After reading the hands-on previews of Zelda DS and Star Fox DS at both IGN and Planet Gamecube, I'm becoming somewhat concerned.  For those that don't know, both of these games are currently controlled exclusively with the touch screen.  I personally have no problem with Nintendo implementing full touch screen control as long as normal control is also implemented, but I don't like the idea of being forced to use the touch screen for everything.  One of the great things about Animal Crossing DS is that you can switch back and forth between the two at your leisure.

In the Zelda E3 demo, you actually control the fairy circling link and direct Link to attack my tapping on an enemy.  I'd much rather be able to just walk up and attack myself.  That said, the ability to direct the boomerang with the stylus is quite nice, and I would probably prefer the stylus for that control.  Anyway, I'm personally hoping that Nintendo will offer both normal and touch screen controls for both of these games, but what if they don't?  Thoughts?

I'm more concerned for Zelda DS. Tapping enemies on the screen to have Link attack them is bunk, considering how every single Zelda game has been some sort of an action/adventure/RPG hybrid that has always used real-time combat. I think the touch screen should be used for neat shit like the hookshot and boomerang, and the controls should be left to the d-pad.

I prefer D-pad or analog pad for all movment movement and stylus for certain tactical use of weapons.

I had real trouble playing the demo of Metroid Prime Hunters because you had to tap the touch screen to jump, but the touch screen also had areas where you needed to tap to change weapons or go into morph ball.  Movement controls shouldn't be mixed with inventory controls.

I may even have some gripes over New Super Mario Bros. over its auxiliary power-up in the touch screen.  I doubt they want us to use the stylus to access that while jumping around.  It appears to be a use of the thumb strap.

They probably figure that most gamers aren't as OCD as we are about their screens and expect you to just use your finger.

Probably - the thumb strap has been removed in the Lite version so I guess they reckoned grubby thumbs were a more natural solution.

I definitely share your concerns XLord. The best uses of the touchscreen have been when a game is built around it (Ouendan for example) rather than taking a game that already works as is and changing the control. I really got used to Hunters though and it's totally natural to me now (although cramps still kick in quite quickly). I would prefer a well thought out touchscreen interface over a tradtional setup with tacked-on touchscreen stuff (like Castlevania) anyday.

But I would think Zelda has little need for such an overhaul...

Edit: Although I should say, in terms of control worries, I have serious doubts about Metroid Prime 3. The demo made it look really awkward.

I think Metroid Prime 3's control scheme is going to be less awkward than in Metroid Prime Hunters.  The controls stick and its buttons control all movement control, including jumping.  The remote is all dedicated to shooting and weapon-selection.  There isn't a mixing up of functions, so I think there is going to be less confusion.  The remote is a better pointer for me than the stylus since I can directly point at the object to fire while not worrying about my view.

Especially since 10 to 1 that they'll set the major functions to cater to right-handers. I can NOT control a stylus with my right hand. It'd suck if I can't play a game because of that. Although, considering the DS buttons are on the right side, how exactly DO you right-handers use a stylus and manage to press buttons at the same time if need be, without going into some weird pretzel positioning?

More on Phantom Hourglass via an NP feature:

-Eiji Aonuma says: "My main objective was to develop a Zelda game controlled only with the stlyus."

-NP says: "The good old control pad won't be completely neglected though it may act as a shortcut or a quick-select mechanism of some sort."

-Only one large dungeon; you can only access parts of it at a time, so you continually enter and leave as you get new powers and go back and forth from the dungeon to the field

-Phantom Hourglass (the item in the game) may allow some sort of time manipulation function

-Rescued fairies give Link new abilities

-Developed internally at Nintendo by the Four Swords Adventures team

-Multiplayer mode pits one Link against three Chasers (new super enemy that hunts Link in the dungeon)

This kinda sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. I hope I'm wrong.

guys, - you're talking about NINTENDO - they know what they're doing, no reason to be concerned, seriously.

I'm not sure if you read XLord's whole post or just the word "Nintendo", but there is reason for some concern.

I don't think Four Swords sold particularly well on the Gamecube, so if this is by the same team, I think the game will do as well.

They should give Flagship another opportunity to develop the portable Zelda franchise.  The Minish Cap was pretty decent.

Is that the same studio that did Link's Awakening and the Oracle games? They weren't super traditional, but I liked them a lot. The Roc's Feather was great!

Yeah, I agree. They were excellent Zelda games. This one, well, it sounds like it could be awful but I can't see Nintendo letting a bad Zelda game out. Four Swords was a multiplayer game and served a slightly different market so I think it would prbably be unfair to compare sales. They may well do an excellent job given the right guidance.

These games are two totally different designs by the same team, so I don't think sales will be related.  The reason Four Swords Adventures sold poorly (relatively speaking) was because Nintendo required players to use multiple GBA systems to play the game with more than one person.  The game would have sold a lot better if you could have played multiplayer with NGC controllers.

Incidentally, the one-player mode in Four Swords Adventures was fantastic (think of it as a mission-based Zelda game), but few people tried it because Nintendo marketed the game as a multiplayer experience.  The game is around $20 now, I think.  Pick it up if you haven't already!

Link's Awakening was internal.  Flagship worked on the two Oracle games, the GBA Four Swords, and The Minish Cap.  With the exception of the GBA Four Swords (you know my stance on random dungeons), all of those were excellent.

I honestly had no idea there was a single player game in there. I may just pick it up.

I knew about it, but it never struck me as being a $50 console game (which it was for ages) especially when it was primarily focused on being multi-player and looked like a GBA game (not to say graphics are everything, but this literally didn't look like one of their stronger efforts), with the 1 player game more or less an afterthought. The mechanics of controlling four Links looked like it had potential to be fun, but was still awkward looking.

It's new price is probably indicative of where it should have come out at.

Like some people, I don't see the need for a stylus-only Zelda DS. It's ironic that DS's best games are ones that push the touch screen usage more to a secondary role (minigames, seperate modes). I mean, Kirby's Canvas and Feel the Magic are kind of fun (and Lost Magic is...er, not so good), but will never be on the level of New SMB, Tetris DS, Mario Kart or even Peach.

Some said the exact same thing a while ago on the old boards, yet I still have yet to give the single player a try.

It's settled, I'll pick it up sometime this summer.  I bought the game when it first released, so I may as well try and get my money's worth!

Edit:  Also, a stylus-controlled Zelda game doesn't sound too appetizing to me either, but, like Princess-Isabella said, I trust Nintendo will pull it off.

Agreed about the Oracle games, but I thought Minish Cap was too short to be considered a classic. Mind you, I thoroughly enjoyed it while it lasted, but it felt like what Link to the Past would have been had there been no Dark World. Hopefully the new Zelda will last longer.

I have to agree here. Have faith in Nintendo, stop being so dyed-in-the-wool about this. I, for one, am interested in these developments.