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Posted on April 25th, 2004 - 5499 Reads

Rated Everyone Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker GameCube Review Silver Award

-- Written by Jesse MacVicar



 When the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time came out on the Nintendo 64 it was honestly one of the most enjoyable games I've ever played. It was true to the series, yet offered a totally new 3D experience that drew in even more gamers then before. Now, years later, Nintendo has launched its new adventure with a visual twist - a new technique called cell shading.

I had huge doubts about such a different style of graphics, especially at first glance. Like almost all gamers out there, a game's graphics are the first thing I notice and I was shocked to say the least. I was not looking forward to new the "cartoon look" over the advanced, realistic graphics that were introduced at Nintendo's Spaceworld event. Although I was disappointed with the visuals, I kept an open mind and patiently waited until its release.

When I first got my hands on the game I was pleasantly surprised with what I saw. The graphics weren't perfect, but they were way better then I expected. The game design was obviously improved from its first appearance and looked very smooth and polished. I found the graphics really original and highly stylized. The character models looked just like they would in a cartoon and are perfectly fit for the game. Not only were the characters interesting, the environments were also very beautiful and eye-catching. The overall visual design of this game is colourful, appealing, and generally very well done - just what I would expect from Nintendo.

When I really got into the game I was even more impressed with the solid game play and cleaver level design. Sailing the ocean was just as fun, if not more fun, than exploring Hyrule field. I found literally hundreds of things to hold my interest such as mini-games to play, enemies to defeat, rupees to collect, and new islands to explore. I was also busy finding heart pieces and other upgrades in order to gain an advantage when beating dungeons. The only main problem I had with the game was its difficulty. The enemies and some of the puzzles were much too easy and simplistic. I never died once through the entire game. This may be a major disappointment for advanced gamers, but many people shouldn't have much of a problem. It wasn't quite as in-depth as I wanted it to be, but it was a very rewarding adventure.

In addition to some of the classic weapons (the boomerang, bombs, bow, and so on) Nintendo has added a few new ones. The Deku leaf, for example, was a new item which had two functions. You are able to use it like a fan and create a gust of wind to move objects. And you are able to use it as a sort of parachute to fly through the air. Items like this add a lot of fun to the game.

Another new item is the Tingle Tuner. This allows a second player to use the GBA-GameCube cable link to link up to the GameCube by way of the GameBoy Advance. The second player becomes Tingle (which many may recognize from Majora's Mask for the Nintendo 64) who is able to find secrets and use some items to aid the first player. Among some of the items are the Tingle bomb and the Tingle balloon, however these don't come without a price. Mostly all of the items cost the first player Rupees when used. The Tingle Tuner extra doesn't add the true value of a two player game in any way, but it is a nice alternative if you want a friend to be more involved in the game.

The main instrument in the N64 titles, the ocarina, has also changed. Now Link takes control of the wind with the wind waker, which plays a very important role in the game. In order to sail to certain locations, Link must conduct a magic song to change to direction of the wind. The wind waker is also used to pass the course of time, warp to distant locations, and take control of certain other characters in order to beat specific dungeons. The wind waker was a very innovative choice that came very unexpected.

If you've ever played any of the N64 predecessors you'll be familiar with the controls and they still work fine. Their are still three main items, but they are now equipped to the X, Y, and Z buttons, instead of the c-buttons used in the N64 games. The targeting system is also still intact, but now it uses the L-button instead of the Z-button, which turned out to be a good decision.

Navigating Link around the environments is another breeze, but I did have a problem with some of the camera angles. I found that the camera was constantly getting in the way and becoming annoying at certain times. However it shouldn't interfere with your enjoyment of the game, as you are able to easily move the camera with the c-stick. The learning curve is rather small, especially if you're experienced with 3D gaming. If you've played any of the Zelda titles for the Nintendo 64, this game should come with no problem what so ever.

The music in this game wasn't up to the level as some of the past Zelda games, but it was still very good. The exciting music was just as good, but some of the other tunes used in emotional and calming moments felt a little off for me. The sound effects were also well done, but very similar to the Nintendo 64 versions. They can't be described as realistic, but they fit the game style perfectly. Their are also still all of those classic beeps and sounds from the original games that make a Zelda game sound like it should.

Even though the Wind Waker for the Nintendo GameCube didn't take such a huge step forward technically as the N64 version did, it still delivered a fresh new journey. The story was average, but the adventure was outstanding. The game even had some pretty good replay value. This is a must own for Zelda fans and it was highly enjoyable. The level design is brilliant and just what you'd come to expect from a Zelda game. The graphics are perfectly suited for the game and enable Link to express a wide variety of funny expressions. This is definitely worth picking up and comes highly recommended.

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