''The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker'' is a 2002
action-adventure game
The action-adventure genre is a video game hybrid genre that combines core elements from both the action game and adventure game genres.
Typically, pure adventure games have situational problems for the player to solve to complete a story ...
developed and published by
Nintendo
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. It develops video games and video game consoles.
Nintendo was founded in 1889 as by craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi and originally produce ...
for the
GameCube
The is a home video game console developed and released by Nintendo in Japan on September 14, 2001, in North America on November 18, 2001, and in PAL territories in 2002. It is the successor to the Nintendo 64 (1996), and predecessor of the Wii ...
. An installment in
''The Legend of Zelda'' series, it was released in Japan in December 2002, in North America in March 2003, and in Europe in May 2003.
The game is set on a group of islands in a vast sea, a departure for the series. The player controls series protagonist
Link as he attempts to save his sister from the sorcerer
Ganon
is a Character (arts), fictional character and the primary antagonist of Nintendo's ''The Legend of Zelda'' video game series and franchise, as well as the final Boss (video games), boss in many ''Zelda'' titles. A massive and malevolent creatu ...
and becomes embroiled in a struggle for the
Triforce
The is a fictional artifact and icon of Nintendo's ''The Legend of Zelda'' series of video games. It first appeared in the original 1986 action-adventure game ''The Legend of Zelda'' and is a focus of subsequent games in the series, including ...
, a sacred wish-granting relic. Aided by allies including pirate captain
Tetra
Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA; formerly known as Trans-European Trunked Radio), a European standard for a trunked radio system, is a professional mobile radio and two-way transceiver specification. TETRA was specifically designed for use by go ...
– an incarnation of
Princess Zelda
is the titular character in Nintendo's ''The Legend of Zelda'' video game series. She was created by Shigeru Miyamoto and introduced in the original 1986 game ''The Legend of Zelda''. She is one of the central characters in the series, having ...
– and a talking boat named the
King of Red Lions
is a high-fantasy video game series created by Japanese game designers Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. It is primarily developed and published by Nintendo, although some portable installments have been outsourced to Capcom, Vanpool and Gre ...
, Link sails the ocean, explores islands, and traverses dungeons to acquire the power necessary to defeat Ganon. Wind, which facilitates sailing, plays a prominent role and can be controlled with a magic conductor's baton called the Wind Waker.
''The Wind Waker'' was directed by
Eiji Aonuma
is a Japanese video game designer, director, and producer. He works for Nintendo as the project manager of their ''The Legend of Zelda'' series. Aonuma is also one of the deputy general managers of Nintendo's Entertainment Planning & Development ...
and produced by
Shigeru Miyamoto
is a Japanese video game designer, producer and game director at Nintendo, where he serves as one of its representative directors. Widely regarded as one of the most accomplished and influential designers in the history of video games, he is ...
and
Takashi Tezuka
is a Japanese video game designer, director, and video game producer, producer. He is a senior officer of Nintendo EPD and executive at Nintendo.
Career
Upon graduating the Design Department of Osaka University of Arts, he joined Nintendo in A ...
. Development began in 2000. It retains the basic 3D gameplay of its predecessors, ''
Ocarina of Time
''The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time'' is an action-adventure game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It was released in Japan and North America in November 1998, and in PAL regions the following month. ''Ocarina of Tim ...
'' and ''
Majora's Mask
''The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask'' is a 2000 action-adventure game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64 home console. It was released worldwide in 2000 as a main installment in ''The Legend of Zelda'' series and was the ...
'', but the team chose to avoid the realistic graphics of previous games. Instead, they implemented a distinctive cartoon-like art style created through
cel shading
Cel shading or toon shading is a type of non-photorealistic rendering designed to make 3-D computer graphics appear to be flat by using less shading color instead of a shade gradient or tints and shades. A cel shader is often used to mimic th ...
.
At its release, ''The Wind Waker'' received critical acclaim for its visuals, gameplay, level design, music, and story. The art direction proved divisive among players and contributed to comparatively weak sales; the game sold 4.6 million copies, far below the 7.6 million sold by ''Ocarina of Time''. As a result, Nintendo changed directions with the next major ''Zelda'' installment, the more realistically styled ''
Twilight Princess
''The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess'' is a 2006 action-adventure game developed and published by Nintendo for the GameCube and Wii home video game consoles. Originally planned for release exclusively on the GameCube in November 2005, ''Twi ...
''. However, ''The Wind Waker'' reputation improved over time, and it is now widely considered one of the
greatest video games ever made
This is a list of video games that multiple reputable video game journalists or List of video game magazines, magazines have considered to be among the best of all time. The games listed here are included on at least six separate "best/greatest ...
. ''The Wind Waker'' popularized the "
Toon Link
is the protagonist of Nintendo's video game franchise ''The Legend of Zelda''. He was created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Link was introduced as the hero of the original 1986 ''The Legend of Zelda (video game), The Legend ...
" character, and received two direct sequels for the
Nintendo DS
The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens working in tan ...
, ''
Phantom Hourglass
''The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass'' is a 2007 action-adventure game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld game console. It is the fourteenth installment in ''The Legend of Zelda'' series and the direct sequel ...
'' (2007) and ''
Spirit Tracks
''The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks'' is a 2009 action-adventure game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld game console. Set a century after ''The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker'' and its sequel ''The Legend of Zelda ...
'' (2009). A
high-definition remaster, ''The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD'', was released for the
Wii U
The Wii U ( ) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo as the successor to the Wii. Released in late 2012, it is the first eighth-generation video game console and competed with Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4.
The W ...
in September 2013.
Gameplay
''The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker'' is an
open world action-adventure game with
role-playing
Role-playing or roleplaying is the changing of one's behaviour to assume a role, either unconsciously to fill a social role, or consciously to act out an adopted role. While the ''Oxford English Dictionary'' offers a definition of role-playing a ...
elements. The control scheme is comparable to its predecessors: the player moves the protagonist Link in three dimensions from a
third-person perspective
Narration is the use of a written or spoken commentary to convey a story to an audience. Narration is conveyed by a narrator: a specific person, or unspecified literary voice, developed by the creator of the story to deliver information to the a ...
. Link fights with a sword and shield as well as a variety of other weapons and items. He interacts with
non-player character
A non-player character (NPC), or non-playable character, is any character in a game that is not controlled by a player. The term originated in traditional tabletop role-playing games where it applies to characters controlled by the gamemaster o ...
s and objects via the action button. Like the previous games, ''The Wind Waker'' features a targeting system allowing Link to "lock on" and constantly face an enemy or target. A new feature is the ability to move the
camera system
In 3D video games, a virtual camera system aims at controlling a camera or a set of cameras to display a view of a 3D virtual world. Camera systems are used in video games where their purpose is to show the action at the best possible angle; m ...
around Link. Onscreen meters track Link's
health
Health, according to the World Health Organization, is "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity".World Health Organization. (2006)''Constitution of the World Health Organiza ...
and magic; Link can expand his health meter by finding "heart containers" and container pieces in the game.
The game world comprises 49 gridded sections of the "
Great Sea", each containing an island or island chain. Some must be explored to continue the story, while others are optional. Like all ''Zelda'' games, ''The Wind Waker'' features several dungeons—large, enclosed areas where Link fights enemies, finds items, and solves puzzles to continue. Each dungeon quest concludes with a battle against a
boss
Boss may refer to:
Occupations
* Supervisor, often referred to as boss
* Air boss, more formally, air officer, the person in charge of aircraft operations on an aircraft carrier
* Crime boss, the head of a criminal organization
* Fire boss, a ...
, a singularly powerful enemy. In addition to the main story, the game includes many
sidequest
A quest, or mission, is a task in video games that a player-controlled character, party, or group of characters may complete in order to gain a reward. Quests are most commonly seen in role-playing games and massively multiplayer online games. ...
s, minor objectives the player can optionally complete to attain rewards. For example, Link can use the "Picto Box" – an in-game camera – to take pictures to fulfill quests.
Throughout the game, Link acquires items and weapons that provide new abilities. Items are often needed to reach certain areas, defeat bosses or other enemies, and advance the story. For example, the
grappling hook
A grappling hook or grapnel is a device that typically has multiple hooks (known as ''claws'' or ''flukes'') attached to a rope; it is thrown, dropped, sunk, projected, or fastened directly by hand to where at least one hook may catch and hol ...
is necessary to pass obstacles and defeat the boss in the Dragon Roost Cavern dungeon; it can then be used to enter previously inaccessible areas elsewhere. The "Tingle Tuner" is a special item allowing a second player to control the character
Tingle if the system is connected to a
Game Boy Advance
The (GBA) is a 32-bit handheld game console developed, manufactured and marketed by Nintendo as the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001, in North America on June 11, 2001, in the PAL region on June 22, 2 ...
by a
link cable.
Wind and sailing
A significant portion of the game is spent sailing between islands on Link's boat, the
King of Red Lions
is a high-fantasy video game series created by Japanese game designers Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. It is primarily developed and published by Nintendo, although some portable installments have been outsourced to Capcom, Vanpool and Gre ...
. The boat's sail is driven by wind that blows across the game world in one of eight directions; a
tailwind
A tailwind is a wind that blows in the direction of travel of an object, while a headwind blows against the direction of travel. A tailwind increases the object's speed and reduces the time required to reach its destination, while a headwind has ...
behind the boat will give it top speed, while sailing against the wind is difficult. The Great Sea features enemies and obstacles different from those found on land; additionally, some items serve new purposes while Link is aboard the King of Red Lions. The grappling hook, for example, serves as a crane for recovering sunken treasure. Link explores the sea with the help of a
sea chart, which can be updated with information on each square and island. Through the game, Link acquires additional charts pointing the way to treasure chests and significant locations. On land, dungeons feature similar maps.
Early in the game, Link receives the Wind Waker, a
baton
Baton may refer to:
Stick-like objects
*Baton, a type of club
*Baton (law enforcement)
*Baston (weapon), a type of baton used in Arnis and Filipino Martial Arts
*Baton charge, a coordinated tactic for dispersing crowds of people
*Baton (conductin ...
which allows him to control the wind and harness other powers by "conducting" specific melodies. The player controls the Wind Waker by moving the joypads to change pitch and
time signature
The time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, or measure signature) is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats (pulses) are contained in each measure (bar), and which note value ...
. The first melody, the "Wind's Requiem", enables Link to change the wind's direction, allowing him to sail anywhere. Link can learn five other tunes for the Wind Waker, which provide abilities such as
warping to other regions and turning night to day.
Synopsis
Background and setting
According to ''
The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia'', Nintendo's official
''Legend of Zelda'' chronology, ''The Wind Waker'' takes place in the "New World" timeline, one of several parallel timelines in which ''Zelda'' games are set following the events of ''
Ocarina of Time
''The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time'' is an action-adventure game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It was released in Japan and North America in November 1998, and in PAL regions the following month. ''Ocarina of Tim ...
''. The game follows the "Adult Link" timeline, after Link, the "Hero of Time", defeats Ganon and time-travels back to his childhood. A crisis emerges when Ganon returns, but Link does not. Centuries later, the people live on islands in the Great Sea. They preserve Link's story as a legend, but his kingdom's fate is unknown. The main character, a young boy also named Link, lives on Outset Island, where boys dress in green like the Hero of Time when they come of age.
Plot
While Link is celebrating his coming of age, a gigantic bird drops pirate captain
Tetra
Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA; formerly known as Trans-European Trunked Radio), a European standard for a trunked radio system, is a professional mobile radio and two-way transceiver specification. TETRA was specifically designed for use by go ...
into Outset Island's forest. Link rescues Tetra from monsters, but the bird carries off Link's sister Aryll. Tetra agrees to help Link find his sister, and they sail to the Forsaken Fortress, where the bird, the Helmaroc King, has been taking
girls with long ears. Link finds Aryll and other kidnapped girls, but the Helmaroc King captures him and takes him to a man in black, who orders Link thrown into the sea.
Link is rescued at Windfall Island by a talking boat, the King of Red Lions, who explains that the bird's master is a returned Ganon. To defeat him, Link must find the Hero of Time's power, which requires the three Pearls of the Goddesses. Link finds Din's Pearl on Dragon Roost Island, home of the avian
Rito and the dragon Valoo; Farore's Pearl in Forest Haven, home of the
Great Deku Tree
is a high-fantasy video game series created by Japanese game designers Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. It is primarily developed and published by Nintendo, although some portable installments have been outsourced to Capcom, Vanpool and Gre ...
and the plant-like
Koroks
''The Legend of Zelda'' is a video game franchise created by Japanese video game designers Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. It is mainly developed and published by Nintendo. The universe of the ''Legend of Zelda'' series consists of a variety ...
; and Nayru's Pearl with the water spirit Jabun on Outset Island. The King of Red Lions then takes Link to the Tower of the Gods, where he faces trials before descending beneath the ocean to a castle suspended in time. Here Link finds the Hero of Time's weapon, the
Master Sword
The is a Fiction, fictional divine magic sword in Nintendo's ''The Legend of Zelda'' series. It is also known as "The Blade of Evil's Bane", the "Sword of Resurrection", the "Sword that Seals the Darkness", and the "Sacred Sword". It was introdu ...
.
Link returns to the Forsaken Fortress. Tetra's crew arrive and rescue the girls, but Ganon easily overpowers Link and Tetra: the Master Sword has lost its power. Ganon recognizes Tetra's Triforce necklace and realizes she is the incarnation of
Princess Zelda
is the titular character in Nintendo's ''The Legend of Zelda'' video game series. She was created by Shigeru Miyamoto and introduced in the original 1986 game ''The Legend of Zelda''. She is one of the central characters in the series, having ...
he is seeking. Link's Rito allies and Valoo save Link and Tetra from Ganon. The King of Red Lions brings the two back to the underwater realm, explaining it is the legendary kingdom of
Hyrule
''The Legend of Zelda'' is a video game franchise created by Japanese video game designers Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. It is mainly developed and published by Nintendo. The universe of the ''Legend of Zelda'' series consists of a variet ...
, which the goddesses submerged long ago to contain Ganon while the people fled to the mountaintops. The King of Red Lions reveals himself to be Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule, the last King of Hyrule, and Tetra is his heir, Zelda, keeper of the Triforce of Wisdom.
Tetra remains in the castle while Link and the King journey to the two sages who provided the Master Sword's power. They discover Ganon's forces murdered them both, so Link must awaken new sages: the Rito Medli and the Korok Makar. The sages restore the Master Sword, but the King learns that Ganon has abandoned the Forsaken Fortress and fears an attack. They then track down the eight shards of the missing Triforce of Courage, once kept by the Hero of Time, and the gods recognize Link as the Hero of Winds.
Link and the King return to Hyrule to discover that Ganon has captured Tetra. Link follows them to Ganon's tower, defeating Ganon's minions before Ganon overcomes him. Ganon joins Link's and Tetra's Triforce pieces with his own Triforce of Power, forming the complete Triforce, which will grant his wish to rule the world. Before he can act, the King of Hyrule appears and wishes that the Goddesses wash Ganon and Hyrule away, and grant Link and Tetra hope for their own future. Link and Tetra battle Ganon with the Master Sword and magical arrows as water pours around them; with the final blow, the Master Sword turns Ganon to stone. Link and Tetra rise to the surface as the King and Hyrule are submerged. After reuniting with their friends the heroes sail off to find a new land.
Development
Game design
![GameCube-Console-Set](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2b/GameCube-Console-Set.png)
Nintendo's ''Zelda'' team initiated plans for a new game early in the development of the GameCube system, before ''Majora's Mask'' was completed for the
Nintendo 64
The (N64) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo. The successor to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, it was released on June 23, 1996, in Japan, on September 29, 1996, in North America, and on March 1, 1997, in Europe and Au ...
in 2000.
Eiji Aonuma
is a Japanese video game designer, director, and producer. He works for Nintendo as the project manager of their ''The Legend of Zelda'' series. Aonuma is also one of the deputy general managers of Nintendo's Entertainment Planning & Development ...
, director of ''Majora's Mask'', returned to helm the project, while
Shigeru Miyamoto
is a Japanese video game designer, producer and game director at Nintendo, where he serves as one of its representative directors. Widely regarded as one of the most accomplished and influential designers in the history of video games, he is ...
and
Takashi Tezuka
is a Japanese video game designer, director, and video game producer, producer. He is a senior officer of Nintendo EPD and executive at Nintendo.
Career
Upon graduating the Design Department of Osaka University of Arts, he joined Nintendo in A ...
, the creators of the ''Zelda'' series, served as producers.
Early concepts generally followed ''Ocarina of Time''s designs, with graphics enhanced for the new system's capabilities.
The team hastily created a brief clip of Link fighting Ganondorf for a demonstration at the 2000 Space World
was a theme park in Yahatahigashi-ku, Japan. It had 6 roller coasters: Black Hole Scramble, Venus GP, Zaturn, Boogie-woogie Space Coaster, Titan Max, and Clipper.
In 2016, the park officially announced that it would close at the end of the fo ...
exposition, where Nintendo announced the GameCube. The clip resonated with fans and commentators who hoped it previewed the next ''Zelda'' game.
The ''Zelda'' team, however, had exhausted its ideas for this style and format.[ Aonuma hated the demo, finding it derivative of past ''Zelda'' games.][ The team explored other directions until designer Yoshiki Haruhana created a cartoonish drawing of a young Link that caught their eye. Design manager Satoru Takizawa drew up an enemy ]Moblin
Moblin, short for 'mobile Linux', is a discontinued open source operating system and application stack for Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs), netbooks, nettops and embedded devices.
Built around the Intel Atom processor, all builds were designed to ...
in a similar style, and the team seized on the new gameplay and combat possibilities afforded by the stylized cartoon aesthetic. To achieve this look, they used cel shading
Cel shading or toon shading is a type of non-photorealistic rendering designed to make 3-D computer graphics appear to be flat by using less shading color instead of a shade gradient or tints and shades. A cel shader is often used to mimic th ...
on 3D models, giving the look of an interactive cartoon. The developers built the game with Alias/Wavefront
Alias Systems Corporation (formerly Alias Research, Alias Wavefront), headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, was a software company that produced high-end 3D computer graphics, 3D graphics software. Alias was eventually bought by Autodesk.
H ...
's Maya 3D tool and a custom game engine
A game engine is a software framework primarily designed for the development of video games and generally includes relevant libraries and support programs. The "engine" terminology is similar to the term "software engine" used in the software i ...
. Aonuma initially kept the development quiet as he worried that Miyamoto would take issue with the cartoon style.
With this decision, development proceeded swiftly. The team quickly decided the setting would be islands in an ocean, determining it would provide interesting visuals and mechanics in the cel-shaded style. This in turn inspired the central sailing feature.[ As Aonuma predicted, some features drew skepticism from producers Miyamoto and Tezuka.][ For instance, they requested an explanation for the characters' exaggeratedly large eyes. Aonuma's team jokingly suggested having Link shoot beams from his eyes before deciding to have him focus his gaze on significant objects nearby, giving hints to observant players about what to do next.][ Miyamoto remained dubious of the art direction and reminded Aonuma that it was not too late to change course. Ultimately he relented due to the team's enthusiasm about the cartoon style and the fact that it could have taken a decade to make a more realistic ''Zelda'' with their resources.][
Nintendo presented a demo clip of the new game at the 2001 Space World, August 23–26.][ Response to the cel-shaded design was divided. While some attendees enjoyed the new look, there was backlash from disappointed fans who had hoped for a more realistic ''Zelda'' like the previous year's demo.] Critics derisively dubbed the game "Celda".[ Miyamoto was surprised at the response and decided to limit revealing further information about the game until the team finished a playable demonstration, hoping to shift focus from the graphics to the gameplay.]
Miyamoto introduced a playable demo at the next year's Electronic Entertainment Expo
E3 (short for Electronic Entertainment Expo or Electronic Entertainment Experience in 2021) is a trade event for the video game industry. The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) organizes and presents E3, which many developers, publisher ...
(E3) on May 22–24, 2002, alongside another upcoming GameCube ''Zelda'', ''Four Swords Adventures
''The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures'' is an action-adventure video game developed and published by Nintendo for the GameCube. It is the eleventh installment in ''The Legend of Zelda'' series. It was released in Japan on March 18, 2004, ...
''. Miyamoto encountered glitches while he attempted to demonstrate Link's new ability to use enemies' dropped weapons. However, reception was more positive than that for the Space World demo.[ The game received the 2002 ]Game Critics Awards
The Game Critics Awards are a set of annual awards held after the Electronic Entertainment Expo, E3 video game conference since 1998. The awards are given to products displayed at E3 with the title Best of E3 of their category.
Format
The nomine ...
for Best Console Game at E3. IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
editor Fran Mirabella said the cartoon look "works very nicely" and that "it feels very much like ''Zelda''". The whimsical style was compared to ''A Link to the Past
''The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past'' is an action-adventure game developed and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It is the third game in ''The Legend of Zelda'' series and was released in 1991 in Japan and ...
'' and promotional artwork from previous ''Zelda'' games. The E3 demo also introduced new features, such as the ability to connect to the Game Boy Advance and receive help from Tingle. However, the art direction continued to divide audiences.
Development continued through late 2002, with targeted release dates of December in Japan and early 2003 in North America. During the final stages, two dungeons that fell behind schedule were cut and replaced with a quest to recover Triforce pieces around the Great Sea. Elements of these dungeons were recycled for later ''Zelda'' games.[ On October 15, 2002, Nintendo revealed the game's Japanese subtitle, ''Kaze no Takuto'' (''Wind Baton''), to emphasize the role of wind in the game.][ The company announced the English title, ''The Wind Waker'', on December 2, 2002. In the gap between the Japanese and North American releases, the designers reworked some segments, notably shortening the lengthy Triforce quest.]
Music
The music in ''The Wind Waker'' was composed by Kenta Nagata, Hajime Wakai, Toru Minegishi
is a Japanese video game composer known for his work on Nintendo games, most notably in ''The Legend of Zelda'' and ''Splatoon'' series. He was raised in a musical family and developed an interest in video games and their music from an early ag ...
, and Koji Kondo
is a Japanese music composer, pianist, and music director who works for the video game company Nintendo. He is best known for his numerous contributions to the '' Super Mario'' and ''The Legend of Zelda'' series of video games, among others pr ...
. The sound team was significantly larger than for other contemporary projects to accommodate Nintendo's desire for a high caliber of work in the rushed development schedule.[ Koji Kondo, the primary composer for ''The Legend of Zelda'' series, contributed to the score but did not serve as sound director.] However, the score incorporated some of his pieces from older ''Zelda'' games, modifying them to emphasize the time passed between the stories.[
The soundtrack is primarily environmental; it modulates between various tracks depending on location, time and other conditions. Much of the score is inspired by traditional Irish music and is overall lighter and more upbeat than previous scores in the series. The advancement of ]MIDI
MIDI (; Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a technical standard that describes a communications protocol, digital interface, and electrical connectors that connect a wide variety of electronic musical instruments, computers, and re ...
technology allowed the soundtrack to more closely approximate the sounds of real instruments than was possible in previous installments. The score features strings, winds, brass, percussion, and for the first time in the ''Zelda'' series, wordless vocals. The vocals are especially prominent in the tunes Link conducts with the Wind Waker, singing in D major
D major (or the key of D) is a major scale based on D, consisting of the pitches D, E, F, G, A, B, and C. Its key signature has two sharps. Its relative minor is B minor and its parallel minor is D minor.
The D major scale is:
:
Ch ...
. Shigeru Miyamoto reportedly played the mandolin
A mandolin ( it, mandolino ; literally "small mandola") is a stringed musical instrument in the lute family and is generally plucked with a pick. It most commonly has four courses of doubled strings tuned in unison, thus giving a total of 8 ...
featured in the "Title Theme". Scitron Digital Content released a two-disc, 133-track soundtrack album
A soundtrack album is any album that incorporates music directly recorded from the soundtrack of a particular feature film or television show. The first such album to be commercially released was Walt Disney's ''Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'' ...
, ''The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker Original Sound Tracks'', on March 19, 2003.
''The Wind Waker'' was released on December 13, 2002, in Japan,[ on March 24, 2003, in North America, and on May 2, 2003, in Europe. To promote the release, Nintendo offered a bonus disc as a ]pre-order incentive
A pre-order is an order placed for an item that has not yet been released. The idea for pre-orders came because people found it hard to get popular items in stores because of their popularity. Companies then had the idea to allow customers to r ...
which included a GameCube port of ''Ocarina of Time'' as well as its previously unreleased expansion, '' Ura Zelda''. ''Ura Zelda'', largely an adaptation of ''Ocarina of Time'' with some changes, including new dungeon challenges, had been developed for the Nintendo 64's 64DD
The is a magnetic floppy disk drive peripheral for the Nintendo 64 game console developed by Nintendo. It was announced in 1995, prior to the Nintendo 64's 1996 launch, and after numerous delays was released in Japan on December 13, 1999. The "6 ...
peripheral
A peripheral or peripheral device is an auxiliary device used to put information into and get information out of a computer. The term ''peripheral device'' refers to all hardware components that are attached to a computer and are controlled by the ...
, but was shelved when that system failed. ''Ura Zelda'' was named ''Ocarina of Time Master Quest'' in North America and Europe. ''Ocarina of Time/Master Quest'' discs became popular items in their own right in North America, with some customers making and then cancelling preorders to get them. To avoid this issue in Europe, Nintendo released the item only in two-disc packages with ''The Wind Waker''.[
In May 2003, Nintendo bundled ''The Wind Waker'' with limited edition GameCubes in North America and Europe. On November 17 that year, Nintendo launched another promotion via a ]compilation disc
A compilation album comprises tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one or several performers. If by one artist, then generally the tracks were not originally intended for rele ...
, ''The Legend of Zelda Collector's Edition''. The disc includes ports of the original ''Legend of Zelda'', '' Zelda II: The Adventure of Link'', ''Ocarina of Time'', and ''Majora's Mask'', as well as a ''Wind Waker'' demo and two featurettes. The ''Collector's Edition'' was included in another GameCube bundle and was made available to existing GameCube owners who either registered their system or subscribed to ''Nintendo Power
''Nintendo Power'' was a video game news and strategy magazine from Nintendo of America, first published in July/August 1988 as Nintendo's official print magazine for North America. The magazine's publication was initially done monthly by Ninten ...
''.
Wii U version
In 2013, Nintendo developed a high definition re-release of ''The Wind Waker'', ''The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD'', for the Wii U
The Wii U ( ) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo as the successor to the Wii. Released in late 2012, it is the first eighth-generation video game console and competed with Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4.
The W ...
. The inspiration came when staff converted elements from various games to explore the system's capabilities while planning for '' The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild''. The developers experimented with several ''Zelda'' games, but were especially struck by how well ''The Wind Waker'' translated into high definition. When the team determined it would take less than a year to remaster the entire game, Aonuma approached Miyamoto about developing it. He faced considerable reluctance from management due to players' mixed response in 2003, but Miyamoto ultimately greenlit development as Nintendo staff had found that opinions of the game had warmed over the years.[ Aonuma served as producer, while Daiki Iwamoto served as director.][ The soundtrack was updated by Kenta Nagata, Hajime Wakai, Asuka Hayazaki, and Atsuko Asahi. While the game was developed in-house at ]Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development
commonly abbreviated as Nintendo EAD and formerly known as Nintendo Research & Development No.4 Department (abbreviated as Nintendo R&D4), was the largest software development division within the Japanese video game company Nintendo. It was pr ...
(EAD), high-resolution textures were produced with the help of a few external companies. The entire project took six months to develop.
''The Wind Waker HD'' features high definition graphics and improved lighting.[ The ]Wii U GamePad
The Wii U GamePad is the standard game controller for Nintendo's Wii U home video game console. Incorporating traits from tablet computers, the GamePad has traditional input methods (such as buttons, dual analog sticks, and a D-pad), touchscreen ...
's touchscreen serves as a map and inventory, eliminating the need to toggle between gameplay and the menu interface. Players can use motion controls to control the Wind Waker. Some weapons, like the bow, can be aimed using the GamePad's gyroscope, as in '' Ocarina of Time 3D''. The game offers Off-TV Play
Off-TV Play is a feature of Nintendo's eighth-generation video game console, the Wii U. Like all video game consoles, the Wii U uses a console and a controller to manipulate an image on a television screen. The Wii U's unique feature is that its ...
which enables the player to play the game solely on the Wii U GamePad. The game can also be played on the Wii U Pro Controller
The is a video game controller produced by Nintendo for the Wii U video game console. It is available in Black and White.
History
Nintendo unveiled the Wii U Pro Controller at E3 2012. Many video game journalists have noted the similarity betwe ...
, a controller similar to the one used in the original game. The developers made some changes to the gameplay as well: they introduced a new item, the "Swift Sail", allowing for faster sailing on the Great Sea. They also streamlined the Triforce quest, improved the Picto Box, and replaced the Tingle Tuner, which had required connectivity with a Game Boy Advance, with a Tingle Bottle item that connected to the Miiverse
Miiverse was a social network for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, created by Nintendo System Development and Hatena (company), Hatena, and powered by the Nintendo Network. Integrated into many games, Miiverse allowed players to interact and share their ...
prior to its shutdown on November 8, 2017.
A limited-edition console bundle that combines both a digital version of game and the Deluxe Wii U console was released on September 20, 2013, in North America. The black console features a GamePad with a golden Hylian Crest and golden ''The Wind Waker''-styled Hylian letters and symbols. A redemption code for a digital copy of '' The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia'' was also included. A Ganondorf figurine was released with a special edition copy of the game, available exclusively through GameStop
GameStop Corp. is an American video game, consumer electronics, and gaming merchandise retailer. The company is headquartered in Grapevine, Texas (a suburb of Dallas), and is the largest video game retailer worldwide. , the company operates 4,5 ...
.
Reception
Critical reception
''The Wind Waker'' received widespread critical acclaim. Review aggregator
A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews of products and services (such as films, books, video games, software, hardware, and cars). This system stores the reviews and uses them for purposes such as supporting a website where users ...
website Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
calculated a score of 96/100 based on 80 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[ It was the fourth game to receive a perfect score from the Japanese magazine '']Famitsu
formerly ''Famicom Tsūshin'', is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Kadokawa Game Linkage (previously known as Gzbrain), a subsidiary of Kadokawa. ''Famitsu'' is published in both weekly and monthly formats as well as in the fo ...
'',[ and additionally earned perfect scores from '']Computer and Video Games
''Computer and Video Games'' (also known as ''CVG'', ''Computer & Video Games'', ''C&VG'', ''Computer + Video Games'', or ''C+VG'') was a UK-based video game magazine, published in its original form between 1981 and 2004. Its offshoot website ...
'',[ '']Game Informer
''Game Informer'' (''GI'', most often stylized ''gameinformer'' from the 2010s onward) is an American monthly video game magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of video games and associated consoles. It debuted in August 1991 w ...
'',[ '' Game Pro'',] ''Nintendo Power
''Nintendo Power'' was a video game news and strategy magazine from Nintendo of America, first published in July/August 1988 as Nintendo's official print magazine for North America. The magazine's publication was initially done monthly by Ninten ...
'',[ and Planet GameCube.][ It received high marks from many other reviewers as well, although it did not reach the levels of critical acclaim that had greeted ''Ocarina of Time''.]
While often noting fans' ambivalence about the cel shading, critics praised the game's visuals. Reviewers likened the game to a playable cartoon,[ with several positively comparing the animation to the films of ]Disney
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
and Hayao Miyazaki
is a Japanese animator, director, producer, screenwriter, author, and manga artist. A co-founder of Studio Ghibli, he has attained international acclaim as a masterful storyteller and creator of Japanese animated feature films, and is widel ...
.[ In particular, critics appreciated the characters' unique expressiveness,] and found that the fine details and environments added richness to the game world. ''Famitsu''s reviewers wrote that the rich design brings all the game's elements together into a cohesive whole.[ '']Electronic Gaming Monthly
''Electronic Gaming Monthly'' (often abbreviated to ''EGM'') is a monthly American video game magazine. It offers video game news, coverage of industry events, interviews with gaming figures, editorial content and product reviews.
History
The m ...
''s reviewers found the animation quality unparalleled in games and wrote that "''The Wind Waker''s new look is as effective as it is unique".[ Matt Casamassina of '']IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
'' said that though some fans hold distaste for the graphics, Nintendo's execution represented the pinnacle of the GameCube's capabilities and of cel shading technology. Jeff Gerstmann of ''GameSpot
''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. In addition ...
'' said that skepticism about the visuals was "unfounded" and wrote that the character design "adds emotional weight" to the storyline. One ''Nintendo Power'' reviewer wrote that though he was initially skeptical, the visuals worked "brilliantly, framing the most enjoyable game play experience I've had since ''Ocarina of Time''".[
Critics also lauded the gameplay, in particular the responsive control system, fluid combat, and puzzles.][ Several reviews noted the similarity of its gameplay to that of ''Ocarina of Time'', though they praised enhancements such as the ability to move the camera, perform counterattacks, and use enemy items.][ ''IGN'' reassured players that beyond visual differences between ''The Wind Waker'' and ''Ocarina'', "these two games are very much alike".] ''Game Informer'' wrote that the gameplay expanded upon that in its predecessors to become "far greater, deeper, and more complex",[ while ''Electronic Gaming Monthly'' said that "''Wind Waker''s core gameplay is the best the series has ever had".][ On the other hand, '']Edge
Edge or EDGE may refer to:
Technology Computing
* Edge computing, a network load-balancing system
* Edge device, an entry point to a computer network
* Adobe Edge, a graphical development application
* Microsoft Edge, a web browser developed by ...
'' said that while the game would awe new players, its similarity to previous ''Zelda'' games meant that veteran players may find it "'merely' brilliant".[ ''Famitsu'' wrote that the game's user friendliness would appeal even to novice players.][ ''IGN'' praised the intuitive controls, the especially interactive environment, and the variety of game actions, which "can be executed with a precision that few other games could offer".] ''GameSpot'' appreciated the breadth of items that can be used. ''Electronic Gaming Monthly'' said that the high variety of options for progressing through fights and puzzles kept the game from ever getting boring.[ '']GamePro
Gamepro.com is an international multiplatform video game magazine media company that covers the video game industry, video game hardware and video game software in countries such as Germany and France. The publication, GamePro, was originally la ...
''s Star Dingo enjoyed the variety of combo attack
In video games, a combo (short for combination) is a set of actions performed in sequence, usually with strict timing limitations, that yield a significant benefit or advantage. The term originates from fighting games where it is based upon the co ...
s and puzzles, calling the game "a combination of vivid artistry and timeless gameplay".
Other elements that commonly received praise include the expansive game world and level design, especially in the dungeons.[ The storyline also received praise;][ ''Nintendo Power'' called the game "a masterpiece of style and storytelling".][ Several critics lauded the score and soundtrack,][ though some noted the lack of ]voice acting
Voice acting is the art of performing voice-overs to present a character or provide information to an audience. Performers are called voice actors/actresses, voice artists, dubbing artists, voice talent, voice-over artists, or voice-over talent ...
as a drawback.[
The game's most common criticism is the heavy emphasis on sailing, especially later in the game when Link must trek around the ocean to collect Triforce pieces.] ''GameSpot'' wrote that while the main quest "starts out in a very brisk manner", by the last third of the game, the "focus on sailing ... is pretty tedious". ''Edge'' wrote that the sailing was "convincingly organic", but even with the warp feature, "there remains an awful lot of relatively dull seafaring activity".[ Others complained about having to use the Wind Waker so frequently to change wind direction.][ IGN wrote that using the device became "a tedious nuisance" and that the inability to skip the accompanying animation was "more bothersome still".] Some reviewers enjoyed the sailing; two ''Electronic Gaming Monthly'' reviewers appreciated the combat, exploration, and side quests available at sea.[ Another common criticism was the game's comparatively low level of difficulty.][ ''IGN'' wrote that once the player added enough hearts to Link's health meter, "he becomes nearly invincible, which is a true shortcoming as far as we concerned".]
Several publications named ''The Wind Waker'' Game of the Year
Game of the Year (GotY) is an award given by various award events and media publications to a video game that they feel represented the pinnacle of gaming that year.
Events and ceremonies
British Academy Games Awards (BAFTA Games Awards)
...
, including ''GameSpot'',[ ''Nintendo Power'',][ ]GameFAQs
GameFAQs is a website that hosts FAQs and walkthroughs for video games. It was created in November 1995 by Jeff Veasey and was bought by CNET Networks in May 2003. It is currently owned by Fandom, Inc. since October 2022. The site has a databa ...
,[ Planet GameCube,][ and '']Games
A game is a structured form of play, usually undertaken for entertainment or fun, and sometimes used as an educational tool. Many games are also considered to be work (such as professional players of spectator sports or games) or art (such ...
'' magazine.[ ''IGN'' gave it the Readers' Choice award for 2003 and named it Best Adventure Game for the GameCube. The game was ranked 157th in Electronic Gaming Monthly's "The Top 200 Video Games of Their Time" in 2006. It received the Excellence in Visual Arts award at the 2004 ]Game Developers Choice Awards
The Game Developers Choice Awards are awards annually presented at the Game Developers Conference for outstanding game developers and games.
Introduced in 2001, the Game Developers Choice Awards were preceded by the Spotlight Awards, which were ...
and was a finalist for the GDCA Game of the Year award. It also won the Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction award at the 2004 Interactive Achievement Awards
The D.I.C.E. Awards (formerly the Interactive Achievement Awards) is an award show in the video game industry started in 1998 and commonly referred to in the industry as the "video games Oscar". The awards are arranged by the Academy of Interac ...
and received seven other nominations, including Console Game of the Year.
Audience response and sales
Player response to the game remained divided over the cel-shaded design. Reception was comparatively warm in Japan, where various media commonly borrow an anime
is Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japane ...
aesthetic, but was much more divided in North America. Some players appreciated the design and Aonuma's vision, but others found it childish and too far removed from the more realistic designs of previous games. According to Stephen Totilo
''Kotaku'' is a video game website and blog that was originally launched in 2004 as part of the Gawker Media network. Notable former contributors to the site include Luke Smith, Cecilia D'Anastasio, Tim Rogers, and Jason Schreier.
History
...
of ''Kotaku
''Kotaku'' is a video game website and blog that was originally launched in 2004 as part of the Gawker Media network. Notable former contributors to the site include Luke Smith, Cecilia D'Anastasio, Tim Rogers, and Jason Schreier.
History
...
'', much of the backlash came from a contemporary anxiety that Nintendo was losing its edge by focusing on games for children, as opposed to the more mature, realistic fare developed by competitors.
''The Wind Waker'' generated the most successful pre-order campaign in Nintendo history at the time. However, sales did not live up to expectations; director Aonuma noted that purchases were disappointing in both Japan and North America. Japanese sales suffered from a general decline in the video game market caused by consumers shifting away from games, a phenomenon known as "gamer drift". The overall market remained strong in North America, but ''The Wind Waker''s sales were slow there and had declined markedly by the time they reached one million. ''The Wind Waker'' sold 4.6 million copies, far below the 7.6 million record set by ''Ocarina of Time''. Nintendo of America attributed the game's comparatively weak North American sales in large part to the cel-shaded graphics, which turned off many players, particularly older teenagers who made up ''The Legend of Zelda''s traditional audience. Miyamoto further blamed a failure to introduce major innovations to excite established players or attract new ones.
''The Wind Waker HD''
''The Wind Waker HD'' was critically acclaimed; Metacritic calculated a score of 90/100 based on 70 reviews. The improved graphics of the game from the original received positive commentary. Dan Ryckert of ''Game Informer
''Game Informer'' (''GI'', most often stylized ''gameinformer'' from the 2010s onward) is an American monthly video game magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of video games and associated consoles. It debuted in August 1991 w ...
'' noted that the upgrade was immediately apparent, and that "the vivid colors and crashing waves of the flooded Hyrule ook
Ook, OoK or OOK may refer to:
* Ook Chung (born 1963), Korean-Canadian writer from Quebec
* On-off keying, in radio technology
* Toksook Bay Airport (IATA code OOK), in Alaska
* Ook!, an esoteric programming language based on Brainfuck
* Ook, th ...
fantastic". IGN's Jose Otero stated that the game "looks great". Andrew Fitch of ''Electronic Gaming Monthly
''Electronic Gaming Monthly'' (often abbreviated to ''EGM'') is a monthly American video game magazine. It offers video game news, coverage of industry events, interviews with gaming figures, editorial content and product reviews.
History
The m ...
'' claimed that the game "enhances the already excellent ''Wind Waker'' visuals with HD flair".
The game's first week sales in Japan were 30,000 physical copies. In the week following the release of ''Wind Waker HD'', sales of the Wii U console increased by 685% in the UK. , it has worldwide sales of 2.36 million units.
Legacy
Sequels and other media
Nintendo initially planned a direct sequel for the GameCube, developed by Aonuma's ''Zelda'' team under the working title ''Wind Waker 2''. However, ''The Wind Waker''s underwhelming reception in North America, combined with the downturn in the Japanese video game market, convinced Aonuma that the only avenue to success would be a more realistic ''Zelda'' game that would appeal to the stronger North American market. He persuaded Miyamoto, who authorized development of a realistically styled game using ''The Wind Waker''s engine, '' The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess''. ''Twilight Princess'' proved a major success for the GameCube and the newly released Wii
The Wii ( ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released on November 19, 2006, in North America and in December 2006 for most other Regional lockout, regions of the world. It is Nintendo's fifth major ho ...
.
''The Wind Waker'' originated the variant of the Link character named "Toon Link
is the protagonist of Nintendo's video game franchise ''The Legend of Zelda''. He was created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Link was introduced as the hero of the original 1986 ''The Legend of Zelda (video game), The Legend ...
", who appeared in several later Nintendo games.[ ''The Wind Waker'' received two direct sequels for the Nintendo DS handheld system. Wanting to continue ''The Wind Waker''s story and art style, in 2007 Aonuma produced '' The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass'', which follows Link and Tetra as they explore new reaches of the Great Sea. '' The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks'' (2009) is set roughly a century later and features a new Link and Zelda, the latter a descendant of Tetra, as they traverse New Hyrule with a magical train. Toon Link also returned in indirectly related ''Legend of Zelda'' games such as ''Four Swords Adventures'' (2004), '']The Minish Cap
''The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap'' is an action-adventure video game and the twelfth entry in ''The Legend of Zelda'' series. Developed by Capcom and Flagship, with Nintendo overseeing the development process, ''The Minish Cap'' was release ...
'' (2005), and ''Tri Force Heroes
''The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes'' is an action-adventure game developed by Nintendo EPD and Grezzo and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS. The second original Nintendo 3DS entry in ''The Legend of Zelda'' series after '' A Lin ...
'' (2015).[ He also features as a playable character in Nintendo's '']Super Smash Bros.
''Super Smash Bros.'' is a Crossover (fiction), crossover fighting game series published by Nintendo. The series was created by Masahiro Sakurai, who has directed every game in the series. The series is known for its unique gameplay objectiv ...
'' crossover
Crossover may refer to:
Entertainment
Albums and songs
* ''Cross Over'' (Dan Peek album)
* ''Crossover'' (Dirty Rotten Imbeciles album), 1987
* ''Crossover'' (Intrigue album)
* ''Crossover'' (Hitomi Shimatani album)
* ''Crossover'' (Yoshino ...
fighting game
A fighting game, also known as a versus fighting game, is a video game genre, genre of video game that involves combat between two or more players. Fighting game combat often features mechanics such as Blocking (martial arts), blocking, grappli ...
series, and along with other ''Wind Waker'' characters, in the 2016 ''Zelda'' pastiche ''Hyrule Warriors Legends
''Hyrule Warriors'' is a hack and slash video game developed by Omega Force and Team Ninja for the Wii U video game console. The game is a collaboration between Koei Tecmo and Nintendo, mixing settings and characters from Nintendo's ''The Legend ...
''.
Conductors of the concert tour '' The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses'' have used custom-made Wind Waker batons. ''The Wind Waker'' also influenced 2017's '' The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild'', which features a similarly stylized art design, but with more realistic proportions. ''Breath of the Wild'' also includes species from ''The Wind Waker'' among other references, leading some fans to speculate that it follows the "Adult Timeline" established by ''The Wind Waker''.
Later reputation
''The Wind Waker'' has continued to be acclaimed by critics. It has appeared in various lists of the best video games
This is a list of video games that multiple reputable video game journalists or magazines have considered to be among the best of all time. The games listed here are included on at least six separate "best/greatest of all time" lists from differ ...
, including those compiled by ''Electronic Gaming Monthly'', ''Nintendo Power'', and IGN. ''Nintendo Power'' named ''The Wind Waker'' the fourth best game to ever appear on a Nintendo console,[ while '']Official Nintendo Magazine
''Official Nintendo Magazine'', or ''ONM'', was a British video game magazine that ran from 2006 to 2014 that covered the Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, Wii, and Wii U video game consoles released by Nintendo.
Originally published by EMAP as ''N ...
'' placed it 12th. ''Nintendo Power'' listed its ending as one of the greatest in Nintendo history, due to the final battle's climax. UGO
Ugo is the Italian form of Hugh, a widely used name of Germanic origin. Its diminutive form is Ugolino.
It is also a Nigerian Igbo first name.
It may refer to:
People
* Vgo (stonemason), medieval stonemason
* Ugo Bassi, a Roman Catholic priest ...
listed ''The Wind Waker'' on their list of the "Top 50 Games That Belong On the 3DS". In a retrospective on the GameCube, IGN named ''The Wind Waker'' the fourth best game ever released for the system. ''Nintendo Power'' named ''The Wind Waker'' the second best GameCube game of all time, behind only ''Resident Evil 4
''Resident Evil 4'' is a 2005 survival horror third-person shooter game developed by Capcom Production Studio 4 and published by Capcom. It was originally released for the GameCube on January 11, 2005. Players control U.S. government special ...
''.
Later pieces have noted that ''The Wind Wakers divisive reputation among fans improved over time and that it has come to be seen as a classic. Several writers have said that the game and its stylized aesthetic aged well, whereas contemporary games with more realistic graphics often became dated.[ The graphics that initially divided opinion have become a favorite feature;][ some former skeptics have written about revising their initial opinions.][ Nintendo representatives describe this turnaround as a particularly dramatic example of the "Zelda cycle", in which fans' negative responses to ''Zelda'' games improve over time.][ In 2013, Keza MacDonald of IGN wrote that ''The Wind Waker'' had outlived its initial reception and become "popularly considered among the very best ''Zeldas''".][
]
References
Notes
Citations
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
External links
* (Wayback Machine
The Wayback Machine is a digital archive of the World Wide Web founded by the Internet Archive, a nonprofit based in San Francisco, California. Created in 1996 and launched to the public in 2001, it allows the user to go "back in time" and see ...
copy)
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, The
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Wind Waker
''The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker'' is a 2002 action-adventure game developed and published by Nintendo for the GameCube. An installment in ''The Legend of Zelda'' series, it was released in Japan in December 2002, in North America in Ma ...
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