The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

The Wind Waker galvanized the skeptic within many series fanatics at the initial unveiling of the cel-shaded graphics that were to be untilized in the GameCube's first Zelda installment. The style was a striking departure from the realistic aesthetics of the SpaceWorld 2000 technical demonstration that Nintendo constructed to showcase the GameCube's capabilities, and the dissention from the popular style used on the Nintendo 64 with the highly-extolled Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask was arguably even more remarkable. It is faintly easy in situations like this to expel such a title from a series altogether or to elect to bypass it and wait for a more desirable game, but it is exponentially more difficult to reject a title with such a high level of personality and blamelessness of design as The Wind Waker. The attention to detail in this game, especially considering the graphical style that was used, is incredibly high and remarkable. Subtle yet thoroughly enhancing qualities such as the water dripping from Link's tunic when he is wet to the comical and high-calibur use of facial expressions to apply emotion to the narrative are admirable affects that all should appreciate. The world of The Wind Waker is thoroughly developed, and the seemingly extraneous added effort with minor visual effects gives the game a deluge of added polish that is almost exclusive to Nintendo's first-party franchises.

The complimentary qualities of music in videogames has always been underemphasized to some extent throughout the hobby's history. Fine tunes have been commended as expected, but the profound effects of music on conveying the very mood of a game and the tone the developer wishes to present to the player has always been undermined and scarcely considered in the overall quality of the game's design. The Legend of Zelda series, especially as of late, once again, has built a reputation for high-quality music and audio. The Wind Waker's soundtrack includes a gratifying balance of Zelda favorites and excellent new originals that once again aids in fully immersing the player into the game. Zelda music has always followed the scientific definition of the word--an assembly of sounds that...well, sound...pleasant together regardless of preference. An inexorable upwelling of euphonous concertos blasts in the background and defines The Wind Waker's music and compliments the overall style and presentation of the title. The music intensifies and abates with the action and the sea, making the more demanding battles in dungeons increasingly arduous and rewarding. The sound effects, spanning a vast gamut including yells from the protagonist accompanying his attacks and clanks and noises from objects coming in contact with his blade, are reasonable in nature and work quite well, although the unnatural sounds emitted as Link strikes an enemy are an unnecessary and somewhat cacophonous addition that may annoy a small percentage of players in time.

The Legend of Zelda games, similarly to the majority of games in the adventure genre, have never had an excess of compelling reasons for replay, with the exception of nostalgia, which usually takes effect after a considerable amount of time has passed following the title's release. The Wind Waker does little to change this theme, offering a mildy different second quest that explores the same locales and dungeons in the same fashion and offers only a few significant changes, and the traditional heart piece- and bottle-collecting sidequests, the former of which is completely unnecessary in light of the game's difficulty. Nintendo attempts to promote its Game Boy Advance connectivity strategy by allowing the player to control Tingle, the droll fairy from Majora's Mask, to find otherwise unobtainable items throughout the quest. The idea is somewhat appreciated; however, the majority of players likely will not put it to use anyway.

Closing Comments:
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker is not an faultless addition to the celebrated franchise, but it still emerges as one of the most polished, entertaining titles on the Nintendo GameCube platform to date. The design and presentation are up to par with the expectations franchise veterans might have for them; however, the length of the game and difficulty may be a disappointment for potential buyers. The remaining Zelda elements are in place, and the cel-shaded visuals are absolutely gorgeous if one can appreciate the style. While it is ambiguous as to whether this title is a must-have like its counterparts or not, it is certain that it is an intelligently designed title that those who purchase it and play it with an open mind should thoroughly enjoy.