This game is in an odd spot today. It was released with significant upgrades for the Wii U, but not many people bought that console. The Wind Waker may be better known nowadays as a popular target for emulation, especially with mods. Many would be happy to see The Wind Waker HD release on the Switch. Having subtly laid the foundations for what would later become major parts of the series, The Wind Waker deserves it. This game was a big step toward Zelda’s 3D outings finding their identity beyond the N64, and can still be appreciated for trying something different.
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The Wind Waker’s Ocean Reinvented Zelda’s Overworld
One of the biggest distinguishing features between what fans considered major and minor Zelda titles are their overworlds. As an early predecessor to 3D open-world gameplay, The Legend of Zelda has long been fondly regarded for its secret-rich maps. From the nearly abandoned Hyrule of the first game to the Malice-soaked ruins of the latest, the freedom to search every nook and cranny for treasure is a Zelda staple. Titles that lack it such as Four Swords Adventures and Tri Force Heroes, despite being fully featured games, are still clearly marked as minor entries by this alone.
When it came time for The Wind Waker, Nintendo wanted to try something different. For many games now, the players have been exploring the fields of Hyrule, Termina, and various other lands. Wind Waker’s development team set out to create the same wide, interconnected area, but without making it a field. This manifested in The Wind Waker’s Great Sea, which was arguably the series’ largest foray into open-world gameplay until Breath of the Wild. While entering important islands and structures would cause loading transitions, the rest of the game world could be traversed seamlessly. On the back of the King of Red Lions, players were able to ride the wind and waves that held The Wind Waker’s world together.
It isn’t the best overworld in the Zelda franchise, but the ocean still has its benefits. Sailing along at high speeds conveys a sense of adventure, and there are a lot of little distractions spread throughout the map. Players could spend hours clearing lookout platforms, treasure charts, and challenge islands, all while finding fishmen to fill out their map. The rewards aren’t always worth it, but the concept of trawling an open world and clearing out enemy bases to spawn chests was revisited in BotW. Anyone who wants an extra spicy Wind Waker experience may want to try a randomizer mod, as that can spread value throughout the Great Sea’s huge map.
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Later Zelda Titles Owe Much to The Wind Waker
There’s no talking about The Wind Waker without addressing its unique presentation. Wind Waker uses heavy cell-shading and bright colors everywhere, lending it a distinct appearance not only among Zelda games but gaming as a whole. In spite of initial complaints about looking childish, remnants of its style remain in Zelda today. Aside from lending its aesthetic to several other Zelda games including its two sequels and The Minish Cap, it also crept back into Skyward Sword and Breath of the Wild. They have noticeable cell shading on top of their more realistic visuals, and Skyward Sword’s Link is almost as expressive as The Wind Waker’s.
Looks aren’t everything, and The Wind Waker has plenty more going for it. Its whimsical nature is enhanced by a stellar soundtrack, full of classic Zelda stylings and tunes that emphasize the seafaring, adventurous nature of The Wind Waker. The town themes and sailing track are especially famous, as they convey the game’s unique identity perfectly. While good music is a given in Zelda, one can draw some parallels between Wind Waker’s oceanic experience and the airborne sections of Skyward Sword. Riding on a Loftwing through Hylian skies alongside an epic orchestral track seems like an attempt to recapture The Wind Waker’s Great Sea, albeit with more fleshed-out ground areas to explore as well.
The final points for The Wind Waker that carried onward are its combat and narrative. Its swordplay is significantly more refined and satisfying than the N64 Zelda games, largely owing to the context-sensitive counter system. This remained a small part of Twilight Princess’ further expanded combat and arguably returned in Breath of the Wild as the Flurry Rush.
However, of greater relevance is The Wind Waker’s narrative, particularly how it relates to other Zelda games. This was the first Zelda title that explicitly came long after another existing game in the franchise. Twilight Princess opted for a different take on this same idea, and Skyward Sword and Breath of the Wild took place on the distant ends of the Zelda timeline. The Wind Waker didn’t introduce continuity to the Zelda franchise, but it did make great strides in keeping it in the back of players’ minds.
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD is available on Wii U.
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