Zodi Plays: The Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks (Choo Choo Chosen One)

[LaZodiac]

A note that you should probably look at that pond of water in the top-left of Anouki village. There's a thing there, now that you've cleared Snow Temple, IIRC. Also 6 Rabbits is enough for the first Rabbitland Rescue prize (you need 5).

Also, I know you wanted to gather collectibles, but I do think the intended route to get bridgebuilder was back through Spirit Tower. Would have shaved off a lot of distance. And I am 99% sure (and what I can read on the internet supports this) that you can take passengers through the Tower. Doesn't help you now, but...

So, passenger mechanics: Your passengers have 3 moods, displayed above the car. Happy, neutral, sad. If you make a mistake (or let the train get hit), the mood goes down 1. If you follow the signs, the mood goes up 1. If it goes down one at red/sad, only then will the passenger exit, yell at you, and walk back to the start (...even if the end is closer). The mood matters zero for what happens at the final destination. So... as long as you ain't at red, feel free to slam on the breaks at the station.

The nice things about gates is you can choose which way you can go when you come out, and you'll auto-flip that way. (For marking, I might suggest marking them down in letter sets, rather than drawings. But, whatever helps you remember.)

I've got more to comment on re: Linebeck III and some interesting things about this quest that I found during my experiences... but those can wait until we've actually finished up here.

But, just to note, your Writeup says the Ring is sold to Linebeck to procure the money - it is not. It is worth that much, and he intends to sell it himself to gather up the dough.

Some very good advice from our resident rail tracer. Thanks DataNinja! I'll keep that all in mind.

Also I'm not gonna like I checked out on what Linebeck the Third was saying after a certain point. Recording videos after work is hard.

[DataNinja]

Some very good advice from our resident rail tracer. Thanks DataNinja! I'll keep that all in mind.

Also I'm not gonna like I checked out on what Linebeck the Third was saying after a certain point. Recording videos after work is hard.

Oh, also, if you sit on a gate, you can just blow the whistle and you'll go back in it. So, if you're being chased, or just need to turn around on a straightaway or something, you can do so. Pretty sure it also resets the dark train positions, though can't recall if any gates are on Dark Train tracks.

...and, yeah, fair. He really doesn't have much of value to say anyways. And he has even less redeeming values than you think. But... we'll burn that bridge when we get there. (Metaphorically.)

[LaZodiac]

Time for a long one today. Hope you're ready!

Zodi Plays: The Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks [13] There and Back Again

Video Length: 42:01

In this episode, we finally pay off the bridge debt, but not before making Linebeck the Third our... less than altruistic ally, and gaining access to the ability to customize our train! As well as buy train parts, by trading him large amounts of treasure. Now, when I originally played this game I uh... barely got ANY treasure and as such basically got nothing. I'll be doing my best to get all the pieces since it's actually fairly viable to do so in this game, but we'll see how that goes. Like with Phantom Hourglass, I don't make any real promises.

More importantly, we finally get access to the Ocean Realm! And in doing so we get access to one village that is entirely without purpose in almost every single regard, and also the Ocean Sanctuary where Carben hangs out. Unfortunately, after some fooling around, we learn that he ended up NOT kidnapped like the men of the village, but instead hanging out with some birds. I don't know why they made us go through all this when we could have just found him on our first visit to the town, but so it goes. Lotta busy work in this one folks.

We do have something interesting happen; An oddity for a game about a train, but we're attacked by pirates! A veritable swarm of miniblins attack, followed by one massive, hp sponge of an ******* in the Big Blin. If any enemy gets close enough to Carben during this, and manages to get him in a cage, it's an explicit game over! Which uh... is bad, except for the part that this is actually fairly easy. And with the pirates all slain, we can finally perform our awful awful flute time with Carben to reveal the rest of the Ocean Spirit Track, which we do. Not before getting a taste of how miserable it is to play a flute song with notes that aren't all lined up together of course, but still...

And with that, this extra long episode is done. I could have probably cut it in the middle somewhere, but I felt it worked better like this. Hope you all enjoyed, take care, and happy holidays.

[TheWombatOfDoom]

Spoiler: Zodi's Trains of Thought (8)

Show

All board, it's time for another Spirit Tracks.

Zodi Plays: The Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks [8] Ferrus Boiler's Day Off

Video Length: 22:58

In this episode, we discover- unsurprisingly- that the path to the Snow Temple is obscured by a horrible magic blizzard. The Anouki let us know that a youth who researches the Spirit Tracks likely knows how to get through it. We check out his home at the Wellspring Station, and find he's gone to take photos of the Dark Trains. After some futzing around on the tracks looking for him, we find the guy and learn how to get through to the Snow Temple. We then do so.

Yeah not a very eventful episode. This happens sometimes. Hope you all enjoyed though, I'll see you all next time!

+1 Style Point for the pun. I love it.

Ah, finding the path forward. I would have probably tried brute forcing it. I'm assuming the paths are always different?

---

EPISODE 8 KILL TALLY!

Ice Chuchu - 1
White Wolfos - 4
Sir Frosty - 14

Style Points - 1

Missed Rupees - 0 (x8 combo!)

---

Spirit Tracks
Total Kills
(As of Episode 8)

Spoiler

Show

Bubbles - 4
Bulbos - 6
Crows - 1
Geozard - 1
Keese - 7
Miniblins, Mounted - 3
Rats - 4
Phantoms - 2
Sir Frosty - 14
Snurgle - 1
Wolfos, White - 12

Bugs
Bee Hives - 3
Mothula, Winged - 1
Blastworms - 22
Vengas - 7
Stagnox - 1

Chuchus
Chuchu, Red - 12
Chuchus, Ice - 6

Molds
Rocktite - 1
Skultula - 4

Spinenuts
Spinenuts, Red - 26
Spinenuts, Green - 1

Total Things Dead - 101

1st Place - Red Spinenuts, at 26!
2nd Place - Blastworms, at 22!
3rd Place - Sir Frosty, at 14!

Total Style Points - 3

Total Missed Rupees - 0
Total Lost Rupees - 0

[enderlord99]

I'm assuming the paths are always different?

Nope. It's always the exact same path, but it won't actually work until you talk to Ferrus.

[TheWombatOfDoom]

Spoiler: Zodi's Trains of Thought (9)

Show

This feels like a fine morning for a Zelda.

Zodi Plays: The Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks [9] Fraaz

Video Length: 28:31

In this exciting episode, we take on the Snow Temple! And while I don't really mention it in video since I'm just having a lot of fun with it, this dungeon is a wonderful example of iterative puzzle design! Now, there's really only the one critical path, no variety in what ways you CAN do the temple, but all the puzzles build off each other in a really interesting way. We've got the bells we need to collect, done through a series of ice pushing puzzles. We've got the fire and ice flame torches, interactable with the dungeon item; our fancy new boomerang. We've got increasingly harder challenges WITH those torches, culminating in a challenge were we've gotta hit multiple torches with different elements all at once, while staying within the length limit of the boomerang. It's all really cool!

Made even cooler by two facts. Firstly, the Whirlwind fan is still relevant for much of the dungeon! That's cool, and a little rare for this series. Secondly, the boss also uses those same mechanics the dungeon used. Fraaz requires being hit, sometimes multiple times, with the opposite element to whatever one he's currently preparing to spit out. It's a hectic, troublesome boss fight but it's one that really feels like a capstone to what the dungeon has been making you do in general. The Forest Temple kinda has that as well, with blowing the bomb larva at it and stuff, but it doesn't' quite have the same feel.

With Fraaz defeated, the Snow Force Gem is saved and another main line to the Spirit Tower is restored. Another chunk of building snaps into place, and our next destination is clear; next time, we return to the Tower of Spirits to climb it ever further. Hope you all enjoyed, I'll see you all next time.

My favorite temple/dungeons with zelda are ones that are iterative. Which is usually why the last temple is always the best one, but not always...

I think Octive is an octorok, but also is a pun with music since you ring bells in this one.

Eggnog...ew. Sorry, I'm glad you enjoy it! More for you! I just can't stand it...

After last time, I was expecting a bomb as the item...but boomerang works! Of course it leads to problematic moments where you kill things over pits, and lose your 8 episode streak for rupees. Sad. Maybe next time! Also, you'd think it'd automatically give you rupees over water like it does while on the train or in windwaker, but noooooooooo.

Yo, this bell puzzle thing is really awesome! And the boomerang can melt snow? So cool! I notice that frozen grass gives you nothing when chopped, but if you restore it with fire to normal grass, it starts dropping items. AND you can freeze water? DUDE. This is a great dungeon...

When Fraaz came out as fire and ice puffs, I got Twinrova vibes. The mouse wizard...was not that... Hey wait, Fraaz. That's like Blaaz from Phantom Hourglass!

---

EPISODE 9 KILL TALLY!

Ice Chuchu - 4
Mini Freezard - 1
Octive - 4
Ice Keese - 4
Red Octorok - 4
Fire Keese - 4
White Wolfos - 4
Fraaz - 1

Style Points - 0

Missed Rupees - 2 (combo broken!)

---

Spirit Tracks
Total Kills
(As of Episode 9)

Spoiler

Show

Bubbles - 4
Bulbos - 6
Crows - 1
Fraaz - 1
Freezard, Mini - 1
Geozard - 1
Miniblins, Mounted - 3
Rats - 4
Phantoms - 2
Sir Frosty - 14
Snurgle - 1
Wolfos, White - 16

Bugs
Bee Hives - 3
Mothula, Winged - 1
Blastworms - 22
Vengas - 7
Stagnox - 1

Chuchus
Chuchu, Red - 12
Chuchus, Ice - 10

Keese
Keese - 7
Keese, Ice - 4
Keese, Fire - 4

Molds
Rocktite - 1
Skultula - 4

Octorok
Octorok, Red - 4
Octive - 4

Spinenuts
Spinenuts, Red - 26
Spinenuts, Green - 1

Total Things Dead - 127

1st Place - Red Spinenuts, at 26!
2nd Place - Blastworms, at 22!
3rd Place - Sir Frosty, at 14!

Total Style Points - 3

Total Missed Rupees - 2
Total Lost Rupees - 0

[Qwertystop]

I like that not only did your guess for the pattern to draw work, the game fudged things to let it work. You drew a sideways hourglass, but the pattern was double diamonds.

[LaZodiac]

This is probably the best dungeon in this game. Also yeah Flaaz is like Blaaz, more parallels from Phantom!

Also yes I love cheating the game in ways like that. It rules.

[TheWombatOfDoom]

Spoiler: Zodi's Trains of Thought (10)

Show

Posting this a little earlate because I definitely did not forget to edit this up due to being sick as ****.

Zodi Plays: The Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks [10] Darkness Mechanic

Video Length: 28:19

In this episode, we make our way out of the Snow Temple... after a surprisingly long amount of running around to get around the Dark Trains. How rude of them! We do end up getting a fair amount of rupees and a few bunnies for it though, so it's good. We also make our way over to a friendly face; Beedle and his Shop Ship. This time an airship, and surprisingly hard to dock with. He's more or less the same as he was in Phantom Hourglass, barring a few things we'll get into Later. We buy bombs from him, since in like half the Zelda game's bombs are just an item you stumble across in a store as opposed to being a dungeon item and that feels kinda weird to me.

With that all done we get back to the Tower of Spirits to get into our next chunk of tower... and it's a hell of a chunk! Welcome to awful darkness mechanics that, for the most part, actually make this worse than the Ocean King's Temple. The time limit and the harsh punishment of getting spotted and smacked, the horrifying length and constant repetition, it's all a lot. But is it worse than "here is an entire chunk of floors where you see basically nothing"? That's for you to decide. In my opinion it just barely does, after being reminded of it.

and that's the episode for todaynight. I hope you all enjoyed, I'll see you all next time. After that who knows I've been mainlining cough candies all day I might be dead by next week. I hate being sick. Take care.

Hey! The Ghost Trains can hit each other but not us? That's not fair!

LMAO, you docking with beedle, and then shooting him at the last second was gold. OMG, he just straight up left you. LOL. Ah so Bombs aren't even a dungeon item. They're just purchasable like some other future-past zeldas. This isn't even Beedles only airship!

I like how the Chu just ignores the mailman.

Darkness Tower section is kinda neat, and kinda not.

---

EPISODE 10 KILL TALLY!

Sir Freeze - 14
Crow - 1
Red Chuchu - 4
Bulbo - 1
Bulblin - 1

Style Points - 0

Missed Rupees - 0

---

Spirit Tracks
Total Kills
(As of Episode 10)

Spoiler

Show

Bubbles - 4
Bulbos - 7
Crows - 2
Fraaz - 1
Freezard, Mini - 1
Geozard - 1
Rats - 4
Phantoms - 2
Sir Frosty - 28
Snurgle - 1
Wolfos, White - 16

Blins
Miniblins, Mounted - 3
Bulblin, Archer - 1

Bugs
Bee Hives - 3
Mothula, Winged - 1
Blastworms - 22
Vengas - 7
Stagnox - 1

Chuchus
Chuchu, Red - 16
Chuchus, Ice - 10

Keese
Keese - 7
Keese, Ice - 4
Keese, Fire - 4

Molds
Rocktite - 1
Skultula - 4

Octorok
Octorok, Red - 4
Octive - 4

Spinenuts
Spinenuts, Red - 26
Spinenuts, Green - 1

Total Things Dead - 148

1st Place - Sir Frosty, at 28!
2nd Place - Red Spinenuts, at 26!
3rd Place - Blastworms, at 22!

Total Style Points - 3

Total Missed Rupees - 2
Total Lost Rupees - 0

[LaZodiac]

There are ways to make darkness mechanics work and this is 100% not one of them.

Also yes, the mailman is immune to most enemies. I put the onus on the hat for that one.

Also there are some errors on your kill list. You've got Sir Frosty in the second place despite having more. I'm sure you're just hustling because of the season and such, just wanted to point it out.

[TheWombatOfDoom]

Spoiler: Zodi's Trains of Thought (11)

Show

I'm feeling better, and a Zelda video appears. Funny how these things work.

Zodi Plays: The Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks [11] Take Em All Out

Video Length: 26:17

In this exciting episode, we have a... interesting time slicing our way through the rest of this chunk of the Tower of Spirit, and then get our next rail map. However, we won't be going to the new place juuust yet, we've got some minor clean up to do. Minor clean up that ends up taking up the rest of the video, as these things tend to do. We do some practice fighting with Guard Captain Russel, who as it turns out is another train term since the "Russel Car" is what Japan calls the Wedge Plow. Just a neat thing. We get a heart container from it, and that's the only thing of value this minigame has so we're never touching it again!

Then we do the minigame that names this video; Take Em All Out. Or is it Take Em All On, I literally don't remember anymore being sick sucks folks. Regardless it's a fun little challenge where we fight our way through a ton of enemies. All stuff we've handled before, since this first chamber is basically just all Dungeon 1 enemies. It ends with a boss refight, a rarity in the Zelda series! Our reward is, of course, another Heart Container. Heck yeah.

And that'll be it for today. I hope you all enjoyed. Bit a lowkey episode today, but I was sick it's how these things go. Take care!

Hm, it looks like now that your sword is powered up, you can kill the nocturnes as well!

+1 Style Points for killing a Key Master with a Key. I like how the other two were busy beating up zelda so they didn't bother you and your key blowing shenanigans...

Zelda is confirmed a troll. Want to continue? Oh, we can't, Link. Why would you ask that?

Side questing! Huzzah! (also, the verbalizations of whenever you stamp are charming af) Zodi, you said the spinenuts are all brown...but aren't they supposed to be red? What color are the bubbles clouds? I like these boss rushes. And even more that there's an official listing as to how many each is.

You killed lik 85 enemies this episode! +1 Style Point!

Also, noted your fix for my last tally, and repaired it. Not that Sir Frosty hasn't been bumped out immediately following that for this one. Thanks for the help.

---

EPISODE 11 KILL TALLY!

Nocturne - 5
Key Master - 6
Geozard, Chief - 1
Phantom - 1
Red Spinenut - 13
Red Octorok - 14
Rat - 5
Bubble - 8
Red Chuchu - 10
Blastworm - 15
Keese - 6
Mothula - 2
Stagnox - 1

Style Points - 2

Missed Rupees - 0

---

Spirit Tracks
Total Kills
(As of Episode 11)

Spoiler

Show

Bubbles - 12
Bee Hives - 3
Bulbos - 7
Crows - 2
Fraaz - 1
Freezard, Mini - 1
Key Master - 6
Rats - 9
Sir Frosty - 28
Snurgle - 1
Wolfos, White - 16

Blins
Miniblins, Mounted - 3
Bulblin, Archer - 1

Chuchus
Chuchu, Red - 26
Chuchus, Ice - 10

Keese
Keese - 13
Keese, Ice - 4
Keese, Fire - 4

Lizal
Geozard - 1
Geozard, Chief - 1

Molds
Mothula, Winged - 3
Blastworms - 37
Vengas - 7
Stagnox - 2
Rocktite - 1
Skultula - 4

Octorok
Octorok, Red - 18
Octive - 4

Poes
Nocturne - 5
Phantoms - 3

Spinenuts
Spinenuts, Red - 39
Spinenuts, Green - 1

Total Things Dead - 235

1st Place - Red Spinenuts, at 39!
2nd Place - Blastworms, at 37!
3rd Place - Sir Frosty, at 28!

Total Style Points - 5

Total Missed Rupees - 2
Total Lost Rupees - 0

[DataNinja]

"Here rests the legendary Captain Linebeck." So... this line, it gave me the impression - as I'd not played Phantom Hourglass - that the joke was that Linebeck I was a truly great man, whereas his grandson was a sniveling coward. So, uh, needless to say, I got a little surprised when playing PH second to find out how wrong I was, and the joke was "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree".

The Song of Light is probably my favorite of the little ditties.

So, how the train cars work, IIRC, is that you're only able to see ones that you could purchase? In that, you've had at least some of the treasure for? I think just the Primary treasure the set shares. (Well, the Golden set has some with Alchemy Crystal, some with Regal Ring - which is how you can see it, as you had a brief obtaining of the Ring. And you're seeing the Golden stuff a lot earlier than normal because you got the Crystal in Prize Postcards.) It's not random per-day, though, I do recall that much. (My vote is for the Skull set, personally, too. It's the one I used most, and is super cool.)

Also, you do have a passenger car. How else would you get the bridge worker over?

Can confirm, you don't need all other parts for Golden ones. There are several pieces of others I did not pick up until after because I didn't care for them.

Note that you now have 5 HP. The base cars only give 4, attaching another gives 5, and having a full set gives 6.

Spoiler

Show

Except for the Golden Train. Which I think is 6 and 8 instead. Been awhile though, so not sure of actual numbers. I know it's a bigger maximum, though.

You can trade cars either at Linebeck's or going to Alfonzo's in Aboda village (where you do still have a stamp to get).

Dolphins are an occurrence that happens in the Ocean Realm. If you keep blowing their whistle, they'll jump, and'll repair you hearts, several times until they leave. They flee if you shoot them, though.

Spirit Tracks basically always has bomb flowers in mandatory parts. Bomb bag makes things easier, and lets you get bonuses, but I never think it's absolutely necessary. (Also, I think they might have expected you to whirlwind the bombs over the gap?)

Note that the song of birds works also on Cuccos, IIRC.

Neat little touch about Big Blin: He's wearing a pirate necklace.

Force gems don't get put in stargates, no. You cannot manually activate them (because many will lead to places you cannot yet go.) The activation gem will always be on the gate that will be when you have access to both sets of tracks.

Yeah, the spirit songs can be... finnicky. The only one I ever had real issues with is the next one, but... they can be bad, yeah.

Spoiler: Wascally Wabbits

Show

Rabbit	Location
1	West of Anouki Village
2	East of Anouki Village
3	Northwest of Snow Maze
4	Northeast of Snow Maze
5	Southwest of Snow Maze
6	West of Hyrule Castle
7	South of Rabbitland Rescue

Hey! The Ghost Trains can hit each other but not us? That's not fair!

Yeah, they just hit each other, and then both spin around their tops to face the other way. It's actually pretty funny to watch.

[LaZodiac]

Hm, it looks like now that your sword is powered up, you can kill the nocturnes as well!

+1 Style Points for killing a Key Master with a Key. I like how the other two were busy beating up zelda so they didn't bother you and your key blowing shenanigans...

Zelda is confirmed a troll. Want to continue? Oh, we can't, Link. Why would you ask that?

Side questing! Huzzah! (also, the verbalizations of whenever you stamp are charming af) Zodi, you said the spinenuts are all brown...but aren't they supposed to be red? What color are the bubbles clouds? I like these boss rushes. And even more that there's an official listing as to how many each is.

Also, noted your fix for my last tally, and repaired it. Not that Sir Frosty hasn't been bumped out immediately following that for this one.

---

EPISODE 11 KILL TALLY!

Nocturne - 5
Key Master - 6
Geozard, Chief - 1
Phantom - 1
Red Spinenut - 13
Red Octorok - 14
Rat - 5
Bubble - 8
Red Chuchu - 10
Blastworm - 15
Keese - 6
Mothula - 2
Stagnox - 1

Style Points - 0

Missed Rupees - 0

---

Spirit Tracks
Total Kills
(As of Episode 11)

Spoiler

Show

Bubbles - 12
Bee Hives - 3
Bulbos - 7
Crows - 2
Fraaz - 1
Freezard, Mini - 1
Key Master - 6
Rats - 9
Sir Frosty - 28
Snurgle - 1
Wolfos, White - 16

Blins
Miniblins, Mounted - 3
Bulblin, Archer - 1

Chuchus
Chuchu, Red - 26
Chuchus, Ice - 10

Keese
Keese - 13
Keese, Ice - 4
Keese, Fire - 4

Lizal
Geozard - 1
Geozard, Chief - 1

Molds
Mothula, Winged - 3
Blastworms - 37
Vengas - 7
Stagnox - 2
Rocktite - 1
Skultula - 4

Octorok
Octorok, Red - 18
Octive - 4

Poes
Nocturne - 5
Phantoms - 3

Spinenuts
Spinenuts, Red - 39
Spinenuts, Green - 1

Total Things Dead - 235

1st Place - Red Spinenuts, at 39!
2nd Place - Blastworms, at 37!
3rd Place - Sir Frosty, at 28!

Total Style Points - 3

Total Missed Rupees - 2
Total Lost Rupees - 0

By your rules they'd be red, but colour wise they are actually brown in colour. The skull clouds are actually purple this time around, and there are no other bubbles in this game but them.

Yeah, you were the guy I was thinking of when I mentioned people being excited for boss refights.

"Here rests the legendary Captain Linebeck." So... this line, it gave me the impression - as I'd not played Phantom Hourglass - that the joke was that Linebeck I was a truly great man, whereas his grandson was a sniveling coward. So, uh, needless to say, I got a little surprised when playing PH second to find out how wrong I was, and the joke was "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree".

The Song of Light is probably my favorite of the little ditties.

So, how the train cars work, IIRC, is that you're only able to see ones that you could purchase? In that, you've had at least some of the treasure for? I think just the Primary treasure the set shares. (Well, the Golden set has some with Alchemy Crystal, some with Regal Ring - which is how you can see it, as you had a brief obtaining of the Ring. And you're seeing the Golden stuff a lot earlier than normal because you got the Crystal in Prize Postcards.) It's not random per-day, though, I do recall that much. (My vote is for the Skull set, personally, too. It's the one I used most, and is super cool.)

Also, you do have a passenger car. How else would you get the bridge worker over?

Can confirm, you don't need all other parts for Golden ones. There are several pieces of others I did not pick up until after because I didn't care for them.

Note that you now have 5 HP. The base cars only give 4, attaching another gives 5, and having a full set gives 6.

Spoiler

Show

Except for the Golden Train. Which I think is 6 and 8 instead. Been awhile though, so not sure of actual numbers. I know it's a bigger maximum, though.

You can trade cars either at Linebeck's or going to Alfonzo's in Aboda village (where you do still have a stamp to get).

Dolphins are an occurrence that happens in the Ocean Realm. If you keep blowing their whistle, they'll jump, and'll repair you hearts, several times until they leave. They flee if you shoot them, though.

Spirit Tracks basically always has bomb flowers in mandatory parts. Bomb bag makes things easier, and lets you get bonuses, but I never think it's absolutely necessary. (Also, I think they might have expected you to whirlwind the bombs over the gap?)

Note that the song of birds works also on Cuccos, IIRC.

Neat little touch about Big Blin: He's wearing a pirate necklace.

Force gems don't get put in stargates, no. You cannot manually activate them (because many will lead to places you cannot yet go.) The activation gem will always be on the gate that will be when you have access to both sets of tracks.

Yeah, the spirit songs can be... finnicky. The only one I ever had real issues with is the next one, but... they can be bad, yeah.

Spoiler: Wascally Wabbits

Show

Rabbit	Location
1	West of Anouki Village
2	East of Anouki Village
3	Northwest of Snow Maze
4	Northeast of Snow Maze
5	Southwest of Snow Maze
6	West of Hyrule Castle
7	South of Rabbitland Rescue

Yeah, they just hit each other, and then both spin around their tops to face the other way. It's actually pretty funny to watch.

I am attempting to get the Skull Engine for a couple of reasons, though I do intend to get them all as said. And thanks for the info on how they actually work, I forgot to do that due to time being a bit more constrained this time of year.

The Big Blin's having pirate necklaces rules, but makes me wish we had the grappling hook again. I loved bopping enemies to steal their stuff! I want more good thief mechanics in games.

Aah, my mistake on the stargates then.

[DataNinja]

I am attempting to get the Skull Engine for a couple of reasons, though I do intend to get them all as said.

Yeah, I stumbled across a cool easter egg it apparently has while trying to check to make sure my memory wasn't wrong on the train part stuff. Not something that I noticed the first time, due to circumstances, but it's neat if it's how it is.

But also it's still the coolest, and people can fight me on that.

[jindra34]

So minor tip on the flute minigame and skipping notes; Touch your tongue to the top of your mouth when you want to make a quick skip. It helps a lot.

[Amechra]

So, three things:

• Oceans are bigger than seas - on Earth, there are tons of seas, but only a few oceans. To confuse things, seas can be part of oceans.
• Apparently movies are a thing in the world of Spirit Tracks? That feels kinda weird to me.
• Everything you need to do to get to the Ocean Temple looks like hot garbage. It was apparently necessary for you to learn two new songs, give two characters rides, solve three puzzles, and fight waves of enemies in an arena.

[DataNinja]

• Everything you need to do to get to the Ocean Temple looks like hot garbage. It was apparently necessary for you to learn two new songs, give two characters rides, solve three puzzles, and fight waves of enemies in an arena.

This is, if I recall correctly, the last field song of the game. Perhaps second last. And... yes, I do think that it could probably have been done in a much more natural way, but I feel like they were trying to introduce as many mechanics as possible so that they could play with them later - after this, a whole lot more sidequests open up, so they need to introduce the idea of passengers, and Force Gems, and all that fun stuff.

It would have been much preferable to not have to go to the sanctuary first... but I know that the reason they did it that way was so there wouldn't be the looming question of "hey, why didn't Carben just... let you past all the puzzles?"

(As an aside, I'm realizing now that I kept forgetting that the Ocean realm is third, not fourth like I kept thinking... even though, yeah, am remembering now that it's three, oops.)

[Amechra]

This is, if I recall correctly, the last field song of the game. Perhaps second last. And... yes, I do think that it could probably have been done in a much more natural way, but I feel like they were trying to introduce as many mechanics as possible so that they could play with them later - after this, a whole lot more sidequests open up, so they need to introduce the idea of passengers, and Force Gems, and all that fun stuff.

It would have been much preferable to not have to go to the sanctuary first... but I know that the reason they did it that way was so there wouldn't be the looming question of "hey, why didn't Carben just... let you past all the puzzles?"

(As an aside, I'm realizing now that I kept forgetting that the Ocean realm is third, not fourth like I kept thinking... even though, yeah, am remembering now that it's three, oops.)

Couldn't they have, I dunno, put the first passenger before the Snow Temple?

[DataNinja]

Couldn't they have, I dunno, put the first passenger before the Snow Temple?

I imagine that the idea was to get one used to first going around by train, and then get used to navigating around the Dark Trains. It probably would have been better to introduce passengers earlier, yes, but I'm guessing they didn't want to introduce the sidequest-enabling material too early.

My guess would be they wanted to restrict what tracks you could unlock, so rather than hide that people wanted stuff done (thus forcing you to either go back and talk to everyone again, or else just... not know they wanted stuff done), they just... didn't introduce the mechanic that would let you fulfil their wishes until they wanted you to be able to start unlocking said track locations. It's definitely... a questionable choice, but I do understand the sort of logic they'd have behind it.

[TheWombatOfDoom]

Spoiler: Zodi's Trains of Thought (12)

Show

Hey, what if we did some more Zelda. That'd be fun right?

Zodi Plays: The Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks [12] Pass-Enger

Video Length: 28:07

In this one, we finally make our way to the bridge to the Ocean Realm... unsurprisingly it is broken and in need of some fixing. Thankfully, the owner of the nearby Trade Store knows exactly who can help us... though of course we already do as well. But it takes the return of a fan beloved character('s grandson) to save the day! Unfortunately this is basically all he does, beyond serving as a shop once this whole mess is dealt with. We'll go over what Linebeck the Third does once he does so.

But yeah, we need to get the bridge builder, and get him we do. It's time for the minigame I thought we had to do with Alfonzo! Transporting passengers requires strict adherence to rail signs, and a general level of competency when it comes to parking the train. I've been trying to practice this, but it appears I forgot you can't emergency break with a passenger because they'll get hurt. Now, I don't actually KNOW what happens if the passenger jumps out of the train and yells a bunch at you, but presumably it makes you restart the minigame? Which is uh... bad, for a number of reasons. Also during this minigame we open up our first star gate, quite conveniently since I had forgotten where the first gate even was!

Unfortunately... it'll take 5000 rupees to get this bridge fixed. And good ole Linebeck the Third has put the bill entirely on our foot. Great. Thankfully, OUR Linebeck left a fun little treasure hunt to find a Regal Ring that will give us the big bucks when sold... to Linebeck, the man who needs to give the money over. This damned monster of a man I just noticed that discrepancy HERE, as I write this. Good lord. I hate Linebeck the third since he's all of the bad qualities of Linebeck without any of the good, or the opportunity to learn those good.

At any rate, with trusty clues in hand we head off to find the buried treasure. Hope you all enjoyed, I'll see you all next time! Take care!

I am quite surprised Linebeck is back...its a shame his successors didn't learn from him, and instead have descended into worse. Go do these things for me, and I'll sit back and wait! Then profit from it! Yeah! And later he drops the bill on us, what an a-hole.

I could tell that skultula is red! But you didn't kill it. Nice! I'm also looking into encroma glasses, so maybe I won't be color deficient in an episode near you!

I regards to the bunnies. You're not looking forward to when they get hard, and you'll pull your HARE out? Eh? EH? ...I'll see myself out.

That anooki or whatever probably wants the guy from the woodcutter village. More transporting!

Interesting, we are going to delve into OUR Linebeck's gravesite. Neat...

---

EPISODE 12 KILL TALLY!

Bulbos - 10
Bulblin, Archer - 6
Skultula - 1
Sir Frosty - 7
Like Like - 2
Like Like, Pot - 1

Style Points - 0

Missed Rupees - 0

---

Spirit Tracks
Total Kills
(As of Episode 12)

Spoiler

Show

Bubbles - 12
Armos - 3
Bee Hives - 3
Bulbos - 17
Crows - 2
Fraaz - 1
Freezard, Mini - 1
Key Master - 6
Rats - 9
Sir Frosty - 35
Snurgle - 1
Wolfos, White - 16

Blins
Miniblins, Mounted - 3
Bulblin, Archer - 8

Chuchus
Chuchu, Red - 26
Chuchus, Ice - 10

Keese
Keese - 13
Keese, Ice - 4
Keese, Fire - 4

Lizal
Geozard - 1
Geozard, Chief - 1

Mimics
Like Like - 2
Like Like, Pot - 1

Molds
Mothula, Winged - 3
Blastworms - 37
Vengas - 7
Stagnox - 2
Rocktite - 1
Skultula - 5

Octorok
Octorok, Red - 18
Octive - 4

Poes
Nocturne - 5
Phantoms - 3

Spinenuts
Spinenuts, Red - 39
Spinenuts, Green - 1

Total Things Dead - 265

1st Place - Red Spinenuts, at 39!
2nd Place - Blastworms, at 37!
3rd Place - Sir Frosty, at 35!

Total Style Points - 5

Total Missed Rupees - 2
Total Lost Rupees - 0

[Amechra]

I imagine that the idea was to get one used to first going around by train, and then get used to navigating around the Dark Trains. It probably would have been better to introduce passengers earlier, yes, but I'm guessing they didn't want to introduce the sidequest-enabling material too early.

My guess would be they wanted to restrict what tracks you could unlock, so rather than hide that people wanted stuff done (thus forcing you to either go back and talk to everyone again, or else just... not know they wanted stuff done), they just... didn't introduce the mechanic that would let you fulfil their wishes until they wanted you to be able to start unlocking said track locations. It's definitely... a questionable choice, but I do understand the sort of logic they'd have behind it.

I honestly feel like they could've cut a gimmick somewhere without losing anything. I'm going to go with "needing to use the microphone for things", because man.

At least it isn't as bad as, say, Lifeline...

[LaZodiac]

Couldn't they have, I dunno, put the first passenger before the Snow Temple?

Hm, if only there was someone who is away from his home that would help us if we brought him home just before the Snow Temple. If oooonly there was SOMEONE.

*stares directly at Ferros*

I honestly feel like they could've cut a gimmick somewhere without losing anything. I'm going to go with "needing to use the microphone for things", because man.

At least it isn't as bad as, say, Lifeline...

You've yet to see the worst song in the game.

[Amechra]

You've yet to see the worst song in the game.

I stand by my statement. I don't care how bad the worst song is, it can't be worse than a PS1-era adventure game where the only way to control the main character is via speech recognition. Count your blessings, Zodi.

[LaZodiac]

I stand by my statement. I don't care how bad the worst song is, it can't be worse than a PS1-era adventure game where the only way to control the main character is via speech recognition. Count your blessings, Zodi.

I mean I was able to beat Hey You Pikachu after about a year, I can't imagine it's THAT difficult... naw, you're probably right.

[TheWombatOfDoom]

Spoiler: Zodi's Trains of Thought (13)

Show

Time for a long one today. Hope you're ready!

Zodi Plays: The Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks [13] There and Back Again

Video Length: 42:01

In this episode, we finally pay off the bridge debt, but not before making Linebeck the Third our... less than altruistic ally, and gaining access to the ability to customize our train! As well as buy train parts, by trading him large amounts of treasure. Now, when I originally played this game I uh... barely got ANY treasure and as such basically got nothing. I'll be doing my best to get all the pieces since it's actually fairly viable to do so in this game, but we'll see how that goes. Like with Phantom Hourglass, I don't make any real promises.

More importantly, we finally get access to the Ocean Realm! And in doing so we get access to one village that is entirely without purpose in almost every single regard, and also the Ocean Sanctuary where Carben hangs out. Unfortunately, after some fooling around, we learn that he ended up NOT kidnapped like the men of the village, but instead hanging out with some birds. I don't know why they made us go through all this when we could have just found him on our first visit to the town, but so it goes. Lotta busy work in this one folks.

We do have something interesting happen; An oddity for a game about a train, but we're attacked by pirates! A veritable swarm of miniblins attack, followed by one massive, hp sponge of an ******* in the Big Blin. If any enemy gets close enough to Carben during this, and manages to get him in a cage, it's an explicit game over! Which uh... is bad, except for the part that this is actually fairly easy. And with the pirates all slain, we can finally perform our awful awful flute time with Carben to reveal the rest of the Ocean Spirit Track, which we do. Not before getting a taste of how miserable it is to play a flute song with notes that aren't all lined up together of course, but still...

And with that, this extra long episode is done. I could have probably cut it in the middle somewhere, but I felt it worked better like this. Hope you all enjoyed, take care, and happy holidays.

At least the like like didn't steal money or a shield! phew... Hmmm, at Linebeck's grave I think you meant to play the song of discovery, but you played the song of awakening instead...

That's interesting that the game thinks about soft locks for trading. Neat. Also yeah, lore wise that's probably a gift from tetra. Okay, lots of bad maths. The ring is worth 2500 on your menu, but Linebeck is gonna sell it for 8000, and keep THREE thousand for profit, not 2 as you say in the video. Then again, Builder just takes the ring, so no profit. And the Linebeck is bad at maths because he says that its worth nearly double what he owed. 2k off is not nearly. Sorry Linebeck.

Hmmm, do the train parts DO anything, or are they just cosmetic?

Trigger happy Zodi shoots endangered dolphins, coming up on the 6-o-clock news...

Nice you strong-armed a drawing puzzle. Even if it wasn't entirely accurate, it gave it to you anyway. +1 Style Point

Ummm, how do those wheels stay on that trapeze? Pirate set up is a set up... That was FIFTY SEVEN miniblins... Wow, that's some knockback for only half a heart on that Big Blin....

If these songs get any harder, i might have to give style points for actually getting the song.

---

EPISODE 13 KILL TALLY!

Like Like, Pot - 1
Like Like, Chest - 1
Crow - 2
Red Octorok - 11
Lobarrier - 6
Squiddies - 1
Miniblin - 57
Big Blin - 1

Style Points - 1

Missed Rupees - 1

---

Spirit Tracks
Total Kills
(As of Episode 13)

Spoiler

Show

Bubbles - 12
Armos - 3
Bee Hives - 3
Bulbos - 17
Crows - 4
Fraaz - 1
Freezard, Mini - 1
Key Master - 6
Lobarrier - 6
Rats - 9
Sir Frosty - 35
Snurgle - 1
Squiddies - 1
Wolfos, White - 16

Blins
Miniblins - 57
Miniblins, Mounted - 3
Bulblin, Archer - 8
Big Blins - 1

Chuchus
Chuchu, Red - 26
Chuchus, Ice - 10

Keese
Keese - 13
Keese, Ice - 4
Keese, Fire - 4

Lizal
Geozard - 1
Geozard, Chief - 1

Mimics
Like Like - 2
Like Like, Pot - 2
Like Like, Chest - 1

Molds
Mothula, Winged - 3
Blastworms - 37
Vengas - 7
Stagnox - 2
Rocktite - 1
Skultula - 5

Octorok
Octorok, Red - 29
Octive - 4

Poes
Nocturne - 5
Phantoms - 3

Spinenuts
Spinenuts, Red - 39
Spinenuts, Green - 1

Total Things Dead - 345

1st Place - Miniblins, at 57!
2nd Place - Red Spinenuts, at 39!
3rd Place - Blastworms, at 37!

Total Style Points - 6

Total Missed Rupees - 3
Total Lost Rupees - 0

[Amechra]

You know what I just realized? If they swapped the position of the Sanctuary and the village, the whole thing would've flowed much better.

It would've also been really helpful if they had put the bridge builder somewhere else that doesn't require you to do passenger fun times across the whole map if you don't take the star gate. You'd think that the first passenger would have a short ride, but nope!

EDIT: Could be worse - Zelda could have used the passenger mechanics.

[DataNinja]

Hmmm, at Linebeck's grave I think you meant to play the song of discovery, but you played the song of awakening instead...

Hmmm, do the train parts DO anything, or are they just cosmetic?

If these songs get any harder, i might have to give style points for actually getting the song.

There's nothing actually at his grave, IIRC. He hid the stuff elsewhere, as we saw.

As I mentioned before, train parts gives +hearts. Which is helpful. There's no other mechanical difference, though, so you don't sacrifice form for function.

...they get at least one harder.

[Floogal]

So minor tip on the flute minigame and skipping notes; Touch your tongue to the top of your mouth when you want to make a quick skip. It helps a lot.

No, do not do this. Do not interrupt your blowing. My success rate for all the songs skyrocketed after learning to just blow continuously for each song input.

[LaZodiac]

*warbles incoherently* choo choo.

Zodi Plays: The Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks [14] Hell Ocean

Video Length: 21:05

In this episode, we make our way into the ocean realm proper, and learn some uncomfortable truth about how sounds don't actually travel in this universe unless you're visibly looking at where they want them to go! Having to do an entire lap of this area again just t activate the switches that refused to activate the first time around is... very silly, but it allowed us to get a good number of Ocean Rabbits and deal with some nasty enemies, primarily the Cannon Boats. Once we activate the three whistle switches, it's time for some underwater training!

The underwater stuff is, honestly, pretty cool. It's as beautiful as a simple DS game can muster, and honestly has some nice aesthetics... unfortunately the Ocean Octorok's are rude and the torpedo version of our cannon is basically worthless with regards to aiming. It's frustrating, and leads to more than a few sketchy situations here. This is also our first encounter with Armoured Trains and... let's just say it's a bit of a doozy. I may be underselling it a tad.

That done, we get to the Ocean Temple, and head off. Hope you all enjoyed, I'll see you all next time!

[TheWombatOfDoom]

Spoiler: Zodi's Train of Thought (14)

Show

*warbles incoherently* choo choo.

Zodi Plays: The Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks [14] Hell Ocean

Video Length: 21:05

In this episode, we make our way into the ocean realm proper, and learn some uncomfortable truth about how sounds don't actually travel in this universe unless you're visibly looking at where they want them to go! Having to do an entire lap of this area again just t activate the switches that refused to activate the first time around is... very silly, but it allowed us to get a good number of Ocean Rabbits and deal with some nasty enemies, primarily the Cannon Boats. Once we activate the three whistle switches, it's time for some underwater training!

The underwater stuff is, honestly, pretty cool. It's as beautiful as a simple DS game can muster, and honestly has some nice aesthetics... unfortunately the Ocean Octorok's are rude and the torpedo version of our cannon is basically worthless with regards to aiming. It's frustrating, and leads to more than a few sketchy situations here. This is also our first encounter with Armoured Trains and... let's just say it's a bit of a doozy. I may be underselling it a tad.

That done, we get to the Ocean Temple, and head off. Hope you all enjoyed, I'll see you all next time!

Okay, sea stuff is cooler than i expected...

ARG INKED! WRONG DIRECTION! ARMORED TRAIN! Yo, that was a close call. +1 style point, that was amazing. I think you went the wrong way because you were inked... OMG the armored train is coming! AGAIN! +1 style point, you docked backwards in the nick of time!

---

EPISODE 14 KILL TALLY!

Cannon Boats - 9
Octomine - 11
Ocean Octorok - 2

Style Points - 2

Missed Rupees - 0

---

Spirit Tracks
Total Kills
(As of Episode 14)

Spoiler

Show

Bubbles - 12
Armos - 3
Bee Hives - 3
Bulbos - 17
Cannon Boats - 9
Crows - 4
Fraaz - 1
Freezard, Mini - 1
Key Master - 6
Lobarrier - 6
Rats - 9
Sir Frosty - 35
Snurgle - 1
Squiddies - 1
Wolfos, White - 16

Blins
Miniblins - 57
Miniblins, Mounted - 3
Bulblin, Archer - 8
Big Blins - 1

Chuchus
Chuchu, Red - 26
Chuchus, Ice - 10

Keese
Keese - 13
Keese, Ice - 4
Keese, Fire - 4

Lizal
Geozard - 1
Geozard, Chief - 1

Mimics
Like Like - 2
Like Like, Pot - 2
Like Like, Chest - 1

Molds
Mothula, Winged - 3
Blastworms - 37
Vengas - 7
Stagnox - 2
Rocktite - 1
Skultula - 5

Octorok
Octorok, Red - 29
Octorok, Ocean - 2
Octive - 4
Octomine - 11

Poes
Nocturne - 5
Phantoms - 3

Spinenuts
Spinenuts, Red - 39
Spinenuts, Green - 1

Total Things Dead - 367

1st Place - Miniblins, at 57!
2nd Place - Red Spinenuts, at 39!
3rd Place - Blastworms, at 37!

Total Style Points - 8

Total Missed Rupees - 3
Total Lost Rupees - 0