...Very good. Not as good as Ocarina of Time or Twilight Princess, but it is unique in its own way. The cel-shade graphics are beautiful, and the characters are very expressive. The boss fights are challenging, and the story very interesting. The only bad thing is that you have to sail for way too long at times. But apart from that and trying to find good islands that you went to before and do not show up on your map afterwards, it is pretty close to flawless. The area is large, and there is a lot of things to do and you will want to go back to the islands again and again. Even though it is not as good as TP and OoT, it is better than I had expected.
29 Reviews
What a fantastic game!!
christoffer199215 May 2004
This game is one of the best games i have ever seen. The game is a super member of the Zelda collection!! Buy it!!
The cool with the game is: - Cool story - Cool charaters - Just what a Zelda game shall be!!!!!
The bad is: - It's not so long - Changing the winds direction - Too easy enemys...
But it's cool!! I give it a 9/10.
The cool with the game is: - Cool story - Cool charaters - Just what a Zelda game shall be!!!!!
The bad is: - It's not so long - Changing the winds direction - Too easy enemys...
But it's cool!! I give it a 9/10.
There's Nothing Wrong With a Game This Good
popsodapants25 May 2022
With an amazing soundtrack, awesome plot, great mechanics, so much to explore, and the fact that it's a fantastic step-up to Ocarina of Time (in terms of upgrading), this game is heavily underrated and is one of, if not, the best of the series. It's also straightforward and not as hard to get into as other titles like Majora's Mask or Breath of the Wild, however it still is one of the most interesting Legend of Zelda games. Pretty decent combat and an interesting concept, this game never fails if you're looking for a good GameCube/Wii game to play. Timeless classic.
Really wonderful...
solarisdeschain7 January 2005
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker is the latest entry in the classic saga.
First off, I just want to say...Wow. This game is an experience. Taking place on the ocean instead of the familiar realm of Hyrule, you sail around to several different islands in the course of play.
The sea is huge, a 7 by 7 square grid dotted all over with islands. The story is new, and plays as a loose sequel to Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask. Now I know that would sound kind of stupid, considering that they are all part of a series, and would of course be connected. But its different here. Just watch the opening cinematic.
The game play is wonderful, from sailing and retrieving treasure chests to the familiar Zelda formula, it works on every level.
The graphics are amazing. Never before has Cel-Shaded graphics been done to such an extent. It's really quite wonderful. When you roll, dust flies. Your ship cuts through the water as it sails, and lets not forget the waves and the wind blowing in certain directions.
To go deeper into the story, let me just say that it is a bit of a departure from the earlier editions. This time it is about Link (of course) who sets out with pirates to retake his kidnapped sister, and he is thrown into dark and sinister implications, and has to rise to his destiny. All while trying to get her back. There still isn't voice acting, just words on the screen. Which is good, because no voice acting can't seriously be a con, but terrible voice acting can.
Several new characters and a whole new world to explore recreate the Zelda scene with riveting force. Some may complain that there's too much sailing. They can stick with Serious Sam if they can't sit down that long.
Some may gripe about the cel-shaded graphics. But their best argument tends to be "its stupid." My only problem isn't really a problem. I just with they would have kept something in the game in alignment with the Ocarina of Time. No real bother.
Anyway, I give it a 9.8 out of 10. My second favorite GameCube game. (Just behind Metroid Prime.
First off, I just want to say...Wow. This game is an experience. Taking place on the ocean instead of the familiar realm of Hyrule, you sail around to several different islands in the course of play.
The sea is huge, a 7 by 7 square grid dotted all over with islands. The story is new, and plays as a loose sequel to Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask. Now I know that would sound kind of stupid, considering that they are all part of a series, and would of course be connected. But its different here. Just watch the opening cinematic.
The game play is wonderful, from sailing and retrieving treasure chests to the familiar Zelda formula, it works on every level.
The graphics are amazing. Never before has Cel-Shaded graphics been done to such an extent. It's really quite wonderful. When you roll, dust flies. Your ship cuts through the water as it sails, and lets not forget the waves and the wind blowing in certain directions.
To go deeper into the story, let me just say that it is a bit of a departure from the earlier editions. This time it is about Link (of course) who sets out with pirates to retake his kidnapped sister, and he is thrown into dark and sinister implications, and has to rise to his destiny. All while trying to get her back. There still isn't voice acting, just words on the screen. Which is good, because no voice acting can't seriously be a con, but terrible voice acting can.
Several new characters and a whole new world to explore recreate the Zelda scene with riveting force. Some may complain that there's too much sailing. They can stick with Serious Sam if they can't sit down that long.
Some may gripe about the cel-shaded graphics. But their best argument tends to be "its stupid." My only problem isn't really a problem. I just with they would have kept something in the game in alignment with the Ocarina of Time. No real bother.
Anyway, I give it a 9.8 out of 10. My second favorite GameCube game. (Just behind Metroid Prime.
One of the best videogames of all time.
rosvel921 November 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Tetra is my favorite version of Princess Zelda.
When the King of Red Lions, the boat turned into thr human King of Hyrule touched the Triforce and allowed his wish to be: Let them be kids!
It was a deeply moving lesson about parenthood and mentoring for me. That I will never forget, my future kids will carry on this lesson for generations to come.
I consider Windwaker on the same level as Ocarina of Time, and Majora's Mask. However I would say that somehow Windwaker stylized visuals aged the best. No game has come close to recreating the boat freedom of exploring Island in a map seeking for treasures (closest may be Assassin's Creed Black Flag but even then is distant in that Black Flag only works when in a boat, whereas Windwaker works in and out of boat).
I do see Twilight Princess as inferior to that 3D Zelda trilogy due to preceiving it too safe even if dungeons are on the expected level of the 3D saga. (At review time haven't played any post Twilight Princess Zelda).
When the King of Red Lions, the boat turned into thr human King of Hyrule touched the Triforce and allowed his wish to be: Let them be kids!
It was a deeply moving lesson about parenthood and mentoring for me. That I will never forget, my future kids will carry on this lesson for generations to come.
I consider Windwaker on the same level as Ocarina of Time, and Majora's Mask. However I would say that somehow Windwaker stylized visuals aged the best. No game has come close to recreating the boat freedom of exploring Island in a map seeking for treasures (closest may be Assassin's Creed Black Flag but even then is distant in that Black Flag only works when in a boat, whereas Windwaker works in and out of boat).
I do see Twilight Princess as inferior to that 3D Zelda trilogy due to preceiving it too safe even if dungeons are on the expected level of the 3D saga. (At review time haven't played any post Twilight Princess Zelda).
The Legend steers into a glorious direction
Field7820 April 2015
As a young boy, I played the first three (S)NES installments in the Legend of Zelda series, and was quite hooked by the rich mythology, combat and exploration element in the games. However, not owning a GameBoy or Nintendo 64 made me miss all the installments for those systems, so I was out of the Zelda experience for several years. The Wind Waker was a very welcome re-introduction to the series after all those years of absence, and it actually sparked my interest in Ocarina of Time as well.
Ocarina of Time was the first Zelda game to venture into three-dimensional gaming, and it also employed a very sophisticated narrative that went far beyond the straightforward dungeon-to-dungeon plot that hallmarked the first installments. Wind Waker was not only a revolution in graphics, but it also perfected the level of storytelling in the series. You start out with a nice background story and with young Link, who is embarking on a great adventure on the Great Sea when his little sister is kidnapped, and he is forced to tag along with a bunch of pirates; as the player, you need to find the story by following clues, obtaining objects and talking with other characters. Watching the plot unfold as you play is half the fun, and involves not only puzzle-solving, but also mastering the way of sword combat. It is nice to see how this game continues where Ocarina of Time left off; it uses the known elements of the series, like Link, Zelda, Ganon and the Triforce, and takes it in unexpected directions. For example: how many games take the hero to the big boss' stronghold already in the very beginning? Or skips the obligatory happy end for a more bitter-sweet finale?
The cell-shaded graphics in Wind Waker are the giant leap forward in the series, and showed what the GameCube system was capable of. However, it was also the reason why it was scathingly called 'Celda' after its release, which summarized the view of many who thought the game was much too kid-friendly. There is little denial that the game, with its lush cartoonesque animations and underage hero, caters to a young audience; but let's face it, the rest of the series was targeted at minors too, and weren't we all kids when we were introduced to it? Granted, the game does not look as dark or scary as Ocarina was at times, but that was mainly due to some creepy dungeons, like the one in the graveyard. Perhaps also the limitations in animation made that game seem a bit unpolished and grim, and drew less comparisons to a family-friendly cartoon. Wind Waker also has plenty of tense and dark moments (those hands from the floor and the screaming zombies still freak me out), but the unique selling point is the staggeringly high production value, almost the quality of a hand-drawn Disney feature, making it akin to a interactive cartoon; but at no point did I get the feeling that the mature audience was not taken seriously, because the game keeps the focus on an intricate and adventurous story.
Ocarina of Time introduced a revolutionary targeting system that enabled effective fighting, which has been further perfected for Wind Waker. In Ocarina, the camera would often take an annoying position that didn't quite give the best view of the fight; in Wind Waker, no matter what happens, the camera always shoots the action from an optimal angle, and you can always modify it to your preference. The array of sword moves has been expanded to include combos and rolling moves, which, together with the camera work and awesome graphics, creates fight scenes that would not feel out of place in a Prince of Persia game.
It was a very bold move to introduce a radical change of scenery in this game. The familiar forests, swamps, lakes, fields and deserts have been been replaced by The Great Sea, where isolated islands still contain sparse inhabitants and civilization, so more than ever does the player need to explore and keep a sense of direction. This makes for another epic new element: the sailing; although many fans thought it was long-winded, tedious and uneventful, I found the sailing a great part of the exploration, especially because the game keeps changing the circumstances: day changing to night, sunshine suddenly turning into lightening storms, and the unexpected discoveries on the vast ocean, as well as a couple of nice battles, made the sailing alluring enough. True, sometimes the distances were a bit long and the backdrop a bit monotonous, but backtracking through familiar scenery is also an integral part of the Zelda experience. As with most Zelda games, there comes a point where the player can warp to certain places, which saves precious traveling time, and there are a few locations in the game that bring back pleasant memories to Ocarina.
If there is one point of criticism that I agree with, it is that the game is a bit too short; the main quest is relatively brief, and the number of dungeons a bit meager compared to the amount of terror-filled challenges that Ocarina and Link to the Past offered. But, on the good side, the Great Sea is where most of the sidequests take place, another staple of the series that usually makes up more than half of the playing time.
To conclude, a lot of fans were initially displeased with Wind Waker, but judging by the very positive reviews here on the site, I think it is safe to say that I am not the only one to express his admiration for this little masterpiece. Not that it is necessarily my favorite Zelda game, but it is a great entry anyway that has shaped the series and the face of gaming for years to come.
Ocarina of Time was the first Zelda game to venture into three-dimensional gaming, and it also employed a very sophisticated narrative that went far beyond the straightforward dungeon-to-dungeon plot that hallmarked the first installments. Wind Waker was not only a revolution in graphics, but it also perfected the level of storytelling in the series. You start out with a nice background story and with young Link, who is embarking on a great adventure on the Great Sea when his little sister is kidnapped, and he is forced to tag along with a bunch of pirates; as the player, you need to find the story by following clues, obtaining objects and talking with other characters. Watching the plot unfold as you play is half the fun, and involves not only puzzle-solving, but also mastering the way of sword combat. It is nice to see how this game continues where Ocarina of Time left off; it uses the known elements of the series, like Link, Zelda, Ganon and the Triforce, and takes it in unexpected directions. For example: how many games take the hero to the big boss' stronghold already in the very beginning? Or skips the obligatory happy end for a more bitter-sweet finale?
The cell-shaded graphics in Wind Waker are the giant leap forward in the series, and showed what the GameCube system was capable of. However, it was also the reason why it was scathingly called 'Celda' after its release, which summarized the view of many who thought the game was much too kid-friendly. There is little denial that the game, with its lush cartoonesque animations and underage hero, caters to a young audience; but let's face it, the rest of the series was targeted at minors too, and weren't we all kids when we were introduced to it? Granted, the game does not look as dark or scary as Ocarina was at times, but that was mainly due to some creepy dungeons, like the one in the graveyard. Perhaps also the limitations in animation made that game seem a bit unpolished and grim, and drew less comparisons to a family-friendly cartoon. Wind Waker also has plenty of tense and dark moments (those hands from the floor and the screaming zombies still freak me out), but the unique selling point is the staggeringly high production value, almost the quality of a hand-drawn Disney feature, making it akin to a interactive cartoon; but at no point did I get the feeling that the mature audience was not taken seriously, because the game keeps the focus on an intricate and adventurous story.
Ocarina of Time introduced a revolutionary targeting system that enabled effective fighting, which has been further perfected for Wind Waker. In Ocarina, the camera would often take an annoying position that didn't quite give the best view of the fight; in Wind Waker, no matter what happens, the camera always shoots the action from an optimal angle, and you can always modify it to your preference. The array of sword moves has been expanded to include combos and rolling moves, which, together with the camera work and awesome graphics, creates fight scenes that would not feel out of place in a Prince of Persia game.
It was a very bold move to introduce a radical change of scenery in this game. The familiar forests, swamps, lakes, fields and deserts have been been replaced by The Great Sea, where isolated islands still contain sparse inhabitants and civilization, so more than ever does the player need to explore and keep a sense of direction. This makes for another epic new element: the sailing; although many fans thought it was long-winded, tedious and uneventful, I found the sailing a great part of the exploration, especially because the game keeps changing the circumstances: day changing to night, sunshine suddenly turning into lightening storms, and the unexpected discoveries on the vast ocean, as well as a couple of nice battles, made the sailing alluring enough. True, sometimes the distances were a bit long and the backdrop a bit monotonous, but backtracking through familiar scenery is also an integral part of the Zelda experience. As with most Zelda games, there comes a point where the player can warp to certain places, which saves precious traveling time, and there are a few locations in the game that bring back pleasant memories to Ocarina.
If there is one point of criticism that I agree with, it is that the game is a bit too short; the main quest is relatively brief, and the number of dungeons a bit meager compared to the amount of terror-filled challenges that Ocarina and Link to the Past offered. But, on the good side, the Great Sea is where most of the sidequests take place, another staple of the series that usually makes up more than half of the playing time.
To conclude, a lot of fans were initially displeased with Wind Waker, but judging by the very positive reviews here on the site, I think it is safe to say that I am not the only one to express his admiration for this little masterpiece. Not that it is necessarily my favorite Zelda game, but it is a great entry anyway that has shaped the series and the face of gaming for years to come.
Nevermind the Cartoon Graphics, "The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker" is an incredible game, and delivers one of the deepest, most mature stories in the series!
TedStixonAKAMaximumMadness9 February 2012
Graphics... 10 out of 10 The most controversial thing about this game was the cel-shaded "cartoon" graphics. When they were revealed, fans revolted. Gaming magazines scrutinized it. People started petitions to stop the game's release. We thought it was going to be silly beyond belief. But actually playing the games, the graphics are incredible to behold. The cartoonish look serves as a perfect contrast to the deep, mature storyline (more on that later), and the animation is very smooth and surprisingly detailed. The art direction is also stunning, and has a much more classical fantasy feel than the other games. It was much easier to get "sucked into" the world of this entry than it was with previous games. The visuals were perfect.
Music... 10 out of 10 From covers of classic "Zelda" tunes, to the original pieces of score done for this game, the music was a great blend of nostalgia and sweeping, epic adventure. It complimented the story and visuals perfectly, and really added a lot of depth to the experience. The sound effects were also nice, and the limited "voice acting" added another layer to the dialog sequences.
Controls... 10 out of 10 "Wind Waker" takes what was already a near-perfect control scheme introduced in "Ocarina of Time", and pushes it that one step further. "Wind Waker" delivers one of the most ideal, easy-to-master, yet surprisingly complex control schemes of recent memory. The Gamecube controller was a good design (I'd say it's one of the most "pleasing to hold and use" controllers in gaming history, and was much better on your hands than the X-Box's enormous "melting cinder-block"), and this implemented its layout to perfection.
Story/Plot... 10 out of 10 This entry delivered where "Ocarina of Time" fell short- delivering a truly complex, detailed, fleshed-out story that rivals those of film and television. This is where the game really, truly stands out. The story begins simply, and is a classic "Rescue the damsel in distress" tale early on, but as it progresses, layer after layer is added, and many themes are explored. Who'd have through a game that resembles a Saturday-Morning-Cartoon would have a complex tale about denial, acceptance and loss, and would be able to bring a tear to your eye? This game does just that.
Brief Synopsis... Link, our hero, is a young man living on Outset Island on the vast sea of Hyrule. He lives with his grandmother and sister. On his birthday, while preparing for a coming-of-age ceremony, his young sister is scooped up by an enormous bird, being pursued by a pirate ship. Link is forced to team up with the pirate leader, Tetra, to find his sister, but during his journey, a greater tale will unfold, and Link will find his destiny.
Bottom Line: My personal favorite of the 3D Zelda games, "The Wind Waker" is a masterpiece. Play it!
Music... 10 out of 10 From covers of classic "Zelda" tunes, to the original pieces of score done for this game, the music was a great blend of nostalgia and sweeping, epic adventure. It complimented the story and visuals perfectly, and really added a lot of depth to the experience. The sound effects were also nice, and the limited "voice acting" added another layer to the dialog sequences.
Controls... 10 out of 10 "Wind Waker" takes what was already a near-perfect control scheme introduced in "Ocarina of Time", and pushes it that one step further. "Wind Waker" delivers one of the most ideal, easy-to-master, yet surprisingly complex control schemes of recent memory. The Gamecube controller was a good design (I'd say it's one of the most "pleasing to hold and use" controllers in gaming history, and was much better on your hands than the X-Box's enormous "melting cinder-block"), and this implemented its layout to perfection.
Story/Plot... 10 out of 10 This entry delivered where "Ocarina of Time" fell short- delivering a truly complex, detailed, fleshed-out story that rivals those of film and television. This is where the game really, truly stands out. The story begins simply, and is a classic "Rescue the damsel in distress" tale early on, but as it progresses, layer after layer is added, and many themes are explored. Who'd have through a game that resembles a Saturday-Morning-Cartoon would have a complex tale about denial, acceptance and loss, and would be able to bring a tear to your eye? This game does just that.
Brief Synopsis... Link, our hero, is a young man living on Outset Island on the vast sea of Hyrule. He lives with his grandmother and sister. On his birthday, while preparing for a coming-of-age ceremony, his young sister is scooped up by an enormous bird, being pursued by a pirate ship. Link is forced to team up with the pirate leader, Tetra, to find his sister, but during his journey, a greater tale will unfold, and Link will find his destiny.
Bottom Line: My personal favorite of the 3D Zelda games, "The Wind Waker" is a masterpiece. Play it!
It starts out rather good, but to many side quest type missions near the end drag it down a notch.
Aaron137524 March 2010
This game at first was more enjoyable to me than the later game "Twilight Princess". I happen to actually prefer the cartoon look to Link than the uber realistic one that so many Americans just crave when playing games these days. I was even enjoying this Legend of Zelda more than "Twilight Princess" up to the point where you bring all the power back to the master sword, after that though the game runs on to long with no real big dungeons and to much sailing and looking for treasure. Not to say it was bad at this point, but I have to say it is not to good either. The story is the old familiar one of Link having to begin a quest. Here he is a rather young lad on an island, his sister is soon kidnapped and he is off on an adventure to save her. The real difference here is that you have to sail a world of water to find dungeons and towns and such. This is where this one is the most different of all the Zelda games, it is also the source of much pain as the sailing is really slow even later in the game when you get the ability to warp it is limited to only 8 locations. The dungeons are nice though as none of them take the super long time that the dungeons in Twilight did. The fighting is also nice and fluid unlike the awkward controls I had to deal with in Twilight for the WII. Though I am guessing the controls were less an issue in the Gamecube version of that game. The bosses are rather fun and most of the villains are rather easy to kill in the dungeon. With the exception of the final boss, though that was less difficult and more just a pain to get something angled the right way to hit. I will not say anymore than that otherwise I might spoil the fun that was the hellish last battle. The funny thing is I almost got it right off the bat, but I neglected to strike the final boss in time so I had to do it again and the second time I was not so lucky. The game for some reason is titled after the bizarre wind device Link uses for various reasons rather it be control the direction of the wind, warp, and even make time pass. It is also a pain as you have to go through the same sequences after each use. I am guessing they figured the game was on the short side, so they would pad the thing out using these type sequences that you can not skip and lots and lots of sailing. Thankfully, I have finally won this game though so most likely I will not play it again. If I do it will be years from now when I have forgotten how annoying the game became after the Gale palace.
Link, the Red King, and the open sea...
Foreverisacastironmess12314 July 2016
Warning: Spoilers
You know I really don't hesitate to use the word masterpiece here, and I can assure you I'm not one to whip out the word lightly! It is so damn enormously charming and endlessly fun to play and get into. You get monsters, pirates, bird folk, adorable tiny leaf people, a ghost ship that's a real pain in the ass and a half to track down, a funny talking boat that helps you to explore the sea and haul up endless treasure, and a classically evil dark lord who's far more powerful than you and who laughs in the face of dragons! It's seriously one of the most memorable and satisfying gaming experiences ever. From the moment you are able to move around and hit the pigs until they turn demonic and chase you off the little island you're hooked and the other reviewers that say so are right, you really can't help getting sucked into the world of Wind Waker and falling in love with it, at least I sure couldn't. I love the cell shaded style that it has, I think it makes it, it's gorgeously vibrant and it allowed for a lot more expressionful movement in the faces of the characters than ever before, with the whole story being told without a single real word being spoken, just very expressionful murmuring, and I loved that. And the whole wind conducting and sailing motif is really the heart and soul of it all... Yes the sailing never ends but it gives the game the grand sense of vastness and of exploration that makes it feel like a truly epic adventure, and the at the time 'controversial' cell-shaded style goes together with the big tone and theme of it. The child version of Link is my favourite version of the character, I got Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks initially because of that and they were good games in their own right, if mere shadows of this one. For me it was fun just to explore and do all the side quests and smash the myriad types of Moblins and Chuchus into puffs of purple smoke with your sword! And the boss battles are suitably daunting, my favourite one is the battle against the giant bird, it's so satisfying to crush and conquer with the Skull Hammer the winged beast that swiped your little sister! My one complaint is that it's a bit on the easy side, with only the final extended boss fight against Ganon being genuinely difficult to defeat. It is a bit grindy at points, but that's hardly something to moan about the way I see it, at least it makes you work to progress through it a little. Anyway it's amazingly fun and I'll always love it, as it is a joy and a great classic of video-gaming. Thank you, and may you ride the fair winds of destiny wherever they may lead you!!!
My FAVORITE game of all time
joshuaskidmore-5975322 March 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I got the wind waker HD for free on the wii u back in 2013 and have been constantly going back to it the game is well thought out and upbeat for most of the game with the cartoony art style and the fight with ganondorf at the end and the wind dialog was flawless Nintendo outdid themselves on everything the story the animation style and the music (dragon roost island especially) are all insanely wonderful I've played the whole game over about three times and I've loved every second of each playthrough I'd recommend it to any gamer who has any kind of interest in games like this and am rating it with a full 10/10.
boe_dye sez; The best Freaking Zelda Game EVER!
boe_dye15 March 2008
Until the next one comes out of course! (Cause you see, every new Zelda game in the Best Zelda Game EVER!) This game was just so fun and happy to play! One of the biggest criticisms was the animation. A lot of people did not like the cell-shading techniques that were used, and the more child-like theme that it had going for it.
Me, in the 2 weeks that i made a career of playing this game never played it, and not felt good after it.
Even the tough parts made me feel good cause the game is just so gosh darn cute and happy! The animation was simple, thats true but it fit the game. It was like playing an actual cartoon. The story line was perfect, and it put a smile on my face when you encountered characters of old and how they evolved in the new Hyrule.
This game though was not without it's flaws; Two that come to mind were the Sailing and the Fish. The sailing does take a good deal of patience, and you had better remember what the Fish says cause if you forget some of the things that he says, then you can't continue in the game.
And then you have to remember which fish said what which means doing a lot of repeat work.
The treasure hunting was fine and dandy for finding the Tri-Force, but absolutely sucked for everything else.
However even with those things in mind, the story line and shear beauty of the game ranks it one of my favorites of all time, and having just played it through again with my wife we both enjoyed the world and the storyline as much as the first time!
>8^P
Me, in the 2 weeks that i made a career of playing this game never played it, and not felt good after it.
Even the tough parts made me feel good cause the game is just so gosh darn cute and happy! The animation was simple, thats true but it fit the game. It was like playing an actual cartoon. The story line was perfect, and it put a smile on my face when you encountered characters of old and how they evolved in the new Hyrule.
This game though was not without it's flaws; Two that come to mind were the Sailing and the Fish. The sailing does take a good deal of patience, and you had better remember what the Fish says cause if you forget some of the things that he says, then you can't continue in the game.
And then you have to remember which fish said what which means doing a lot of repeat work.
The treasure hunting was fine and dandy for finding the Tri-Force, but absolutely sucked for everything else.
However even with those things in mind, the story line and shear beauty of the game ranks it one of my favorites of all time, and having just played it through again with my wife we both enjoyed the world and the storyline as much as the first time!
>8^P
Almost Perfect
ganpondorodf30 June 2004
When the first Gamecube Legend of Zelda game was shown, there were mixed reactions. Some people, mainly the specialist press, kept an open mind. The larger group though, was the group who hated it, solely for the cel-shaded graphics (makes them look like a cartoon).
I liked the look of it, and when it was released, many who before had complained non-stop about it were silenced. Everything in the game is just so well put together, it's quite hard to believe it. The story is original, and the dungeons incredibly designed. The villain of the story is breath-takingly cool (unlike that of Ocarina of Time) and every enemy is blessed with fantastic detail and expressions. The main characters benefit from a rich amount of back-story, but I won't spoil anything here. Although sailing back and forth CAN get tedious at times, you'll soon learn not to let it bother you, as you become immersed in what I believe is the greatest game ever created. Well done, Nintendo.
I liked the look of it, and when it was released, many who before had complained non-stop about it were silenced. Everything in the game is just so well put together, it's quite hard to believe it. The story is original, and the dungeons incredibly designed. The villain of the story is breath-takingly cool (unlike that of Ocarina of Time) and every enemy is blessed with fantastic detail and expressions. The main characters benefit from a rich amount of back-story, but I won't spoil anything here. Although sailing back and forth CAN get tedious at times, you'll soon learn not to let it bother you, as you become immersed in what I believe is the greatest game ever created. Well done, Nintendo.
It's Okay, But Just Doesn't Quite Feel Right
zkonedog7 March 2017
Judged purely by the standards of gameplay, "Wind Waker" is a pretty decent game. It is sprawling (like "Ocarina") and straightforward (unlike "Majora"), and can be picked up by veteran or amateur alike. The problem? It just doesn't FEEL like a Zelda game.
To me, Zelda games are supposed to be epic. The reason "Ocarina" was so great was, in large part, because of its engaging storyline. Every temple had something to look forward to in terms of new characters, while the overall Zelda/Gannon plot just sucked you right in with its epic-style storytelling. By the same token, this is where "Majora" was lacking for me, as the game was so confined to the three-day time period. "Wind Waker" falls somewhere between the two.
The graphics (cartoons, this time) are what make the game feel so different. Instead of an "epic" nature, it is instead more silly and light-hearted. Like I said, in terms of overall gameplay the more "fun" approach is just fine. However, being a rather "slow" (takes me a long time to beat games like this) gamer, I couldn't really bring myself to maintain a high level of interest.
Overall, "Wind Waker" will always (fairly or not) be known as the "cartoon one". While the game itself isn't bad, the overall experience just isn't quite worthy of the Zelda name. Play for as a simple adventure, but if you are looking for high "canon" material than you might be a bit disappointed in the new approach.
To me, Zelda games are supposed to be epic. The reason "Ocarina" was so great was, in large part, because of its engaging storyline. Every temple had something to look forward to in terms of new characters, while the overall Zelda/Gannon plot just sucked you right in with its epic-style storytelling. By the same token, this is where "Majora" was lacking for me, as the game was so confined to the three-day time period. "Wind Waker" falls somewhere between the two.
The graphics (cartoons, this time) are what make the game feel so different. Instead of an "epic" nature, it is instead more silly and light-hearted. Like I said, in terms of overall gameplay the more "fun" approach is just fine. However, being a rather "slow" (takes me a long time to beat games like this) gamer, I couldn't really bring myself to maintain a high level of interest.
Overall, "Wind Waker" will always (fairly or not) be known as the "cartoon one". While the game itself isn't bad, the overall experience just isn't quite worthy of the Zelda name. Play for as a simple adventure, but if you are looking for high "canon" material than you might be a bit disappointed in the new approach.
The worst Legend of Zelda so far
d_3434_d27 May 2013
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998) was the first 3D video game in the series and it was absolutely spectacular. In my opinion, it's the best video game ever. Two years later Nintendo released the Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (2000), which was alright. Not as good as The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time but it was alright.
The Nintendo 64 was succeeded by the GameCube, Nintendo's sixth generation video game console. By this time, Microsoft has entered the gaming industry with the Xbox and Sony had beaten the Nintendo 64 in sales with their PlayStation. Nintendo was gaining a reputation that they cater mainly to kids, not to mature video gamers. The Legend of Zelda was the only major first party title of Nintendo that didn't suffer from such a reputation. So obviously, one would think that Nintendo would create the latest installment of the Legend of Zelda that would further distance Nintendo or at least the Legend of Zelda from such a reputation - especially since the Legend of Zelda is one of the most successful first party titles of Nintendo. Unfortunately, the completely opposite happened.
Nintendo released the Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker for the GameCube, changing the animation style from realistic to cartoonish. As if that wasn't bad enough, the Wind Waker is considerably easier than Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask. It gets even worse. The Wind Waker is mainly a clone to Ocarina of Time, offering next to nothing new to the franchise. It's as if Nintendo wanted kids to buy the GameCube and their old gamers to switch to PlayStation 2 or the Xbox. If that was the intention, then Nintendo has definitely succeeded. Both PlayStation 2 and the Xbox have beaten the GameCube in sales and throughout its lifespan, the GameCube hasn't gotten ride of its reputation as being a video game console for kids.
Nintendo's other major franchise, Mario, suffered a similar faith (i.e. Super Mario Sunshine, in which Mario has to fight enemies with a water gun). The GameCube is without a doubt the worst video game console Nintendo has ever produced and the Wind Waker is the worst Legend of Zelda video game Nintendo has ever produced (aside from Link's Awakening, I haven't play any Legend of Zelda video game on hand-held systems but I have played every Legend of Zelda video game on all of Nintendo's home systems).
Fortunately, Nintendo came to their senses and released the Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess for both the GameCube and the Nintendo Wii, Nintendo's seventh generation video game console. Twilight Princess returned the realistic animation style of Legend of Zelda and although the game play is the same as before, the game is a little more challenging than Wind Waker.
Nonetheless, the Wind Waker did win some awards and was praised by some fans (who of course would never dare to criticize Nintendo). If you are new to the Legend of Zelda, the Wind Waker will be somewhat impressive because, as mentioned before, it's largely a clone of Ocarina of Time. It's basically like a special version of Ocarina of Time for children. For those who are familiar with the older Legend of Zelda video games, Wind Waker will be a disappointment.
The Nintendo 64 was succeeded by the GameCube, Nintendo's sixth generation video game console. By this time, Microsoft has entered the gaming industry with the Xbox and Sony had beaten the Nintendo 64 in sales with their PlayStation. Nintendo was gaining a reputation that they cater mainly to kids, not to mature video gamers. The Legend of Zelda was the only major first party title of Nintendo that didn't suffer from such a reputation. So obviously, one would think that Nintendo would create the latest installment of the Legend of Zelda that would further distance Nintendo or at least the Legend of Zelda from such a reputation - especially since the Legend of Zelda is one of the most successful first party titles of Nintendo. Unfortunately, the completely opposite happened.
Nintendo released the Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker for the GameCube, changing the animation style from realistic to cartoonish. As if that wasn't bad enough, the Wind Waker is considerably easier than Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask. It gets even worse. The Wind Waker is mainly a clone to Ocarina of Time, offering next to nothing new to the franchise. It's as if Nintendo wanted kids to buy the GameCube and their old gamers to switch to PlayStation 2 or the Xbox. If that was the intention, then Nintendo has definitely succeeded. Both PlayStation 2 and the Xbox have beaten the GameCube in sales and throughout its lifespan, the GameCube hasn't gotten ride of its reputation as being a video game console for kids.
Nintendo's other major franchise, Mario, suffered a similar faith (i.e. Super Mario Sunshine, in which Mario has to fight enemies with a water gun). The GameCube is without a doubt the worst video game console Nintendo has ever produced and the Wind Waker is the worst Legend of Zelda video game Nintendo has ever produced (aside from Link's Awakening, I haven't play any Legend of Zelda video game on hand-held systems but I have played every Legend of Zelda video game on all of Nintendo's home systems).
Fortunately, Nintendo came to their senses and released the Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess for both the GameCube and the Nintendo Wii, Nintendo's seventh generation video game console. Twilight Princess returned the realistic animation style of Legend of Zelda and although the game play is the same as before, the game is a little more challenging than Wind Waker.
Nonetheless, the Wind Waker did win some awards and was praised by some fans (who of course would never dare to criticize Nintendo). If you are new to the Legend of Zelda, the Wind Waker will be somewhat impressive because, as mentioned before, it's largely a clone of Ocarina of Time. It's basically like a special version of Ocarina of Time for children. For those who are familiar with the older Legend of Zelda video games, Wind Waker will be a disappointment.
Greatest Zelda Game Ever
Shadowen_17222 April 2005
Warning: Spoilers
The Legend of Zelda franchise has never come out with a bad game, and this is no exception. At first glance, you may think that Shigeru Miyamota has gone crazy by making his most popular game series cell shaded. The cartoony look upset many fans, but then they played the game. This is the best Zelda game to ever be released. The graphics seem foreign at first but they really get you into the whole island and sea feeling. You, once again, are Link. However, you have a family, you live on an island. For once, the game isn't intent on saving Zelda but your sister instead. These changes make the story line different from all the others. You also sail across the sea. The environment is huge. It takes about 15 minutes to sail from the bottom of the world to the top. Gameplay wise, it still has the classic Zelda feel. You get the normal Zelda weapons like the bow and arrow, the boomerang and the hook shot. However, you also get many new and interesting items like the Deku Leaf which allows you to fly through the air. You also get a grappling hook that allows you to climb up to hard to reach places. The game is long with about 40 hours of game play. This makes it a little less accessible to some people. But then again, what Zelda game hasn't been ridiculously long. My favorite part of this game were all the cameo's of previous Zelda characters. You meet Tingle from Majora's Mask. You also run into many characters who resemble the Sages from Ocarina of Time. This is a great game. It delivers something new to the whole franchise and I hope that they continue with the story.
Flawed, but still one of the best
snesiscool13 February 2012
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker is the first Zelda title for the Nintendo GameCube. It was developed over two years from 2000 to 2002. The game remains a fan favorite and has been called one of the best games of all time.
Graphics-10/10 This game does cel-shading right. At first glance, this game seems to be just another cel-shaded game. Looking deeper, one notices the lack of a black outline, setting this game apart from other cel-shaded games. Looking still further will yield effects such as specular and bump mapping, depth of field blur, and even an advanced physics engine governing soft-body dynamics and certain gravity-affected objects such as rolling objects and rope bridges. The cel-shading style is supplemented by different shaders for different objects, such as a softer, more realistic shading system for structures. This all culminates in a game that does not look like a cartoon, but rather looks like it takes place in a cartoon world.
Sound-9/10 The game's music is top-notch, especially the theme for one of the islands. While the game does not have as much memorable tunes as Ocarina of Time had, it still has a decent amount of good music. However, the music is entirely MIDI-based, with the exception of cutscene audio, which is recorded MIDI tracker audio, a first for the series. While the quality of the MIDI samples is pretty nice, especially the solo voice samples (which sound like live singers), for the most part, the samples sound dated. However, the quality of the samples may lend a certain charm to some tracks in the game.
Gameplay-9/10 This game utilizes elements first introduced in Ocarina of Time. The Z-targeting feature returns as L-targeting. Combat is tight, fluid, and very well done. The free camera is so good, I will go so far as to say it is the best free camera of all time. It is extremely fluid, and when left to its own devices, the camera will automatically adjust according to where Link is facing. However, the game itself is rather on the short side. While combat is top-notch, the difficulty is too easy. Only later in the game does the difficulty pick up somewhat with combat, but not much with puzzles. The massive ocean overworld lends the game an amazing "lonely" atmosphere matched only by games such as Minecraft. You feel as if you were Link sailing the oceans and landing on the islands. Despite the atmosphere, the sailing can get extremely tedious, and the addition of warping only helps a little. Overall, however, gameplay is what is expected out of a Zelda game-that is to say, nothing short of excellent.
Overall-9/10 The main problem with this game is its length. The previous Zelda game, Majora's Mask, was produced by Eiji Aonuma, who was previously just another developing team member for Zelda games. Majora's Mask's development was heavily aided by the usage of the Ocarina of Time game engine, leaving ample time to develop gameplay elements, sidequests, and story. Development took just 2 years. The Wind Waker was also developed in two years by Aonuma. However, The Wind Waker falls short of Majora's Mask in many areas. Eiji tried to pull a Majora's Mask and failed due to the necessity of creating a completely new engine along with gameplay elements and story. The result was a too-soon deadline and an unfinished game that the developers barely managed to finish with one of the greatest video game endings of all time. Indeed, with all its flaws, The Wind Waker still manages to be one of the greatest video games of all time, though it certainly isn't as good as Ocarina of Time or Majora's Mask.
Graphics-10/10 This game does cel-shading right. At first glance, this game seems to be just another cel-shaded game. Looking deeper, one notices the lack of a black outline, setting this game apart from other cel-shaded games. Looking still further will yield effects such as specular and bump mapping, depth of field blur, and even an advanced physics engine governing soft-body dynamics and certain gravity-affected objects such as rolling objects and rope bridges. The cel-shading style is supplemented by different shaders for different objects, such as a softer, more realistic shading system for structures. This all culminates in a game that does not look like a cartoon, but rather looks like it takes place in a cartoon world.
Sound-9/10 The game's music is top-notch, especially the theme for one of the islands. While the game does not have as much memorable tunes as Ocarina of Time had, it still has a decent amount of good music. However, the music is entirely MIDI-based, with the exception of cutscene audio, which is recorded MIDI tracker audio, a first for the series. While the quality of the MIDI samples is pretty nice, especially the solo voice samples (which sound like live singers), for the most part, the samples sound dated. However, the quality of the samples may lend a certain charm to some tracks in the game.
Gameplay-9/10 This game utilizes elements first introduced in Ocarina of Time. The Z-targeting feature returns as L-targeting. Combat is tight, fluid, and very well done. The free camera is so good, I will go so far as to say it is the best free camera of all time. It is extremely fluid, and when left to its own devices, the camera will automatically adjust according to where Link is facing. However, the game itself is rather on the short side. While combat is top-notch, the difficulty is too easy. Only later in the game does the difficulty pick up somewhat with combat, but not much with puzzles. The massive ocean overworld lends the game an amazing "lonely" atmosphere matched only by games such as Minecraft. You feel as if you were Link sailing the oceans and landing on the islands. Despite the atmosphere, the sailing can get extremely tedious, and the addition of warping only helps a little. Overall, however, gameplay is what is expected out of a Zelda game-that is to say, nothing short of excellent.
Overall-9/10 The main problem with this game is its length. The previous Zelda game, Majora's Mask, was produced by Eiji Aonuma, who was previously just another developing team member for Zelda games. Majora's Mask's development was heavily aided by the usage of the Ocarina of Time game engine, leaving ample time to develop gameplay elements, sidequests, and story. Development took just 2 years. The Wind Waker was also developed in two years by Aonuma. However, The Wind Waker falls short of Majora's Mask in many areas. Eiji tried to pull a Majora's Mask and failed due to the necessity of creating a completely new engine along with gameplay elements and story. The result was a too-soon deadline and an unfinished game that the developers barely managed to finish with one of the greatest video game endings of all time. Indeed, with all its flaws, The Wind Waker still manages to be one of the greatest video games of all time, though it certainly isn't as good as Ocarina of Time or Majora's Mask.
Charming
Jerg3n9 May 2023
Warning: Spoilers
The absolute best part of this game is it's style that has made it truly timeless. While you can clearly see their age with other games from this era, this games simple cel-shaded art style still looks great to this day. Every part of the game has this certain charm to it that not even the other games in the series truly match.
That being said, I found other aspects of the game to be a bit lacking, especially in the late-game. The final quest is a giant fetch quest spanning the whole map and the final dungeon is just recycling bosses with some annoying platforming in between.
The positives heavily outweigh the negatives and exploring the Great sea was truly a joy. I just wish it was a bit more.
That being said, I found other aspects of the game to be a bit lacking, especially in the late-game. The final quest is a giant fetch quest spanning the whole map and the final dungeon is just recycling bosses with some annoying platforming in between.
The positives heavily outweigh the negatives and exploring the Great sea was truly a joy. I just wish it was a bit more.
Fun, addicting game for me and my son.
NoHeadedHershel25 September 2005
I'm writing this from the perspective that the reader already knows Link and Zelda and has possibly heard a lot of negative comments, mostly about the cel shaded graphics, which give Wind Waker a more cartoony appearance. Major features of the game include: cel shaded 3D graphics, over 50 locations with tasks to complete, only slightly structured, fairly free storyline and game play, fun for all ages (I'm 38, my son is 6), and linking to a Gameboy Advance without needing a separate cartridge.
Considering the first Zelda I played (A Link to the Past) was stylized 2-D animation, this transformation to 3-D seemed pretty natural to me. Despite what some people have complained about, Link's appearance wasn't distracting at all, nor were the cartoony graphics. As a matter of fact, as a computer animated anime story, it was done quite well. I'm looking forward to future "realistic" Zelda games, but have no problems whatsoever with the cel shading used in Wind Waker.
The story revolves around you (an apparent heir of Link's) trying, once again, to defeat Ganondorf, Link's archenemy from the past. It starts innocently enough on your home island from which your little sister is abducted by a giant bird. The world is made up of 49 island locations on a 7 by 7 grid. You link up with some pirates who take you to where your sister is being held. Instead of rescuing her, you ultimately discover Ganondorf's plot to take over the world.
You are given the Wind Waker, a wand that can conduct wind (among other things), that initially helps you sail a LOT faster to various locations on the map, but ultimately has many more uses. Learning one pattern helps you conduct a gale that can carry you to one of eight locations on the map quickly, without having to go through the often tedious sailing.
A series of adventures ensues where you find stronger and stronger weapons, interact with dozens of the denizens of the world, and slowly but surely uncover the plot and collect all the items necessary to defeat the big bad enemy in a final showdown at the end.
I specifically wrote the previous paragraph that way so that you can cut and paste in your review of just about every adventure game in existence. We all know what it's about long before picking up the box, it's just a question of "did they do the adventure right?" All in all, I had a great (if sometimes frustrating) time playing the game. The story is downright addicting. I have a small family of four, and whenever someone (either me or my son) was playing, anybody who happened by would usually sit and watch. It's one of those games where, after hours of playing, you would keep saying "I'll just finish -something- and then I'll stop for today." You'd tell yourself that maybe a dozen times before you finally were ready to quit for the day.
The drawbacks are numerous, often taking a little something away from the game play. Despite these shortcomings, the game comes way out ahead, having great, fun game play. But just so you won't think I didn't warn you, here are some of my pet peeves:
Sailing is fun . . . for a little while. There's way too much of it here.
The music is not bad, but the game takes so long to finish you can't help but start to get annoyed at it.
The game often pauses to display dialog or other information. When it's dialog, you can skip past it fairly quickly by tapping the button. When it's instructions, it does not let you skip. This is annoying, because by the fortieth time I've found a "Joy Pendant", I already know what it's for. This happens on far too many objects.
When conducting with the Wind Waker, the animations are tedious after a while, with no way to skip past them.
The default 3D camera position is almost always WRONG, and the controllable camera is not versatile enough. Too many places require you to go to a first person mode in order to look around. This is especially bad in a number of fights, especially bosses.
And one final comment, without any spoilers, is during the final battle Zelda often talks to you. Now, note the last "peeve" I wrote above... after someone talks to you, the camera goes back to the default position... so if you're pushing one way to run, then the camera changes, the way you are pushing is usually not the way you want to go. Very frustrating.
Some of these "peeves" are things where it was just painfully obvious the creators of the game were trying to stretch out game play. Pretty annoying. As I said though, it's all about game play and this game was FUN, it was very hard to put down. I'd give it an easy 8 out of 10, maybe even a 9.
IMDb side note: IMDb keeps saying "cel" is not spelled correctly. It is, in fact, the way you spell the word when you are talking about animation.
Considering the first Zelda I played (A Link to the Past) was stylized 2-D animation, this transformation to 3-D seemed pretty natural to me. Despite what some people have complained about, Link's appearance wasn't distracting at all, nor were the cartoony graphics. As a matter of fact, as a computer animated anime story, it was done quite well. I'm looking forward to future "realistic" Zelda games, but have no problems whatsoever with the cel shading used in Wind Waker.
The story revolves around you (an apparent heir of Link's) trying, once again, to defeat Ganondorf, Link's archenemy from the past. It starts innocently enough on your home island from which your little sister is abducted by a giant bird. The world is made up of 49 island locations on a 7 by 7 grid. You link up with some pirates who take you to where your sister is being held. Instead of rescuing her, you ultimately discover Ganondorf's plot to take over the world.
You are given the Wind Waker, a wand that can conduct wind (among other things), that initially helps you sail a LOT faster to various locations on the map, but ultimately has many more uses. Learning one pattern helps you conduct a gale that can carry you to one of eight locations on the map quickly, without having to go through the often tedious sailing.
A series of adventures ensues where you find stronger and stronger weapons, interact with dozens of the denizens of the world, and slowly but surely uncover the plot and collect all the items necessary to defeat the big bad enemy in a final showdown at the end.
I specifically wrote the previous paragraph that way so that you can cut and paste in your review of just about every adventure game in existence. We all know what it's about long before picking up the box, it's just a question of "did they do the adventure right?" All in all, I had a great (if sometimes frustrating) time playing the game. The story is downright addicting. I have a small family of four, and whenever someone (either me or my son) was playing, anybody who happened by would usually sit and watch. It's one of those games where, after hours of playing, you would keep saying "I'll just finish -something- and then I'll stop for today." You'd tell yourself that maybe a dozen times before you finally were ready to quit for the day.
The drawbacks are numerous, often taking a little something away from the game play. Despite these shortcomings, the game comes way out ahead, having great, fun game play. But just so you won't think I didn't warn you, here are some of my pet peeves:
Sailing is fun . . . for a little while. There's way too much of it here.
The music is not bad, but the game takes so long to finish you can't help but start to get annoyed at it.
The game often pauses to display dialog or other information. When it's dialog, you can skip past it fairly quickly by tapping the button. When it's instructions, it does not let you skip. This is annoying, because by the fortieth time I've found a "Joy Pendant", I already know what it's for. This happens on far too many objects.
When conducting with the Wind Waker, the animations are tedious after a while, with no way to skip past them.
The default 3D camera position is almost always WRONG, and the controllable camera is not versatile enough. Too many places require you to go to a first person mode in order to look around. This is especially bad in a number of fights, especially bosses.
And one final comment, without any spoilers, is during the final battle Zelda often talks to you. Now, note the last "peeve" I wrote above... after someone talks to you, the camera goes back to the default position... so if you're pushing one way to run, then the camera changes, the way you are pushing is usually not the way you want to go. Very frustrating.
Some of these "peeves" are things where it was just painfully obvious the creators of the game were trying to stretch out game play. Pretty annoying. As I said though, it's all about game play and this game was FUN, it was very hard to put down. I'd give it an easy 8 out of 10, maybe even a 9.
IMDb side note: IMDb keeps saying "cel" is not spelled correctly. It is, in fact, the way you spell the word when you are talking about animation.
Zzz... zwha? I'm still sailing??
djdexcat3 January 2010
Warning: Spoilers
I'll say it immediately; I'm impatient. I like vast, elaborate landscapes. I like to feel like I'm *constantly* engaged with the games I play. If any one of those things describes you, think twice before getting this. The very beginning? I went along with it. Get the player adjusted, start up the plot, it's understandable with these modern games. A little slow, but it'll pick up soon, right? The first dungeon... a snail-paced tedious stealth mission. "That's fine," I thought, "They want to add some variety to the series. Maybe stealth just isn't my thing." Dungeon ends, next area of the game. "You have to introduce some more important characters, okay...", I thought. Then there was the ocean. ...That was the day the Nintendo Fanboy in me flat-out died. I'll hand it to them; they had interesting dungeons and boss fights, and a decent plot. It kept me going all the way through the game, and then some. But the whole 'island world' concept ruined the whole game for me. After what seemed like hours of tedium, it simply didn't feel like the 'good' parts of the game were worth the wait. It would spark my interest enough to get me going to the next area, sure, but it ended up feeling more like a chore than actual 'fun'. Plus the mandatory 'treasure hunting' segments... constantly fishing around for treasure you can barely even tell the location of... with almost NO remarkable landmarks for reference... I cringe at the thought. But other than the 75% of the game filled up with ocean... I had no problem with the art style. I can see why people can be put off by it, but it kinda worked for this particular game. The soundtrack is quite memorable, although now the sailing song won't leave my head... In my opinion, the Tingle Tuner, while not perfect, was a step in the right direction, and I would like to see more multi-player elements in future Zelda games outside of mini-games. Combat in this game is easy. Too easy. The 'parry' system wasn't exactly the best mechanic in the game, and I was glad to see it removed from future games. The parry system is this; if an enemy you're looking at is about to attack, you have an audio AND visual signal for you to press 'A'. Doing so will completely nullify the enemies attack AND gives you a 99% guaranteed hit against the enemy. Just do this over and over, and you'll defeat pretty much anything in your way quickly. So you can get back to sailing that much faster. Would I play this game nonstop if there were no sailing at all? Yes. As it stands, though, this is sadly not the case. Regrettable, as this really had potential. Y'know, for us impatient guys.
P.S.: The finishing blow against the final boss felt pretty satisfying. And not in the 'this game is finally over' way.
P.S.: The finishing blow against the final boss felt pretty satisfying. And not in the 'this game is finally over' way.
Cool
jasonmg998 April 2004
This is a cool follow up to Zelda considering it took place after ocarina of time. Gamecube is one of the best nintendo systems, especially since they now have the Ocarina of Time on it. This game has better enemy AI however cause they can fall then get back up again and attack you, what they don't do in ocarina of time. I hope gamecube is something that can live on forever. Not all games may be worth it but only one game alone can make you never want to get rid of the system. I already know I won't. I haven't made it that far into this game but I already know it will go beyond expectations, especially since I read that the final fight requires teamwork to complete.
"Young waker of the winds..."
Robbie1428 November 2003
Warning: Spoilers
(MAY CONTAIN SLIGHT SPOILERS) When I first got the Gamecube, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker came with it free! I popped in the game disk, and thus began a great gaming experience.
The story takes place almost 100 years after The Ocarina of Time. It was then custom for boys over 13 to be clothed with the same green clothing as the hero who saved the land of Hyrule(Link). So a young boy on an island called Outset Island has turned that age of 13, and is given a telescope by his little sister, Aryll. When he goes off to the woods to find a girl who is dropped by a giant bird, Aryll gets caught by the bird, and is destined to find her!
The gameplay is very similar to Ocarina of Time, except the sword combos are different, such like the items you collect! The only thing I hated in this game is the lack of dungeons. You'd expect they thrown in like 8 different dungeons like in OOT, but no! But it's still fun.
The graphic style is called "cel-shaded", which is kind of like cartoony like, very different from the previous 3D games. But it's great for any type of gamer who wants a change in looks!
This games gets a nice ****.5/***** in my book of great videogames!
The story takes place almost 100 years after The Ocarina of Time. It was then custom for boys over 13 to be clothed with the same green clothing as the hero who saved the land of Hyrule(Link). So a young boy on an island called Outset Island has turned that age of 13, and is given a telescope by his little sister, Aryll. When he goes off to the woods to find a girl who is dropped by a giant bird, Aryll gets caught by the bird, and is destined to find her!
The gameplay is very similar to Ocarina of Time, except the sword combos are different, such like the items you collect! The only thing I hated in this game is the lack of dungeons. You'd expect they thrown in like 8 different dungeons like in OOT, but no! But it's still fun.
The graphic style is called "cel-shaded", which is kind of like cartoony like, very different from the previous 3D games. But it's great for any type of gamer who wants a change in looks!
This games gets a nice ****.5/***** in my book of great videogames!
Never have I been so irritated by such a good game
Raleon2 June 2003
Warning: Spoilers
This is probably the worst Legend of Zelda game I've played, which isn't really saying much because they're all really good. There are a lot of good parts in it, and for the most part the bosses are more fun to beat- with the exception of Ganon. That puppet thing is really annoying. What I find makes the game bad is that it takes so long to travel from one place to another before you're able to warp. With the sail and the wind it is approx. 1 min/frame. So when you go from Windfall to Outset it takes about seven minutes. That's seven minutes of just sitting there idly watching the boat sail through the water while making sure you don't run into a giant octo or a gyorg. And when there's no wind, like in the Tower of The Gods, the boat goes so slowly. I didn't even bother going after ever little treasure either. I wish they'd make ways of getting around a bit faster.
But once I got to Gohdan in Tower of the Gods, I liked it much better. Gohdan was much better than Bongo Bongo in Ocarina of Time. Fighting in Hyrule Castle right after you get the Master Sword And being able to use Medli in the Temple was another highlight. I even enjoyed the savage labyrinth- fighting monsters is even better in this game than in the others.
And to be the Hero of Time you'd think you'd have to be pretty clever. Nope. This Link grins like an idiot every time someone talks to him and jumps up and down everytime he wins a battle. He screams everytime he falls down a hole. Irritating even for a ten year old. As a game it's still pretty good and worth playing- it's easy and still makes you think. But as part of the series, it's at the bottom of the barrel.
But once I got to Gohdan in Tower of the Gods, I liked it much better. Gohdan was much better than Bongo Bongo in Ocarina of Time. Fighting in Hyrule Castle right after you get the Master Sword And being able to use Medli in the Temple was another highlight. I even enjoyed the savage labyrinth- fighting monsters is even better in this game than in the others.
And to be the Hero of Time you'd think you'd have to be pretty clever. Nope. This Link grins like an idiot every time someone talks to him and jumps up and down everytime he wins a battle. He screams everytime he falls down a hole. Irritating even for a ten year old. As a game it's still pretty good and worth playing- it's easy and still makes you think. But as part of the series, it's at the bottom of the barrel.
Entertaining, but not Extraordinary
Shamashmuddamiq24 September 2003
There are lots of good things about this game. The music (at least towards the beginning of the game) is catchy, the controls are easy to learn, and gameplay is usually interesting. The graphics are great, and the expressions on faces are well done. The camera control is great. All in all, it's much better than Ocarina of Time.
This game does, however, have some problems. Getting around is really tedious. The world is big, but there isn't much there. So you find yourself changing the direction of the wind (do I have to play that stupid tune again?) and then putting the controller down while you wait out your long ride to the next island.
Some of the most annoying features of Ocarina of Time have been brought back to this one. There are some puzzles that really make you want to stop playing ("How in the world was I supposed to figure that out?"), and using the windwaker to perform tasks is a somewhat tedious process. Why don't they just have a simple command menu instead? There are a lot of things you need to do in the game that don't add to the enjoyment or the interest or the storyline, but just seem to be there in order to lengthen the gameplay.
There are some puzzles that need to be played over and over until you get them right. It's this way in just about every trademark game by Nintendo that I can think of (and, in my opinion, this is bad design). However, there aren't as many of these as there are in Ocarina of Time, and it's much less of an issue than it is in games like Super Mario Sunshine (ack!).
The fun, the challenge, and great graphics make this game a good one. Still, I had to stop every once in a while and play Metroid Prime instead, just to remind myself why I bought the GameCube in the first place.
This game does, however, have some problems. Getting around is really tedious. The world is big, but there isn't much there. So you find yourself changing the direction of the wind (do I have to play that stupid tune again?) and then putting the controller down while you wait out your long ride to the next island.
Some of the most annoying features of Ocarina of Time have been brought back to this one. There are some puzzles that really make you want to stop playing ("How in the world was I supposed to figure that out?"), and using the windwaker to perform tasks is a somewhat tedious process. Why don't they just have a simple command menu instead? There are a lot of things you need to do in the game that don't add to the enjoyment or the interest or the storyline, but just seem to be there in order to lengthen the gameplay.
There are some puzzles that need to be played over and over until you get them right. It's this way in just about every trademark game by Nintendo that I can think of (and, in my opinion, this is bad design). However, there aren't as many of these as there are in Ocarina of Time, and it's much less of an issue than it is in games like Super Mario Sunshine (ack!).
The fun, the challenge, and great graphics make this game a good one. Still, I had to stop every once in a while and play Metroid Prime instead, just to remind myself why I bought the GameCube in the first place.
Strictly Amazing
RollaCoasta29 March 2003
I figured this game would be realistic like Majoras Mask.. but its not. This game is amazing. Every item in the game is fair game. Love it. My number 1 game of all time! Much better than Occorina of time and Majoras Mask. The cartoon adds to it so much. Great plot. Gotta love Nintendo for making this masterpiece.
A Masterpiece; the Wind Waker is a brilliant and worthy installment to the Zelda Series
loseroncoffee24 December 2003
Many people had doubts about this game before it came out. They thought it would stray too far from the essence and manner of the previous games, and that it's cel-shaded graphics would mar the image of near-perfection of the series. Allow me to say that this game was far from disappointing. Not only did it include many aspects of previous games and maintain the feel of its predecessors, but it introduced an overwhelming amount of new ideas, concepts, and methods of playing games. While in a completely different time setting from previous games, the Wind Waker develops its story with the same plot elements and characters from them, helping to preserve that Zelda-like atmosphere. More time was spent making each character unique and each location detailed. The Cel-shaded graphics are incredible, and better demonstrate expression so the player can better grasp the concepts that the designer intended to show. The Overworld is Massive, and while a tad bit to big and eventually annoying when trying to get from place to place, sailing it is an amazing experience in itself; it with a total of 49 squares of ocean each with an island of some sort and lots of surprises. This game is very fun to play, and intriguing to beat. I would recommend this to most gamers, particularly Zelda fans.
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