Update 2: You can download the video from our Phantom Hourglass Movies page. Should be a little faster than the official site.

Update: Nintendo has now released a video, which you can watch here. Their server’s getting hammered so we hope to have it uploaded soon. By the looks of things, the game captures all the atmosphere of the 3D Zeldas and melds it with the charm and simplicity of the 2D games, with its own little twists. I’m more excited than I have been in a while.

Phantom Hourglass - Screenshots

Nintendo has released nine new screenshots of the Nintendo DS Zelda title Phantom Hourglass, highlighting the newly-unveiled multiplayer mode. According to the press release, the multiplayer is loosely modelled on the Four Swords formula, as players compete to find the most Force Gems in an area. However, it is more turn-based than Four Swords, and introduces elements of Team Fortress. Each player is a different coloured Link but only one plays at a time. Players will swap between Link and three Phantom Guards and the latter’s objective is to keep Link away from the gems. When a Guard hits Link, players swap and it is up to the other Link to take as many gems back to his base as possible before the process starts over.

As usual, scrutinising the screenshots reveals some interesting details. The Pegasus Boots make a welcome return to the series, though we only know they’ll be availble in multiplayer which should help Link evade the Phantom Guards. Also, Link is blind to the others on the overworld map, but the Phantom Guards can work in tandem to track down their foe, similar to PacMan VS. The Guards themselves are controlled via the map rather than the 3D view used for Link, as one player can control more than one at a time. This enables you to draw complicated paths to block off the enemy using all three of your troops

We should be receiving hands-on impressions over the next couple of days, so we’ll be able to bring more exciting details soon.