The newest in a long line of adventure epics, surrounded by many
promotional gimmicks; The Wind Waker is finally here. The ninth in the series
was met with some skepticism regarding series mastermind, Shigeryu Miyamoto's
( Super Mario Bros., The Legend Of Zelda ) decision to change the series facade to
a more cartoonish, cell shaded look. The change prompted some uproar in the gaming
community about the latest installment being too "juvenile" in appearance. On March 25,
those complaints and anti-Cel-da' sentiments were all but quelled. Gamers realized that
looking at the months worth of screen shots did little to help us understand Link's huge,
masterfully crafted world. It would indeed raise the bar for in-game animations and for
the adventure genre as a whole. The fluidity in graphics, that the developers were able to
pull out of the Cube' for this big budget instant classic, is astounding. Link's world
teams with life. The oceans tides and waves are thoroughly hypnotic. Fans of
the N64 Zeldas' will be instantly familiar with the controls. Z targeting replaced with L
targeting, (combat flows like you've been at it for years), silky smooth, easy to master
and compelling enough to keep every encounter exciting. Although the camera gets
(forgivibly) alittle jumpy from time to time, intuitive level design and challenging puzzles remind you
that this is classic Zelda. All Link's trademark items are back, along with new ones, as well.
A notable addition in this quest is Link's new portable partner, Tingle (Majora's Mask). The
Tingle Tuner is a Game Boy Advance shaped item that allows Link to connect to a GameBoy
directly via. GBA/GC link up cable. This allows a second player to take part in the adventure,
instead of just watching the hours melt away as the Wind Waker's owner devotes him or
herself completely to conquering this massive title. The Tingle Tuner acts like a GPS unit as it
tracks Link's position in the seas, as well as, on land and in dungeons. The second player is also
able to purchase several items with Link's rupees that are used to help out during the game,
you can even leave Link's side and search the islands and waterways to find hidden items or to
bomb enemies ( or Link! ) off screen. In addition, the sound in the Wind Waker is a pleasing mix
of Zelda tunes old and new. They are wonderfully orchestrated and wholly nostalgic. The sound
here, is top notch. I can reccomend this game to anybody who's hunted for treasure, been warped into a
dark world, fought against evil, or rescued a princess. This game is truly a living work of art, a must
have for any collection.
Graphics: 10/10 Sound: 10\10 Control 9\10 Replay: 8/10 Fun: 10/10 -10.0-
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