Recensioni degli utenti

...Very good. Not as good as Ocarina of Time or Twilight Princess, but it is unique in its own way. The cel-shade graphics are beautiful, and the characters are very expressive. The boss fights are challenging, and the story very interesting. The only bad thing is that you have to sail for way too long at times. But apart from that and trying to find good islands that you went to before and do not show up on your map afterwards, it is pretty close to flawless. The area is large, and there is a lot of things to do and you will want to go back to the islands again and again. Even though it is not as good as TP and OoT, it is better than I had expected.

This game is one of the best games i have ever seen. The game is a super member of the Zelda collection!! Buy it!!

The cool with the game is: - Cool story - Cool charaters - Just what a Zelda game shall be!!!!!

The bad is: - It's not so long - Changing the winds direction - Too easy enemys...

But it's cool!! I give it a 9/10.

10 out of 10 - A Bold Masterpiece on the Open Sea

When Zelda Took the Helm and Defied Expectations

The Wind Waker wasn't just a game - it was a declaration. A defiant, courageous step in a whole new direction. After the legendary Ocarina of Time and the haunting brilliance of Majora's Mask, fans expected a darker, more realistic path forward.

Instead, Nintendo gave us something bold, bright, and unforgettably beautiful.

A cartoon? No.

A fairy tale forged in shipwrecks, ruins, and saltwater sorrow?

Absolutely.

Art That Breathes

Cel-shaded? More like soul-shaded. Every wave, every gust of wind, every expressive blink from Link's wide eyes pulls you in. This isn't style for the sake of it - this is emotion turned into color.

The skies shimmer with changing weather.

The sea rolls and crashes with a life of its own.

Every island you explore has a storybook wonder and a forgotten truth buried underneath.

The art doesn't age - it evolves.

A Hero Without a Destiny

This isn't the Link of prophecy or bloodline.

This is a kid in pajamas who jumps on a boat to save his sister.

And that? That makes it even better. Because this time, you become the hero not because the world demands it - but because you choose to be.

And what you uncover along the way? The hidden ruins, the lost legends, the tragedy of a kingdom beneath the waves... it's enough to break your heart and build it back stronger.

The King of Red Lions: Your Ship, Your Mentor

He talks. He guides. He judges you a bit.

But he also gives you freedom - real, vast, open freedom.

Sailing in Wind Waker isn't a chore. It's not a loading screen disguised as gameplay.

It's a ritual. A meditative journey where the wind becomes your ally, and the horizon?

That's your compass.

And when the storm hits? When the music swells and the ocean turns against you?

You don't run.

You become the captain.

Dungeons, Puzzles, and Pure Nintendo Magic

Wind Waker's dungeons blend the familiar with the whimsical: Mirrors reflecting light through forgotten temples.

Giant stone faces staring you down.

Grappling hooks, boomerangs, and puzzles that make you stop and think, but never make you feel stuck.

Every dungeon? A story told through space and sound. And when you finally conquer one, you're not just getting stronger - you're diving deeper into a world that was lost, mourning, and waiting to be seen again.

Characters That Stay With You Tetra: Not just a "Zelda" twist - a revolution in character. Tough, smart, street-level savvy. The princess with dirt under her fingernails and a pirate ship to command.

Ganondorf: Never more human. Never more tragic. This isn't a mustache-twirling villain - this is a man who lost everything, and wants to claim what remains.

Grandma: Yeah, she matters too. Because the real strength in this game? It comes from love. From family. From home.

And that final confrontation?

One of the most poetic, haunting, and legendary endings in the series.

Music that Moves Oceans

The Wind Waker soundtrack is timeless. Not background noise - the emotional spine of the game.

That Great Sea theme? Pure wanderlust.

That Dragon Roost Island rhythm? Instant classic.

That endgame sequence score? Chills. Every. Time.

And wielding the Wind Waker baton? That's not just gameplay - that's conducting the elements themselves.

Why It's a 10

Because it dared to be bright when others demanded grit.

Because it gave you freedom, and trusted you to find your own legend.

Because the ocean wasn't empty - it was waiting.

Wind Waker is a game about what's left behind. About a world sunken by sorrow, rising again through courage, laughter, and wind-filled sails.

It's not just a Zelda game.

It's a voyage into hope, art, legacy, and wild-eyed wonder.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker is the latest entry in the classic saga.

First off, I just want to say...Wow. This game is an experience. Taking place on the ocean instead of the familiar realm of Hyrule, you sail around to several different islands in the course of play.

The sea is huge, a 7 by 7 square grid dotted all over with islands. The story is new, and plays as a loose sequel to Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask. Now I know that would sound kind of stupid, considering that they are all part of a series, and would of course be connected. But its different here. Just watch the opening cinematic.

The game play is wonderful, from sailing and retrieving treasure chests to the familiar Zelda formula, it works on every level.

The graphics are amazing. Never before has Cel-Shaded graphics been done to such an extent. It's really quite wonderful. When you roll, dust flies. Your ship cuts through the water as it sails, and lets not forget the waves and the wind blowing in certain directions.

To go deeper into the story, let me just say that it is a bit of a departure from the earlier editions. This time it is about Link (of course) who sets out with pirates to retake his kidnapped sister, and he is thrown into dark and sinister implications, and has to rise to his destiny. All while trying to get her back. There still isn't voice acting, just words on the screen. Which is good, because no voice acting can't seriously be a con, but terrible voice acting can.

Several new characters and a whole new world to explore recreate the Zelda scene with riveting force. Some may complain that there's too much sailing. They can stick with Serious Sam if they can't sit down that long.

Some may gripe about the cel-shaded graphics. But their best argument tends to be "its stupid." My only problem isn't really a problem. I just with they would have kept something in the game in alignment with the Ocarina of Time. No real bother.

Anyway, I give it a 9.8 out of 10. My second favorite GameCube game. (Just behind Metroid Prime.

With an amazing soundtrack, awesome plot, great mechanics, so much to explore, and the fact that it's a fantastic step-up to Ocarina of Time (in terms of upgrading), this game is heavily underrated and is one of, if not, the best of the series. It's also straightforward and not as hard to get into as other titles like Majora's Mask or Breath of the Wild, however it still is one of the most interesting Legend of Zelda games. Pretty decent combat and an interesting concept, this game never fails if you're looking for a good GameCube/Wii game to play. Timeless classic.

I was a big Zelda fan growing up, and I knew I had to play this game when I first saw the commercial for it years ago as a kid. It was a fantastic gaming experience, and I still remember it fondly today.

Hundreds of years after Ocarina of Time, the land of Hyrule has been completely flooded, leaving only the mountain tops for its surviving inhabitants to live on. An Outset Island boy, Toon Link (as he's called here), sets out to rescue his kidnapped sister Aryll, with the help of the mysterious pirate captain Tetra. In the process, Link gets caught up in an adventure to become the hero of the wind and save the world from Ganondorf, the great king of evil, who has broken free from the sacred realm.

While the controls handle much the same as previous installments, the game has a distinctively cartoonish aesthetic which was the result of cell shading because of the GameCube's limitations at the time. While many gamers felt this new art style was a drawback, I found it endearing. While the last console installment, Majora's Mask, was dark, surreal, and frightening, Wind Waker is bright, cheery, and festive. Even ReDeads don't look that creepy. I feel this made the game more appealing to young gamers whose first console was the Nintendo GameCube.

The graphics were gorgeous, bright, and colorful. The characters have excellent designs and more extensive expressions and fluid movements. Not to mention there's more voice clips during dialogue. You could see rippling swells and foam in the water while sailing, floating pollen particles inside the Forbidden Woods, and lava embers inside Dragon Roost volcano.

The story is brilliant and has engaging dialogue with rich new characters and plenty of touching moments, like Link reuniting with Ayrll, healing his sickly grandmother, and Tetra apologizing to Link and bidding him good luck inside the Master Sword chamber.

The composers, including Nintendo legend Koji Kondo, once more knock it out of the park with the game's marvelous music. The soundtrack includes the nautical and adventurous song you hear while crossing the Great Sea, while the islands of Outset, Windfall, and Dragon Roost all have fittingly bright, catchy, and tropical themes. Of course, there's some darker tunes, like the boss themes and especially Ganondorf's theme played during the final battle. The sound effects tend to be as bright and quirky as the character designs. Everything here sounded great.

The world of Zelda has been completely rebuilt here. The theme is a little more modern with pirate-era themes like sailing ships and cannons involved. Instead of Hyrule Field, the main hub is the Great Sea which you traverse via the King of Red Lions instead of Epona. The games titular instrument, the Wind Waker, replaces the Ocarina and gives you control over the wind. New races, like the birdlike Ritos and Koroks are introduced as descendants of the Zoras and Kokori respectively. Items exclusive to Wind Waker are introduced, and items like the Telescope, Grappling Hook, and Deku Leaf are available. All of this gives the game a fresh new feeling and style.

Sure, the games difficulty is a step back from the N64 entries and it's a little short with only seven dungeons, but the story is still well-written, the characters are rich and well developed, and the dialogue is riveting. They even provide Ganondorf with a more sympathetic reason for coveting the Tri-Force besides a mere lust for power.

In the second half of the game, there's lots of sailing and searching for Triforce pieces involved that can be frustrating and it doesn't come cheap, thanks to Tingle. Luckily, there are plenty of treasures to find and sell to get the rupees you need to beat the game.

Overall, this was an excellent start for the Zelda franchise on the GameCube and is now available to play on the Switch 2.

Graphics... 10 out of 10 The most controversial thing about this game was the cel-shaded "cartoon" graphics. When they were revealed, fans revolted. Gaming magazines scrutinized it. People started petitions to stop the game's release. We thought it was going to be silly beyond belief. But actually playing the games, the graphics are incredible to behold. The cartoonish look serves as a perfect contrast to the deep, mature storyline (more on that later), and the animation is very smooth and surprisingly detailed. The art direction is also stunning, and has a much more classical fantasy feel than the other games. It was much easier to get "sucked into" the world of this entry than it was with previous games. The visuals were perfect.

Music... 10 out of 10 From covers of classic "Zelda" tunes, to the original pieces of score done for this game, the music was a great blend of nostalgia and sweeping, epic adventure. It complimented the story and visuals perfectly, and really added a lot of depth to the experience. The sound effects were also nice, and the limited "voice acting" added another layer to the dialog sequences.

Controls... 10 out of 10 "Wind Waker" takes what was already a near-perfect control scheme introduced in "Ocarina of Time", and pushes it that one step further. "Wind Waker" delivers one of the most ideal, easy-to-master, yet surprisingly complex control schemes of recent memory. The Gamecube controller was a good design (I'd say it's one of the most "pleasing to hold and use" controllers in gaming history, and was much better on your hands than the X-Box's enormous "melting cinder-block"), and this implemented its layout to perfection.

Story/Plot... 10 out of 10 This entry delivered where "Ocarina of Time" fell short- delivering a truly complex, detailed, fleshed-out story that rivals those of film and television. This is where the game really, truly stands out. The story begins simply, and is a classic "Rescue the damsel in distress" tale early on, but as it progresses, layer after layer is added, and many themes are explored. Who'd have through a game that resembles a Saturday-Morning-Cartoon would have a complex tale about denial, acceptance and loss, and would be able to bring a tear to your eye? This game does just that.

Brief Synopsis... Link, our hero, is a young man living on Outset Island on the vast sea of Hyrule. He lives with his grandmother and sister. On his birthday, while preparing for a coming-of-age ceremony, his young sister is scooped up by an enormous bird, being pursued by a pirate ship. Link is forced to team up with the pirate leader, Tetra, to find his sister, but during his journey, a greater tale will unfold, and Link will find his destiny.

Bottom Line: My personal favorite of the 3D Zelda games, "The Wind Waker" is a masterpiece. Play it!

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker is the first Zelda title for the Nintendo GameCube. It was developed over two years from 2000 to 2002. The game remains a fan favorite and has been called one of the best games of all time.

Graphics-10/10 This game does cel-shading right. At first glance, this game seems to be just another cel-shaded game. Looking deeper, one notices the lack of a black outline, setting this game apart from other cel-shaded games. Looking still further will yield effects such as specular and bump mapping, depth of field blur, and even an advanced physics engine governing soft-body dynamics and certain gravity-affected objects such as rolling objects and rope bridges. The cel-shading style is supplemented by different shaders for different objects, such as a softer, more realistic shading system for structures. This all culminates in a game that does not look like a cartoon, but rather looks like it takes place in a cartoon world.

Sound-9/10 The game's music is top-notch, especially the theme for one of the islands. While the game does not have as much memorable tunes as Ocarina of Time had, it still has a decent amount of good music. However, the music is entirely MIDI-based, with the exception of cutscene audio, which is recorded MIDI tracker audio, a first for the series. While the quality of the MIDI samples is pretty nice, especially the solo voice samples (which sound like live singers), for the most part, the samples sound dated. However, the quality of the samples may lend a certain charm to some tracks in the game.

Gameplay-9/10 This game utilizes elements first introduced in Ocarina of Time. The Z-targeting feature returns as L-targeting. Combat is tight, fluid, and very well done. The free camera is so good, I will go so far as to say it is the best free camera of all time. It is extremely fluid, and when left to its own devices, the camera will automatically adjust according to where Link is facing. However, the game itself is rather on the short side. While combat is top-notch, the difficulty is too easy. Only later in the game does the difficulty pick up somewhat with combat, but not much with puzzles. The massive ocean overworld lends the game an amazing "lonely" atmosphere matched only by games such as Minecraft. You feel as if you were Link sailing the oceans and landing on the islands. Despite the atmosphere, the sailing can get extremely tedious, and the addition of warping only helps a little. Overall, however, gameplay is what is expected out of a Zelda game-that is to say, nothing short of excellent.

Overall-9/10 The main problem with this game is its length. The previous Zelda game, Majora's Mask, was produced by Eiji Aonuma, who was previously just another developing team member for Zelda games. Majora's Mask's development was heavily aided by the usage of the Ocarina of Time game engine, leaving ample time to develop gameplay elements, sidequests, and story. Development took just 2 years. The Wind Waker was also developed in two years by Aonuma. However, The Wind Waker falls short of Majora's Mask in many areas. Eiji tried to pull a Majora's Mask and failed due to the necessity of creating a completely new engine along with gameplay elements and story. The result was a too-soon deadline and an unfinished game that the developers barely managed to finish with one of the greatest video game endings of all time. Indeed, with all its flaws, The Wind Waker still manages to be one of the greatest video games of all time, though it certainly isn't as good as Ocarina of Time or Majora's Mask.

When the first Gamecube Legend of Zelda game was shown, there were mixed reactions. Some people, mainly the specialist press, kept an open mind. The larger group though, was the group who hated it, solely for the cel-shaded graphics (makes them look like a cartoon).

I liked the look of it, and when it was released, many who before had complained non-stop about it were silenced. Everything in the game is just so well put together, it's quite hard to believe it. The story is original, and the dungeons incredibly designed. The villain of the story is breath-takingly cool (unlike that of Ocarina of Time) and every enemy is blessed with fantastic detail and expressions. The main characters benefit from a rich amount of back-story, but I won't spoil anything here. Although sailing back and forth CAN get tedious at times, you'll soon learn not to let it bother you, as you become immersed in what I believe is the greatest game ever created. Well done, Nintendo.

As a young boy, I played the first three (S)NES installments in the Legend of Zelda series, and was quite hooked by the rich mythology, combat and exploration element in the games. However, not owning a GameBoy or Nintendo 64 made me miss all the installments for those systems, so I was out of the Zelda experience for several years. The Wind Waker was a very welcome re-introduction to the series after all those years of absence, and it actually sparked my interest in Ocarina of Time as well.

Ocarina of Time was the first Zelda game to venture into three-dimensional gaming, and it also employed a very sophisticated narrative that went far beyond the straightforward dungeon-to-dungeon plot that hallmarked the first installments. Wind Waker was not only a revolution in graphics, but it also perfected the level of storytelling in the series. You start out with a nice background story and with young Link, who is embarking on a great adventure on the Great Sea when his little sister is kidnapped, and he is forced to tag along with a bunch of pirates; as the player, you need to find the story by following clues, obtaining objects and talking with other characters. Watching the plot unfold as you play is half the fun, and involves not only puzzle-solving, but also mastering the way of sword combat. It is nice to see how this game continues where Ocarina of Time left off; it uses the known elements of the series, like Link, Zelda, Ganon and the Triforce, and takes it in unexpected directions. For example: how many games take the hero to the big boss' stronghold already in the very beginning? Or skips the obligatory happy end for a more bitter-sweet finale?

The cell-shaded graphics in Wind Waker are the giant leap forward in the series, and showed what the GameCube system was capable of. However, it was also the reason why it was scathingly called 'Celda' after its release, which summarized the view of many who thought the game was much too kid-friendly. There is little denial that the game, with its lush cartoonesque animations and underage hero, caters to a young audience; but let's face it, the rest of the series was targeted at minors too, and weren't we all kids when we were introduced to it? Granted, the game does not look as dark or scary as Ocarina was at times, but that was mainly due to some creepy dungeons, like the one in the graveyard. Perhaps also the limitations in animation made that game seem a bit unpolished and grim, and drew less comparisons to a family-friendly cartoon. Wind Waker also has plenty of tense and dark moments (those hands from the floor and the screaming zombies still freak me out), but the unique selling point is the staggeringly high production value, almost the quality of a hand-drawn Disney feature, making it akin to a interactive cartoon; but at no point did I get the feeling that the mature audience was not taken seriously, because the game keeps the focus on an intricate and adventurous story.

Ocarina of Time introduced a revolutionary targeting system that enabled effective fighting, which has been further perfected for Wind Waker. In Ocarina, the camera would often take an annoying position that didn't quite give the best view of the fight; in Wind Waker, no matter what happens, the camera always shoots the action from an optimal angle, and you can always modify it to your preference. The array of sword moves has been expanded to include combos and rolling moves, which, together with the camera work and awesome graphics, creates fight scenes that would not feel out of place in a Prince of Persia game.

It was a very bold move to introduce a radical change of scenery in this game. The familiar forests, swamps, lakes, fields and deserts have been been replaced by The Great Sea, where isolated islands still contain sparse inhabitants and civilization, so more than ever does the player need to explore and keep a sense of direction. This makes for another epic new element: the sailing; although many fans thought it was long-winded, tedious and uneventful, I found the sailing a great part of the exploration, especially because the game keeps changing the circumstances: day changing to night, sunshine suddenly turning into lightening storms, and the unexpected discoveries on the vast ocean, as well as a couple of nice battles, made the sailing alluring enough. True, sometimes the distances were a bit long and the backdrop a bit monotonous, but backtracking through familiar scenery is also an integral part of the Zelda experience. As with most Zelda games, there comes a point where the player can warp to certain places, which saves precious traveling time, and there are a few locations in the game that bring back pleasant memories to Ocarina.

If there is one point of criticism that I agree with, it is that the game is a bit too short; the main quest is relatively brief, and the number of dungeons a bit meager compared to the amount of terror-filled challenges that Ocarina and Link to the Past offered. But, on the good side, the Great Sea is where most of the sidequests take place, another staple of the series that usually makes up more than half of the playing time.

To conclude, a lot of fans were initially displeased with Wind Waker, but judging by the very positive reviews here on the site, I think it is safe to say that I am not the only one to express his admiration for this little masterpiece. Not that it is necessarily my favorite Zelda game, but it is a great entry anyway that has shaped the series and the face of gaming for years to come.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998) was the first 3D video game in the series and it was absolutely spectacular. In my opinion, it's the best video game ever. Two years later Nintendo released the Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (2000), which was alright. Not as good as The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time but it was alright.

The Nintendo 64 was succeeded by the GameCube, Nintendo's sixth generation video game console. By this time, Microsoft has entered the gaming industry with the Xbox and Sony had beaten the Nintendo 64 in sales with their PlayStation. Nintendo was gaining a reputation that they cater mainly to kids, not to mature video gamers. The Legend of Zelda was the only major first party title of Nintendo that didn't suffer from such a reputation. So obviously, one would think that Nintendo would create the latest installment of the Legend of Zelda that would further distance Nintendo or at least the Legend of Zelda from such a reputation - especially since the Legend of Zelda is one of the most successful first party titles of Nintendo. Unfortunately, the completely opposite happened.

Nintendo released the Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker for the GameCube, changing the animation style from realistic to cartoonish. As if that wasn't bad enough, the Wind Waker is considerably easier than Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask. It gets even worse. The Wind Waker is mainly a clone to Ocarina of Time, offering next to nothing new to the franchise. It's as if Nintendo wanted kids to buy the GameCube and their old gamers to switch to PlayStation 2 or the Xbox. If that was the intention, then Nintendo has definitely succeeded. Both PlayStation 2 and the Xbox have beaten the GameCube in sales and throughout its lifespan, the GameCube hasn't gotten ride of its reputation as being a video game console for kids.

Nintendo's other major franchise, Mario, suffered a similar faith (i.e. Super Mario Sunshine, in which Mario has to fight enemies with a water gun). The GameCube is without a doubt the worst video game console Nintendo has ever produced and the Wind Waker is the worst Legend of Zelda video game Nintendo has ever produced (aside from Link's Awakening, I haven't play any Legend of Zelda video game on hand-held systems but I have played every Legend of Zelda video game on all of Nintendo's home systems).

Fortunately, Nintendo came to their senses and released the Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess for both the GameCube and the Nintendo Wii, Nintendo's seventh generation video game console. Twilight Princess returned the realistic animation style of Legend of Zelda and although the game play is the same as before, the game is a little more challenging than Wind Waker.

Nonetheless, the Wind Waker did win some awards and was praised by some fans (who of course would never dare to criticize Nintendo). If you are new to the Legend of Zelda, the Wind Waker will be somewhat impressive because, as mentioned before, it's largely a clone of Ocarina of Time. It's basically like a special version of Ocarina of Time for children. For those who are familiar with the older Legend of Zelda video games, Wind Waker will be a disappointment.

Until the next one comes out of course! (Cause you see, every new Zelda game in the Best Zelda Game EVER!) This game was just so fun and happy to play! One of the biggest criticisms was the animation. A lot of people did not like the cell-shading techniques that were used, and the more child-like theme that it had going for it.

Me, in the 2 weeks that i made a career of playing this game never played it, and not felt good after it.

Even the tough parts made me feel good cause the game is just so gosh darn cute and happy! The animation was simple, thats true but it fit the game. It was like playing an actual cartoon. The story line was perfect, and it put a smile on my face when you encountered characters of old and how they evolved in the new Hyrule.

This game though was not without it's flaws; Two that come to mind were the Sailing and the Fish. The sailing does take a good deal of patience, and you had better remember what the Fish says cause if you forget some of the things that he says, then you can't continue in the game.

And then you have to remember which fish said what which means doing a lot of repeat work.

The treasure hunting was fine and dandy for finding the Tri-Force, but absolutely sucked for everything else.

However even with those things in mind, the story line and shear beauty of the game ranks it one of my favorites of all time, and having just played it through again with my wife we both enjoyed the world and the storyline as much as the first time!

>8^P

This game at first was more enjoyable to me than the later game "Twilight Princess". I happen to actually prefer the cartoon look to Link than the uber realistic one that so many Americans just crave when playing games these days. I was even enjoying this Legend of Zelda more than "Twilight Princess" up to the point where you bring all the power back to the master sword, after that though the game runs on to long with no real big dungeons and to much sailing and looking for treasure. Not to say it was bad at this point, but I have to say it is not to good either. The story is the old familiar one of Link having to begin a quest. Here he is a rather young lad on an island, his sister is soon kidnapped and he is off on an adventure to save her. The real difference here is that you have to sail a world of water to find dungeons and towns and such. This is where this one is the most different of all the Zelda games, it is also the source of much pain as the sailing is really slow even later in the game when you get the ability to warp it is limited to only 8 locations. The dungeons are nice though as none of them take the super long time that the dungeons in Twilight did. The fighting is also nice and fluid unlike the awkward controls I had to deal with in Twilight for the WII. Though I am guessing the controls were less an issue in the Gamecube version of that game. The bosses are rather fun and most of the villains are rather easy to kill in the dungeon. With the exception of the final boss, though that was less difficult and more just a pain to get something angled the right way to hit. I will not say anymore than that otherwise I might spoil the fun that was the hellish last battle. The funny thing is I almost got it right off the bat, but I neglected to strike the final boss in time so I had to do it again and the second time I was not so lucky. The game for some reason is titled after the bizarre wind device Link uses for various reasons rather it be control the direction of the wind, warp, and even make time pass. It is also a pain as you have to go through the same sequences after each use. I am guessing they figured the game was on the short side, so they would pad the thing out using these type sequences that you can not skip and lots and lots of sailing. Thankfully, I have finally won this game though so most likely I will not play it again. If I do it will be years from now when I have forgotten how annoying the game became after the Gale palace.

Judged purely by the standards of gameplay, "Wind Waker" is a pretty decent game. It is sprawling (like "Ocarina") and straightforward (unlike "Majora"), and can be picked up by veteran or amateur alike. The problem? It just doesn't FEEL like a Zelda game.

To me, Zelda games are supposed to be epic. The reason "Ocarina" was so great was, in large part, because of its engaging storyline. Every temple had something to look forward to in terms of new characters, while the overall Zelda/Gannon plot just sucked you right in with its epic-style storytelling. By the same token, this is where "Majora" was lacking for me, as the game was so confined to the three-day time period. "Wind Waker" falls somewhere between the two.

The graphics (cartoons, this time) are what make the game feel so different. Instead of an "epic" nature, it is instead more silly and light-hearted. Like I said, in terms of overall gameplay the more "fun" approach is just fine. However, being a rather "slow" (takes me a long time to beat games like this) gamer, I couldn't really bring myself to maintain a high level of interest.

Overall, "Wind Waker" will always (fairly or not) be known as the "cartoon one". While the game itself isn't bad, the overall experience just isn't quite worthy of the Zelda name. Play for as a simple adventure, but if you are looking for high "canon" material than you might be a bit disappointed in the new approach.

This is a cool follow up to Zelda considering it took place after ocarina of time. Gamecube is one of the best nintendo systems, especially since they now have the Ocarina of Time on it. This game has better enemy AI however cause they can fall then get back up again and attack you, what they don't do in ocarina of time. I hope gamecube is something that can live on forever. Not all games may be worth it but only one game alone can make you never want to get rid of the system. I already know I won't. I haven't made it that far into this game but I already know it will go beyond expectations, especially since I read that the final fight requires teamwork to complete.

I'm writing this from the perspective that the reader already knows Link and Zelda and has possibly heard a lot of negative comments, mostly about the cel shaded graphics, which give Wind Waker a more cartoony appearance. Major features of the game include: cel shaded 3D graphics, over 50 locations with tasks to complete, only slightly structured, fairly free storyline and game play, fun for all ages (I'm 38, my son is 6), and linking to a Gameboy Advance without needing a separate cartridge.

Considering the first Zelda I played (A Link to the Past) was stylized 2-D animation, this transformation to 3-D seemed pretty natural to me. Despite what some people have complained about, Link's appearance wasn't distracting at all, nor were the cartoony graphics. As a matter of fact, as a computer animated anime story, it was done quite well. I'm looking forward to future "realistic" Zelda games, but have no problems whatsoever with the cel shading used in Wind Waker.

The story revolves around you (an apparent heir of Link's) trying, once again, to defeat Ganondorf, Link's archenemy from the past. It starts innocently enough on your home island from which your little sister is abducted by a giant bird. The world is made up of 49 island locations on a 7 by 7 grid. You link up with some pirates who take you to where your sister is being held. Instead of rescuing her, you ultimately discover Ganondorf's plot to take over the world.

You are given the Wind Waker, a wand that can conduct wind (among other things), that initially helps you sail a LOT faster to various locations on the map, but ultimately has many more uses. Learning one pattern helps you conduct a gale that can carry you to one of eight locations on the map quickly, without having to go through the often tedious sailing.

A series of adventures ensues where you find stronger and stronger weapons, interact with dozens of the denizens of the world, and slowly but surely uncover the plot and collect all the items necessary to defeat the big bad enemy in a final showdown at the end.

I specifically wrote the previous paragraph that way so that you can cut and paste in your review of just about every adventure game in existence. We all know what it's about long before picking up the box, it's just a question of "did they do the adventure right?" All in all, I had a great (if sometimes frustrating) time playing the game. The story is downright addicting. I have a small family of four, and whenever someone (either me or my son) was playing, anybody who happened by would usually sit and watch. It's one of those games where, after hours of playing, you would keep saying "I'll just finish -something- and then I'll stop for today." You'd tell yourself that maybe a dozen times before you finally were ready to quit for the day.

The drawbacks are numerous, often taking a little something away from the game play. Despite these shortcomings, the game comes way out ahead, having great, fun game play. But just so you won't think I didn't warn you, here are some of my pet peeves:

Sailing is fun . . . for a little while. There's way too much of it here.

The music is not bad, but the game takes so long to finish you can't help but start to get annoyed at it.

The game often pauses to display dialog or other information. When it's dialog, you can skip past it fairly quickly by tapping the button. When it's instructions, it does not let you skip. This is annoying, because by the fortieth time I've found a "Joy Pendant", I already know what it's for. This happens on far too many objects.

When conducting with the Wind Waker, the animations are tedious after a while, with no way to skip past them.

The default 3D camera position is almost always WRONG, and the controllable camera is not versatile enough. Too many places require you to go to a first person mode in order to look around. This is especially bad in a number of fights, especially bosses.

And one final comment, without any spoilers, is during the final battle Zelda often talks to you. Now, note the last "peeve" I wrote above... after someone talks to you, the camera goes back to the default position... so if you're pushing one way to run, then the camera changes, the way you are pushing is usually not the way you want to go. Very frustrating.

Some of these "peeves" are things where it was just painfully obvious the creators of the game were trying to stretch out game play. Pretty annoying. As I said though, it's all about game play and this game was FUN, it was very hard to put down. I'd give it an easy 8 out of 10, maybe even a 9.

IMDb side note: IMDb keeps saying "cel" is not spelled correctly. It is, in fact, the way you spell the word when you are talking about animation.

This is the second best zelda, first is Ocarina of Time, thats a Classic! But this game follows close, most people didn't even try the game out, mainly because of the graphics. but once you play its... its ZELDA, and you can't loose with that, give this game a try you will like it, well most. but, i do have some critisism, sailing become very annoying... well, thats about it.

****/**** 4 / 4 (for the people who don' like the count the *'s)