Phoenix Genesis -- The Legend of Zelda Wind Waker Review

The Wind Waker

By: Gabriel Quinteroz
Staff Writer
Phoenix Genesis / MBS LP
www.phoenixgenesis.com
GAME REVIEWS

March 24, 2003.

I. Overview

The newest installment in the series, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, which sticks quite close to the blueprint drawn up by 1998's The Ocarina of Time. But what truly makes The Wind Waker a landmark event and sets it apart from most other games on the market today is its high level of polish.

At the start, The Wind Waker's story feels different from any of the previous Zelda games, though it ends up like rest at the end. The game opens in Pororo Island, where you live with your sister and grandmother. Shortly after you wake up and snooped around for a while. Then all hell breaks loose. A giant bird carrying a small girl heading toward the island, with a pirate ship in hot pursuit, firing cannonballs. Eventually, the bird captures your sister, and you team up with the pirates to go get your sister back. As luck would have it, this series of events grows into something much larger as you proceed, and as you'd expect, the very fate of the world hangs in the balance by the time you reach the game's final confrontation.

II. Game Play

Much of the game play involves you sailing around the world in a talking boat. Similar to the "The Ocarina of Time," the control scheme is nearly identical, using the GameCube controller's L trigger for lock-on targeting and the Z, X, and Y buttons for any inventory. The combat is also very similar, though there is a new counter move, like sidestep or leap over and strike at a foe's back. That's why in The Wind Waker it works very well.

Like previous Zelda games, progressing in The Wind Waker is about having the right items, at the right time. Most of the time, you'll earn new items in the game's dungeons. Then go on to face a boss battle that requires you to use your new item. The classic items from previous series, return here, including power bracelets, bombs, the hooks hot, the boomerang, multiple types of arrows, empty bottles, and the master sword. The returning items behave in a pretty standard fashion, though the boomerang has been upgraded this time around to target up to five enemies or objects at once. The newest items like the grappling hook, which can be used to steal items from enemies or swing from place to place and the deku leaf can be used like a glider or parachute, useful when you need to cross large gaps. The leaf is also used to blow gusts of wind at objects and enemies. Also new to the Wind Waker, is the Baton of Wind. Much like with Link's ocarina, you'll learn songs throughout the game that have various magic effects.

The world of The Wind Waker consists of a large collection of islands. After completions of the first few portions of the game, you receive a special boat. Your talking boat will basically guide you through the game, and you'll use a sail, a sea chart, and the wind Baton's ability to change the direction of the wind to move from island to island. While the world is quite large and full of all sorts of little side quests, the game is very good at giving directions as to where your next location will be. The sailing can seem boring at times, but once you've learned the warp song, you can skip around to the more important locations with ease.

The game's different dungeons have different themes, such as fire, ice, plants, and wind. Two of the game's later dungeons have a new objective since you have to bring another character along with you. These helper characters have abilities of their own; they play part in solving puzzles in those dungeons. The Wind Waker seems to be easier than previous games. Most of the dungeon puzzles are really easy, and the bosses rarely don't put up a challenging fight. The multiple final boss battles are only a little bit more difficult.

The Wind Waker makes GameCube's ability to link up to the Game Boy Advance really easy. In the game, you'll acquire an item called the Tingle tuner, which looks like a Game Boy Advance. With it, you can call upon the fairy Tingle, who appears on the GBA screen along with a map of your surroundings. As you explore, Tingle will give you hints about puzzles, and helps you find islands. Tingle can also heal, restore magic, drop bombs, and give you the ability to fly for short periods of time. The only downfall of using Tingle, he charges for his items. Also he stabs you in the back after a while by throwing bombs at you.

The game can be completed in about 20 hours, though all the extra heart pieces, treasure maps, and other little optional endeavors in the game, will increase that number. The game's quest starts out in a very straightforward manner, quickly moving you from dungeon to dungeon without any delay. But the final part of the game requires you to collect a series of items before continuing on. Collecting these items is a long task at hand. While this portion of the game will actually be shortened up a bit in the U.S. version. Thankfully, the game gets back on track and the game's final confrontation awaits.

III. Graphics and Sound

At first, there was a lot of badmouthing about The Wind Waker's cel-shaded look. As this new entry in the series looks absolutely amazing. Facial animation techniques and characters' expressiveness in their motion and appearance looks great. Artistically, The Wind Waker is the best GameCube or on any other platform game up to date.

The Wind Waker's music is a nice collection of tunes. Some new, some remixes of older Zelda game music. No matter what, it is really fantastic. There isn't any speech in the game; most major characters just make noises when you speak to them. Link himself has the same style cries. The game's sound effects and other audio elements are well done. Especially when heard in Surround Sound. Since The Ocarina of Time, this is the best game ever. Perfect 10.