10 Disappointing Sequels To Iconic Video Games

4. The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass

The Nintendo DS had already sold monstrous numbers when Link made his debut on the handheld system. The character has a solid history of success on Nintendo's portable devices, with the Oracle games, The Minish Cap and Link's Awakening all drawing praise from critics and fans alike.

There was no reason to believe that Phantom Hourglass --released some three years after the DS launched-- would be an underwhelming instalment into the Zelda series, as the gimmick of stylus controls had more than enough time to wear off before the game released in 2007.

A direct sequel to the immense Wind Waker, Phantom Hourglass' repetitive nature and annoying controls made it one of the few Zelda games that fans rarely return to.

Words like 'different', 'quirky' and 'innovative' were thrown around in reviews, and while the clunky control scheme truly was different, it also wasn't all that comfortable or customisable. The use of the stylus to move Link was annoying, especially as there's a perfectly good D-Pad in a far more natural location, and the game's back-tracking made it all the more frustrating.

The charm of the series is present in abundance, but in truth, it's the only thing propping Phantom Hourglass up from relative mediocrity.