The Legend of Zelda (video game)
"The Legend of Zelda" is considered a spiritual forerunner of the modern role-playing video game (RPG) genre. Though it is often not considered part of the genre since it lacked key RPG mechanics such as experience points, it had many features in common with RPGs and served as the template for the action role-playing game genre. The game's fantasy setting, musical style and action-adventure gameplay were adopted by many RPGs. Its commercial success helped lay the groundwork for involved, non-linear games in fantasy settings, such as those found in successful RPGs, including "Crystalis", "Soul Blazer", Square's "Seiken Densetsu" series, "Alundra", and "Brave Fencer Musashi". The popularity of the game also spawned several clones trying to emulate the game.
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
Game Revolution appreciated the game's graphics, and noted that it uses the Nintendo DS's features better than any other game for the console. Praising its "innovative" and "fun" control scheme, GameSpot felt that "Phantom Hourglass" "gives new life to several of the series' age-old concepts". "X-Play" wrote that "Phantom Hourglass" definitely felt like a "The Legend of Zelda" game, calling it another successful video game for the franchise and a "must-have" for anyone that owns a Nintendo DS. "The Onion"s entertainment newspaper "The A.V. Club" remarked that "Phantom Hourglass" exploits the Nintendo DS's touchscreen to the fullest extent in an "imaginative and genuinely fun way". In a perfect 5-star review, "Empire" stated that ""Phantom Hourglass" is one of Nintendo's greatest achievements and a contender for the best handheld adventure in console history."