From the article: “This is not your father’s Zelda. Nintendo’s given the decades-old game franchise a retooling in this new adventure for the DS. Everything you do in Phantom Hourglass is controlled through the unit’s touchscreen ’ none of that joystick business.
The new system is simple but brilliant: Green-capped hero Link will walk toward anywhere you tap the stylus. Poke a bad guy and Link will attack him. You can even make notes right on the game’s map, which helps a lot as you explore the spectacular cel-shaded world.”
See also: Infendo’s preview of Phantom Hourglass