as well as a fan that summons whirlwinds, a whip, the sand wand that creates blocks of sand as platforms, and a flute that summons fairies, heals, and reveals hidden items. As a train engineer in training, he also has a train at his disposal, which can come with a cannon and a passenger or freight car, and a drill in the front for certain engines. You can also catch things with a net from the train, so . . . there's that.

This game's version of Zelda acts as Link's constant companion, giving the pair one of the most distinctly close relationships of the series (and making her one of my favorites after Tetra and Wild Zelda). She spends most of the game as a ghost, able to possess the phantom suits of armor seen in the Tower of Spirits. This phantom comes with a sword and shield, can walk through lava, can carry a torch, can warp around, and can become a wrecking ball. She also sings and gives Link the spirit flute.

As for our secondary characters, the most important here is Alfonzo, Link's instructor as an engineer (an obvious contender to take on all the train-related stuff seen above, but he is also shown to use a sword at one point). There is also Anjean, your mentor of sorts at the Tower of Spirits, and Niko, your father figure. A descendant of Linebeck and, I assume Jolene, shows up running a store as Linebeck III, and the Anouki and Gorons pop up here and there.

This game has three core villains. Chancellor Cole is Zelda's advisor secretly working to revive the demon Malladus using Zelda's body, but when Zelda gets her body back, Malladus uses Cole's body instead. Cole on his own can float, cast dark spells, and summon lightning bugs. Malladus can fire laser beams, summon a destruction orb, and fire meteor breath. Honestly, probably going to combine them. Byrne is a warrior acting as Cole's enforcer and the former pupil of Anjean. He has a clawed gauntlet he can slash with, extend out a ways, and shield with, and he can also fire off a stunning blast, lunge, and jump around.

Our bosses include a giant beetle called Stagnox, a being of fire and ice called Fraaz, a large tentacle-y monster called Phytops, a fiery stone statue called Cragma, and a living skeleton-tank thing called Skeldritch. The mini-bosses include a Mothula, a rock Tektite called Rocktite, a Geozard, a big Moblin called Big Blin, a whip-wielding enemy called Snapper, a fire tortoise called Heatoise, and a Dark Link.

Our returning enemies include Chuchus, Crows, Tektites, Armos, Wolfos, Miniblins, Deku Babas, Like Likes, Keese, Stalfos, Bubbles, Bulblins, Wallmasters, Octoroks, Skulltulas, and Gyorgs. Some new enemies include Enemy Trains that try to ram you, spiky Goomba things called Spinuts, enemies that throw projectiles from behind cover called Lobarriers, blobby projectile shooters called Octives, and ghosts called Nocturns.

Much like the game's prequels with boats, you spend a lot of time on your train, traveling from place to place. Naturally the Spirit Train itself then makes for a strong stage, as Smash has already agreed, as well as the Demon Train controlled by Cole and Malladus. The Tower of Spirits plays a similar role to the Temple of the Ocean King as well, except that here Zelda plays an essential role throughout it. Each area is divided into realms, with the Forest Realm housing Hyrule Castle, Link's home of Aboda Village, and the Forest Temple, the Snow Realm housing the Snow Temple, the Ocean Realm housing the Ocean Temple, the Fire Realm housing the Fire Temple, and the Sand Realm housing the Sand Temple. The Dark World is where the final battle takes place.

Here's what we've got so far:

Characters:

Link: sword, shield, bombs, bombchus, boomerang, flute, ember seeds, gale seeds, Pegasus seeds, slingshot, magnetic gloves, power bracelet, Roc's feather, shovel, rod of seasons, switch hook, Harp of Ages, Tune of Echoes, Tune of Currents, Tune of Ages, gust jar, Cane of Pacci, mole mitts, flame lantern, Ocarina of Winds

Toon Link: sword, shield, bow and arrows, boomerang, bombs, bombchu, shovel, hammer, grappling hook, Phantom Hourglass, whirlwind, whip, sand wand, spirit flute, train

Four Links: sword, shield, bow and arrows, boomerang, bombs, Pegasus shoes, Roc's cape, magnetic glove, spark his swords, pull apart, pick up and throw, push, push together, Force gems, fire rod, the fire arrows, quake, bombos medallions, hammer, shovel, power bracelet, cannon, box, vertical line, horizontal line.

Zelda: sealing spell, rainbow bridge, stone

Tetra: stone, basic pirate stuff

Toon Zelda: spirit form, possess phantom, sword and shield, walk through lava, carry a torch, warp , wrecking ball, sing, spirit flute.

Ezlo: gust jar, Cane of Pacci, mole mitts, flame lantern, Ocarina of Winds, shrink, grow, elastic mushrooms, updrafts, parachute, magic cap

Linebeck: ship, cannon, salvage arm, anchor, drill, tornado, hide in a box

Oshus/Ciela: true form, teleport, fuse with magic, elements of his temple, safe zones, Phantoms, Phantom Hourglass

Din: dance, seasons

Nayru: sing, harp of ages, echoes tune, currents tune, ages tune,  time portals, fireballs, warp

Ralph: sword, (maybe?) bombs, bombchus, boomerang, flute, ember seeds, gale seeds, Pegasus seeds, slingshot, magnetic gloves, power bracelet, Roc's feather, shovel, switch hook

Alfonzo: train, cannon, passenger, freight car, drill, net, sword

Anjean

Jolene: cannons, cutlasses, lunging, blocking

Farore

Impa

Ricky: pouch, leap high, pair of gloves

Moosh: fly

Dimitri: swim

Malon

Talon

Tingle: steal Force gems

Dampe

Maple: broom, crash, potions

Beedle

Goron

Gerudo

Deku Scrub

Minish/Picori: shrink, grow, elastic mushroom, updrafts, parachute

Subrosians: shovels, hammers, boomerangs, warp points, buckets, smelt ore

Tokay: steal, swim

Anouki

Pirate Captain

Great Fairy

Ganon: disappear, trident, energy balls, slam, warp, seal Zelda, lightning

Onox: lightning, cyclones, mace, stomp to make rocks fall, blue flames, dragon form

Veran: possession, ghostly form, summon enemies, dark Links, dark energy balls, fairy, turtle, and spider forms, time warps

Vaati: fly, tentacles, cyclones, lightning balls, colored energy balls, claws, ring of energy balls, stone, teleport, flames, eyeball, dark blob, laser eyes, purple spikes, arms, magic cap

Bellum: swim, hang, tentacles, blobs, pink goop, ghost ship, Bellumbeck, sword, spinning tornado

Cole/Malladus: float, dark spells, lightning bugs, laser beam, destruction orb, meteor breath, possession

Byrne: clawed gauntlet, slash, extend, shield, stunning blast, lunge, jump around

Dark Link: sword, shield, bombs, giant bomb, leap, multiply, fiery floor, icy floor

Twinrova: combine, fly, fire and ice, lava, glaciers

Vire: fireballs, shadow balls, fly, turn into keese

Armos

Hylian Soldiers

Wizzrobes

Deku Scrubs

Buzz Blobs

Darknuts

Keese

Gibdos

Lynels

Moblins

Octoroks

Goriyas

Zoras

Stalfos: scythe

Poes

Dodongo

Gohma

Eyegor

Helmasaur

Helmaroc King

Phantom Ganon

Hinox

Chuchu: spikes

Darknut

Keaton: knives

Phantom: sword, shield

Bulblin

Bosses:

Aquamentus

Dodongo

Mothula

Gohma

Digdogger

Manhandla

Gleeok

Medusa Head

Facade

Agunima

Frypolar

Pumpkin Head

Head Thwomp

Shadow Hag

Eyesoar

Smog

Octogon

Plasmarine

Ramrock

Swoop

Subterror

Smasher

Angler Fish

Dera Zol

Gouen

Dodongo

Gohma

Phantom Ganon

Stone Arrghus

Helmaroc King

Big Poe

Frostare

Giant Chuchu

Gleerok

Mazaal

Giant Octorok

Madderpillar

Blaaz

Cyclok

Crayk

Diabolical Cubus Sisters

Dongorongo

Gleeok

Eox

Eye Plant

Massive Eye

Stagnox

Fraaz

Phytops

Cragma

Skeldritch

Rocktite

Big Blin

Snapper

Heatoise

Stages:

Eastern Coast

Eyeglass Lake

Goron Mountain

Graveyard

Horon Village

Lost Woods

Moblin's Keep

Mt. Cucco

Natzu Prairie

Samasa Desert

Spool Swamp

Sunken City

Tarm Ruins

Woods of Winter

Temple Remains

Subrosia

Temple of Seasons

Gnarled Root Dungeon

Snake's Remains

Poison Moth's Lair

Dancing Dragon Dungeon

Unicorn's Cave

Ancient Ruins

Explorer's Crypt

Sword & Shield Maze

Onox's Castle

Labrynna

Cheval's Tomb

Crescent Island

Eyeglass Island Library

Fairies' Woods

Forest of Time

Jabu-Jabu's Shrine

Lynna City

Nuun Highlands

Rolling Ridge

Sea of Storms

Symmetry City

Talus Peaks

Yoll Graveyard

Zora Seas

Ambi's Palace

Coast of No Return

Deku Forest

Sea of No Return

Black Tower

Spirit's Grave

Wing Dungeon

Moonlit Grotto

Skull Dungeon

Crown Dungeon

Mermaid's Cave

Jabu-Jabu's Belly

Ancient Tomb

Room of Rites

Chamber of Insight

Sea of Trees

Talus Cave

Death Mountain

Palace of Winds

Lake Hylia

Cave of No Return

Hyrule Castle

The Coast

Village of the Blue Maiden

Eastern Temple

Death Mountain Foothills

Mountain Path

Tower of Flames

Field

Swamp

Lost Woods

Kakariko Village

Temple of Darkness

Desert of Doubt

Desert Temple

Pyramid

Frozen Hyrule

Ice Temple

Tower of Winds

Realm of the Heavens

Dark Cloud

Palace of Winds

Minish Woods

Trilby Highlands

Mount Crenel

Castor Wilds

Royal Crypt

Cloud Tops

Deep Wood Shrine

Cave of Flame

Fortress of Winds

Temple of Droplets

Mercay Island,

Temple of the Ocean King

Tetra's ship

Ghost Ship

S.S. Linebeck

Temple of Fire

Temple of Wind

Temple of Courage

Goron Temple

Temple of Ice

Mutoh's Temple

Spirit Train

Demon Train

Tower of Spirits

Forest Realm

Aboda Village

Forest Temple

Snow Realm

Snow Temple

Ocean Realm

Ocean Temple

Fire Realm

Fire Temple

Sand Realm

Sand Temple

The Dark World

Thanks for reading! Next up, more of a sequel to A Link to the Past.