The Legend of Zelda has been a part of the Nintendo gaming lineup for a long time now, as an adult gamer, I of course grew up with the games and 2003 marks the most recent incarnation of the series. Amid a lot of hubbub and controversy the game presents itself as the most uniquely designed so far. If you have at least been some of the news you know that the game is based on a animated cell painted look, similar to cartoons.
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker takes place 100 years after the timeframe of Ocarina of time, so for those of you who have to put these games in any kind of order, even though Nintendo has made only passive effort to maintain a linear storyline, I will tell you the correct order of games if you were put them in chronological Hyrulian time order. First there was Ocarina of Time, then Majora's Mask, then Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages, then The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, then The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, then The Legend of Zelda, for the NES, and Zelda II: The Adventures of Link. I believe I discussed this thoroughly on the Odyssey of Hyrule, and being that I have played the two NES games, and the SNES and Gameboy games, I can firmly say that this is the case. In the timeline "The Wind Waker" would fit between the two recent "Oracle" Gameboy games, and The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.
Everything I've heard about The Wind Waker suggestes that the animation is well designed and developed in a very familiar cinematic way. Characters are apparently more expressive than Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask. There is a lot more attention paid in this game to developing the storyline through animated cut-scenes. The graphics are refined in the cel-shaded format.
In The Wind Waker there are allusions to events in Ocarina of Time regarding the conflict between Link and Ganondorf, the Triforce (uh oh...), Death Mountain, and various other events from the previous game. This game follows pretty much the same theme formula as just about every Zelda game, good versus evil.
The gameplay appears to resemble Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, in terms of how the buttons are assigned to various items in Link's inventory. At the beginning of the game there is a dojo with a master who trains Link on the various moves and abilities he will use on his adventures. Something new in The Wind Waker is that when enemies approach Link his swordwill glow a bright green color and he can evade the attack. Pressing the attack button at specific times perfomrs various attacks depending upon the type of enemy Link is battling. For example on a Moblin, Link will swing around the rear of the enemy and hit it from there. For a Stalfos Link can leap into the Air and knock off their headgear by cutting through the lacing that binds them together. The fighting is perhaps more intuitive than it was in Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask. The enemy AI has improved substantially. Enemies can cause damage to each other if they miss Link, or they can drop their own weapon if under duress. Once the foe drops the weapon Link can pick it up and use it to fight with. Enemies can look for weapons to fight Link with. Although the camera is similar to Ocarina of Time, you can activate a "free mode" where using the C-stick can maneuver it into a new position and the L trigger locks it in. There are numerous Mini Games in Link's new adventure, and I'm sure that they will add extra replay value to the game.
The GameCube can be linked with the GameBoy Advance and something Nintendo calls Tingle-Vision. Essentially what this does is while playing the game a second player with the gameboy can control an on screen cursor and get gameplay hints, and show the player on screen what to do next. (I personally didn't care for Tingle as a character but whatever) The other person with the GameBoy Advance can use Link's Rupees to buy Tingle Bombs that open up secrets, where treasure chests are hidden. There is even a comedic element added that allows the other player to throw things at link's head. I'm not sure what purpose this serves other than to have fun.
The world in The Wind Waker is far more vast than the N64 games, and there are numerious places to discover, secrets to find, and tasks that Link must complete. The cycle of day and night remains intact in the game, and even weather this time. The wind plays an integral part through out most of this game. It is not only a gameplay element but a storyline component as well.
As the game starts, after participating in the opening scenes and play mechanics tutorials one of Link's first tasks is to find a blonde haired girl in the forest. Once she is found, she reveals herself as a member of a Pirate Guild. Her crew comes to the island to save her with the intention to return to the ocean to go on a quest to capture a birdlike creatures. Link joins this excursion, but he has no shield. The Pirate Guild expects Link to get a have a shield. Link must return to town to find his shield, and once this task is completed he will depart with the Pirates.
While on the water, you get the chance to walk around and talk to people on board the pirate's ship. This reminds me of aspects of RPG's. The one thing missing from many Zelda games was advanced character development and dialogue, however The Wind Waker appears that it will greatly improve upon these inadequacies. On the boat you will meet a boy named Niko, and he will also explain and teach Link how to swing on ropes, and use an "auto-jump" ability.
Once Link and the pirates arrive at their destination, he is placed into a barrel and shot out of the cannon. He must navigate a fortress to find this mysterious creature. Most of this part involves stealth infiltration and Link will conceal himself inside a barrel. (hmm...does this sound like Metal Gear Solid and the Cardboard Box?) Completing this area is not too difficult and the story will really take off from this point.
After the events that transpire at the Fortress take place Link will find himself waking up on the beach dazed. He discovers a talking Sailboat. The tells Link that it is lacking a sail so it can't help Link out on his quest. Of course Link must retrieve the sail. After discovering a new town nearby Link talks with the townspeople, and he can buy the sail from a local merchant and bring it to the sailboat. Once the sailboat gets it's sail Link can embark on the open water. Essentially this is the mobility replacement for Epona. Link uses the wind to travel from place to place and explore this vast world.
Using the sailboat involves using the GameCube's analog stick for steering, the A-button for getting some air, and X or Y for raising the sail.
One of the first major challeges Link must face involves a volcanic island. Similar to the troubles at Death Mountain in Ocarina of Time, the volcano is brewing up trouble. There is a village constructed into the mountainside that is inhabited by bird-people that are worried about the trouble that is occuring at the volcano. There is a mail-sorting Mini-Game in this area.
Once Link arrives at the Volcanic Temple he must complete the various puzzles, to get to the end. Much of the dungeons, temples, and caverns use the tried and true Zelda formula, defeat the enemies, make the chest appear, get the key, open the locked door, solve the puzzle, to get to another area, and repeat until you get to the end and fight the main boss character. Specifically giant pots can be tossed into the lava to cool it and form platforms that Link must use to cross. The main boss has similarities to Ghoma from what I've gathered. In this first Temple Link receives the Hookshot as the reward item.
Once you gain the item shaped like a baton that takes the game's namesake, "The Wind Waker" you will have commandment of the wind. It has similar functionality to the Ocarina from Zelda 64, and various notes that form a song will conjure the spirit of the wind, and you can choose the direction of the winds. There will probably be many songs in the game that Link will use to discover certain secrets and get into various areas.
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker appears to be beyond many gamer's expectations and although more cartoonlike in appearance has far greater depth in terms of gameplay and an overall experience. Everyone in the industry that has played the game in Japan has given it high accolade. I, must admit that at one point I was skeptical about it, considering Nintendo's previous first party efforts and worries after playing Mario Sunshine, but I do believe that any fears I've had about Zelda have been allayed. This Zelda for GameCube appears to be the best one yet.
