• April 23, 2003    Home > Features > Feature

    Wind Waker: A Second Opinion

    Our Miyamoto critic gives his thoughts on The Wind Waker in anticipation of the game's European release. And his word is final!

    It seems like ages ago when the cel-shaded Link was first revealed back at Spaceworld in 2001 - and since then, gamers continue to debate whether or nor the new-style Link is welcome. But the truth is that it's largely irrelevant - at least that's what Carl Johnson would say. In the run up to The Wind Waker's European release on May 3rd, we take a second look at Miyamoto's latest, to complement our first review a couple of months back.


    I was afraid they'd forget about it... that they'd leave it out. It even kept me up a few nights worrying. But alas, I'm thrilled to report... there is Miyamoto magic in this game.

    "The voice acting in Mario Sunshine went spoilt the experience - I'm relieved that the same mistake wasn't repeated here."

    The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker has had to prove itself more than any other Zelda title in history, because gamers have come to expect "new hardware" to be synonymous with "more realism." Shigeru Miyamoto had come to a fork in the road with the Zelda franchise.

    One path led to a Hyrule where Link was an all around badass wearing an earring... a more realistic approach to move Nintendo further from the hindrance of their kiddy reputation.

    The other path led to a land which was highly stylized, where Link was still innocent and wide-eyed... a more cerebral approach that would be risky, but keep Link likable and accessible to all ages. The path Miyamoto chose is no mystery, and that is the game I've been playing all day.

    They say the eyes are windows to the soul, so Miyamoto and his team of artists have given us two very big windows into Link. I love Link's expressions, which are based on very fluid eye movements and very simple mouth variations. It's amazing how much more life Link has in him this time around.

    "I love Link's expressions, which are based on very fluid eye movements and very simple mouth variations."

    Since I've started playing the game my dad and nieces have been fixated on Link, laughing at every silly little thing I make him do as I go on about my normal Zelda gameplay. And that's really the cool part; while the updated design has introduced a whole new level of liveliness to every action, it hasn't changed the basic gameplay at all. And while "silly" or "comical" can describe some of the near-death experiences in the game, the word "cool!" (with an exclamation point mind you) best describes the combat and enemy animation.

    Wind Waker succeeds at being the fun, interactive playground that all Miyamoto titles should be. Who among us hasn't dreamed of sailing from one undiscovered island to the next, exploring the terrain and uncovering the mysteries that lie deep within? This game makes it a reality, all the while keeping us motivated with a solid storyline worthy of the Zelda name.

    You really get a sense of epic scale while sailing from one island to the next, and you get a feeling of diversity when talking to the people of different lands. There are some wonderful new characters to be found scattered about the sea with personalities deserving of their stellar animation. You'll never grow tired of meeting new ones.

    "Wind Waker succeeds at being the fun, interactive playground that all Miyamoto titles should be."

    I thought the way Miyamoto and company handled the storyline, with a throwback to Ocarina of Time and other past Zelda games, was fantastic. I was sold from the opening moment all the way through. Familiar Zelda tunes help put us in place we're already familiar with even though the sites are new, and the new musical additions are never a letdown. The wind waker itself is similar in use to the ocarina, although not quite as fun to play with. However, some of the other new items prove more fun than their past incarnates.

    The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker lives up to the standards set by Ocarina of Time, A Link to the Past, and all the other classics in the franchise. This is more than I can say for Super Mario Sunshine, which failed in many ways to live up to the standards set by its N64 predecessor. Kudos to everyone involved for not giving the characters in Wind Waker actual speech. I feel the voice acting and cinemas in Super Mario Sunshine went a long way in destroying that experience for me, and I'm in every way relieved that the same mistake wasn't repeated here.

    "I feel Shigeru Miyamoto has been much more protective of Wind Waker than he was of Sunshine."

    I'm also looking forward to future installments of the series and a possible return to a larger land mass. At some point Nintendo needs to stop making games that take place on islands. But dry land or no, I feel Shigeru Miyamoto has been much more protective of Wind Waker than he was of Sunshine, and I'm certain the same high standards will be applied to any future additions.

    The Final Word: I was really, truly worried about something. I was afraid they'd forget about it... that they'd leave it out. It even kept me up a few nights worrying. But alas, I'm thrilled to report... there is Miyamoto magic in this game.

    Carl Johnson
    Contributor, Kikizo Games


    Video Coverage
    (Latest Videos & Video FAQ)
    PLEASE DO NOT DIRECT LINK TO ANY MEDIA FILE ON KIKIZO
    DescriptionDur.SizeDetails
    Loads of different scenes from Zelda: Wind Waker - see how cool this game looks. 1.19min 8.89MB MPG

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