Description
The latest Legend of Zelda adventure begins with young Link
living a peaceful life on a tiny island. One day, Link witnesses a huge,
menacing bird that snatches Link's younger sister and flies away with her.
Link follows in hot pursuit. His search for her sets in motion an epic
adventure that will have Link sailing the high seas and searching for
answers to the mystery behind her disappearance.
Review
The Legend of Zelda series practically defined adventure
gaming for an entire generation. Link, the hero of the adventure games,
delighted millions by starring in games for each Nintendo console from the
NES and Super NES to the Nintendo 64. Link brings this beloved franchise to
the Nintendo GameCube in The Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker, and he's more
animated than ever.
The first thing you'll notice about The Legend Of Zelda: The
Wind Waker is that it looks completely different from any previous title in
the franchise. Nintendo has opted to use cel-shading technology on Wind
Waker; the result is that the game looks like a cartoon. Die-hard Zelda
purists initially howled at this change, arguing that the game skews too
young. I think it's fantastic. The cartoon animation style allows for better
expression of the characters, and several of the animations--like Link
trying to pick up an object that's too heavy--are so cute that you can't
help but laugh a little.
The second thing you’ll notice is a focus on wind. Instead
of trotting around on foot, Link travels from island to island on a talking
boat, but he doesn't get far without the wind blowing in right direction.
Luckily, you'll learn how to change the direction of the wind early in the
game, and you'll do so frequently--not only to power your boat but also to
solve puzzles. Clever use of wind makes Wind Waker stand out from more
conventional adventure games.
The third thing you’ll notice is that the game is just plain
fun. Puzzles are innovative and refreshing, and despite some tricky puzzles,
I never felt too frustrated to keep playing. The locales you'll visit are
invariably exotic and fun to explore, and the host of bizarre creatures
you'll encounter (friendly and otherwise) are always a kick in the pants.
Moreover, though the look is radically different, Wind Waker feels like a
classic Zelda game. Veterans of the early games in the franchise will
experience more than a bit of nostalgia while playing it.
The Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker is everything you've
come to expect from a Zelda game, and it's one of the best adventure games
to date. This is a must-have title for any GameCube owner. --Jon "Safety
Monkey" Grover
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