It's a bit of a step down for the franchise, but harcore Zelda fans will find plenty to like about Spirit Tracks.
Okay, so Spirit Tracks is no Orcania of Time. But really, what game comes to that level of greatness? If I were compare it to one Zelda game it would probably be Phantom Hourglass, which is both a good and bad thing.
Now, Phantom Hourglass was a great game. It's just Spirit Tracks doesn't innovate much beyond it, which is quite disappointing. The graphics, gameplay, control scheme, and presentation are all exactly the same.
The storyline, however, isn't. The legendary spirit tracks disappear from the world, and Link and Zelda try to get to the bottom of it, facing many foes who want its power. The storyline is interesting, but not the series best.
Like I said, the graphics and gameplay are the same, which will please and displease.
The music has changed since the game's predeccessor. It fits well with the atmosphere, and is very smooth.
The character's are still very likeable, especially new ones like Anjean and Bryan.
After playing The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks for a good 15 hours in the span of a couple of weeks, I came up with this conclusion: while it's certainly not the best Zelda and it doesn't innovate much beyond Phantom Hourglass, Spirit Tracks is a fun and enjoyable installment to an excellent series.
Pros- Classic Zelda gameplay and graphics, nice music, likeable characters
Cons- It's time to innovate a bit, the storyline seems stale