For most of 2007, The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass has been the most anticipated game on the DS. As the first incarnation of the legendary Zelda franchise on Nintendo's newest handheld, fans have been wondering just what to expect from Phantom Hourglass. What Phantom Hourglass is, though, is a masterpiece and a title that DS owners need to pick up.

The game opens where Wind Waker left off, with Link and Tetra (a.k.a. Princess Zelda) out at sea. Unfortunately, they are suddenly attacked by a mysterious ghost ship, which makes off with Tetra and knocks Link into the ocean. Washing up on a beach à la Link's Awakening, our hero begins his quest. Paired up with Linebeck, an arrogant, yet lazy ship captain, Link must transverse the seas to find what it takes to defeat the pirate ship and save the day.

The game features only two distinct modes: Adventure Mode, which is the core of the game, and Battle Mode, which is a multiplayer feature. Phantom Hourglass is not only the first DS Zelda, but makes extensive use of the stylus and DS touch screen, which we'll talk about a bit more below. In Zelda tradition, there's enough room for three different save files. Phantom Hourglass frequently uses and relies upon both screens, with the top screen generally used as a map that can be marked up on the bottom touch screen. It's a feature you'll be using frequently to solve puzzles or mark the location of special items.

If you've played a Zelda game before, then you know what to expect: huge boss battles, dungeons filled with all kinds of creative puzzles, etc. The only difference is that as a long-time player of Zelda games, Phantom Hourglass is a much easier game. Obviously, this is because Nintendo is trying to appeal to the broader DS audience. But while things are a little simpler, they're still the same old Zelda, and the game is long enough to provide a challenge.

Phantom Hourglass relies completely on the stylus for movement and action controls. Want to do a spin attack? Draw a circle around Link. Want to pick up a rock? Tap it once to do so, then tap elsewhere on the screen to throw it. Want to throw the boomerang? Select it as your item, then either touch the icon in the top right corner (or hold down a shoulder button), draw the path you want the boomerang to take, and let go. Most of the other face buttons, including the D-pad, are used for quick menu access. Using only the stylus and touch screen for things like action controls makes sense, but using it to move Link around takes some getting used to. It doesn't always register commands like the one to do a somersault, either. I almost wish they would've left the option in to use the D-pad as a way to move Link around.