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The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

 
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The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
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Game Description

Nintendo's acclaimed action role-playing series receives a face-lift with the release of The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker for GameCube. Moving away from the traditional 3D polygon models found in the two previous Nintendo 64 titles, creator Shigeru Miyamoto and the design team decided on using a cel-shaded look for a more whimsical effect. Enemies and principal characters emote, stomp, and attack with more fluid animation than in previous efforts, although the basic control and interface remain the same.

Taking place long after the events in Ocarina of Time, the game finds a young Link with expressive, almond-shaped eyes who is suddenly pressed into action when a giant bird swoops down and abducts his sister. Thus begins a epic quest taking place on a series of different islands, each of which can be reached by a sailboat players guide amidst swirling winds. Once on land, Link must fight his way past new and familiar monsters across a variety of outdoor vistas and underground dungeons to find his sister.

To fight his enemies, Link can swing a sword in multiple directions, block with a shield, and perform a variety of acrobatic maneuvers to close in for the attack or to escape harm's way. Link can also acquire and use bombs to open up new areas, as well as acquire fallen items from defeated enemies. New items include a telescope, which can be used to spot important items from afar, and a baton that helps redirect the wind to propel the sailboat to its intended destination (similar to how Link's ocarina manipulated time in his first N64 adventure).

The lock-on targeting system implemented in the N64 games is featured in the GameCube version as well. When players are confronted with multiple targets, they can isolate their attacks on a specific creature or divvy up damage by quickly switching between enemies while swinging the sword or firing the hookshot. New forms of attacks tie-in to the comic theme associated with the graphic engine, such as targeting an exposed foot or somersaulting between a creature's legs before swiping it from behind. Wind Waker also supports connectivity with the Game Boy Advance for two-player cooperative adventuring as well as a number of additional features.
~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Review: Overall

After teasing onlookers with an adult Link battling Ganondorf at 2001's E3, Nintendo raised expectations for the next iteration of The Legend of Zelda series, which was making the dramatic leap from a 64-bit system to the 128-bit GameCube. Goodbye to the limitations of cartridges and hello to the potential of optical discs. How could you not be excited? When the time came to reveal the actual game, however, the response was one of astonishment. Instead of the painstaking realism in both environments and characters hinted at with the technology demo, players would experience the world as an animated cartoon with the Link they knew and loved shrunk to the size of a Keebler elf.

Magazine publications jokingly ran comparisons of the new Link to the Colorforms logo and even Hermie, the elf who aspired to be a dentist in 1964's Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Others dubbed the visual presentation "The Legend of Celda." Was the new look aimed specifically for a children's market, something Nintendo had been criticized for doing in the past? Or did the need to do something different to the series necessitate an overhaul in the graphic engine? Whatever the reason, it was not looked at kindly when it was first revealed. Of course, that hard-nosed stance would soften up once players took some time to experience Wind Waker for themselves.

It takes only ten minutes to become accustomed to the new Link, a 12-year-old boy who reluctantly agrees to wear a green tunic and hat on his birthday to follow a time-honored tradition. Legend has it that a hero will return one day to save the world from an ancient evil, and lucky us, the lead character just so happens to be the chosen one. The new Link and his world is essentially an interactive cartoon with bright colors, simple shading, and extremely fluid animation. More importantly, the game has not been reduced to lame jokes, cartoon physics, and pratfalls, but instead uses its whimsical look as a platform to support a genuinely funny, touching, and dramatic storyline that has an unusually strong sense of history.

Players will find themselves drawn into the adventure and attached to the characters almost solely based on the improvements in animation. You can tell when Link is upset, astonished, sad, and scared just by looking at his large, almond-shaped eyes. Each character's eyebrows, mouth, and eyes move in careful orchestration to help convey emotion. There is no dialogue to be found in the game, but the visuals are so well done it's not needed -- the developers even manipulated the size of fonts during conversations to express anger, doubt, and joy. If players walk away with nothing else, they will at least find the game's attention to detail alone to have been well worth the journey.

The detail is everywhere. Drop a burning stick on the ground and it will remain burning until it is snuffed out with a sword. Moblins shrouded in distinctive garb patrol the grounds with a glowing lantern in one hand and a spear in the other. As they waddle across hallways, the lantern swings back and forth while the cloth that hangs from the spear flaps and then slinks to the ground whenever the guards stop to sniff their surroundings. Once alerted, the guards throw the lantern toward the player, which explodes in sudden blast of fire. Rats scurry up and down walls, seagulls soar majestically overhead, and devilish imps sing "la-la-la" as they merrily prance their way to attack players. Slashing at enemies triggers a musical cue with each hit, and their demise results in colorful swirls of animated smoke. Swinging a sword while walking across a rope bridge can break the straps and cause it to twist and tumble into the depths below. Moths hover around open flame, footprints are left behind in the sand, and a haze effect distorts vision whenever the character is near smoke.

The action, interface, and control are almost identical to The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Items such as the bow-and-arrow, hookshot, bombs, boomerang, and sword are back and control exactly the same. Players assign certain items to three buttons for quick access, the lock-on targeting system is back for fighting enemies, and players must journey into dungeons and defeat their bosses to obtain important artifacts. In fact, many of the same puzzles are present, including shooting eyes with arrows, pushing crates and boxes, and lighting fires using torches. Players will destroy rocks with bombs, store liquids in glass jars, and shatter clay pots to reveal potential treasures. The baton serves the same function as the ocarina, only players manipulate the direction of wind instead of time (it is also possible later on to change day into night).

Wind Waker is not the substantial leap in gameplay as Ocarina of Time was from A Link to the Past; more a different scenario in a completely new world. While Link essentially performs the same moves, he also has a number of enhancements. Link can sidle across narrow ledges by placing his back against the wall and carefully sidestepping his way across, which is a necessary technique to reach certain areas. Link can also parry with his sword, which involves timing the swing at the precise moment of an enemy attack -- hinted by an audio cue as well as a momentary green flash on Link's sword. Link will automatically roll or leap overhead and slash at the enemy if performed correctly, and it is the only way to defeat certain enemies such as knights.

The boomerang is also more effective in this game, since players can target up to five creatures or items at once before flinging it, which is handy for snapping multiple vines off a plant, poking out a squid's eyes, stunning enemies, or attacking bats or birds. The grappling hook is perhaps the biggest addition to the series, allowing Link to swing back and forth to cross gaps. Players must find certain overhangs located above a gap, target them from a first-person perspective, and then swing back and forth, climb up the rope, or swivel their character's direction to reach another area. The Deku Leaf acts as a parachute and fan rolled up into one: Link can slam the leaf down to create a small gust of wind (to solve puzzles or to blow back enemies) or grip it with both hands and float across areas (which depletes magic for as long as Link remains in the air). With the help of the baton, Link can also gain control of specific people and items during the course of play.

Where Wind Waker falters in comparison to Ocarina of Time is featuring a world consisting almost entirely of water. Instead of traveling in one huge interconnected world, Link must instead sail to smaller islands. Sailing can be tedious since there's not much for a player to control other than the rudder. Players never have to battle the wind, since they can change it to whichever direction they want with the baton. The world of Wind Waker is neatly arranged in a grid of 49 squares, with each square containing a reef or island of varying size. It would have been nice if technique were involved in guiding the ship, especially while battling the elements. Players never have to worry about their boat capsizing, for instance, even though there are stormy areas with rain, lightning flashes, and gray skies. The water doesn't rollick as much as it should in these situations, either. There are enemies in the sea, but most can be avoided. Sharks, strange propeller-head fish, and massive squids are the primary things to worry about, and natural disasters in the form of typhoons can literally blow players off course.

Players can do a bit more at sea, but it's not very exciting. In order to map out their world, players must look for a jumping fish in each square on the map and feed it bait. It will then draw on the chart and players will be able see the name of the featured island -- for some reason merely landing on it is not enough. There are also 49 treasure maps to find that reveal buried heart pieces, rupees, and other goodies somewhere in the sea, as well as a few pirate ships to battle, but these situations don't require much strategy or skill other than sailing right up to the vessel and plugging it with the cannon. Each square takes roughly a minute to travel across with the wind directly behind your back, so getting from point A to point B can take some time. Fortunately, players can eventually learn a warp song that minimizes the tedium associated with sailing.

While the seafaring segments are not as immediately appealing as the Epona-riding in Hyrule, there is a certain satisfaction one gets for fully completing the ocean chart and exploring the individual islands, even if there isn't much there worth acquiring. Though many are small in size, there is a sense of a world here, one rich in tradition and culture. The main islands, especially Windfall Island, are great fun to explore and players will be able to interact with dozens of characters. They will also stay connected with the people they meet thanks to a postal system that features mailboxes at nearly every major destination, so players can expect feedback from friends, words of encouragement from family (along with some money for the road), and even some surprise maps or packages.

The new additions to Link's arsenal of items, however slight, add an immeasurable amount of fun to the exploration, whether it's climbing atop a pillar of a broken drawbridge, switching the wind direction, and then leaping off with the Deku Leaf in the hopes Link can make it to the other side, or simply using the grappling hook to swing back and forth until Link builds enough momentum to reach a tucked-away platform. The new dungeons are beautiful, and the game deftly throws specific challenges at you until you are completely familiar with an item. It could almost be argued the game's first half is an extended training session that, by the time you're finished, has you fully prepared to face the clever puzzles and tough enemies that lie in wait toward the game's conclusion.

Nintendo took a big risk with the game's presentation and setting, especially considering this is the first console game in the series set outside the traditional world of Hyrule, but it has created as compelling an experience as any of the earlier Zelda games despite few changes to the classic formula. Wind Waker offers the most convincing use of cel-shaded graphics and animation in a game released to date, and its world yearns to be explored and experienced. Wind Waker's style of play may not be the breath of fresh air players were expecting from the move to GameCube, and the islands seem much too small, but the change in scenery is a nonetheless welcome one that is sure to surprise players in how well the game works in its current visual style. Not to be missed.
~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Review: Enjoyment

While the sailing isn't as involving as it could have been, and some of the later objectives seem more like busy work than fun, it's hard not to be entralled by the amount of detail placed into this watery world.
~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Review: Graphics

While there is a minor problem with the game blurring objects far in the distance until the player moves closer, the animation, color, and amount of detail is excellent.
~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Review: Sound

The game is filled with remixed versions of classic Zelda tunes, including many songs from the Nintendo 64 games as well as the original on the NES. While there is no dialogue, it's not missed.
~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Review: Replay Value

Though the world seems much larger than the one offered in {*Ocarina of Time}, it's not necessarily better -- since the majority of it is water. Surprisingly enough, there is no marine fishing mini-game, there are only six main dungeons, and many of the side quests offer little reward other than knowing you've completed them. Yet the game is still fun, which means you won't stop until you've seen everything there is to see.
~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Review: Documentation

Colorful, appealing, and concise, the manual is a pleasure to read, though a little light on some of the many features found in the game. A strategy guide is a must to delve into all this title has to offer.
~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide
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Wikipedia: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
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The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
North American box art
North American box art
Developer(s) Nintendo EAD
Publisher(s) Nintendo
Designer(s) Eiji Aonuma (director)
Yoshiaki Koizumi
Writer(s) Mitsuhiro Takano
Hajime Takahashi
Composer(s) Kenta Nagata
Hajime Wakai
Tōru Minegishi
Kōji Kondō
Series The Legend of Zelda
Aspect ratio 4:3
Native resolution 480p
576i (PAL-50Hz)
Platform(s) Nintendo GameCube
Release date(s) JP December 13, 2002
NA March 24, 2003
EU May 3, 2003
AUS May 7, 2003
Genre(s) Action-adventure
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer
Rating(s) ELSPA: 3+
ESRB: E
OFLC: G8+
PEGI: 7+
Media 1 GameCube optical disc
Input methods GameCube controller, Game Boy Advance

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker​ (ゼルダの伝説 風のタクト Zeruda no Densetsu Kaze no Takuto,? lit. "The Legend of Zelda: Baton of Wind"), is an action-adventure game and the tenth installment in The Legend of Zelda series. It was released for the Nintendo GameCube in Japan on December 13, 2002, in North America on March 24, 2003, in Europe on May 3, 2003, and in Australia on May 7, 2003. The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass for the Nintendo DS is the direct sequel to The Wind Waker.

The game is set on a group of islands in a vast sea—a first for the series. The player controls Link, the protagonist of the Zelda series. He struggles against his nemesis, Ganondorf, for control of a sacred relic known as the Triforce. Link spends a significant portion of the game sailing, traveling between islands, and traversing through dungeons and temples to gain the power necessary to defeat Ganondorf. He also spends time trying to find his little sister.

The Wind Waker follows in the footsteps of Ocarina of Time and its sequel Majora's Mask, retaining the basic gameplay and control system from the two Nintendo 64 titles. A heavy emphasis is placed on using and controlling wind with a baton called the Wind Waker, which aids sailing and floating in air.[1][2][3][4] Controversial during development for its use of cel shading graphics, The Wind Waker received acclaim on release and is one of the GameCube's most popular games.

Contents

Gameplay

Link uses the Deku Leaf to float on the wind.

The control scheme of The Wind Waker is largely unchanged from Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask. Link's basic actions of walking, running, attacking, defending, and automatic jumping at ledges are retained. Link also uses the control system introduced in Ocarina of Time that allows him to "lock-on" to an enemy or other target. An addition to this basic control scheme is the ability to parry. When Link is locked-on to an opponent and not actively defending, certain attacks by the opponent will trigger a visual cue, a vibration of the controller, and a chime. Attacking at that point causes Link to dodge or parry then counter-attack from the rear or while leaping over the foe's head. This tactic becomes crucial for defeating armored enemies or bosses.

The new art style used in The Wind Waker gives Link eyes that are much larger and more expressive than in previous games. This allows Link to focus his gaze on approaching enemies or important items. For example, if Link needs to solve a puzzle by lighting a torch to set a distant object on fire, his eyes might turn to look at a nearby stick, giving a hint to an observant player on how to proceed.

As with all Zelda games, The Wind Waker features several dungeons—large, enclosed, and often underground areas. Link battles enemies, collects items, and solves puzzles to progress through a dungeon, fighting a boss at the end. To complete a dungeon, Link primarily uses a sword and shield. Other weapons commonly used by Link include a bow and arrow, a boomerang, bombs, and a grappling hook. Certain enemy weapons can be picked up and used, a feature new to the Zelda series.

The Wind Waker, like most Zelda games, includes many side-quests, such as the Nintendo Gallery. When Link is in the Forest Haven, he can use a Deku Leaf to glide to a cylindrical island with a hatch containing the sculptor Carlov and his gallery. Once Link obtains a color camera called the Deluxe Picto Box, he can take pictures of non-player characters and enemies, which Carlov uses to sculpt figurines. There are a total of 134 figurines to collect, but Link can only hold three pictures at a time.

After completing the game, the player can replay it with minor modifications: Link starts with the Deluxe Picto Box, making the Nintendo Gallery side-quest possible to complete; Aryll wears a maroon dress with skulls given to her by pirates; Link can understand the Hylian language; and Link wears his blue crayfish outfit, as in the beginning, throughout the game, instead of the traditional green tunic and cap.

Another side-quest present in all Zelda games (except The Legend of Zelda and Phantom Hourglass), collecting Pieces of Heart, returns. The Wind Waker also includes Treasure Charts, which are scattered throughout the Great Sea. The player can find these maps and recover them, then search for whatever is charted on the map. Treasures include Rupees, Pieces of Heart, and other various charts such as the "Big Octo Chart" and the "Island Hearts Chart".

Wind and travel

Link uses the Wind Waker to control the wind.

The Wind Waker is set on a sea consisting of 49 sections arranged on a seven by seven grid. Each section contains an island or small group of islands. Therefore, a significant portion of the game is spent sailing between islands, allowing the game to mask loading times by accessing data while the player is approaching an island.

To sail between areas quickly, Link uses the Wind Waker, a baton that manipulates wind direction with a series of songs. Additionally, wind is often needed to solve puzzles. The Deku Leaf allows Link to use wind to spin turbines or to glide for short distances. By creating a tailwind, Link can glide farther distances to reach remote areas. An on-screen weather vane displays the current wind direction.

Plot

See also: Characters in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

Set 100 years[5] after the events of Ocarina of Time, The Wind Waker places the hero Link in a sea scattered with several islands, which necessitates frequent sailing and naval combat. Link lives with his grandmother and younger sister Aryll on Outset Island, one of the few inhabited islands of the Great Sea. The people of the Great Sea pass down a legend of a prosperous kingdom with a hidden golden power. Ganon found and stole this power, using it to spread darkness until a boy dressed in green sealed the evil with the Blade of Evil's Bane. The boy became known as the Hero of Time, and passed into legend. One day, the sealed evil began to return, but the Hero of Time did not reappear. The inhabitants of the Great Sea are unsure of the kingdom's fate, but it is clear that this legend is the story of Ocarina of Time.

When boys of Outset Island come of age, they are customarily dressed in green like the Hero of Time. The elders hope to instill the courage of the Hero in the children. It is Link's birthday as The Wind Waker opens, and he receives the familiar green tunic and hat. Aryll's present to Link is permission to use her telescope; as he looks through it, he spots a large bird carrying a girl to a nearby forest. After retrieving a sword, Link sets out to investigate. Link rescues the girl, only to have Aryll kidnapped by the same bird as it returns. The girl rescued in the forest is Tetra, captain of a pirate ship. At Link's request, they sail to the Forsaken Fortress, where a mysterious figure is holding Aryll and several other girls. Following an unsuccessful raid, Link is thrown from the fortress. A talking boat called the King of Red Lions rescues Link, and tells him that the master of the Forsaken Fortress is Ganon, the evil of legend.

The King of Red Lions gives Link the Wind Waker, a baton able to control the wind and move it in all directions, and instructs Link to sail the Great Sea in search of the three Goddesses' pearls. Link retrieves the pearls and takes them to the three Triangle Islands, causing the Tower of the Gods to rise from the sea. After battling Gohdan in the tower to prove his worth, Link sails into a ring of light and is taken beneath the waters to Hyrule Castle, overrun with enemies and frozen in time. Link descends a hidden staircase and finds the Master Sword, the evil-repelling blade used by the Hero of Time to seal Ganondorf. By removing the sword, Link awakens the castle and all enemies inside. He destroys the enemies and returns to the surface.

With the Master Sword in hand, Link returns to the Forsaken Fortress and joins Tetra and the pirates. He frees Aryll and the other captives and slays the Helmaroc King, the bird that captured Aryll, but is easily overpowered by Ganondorf. Ganondorf tells Link that taking the Master Sword has fully lifted the seal, unbinding his full power; furthermore, the Master Sword has lost its own power to repel evil. Ganondorf lifts Tetra by the neck, and notices that she is wearing a fragment of the Triforce of Wisdom as a necklace. As he calls her Princess Zelda, two Rito that Link helped while finding the Goddesses' Pearls rescue Link and Tetra, and the dragon Valoo sets the entire fortress ablaze.

Link and Tetra sail back to the castle at the bottom of the sea and descend the staircase, where they meet Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule, the King of Hyrule and the voice of the King of Red Lions. He tells Link and Tetra that the prayers of the people in the legend were answered—the gods sealed Ganondorf and all of Hyrule with him by flooding the kingdom with a torrential rainstorm, ordering those chosen to take refuge on the mountaintops, revealing that the islands of the Great Sea are the tallest points of the now-flooded Hyrule. The King combines a piece of the Triforce of Wisdom with the fragment in Tetra's necklace, causing her to transform into the traditional appearance of Princess Zelda. The King then discovers that the cause of the Master Sword's loss of power was the assassination of the Sages of Earth and Wind. Link plays the Earth God's Lyric to Medli and the Wind God's Aria to Makar, awakening in them the knowledge that they are new Sages of Earth and Wind. Their prayers restore the full power of the Master Sword.

Link goes on a variety of quests to find and decode eight Triforce charts that mark the locations of the pieces of the Triforce of Courage. Link raises the pieces from the sea and restores the Triforce of Courage, which dwells inside Link, marking him as the Hero of Winds.

With the restored Master Sword and the Triforce of Courage, Link returns once more to Hyrule Castle, where Zelda disappears before him. Link breaks through the barrier beyond Hyrule Castle and enters Ganon's Tower. Ganondorf reveals himself to Link, claiming that Link is the reborn Hero of Time and that fate has allowed him to bring the Triforce together again, just as he had with the Hero of Time. The three Triforces are extracted from Ganondorf, Link, and Zelda and combine to form the complete Triforce. As who ever touches the complete Triforce gets their wish granted, Ganondorf demands that the gods expose Hyrule to the sun once more, under his control. Before he can reach the Triforce, however, King Daphnes suddenly appears and touches the Triforce. He asks the gods of the Triforce to give Link and Zelda a future and to wash away Hyrule and Ganondorf. The Triforce splits apart and the ocean above begins to pour down all around the tower.

Knowing that the King has just ensured his own destruction, Ganondorf laughs and begins battling Link. Zelda assists by using Link's bow and shooting Ganondorf with Light Arrows. Once Ganondorf is stunned, Link plunges the Master Sword into Ganondorf's head, turning him to stone. Link and Zelda float to the surface in a bubble, leaving Ganondorf and the king to be buried underwater with Hyrule. Link and Zelda, now in the form of Tetra, sail away on the pirate ship and the now inanimate King of Red Lions in search of a new land with the wind as their guide. These events are immediately followed in The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass.

Development

Feeling pressure from Sega's Dreamcast and Sony's impending PlayStation 2, Nintendo announced on March 3, 1999 that a new video game system was under development. This system, the Nintendo GameCube, was revealed on August 24, 2000, the day before Nintendo's Space World 2000 exposition.[6] Along with the specifications and designs for the console, Nintendo had several software demonstrations on hand to showcase the power of the GameCube, one of which was a realistically-styled real-time duel between Ganondorf and Link. Despite being a hastily assembled technical demonstration, fans and the media speculated that the battle might be from a game under development or at least an indication of the direction the next Zelda game would take.[7] Staff at IGN referred to the demo as an "unofficial sequel", calling it "absolutely everything we could have hoped for in a Gamecube Zelda title" and stating that "the future looks very bright for Nintendo loyalists".[7]

Details such as explosions are rendered using 2D sprites in a 3D environment, making the game feel stylistically similar to a cartoon.

Nintendo said nothing more about the possibility of a GameCube Zelda game until one year later at Space World 2001, where a completely new Zelda was shown. Replacing the dark, gritty demo of 2000 was a new cel-shaded look, which resembled an interactive cartoon. Shigeru Miyamoto said the new look was designed to "extend Zelda's reach to all ages".[8] The cel-shaded approach was a radical shift and IGN staff wondered if two separate games might be in concurrent development.[9]

While some at the event enjoyed the new look, there was a backlash from disappointed fans who had been expecting a realistic Zelda game. Many critics referred to the game as "Celda", a portmanteau of "Zelda" and "Cel-shading". Miyamoto was surprised at the reaction to the footage and the media's claim that Nintendo was shifting its focus to a younger audience,[10] and he refused to reveal anything further until a playable demonstration became available. It was hoped that once critics played the game, they would focus on the all-important gameplay, rather than simply reacting to the new graphic style.

Miyamoto promised a playable version for E3 2002 and a release later that year.[11] When Nintendo did exhibit a playable demo at E3 2002 it was well-received, and picked up the 2002 Game Critics Awards for Best Console Game at E3. An editor at IGN said the cartoon look "works very nicely" and that "it feels very much like Zelda".[12] The whimsical style was compared to A Link to the Past and promotional artwork from previous Zelda games. E3 also introduced new features, such as the ability to connect to the Game Boy Advance and receive help from Tingle.[13]

On October 15, 2002, the Japanese subtitle Kaze no Takuto (Baton of Wind) was revealed, to emphasize the role of wind in the game.[14] Nintendo announced the official translation, The Wind Waker, on December 2, 2002,[15] and a North American release date of March 24, 2003 was set two days later.[16]

Bundling and legacy

On November 22, 2002, an update to Nintendo's Japanese Kaze no Takuto website revealed that a special bonus disc was being offered to pre-ordering customers.[17] This bonus GameCube disc, given at the time of the pre-order, contained an emulated version of Ocarina of Time and Ura Zelda, an expansion for Ocarina of Time with modified dungeons and other small changes that had never been previously released due to the failure of the Nintendo 64DD. On December 4, 2002 this offer was extended to North American consumers, with Ura Zelda translated to Ocarina of Time: Master Quest.[18] Some retailers made the mistake of giving the bonus discs away then allowing consumers to cancel their pre-orders without returning the disc. As a result, the European bonus disc was included with The Wind Waker in a two-disc case.[19]

On November 17, 2003, Nintendo released a new GameCube bundle that included The Legend of Zelda: Collector's Edition, a compilation disc containing versions of The Legend of Zelda, The Adventure of Link, Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, a twenty-minute playable demo of The Wind Waker, and two short featurettes. The disc was also given to consumers who registered a GameCube and two games at Nintendo's website or subscribed or renewed a subscription to Nintendo Power.[20]

Wal-Mart customers could buy a special Nintendo GameCube bundle, including The Wind Waker, the Ocarina of Time bonus disc (each in the same case), and a Nintendo GameCube Game Boy Advance Cable for a limited time. In Australia, Collector's Edition was available with the purchase of two GameCube games or a GameCube console; Australians could also purchase a bundle with the console, The Wind Waker and Collector's Edition for a limited time.

The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, a direct sequel with a similar art style, was released for the Nintendo DS in 2007. In it, Link sails the Great Sea with Tetra and the pirates, but is separated after an encounter with a ghost ship. Director Eiji Aonuma was inspired to create the sequel out of his desire to continue The Wind Waker's art style.[21] A modified version of The Wind Waker's engine was used in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess,[22] released in 2006. Twilight Princess uses a realistic art style, but some cel-shaded elements remain.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl has a second playable Link character, called "Toon Link", based on the style of The Wind Waker with all of the various weapons that the regular Link uses.[23] Other content based on The Wind Waker includes trophies,[24] stickers,[25] songs,[26] and a partially cel-shaded pirate ship stage.[27]

Audio

The music in The Wind Waker was composed by Kenta Nagata, Hajime Wakai, Tōru Minegishi, and Kōji Kondō. The game's soundtrack, Zelda no Densetsu ~Kaze no Takuto~ Original Sound Tracks, was released on March 19, 2003, and comes in a two disc set featuring one hundred and thirty-three songs. The music has an Irish influence,[28] and some songs feature uilleann pipes. The theme for Dragon Roost Island is more influenced by Andean or Incan music, relying heavily on pan flute and guitar. Several songs from The Wind Waker are featured in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.[26]

Track listing

Reception

 Reception
Aggregate scores
Aggregator Score
GameRankings 95%[30]
Metacritic 96% (80 reviews)[31]
Review scores
Publication Score
Electronic Gaming Monthly 9.83 of 10[citation needed]
Famitsu 40 of 40[32]
Game Informer 10 of 10[33]
IGN 9.6 of 10[34]
Nintendo Power 5/5 stars[35]
Awards
Entity Award
GameSpot Game of the Year, 2003[36]

The Wind Waker is the fourth of twelve games to receive a perfect score from Famitsu magazine, despite claims that it lacks the sense of newness that accompanied Ocarina of Time, the first 3D Zelda game.[32] Reviewers favorably noted the gameplay similarities to Ocarina of Time and praised the cel-shaded art style that had initially met a cold reception. GamePro called the game "a combination of vivid artistry and timeless gameplay";[37] IGN advised gamers to "forget that Wind Waker looks totally different from Ocarina of Time" since "these two games are very much alike".[34] The 2004 Game Developers Choice Awards and the Seventh Annual Interactive Achievement Awards gave The Wind Waker awards for Excellence in Visual Arts[38] and Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction,[39] respectively. In 2007, it was named fourth best GameCube game of all time in IGN's feature reflecting on the GameCube's lifespan.[40]

The game's most common criticism is the heavy emphasis on sailing. GameSpot noted that the game "starts out in a very brisk manner", but that in the last third of the game, the "focus on sailing … is pretty tedious".[41] IGN complained that viewing the animation of using the Wind Waker "hundreds of times" became "a tedious nuisance", and that the lack of an option to skip the animation "is more bothersome still".[34] GameSpot thought that some players would be "a little put off" by the "easy puzzles and boss battles"; IGN called the boss battles "slightly simplistic" and noted that enemies "inflict little damage onto Link". GamePro, on the other hand, felt that the dungeons tended to be "huger and more challenging with new twists", with treasure hunts that would "tax even the most accomplished Zelda gamer".[37]

Despite these negative comments, critics consistently gave The Wind Waker high reviews, with Nintendo Power calling the game the fourth best game to ever appear on a Nintendo console,[42] while Official Nintendo Magazine placed it 12th.[43] The game also met commercial success, propelling sales of the GameCube console,[44] and becoming the most successful pre-order campaign in Nintendo history.[45]

References

  1. ^ "The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker". Next Level Gaming. http://web.archive.org/web/20040327192232/http://www.nlgaming.com/nl/asp/id_566/nl/reviewDisp.htm. Retrieved 2008-11-26. 
  2. ^ "The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker Review". http://web.archive.org/web/20030604041150/http://www.gamepower.com.au/?aid=1424. Retrieved 2008-11-26. 
  3. ^ "The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker". http://www.acegamez.co.uk/reviews_gamecube/The_Legend_of_Zelda_The_Wind_Waker_GC.htm. Retrieved 2008-11-26. 
  4. ^ "The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker". http://www.rpgfan.com/reviews/zelda_windwaker/zelda_windwaker.html. Retrieved 2008-11-26. 
  5. ^ "Behind the Legend". Zelda.com. Nintendo. http://www.zelda.com/gcn/legend_popup.jsp?page=2. Retrieved 2008-10-22. 
  6. ^ "The Ultimate Gamecube FAQ". IGN. 2001-07-10. http://cube.ign.com/articles/083/083749p1.html. Retrieved 2006-01-21. 
  7. ^ a b "Zelda on Gamecube". IGN. 2000-08-23. http://cube.ign.com/articles/083/083960p1.html. Retrieved 2006-01-21. 
  8. ^ Dingo, Star (2001-08-24). "GameCube / First Look / The Legend of Zelda". GamePro. http://www.gamepro.com/article/previews/16344/the-legend-of-zelda/. Retrieved 2006-01-21. 
  9. ^ "Spaceworld: Mario and Zelda Sequels Shown at Spaceworld". IGN. 2001-08-22. http://cube.ign.com/articles/097/097650p1.html. Retrieved 2006-01-21. 
  10. ^ "Miyamoto and Aonuma on Zelda". IGN. 2002-12-04. http://cube.ign.com/articles/379/379358p3.html. Retrieved 2006-01-21. 
  11. ^ "Animal Forest for US, Zelda News and More". IGN. 2002-02-28. http://cube.ign.com/articles/354/354626p1.html. Retrieved 2006-01-21. 
  12. ^ Mirabella III, Fran (2002-05-22). "E3 2002: Legend of Zelda". IGN. http://cube.ign.com/articles/360/360408p1.html. Retrieved 2006-01-21. 
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  21. ^ Wysowski, Steve (2007-07-13). "E3 '07: The Director, Phantom Hourglass and Zelda's Future". Gamernode. http://www.gamernode.com/News/3289-E3-07-The-Director-Phantom-Hourglass-and-Zeldas-Future/index.html. Retrieved 2008-09-09. 
  22. ^ "E3 2004: New Legend of Zelda Details". IGN. 2004-05-12. http://cube.ign.com/articles/513/513962p1.html. Retrieved 2006-12-05. 
  23. ^ "Toon Link". Smashbros. 2008-03-28. http://www.smashbros.com/en_us/characters/hidden11.html. Retrieved 2008-04-09. 
  24. ^ "Trophy List". Smashbros. http://www.smashbros.com/en_us/gamemode/various/various36_list.html. Retrieved 2008-04-09. 
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  26. ^ a b "Full Song List with Secret Songs". Smashbros. http://www.smashbros.com/en_us/music/music24_list.html. Retrieved 2008-04-09. 
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  29. ^ a b (March 19, 2003). Zelda no Densetsu ~Kaze no Takuto~ Original Sound Tracks. Scitron Digital Contents Inc. SCDC-250.
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