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It's Zelda, and didn't fool me.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 10
Date: May 08, 2003
Author: Amazon User

This game, another masterpiece both in body and mind, is one of the greatest experiences in gaming. Arguably better than Ocarina of Time, and the graphics deserve some of that credit. The dust especially, is just perfect, and the game is impossible to put down until maybe you get stuck for a couple hours. The new moves and battles are extremely fun, and don't appear to often. The challenge, as usual, is placed in the dungeons. Don't let anyone trick you, true Zelda fans, this is a real legend, and you aren't going to get mad at the game, no matter what your age, the peace in the game just never gets old. Don't pay any attention to anything that says it is only good for children, just because there isn't "violence that games for mature people need." You would have to be ... to need violence in a game, the point of games is to have fun, not the graphics, not the complexity, but the fun.

My least favorite Zelda release, but a worthy game nonetheless

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 6 / 8
Date: September 04, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I have forever pledged myself to the legion of Nintendo quite simply because of the existence of three beings: Link, Mario, and Samus. The countless games these characters have made fantastic is unmatched.

In fact, each character can cite at least one game they were in as a revoltionary game. Mario with Donkey Kong and Super Mario Brothers. And Link and Samus in their first 8-Bit appearances, which introduced the epiphany of saving, and the subsequent long quests that could come from the technology.

And MY GOODNESS, what a long quest Windwaker is. To echo many of the reviews here, yes, the graphics are fantastic and refreshing. Any old school Zelda fan who is not accepting of this experimental animation is just not accepting of change in general. The graphics are colorful, engaging, and a bit humorous in their child-like quality. Extra touches like the vivid movement of Link's eyes towards items of interests are breathtaking if the adjective is applicable to anything in the video gaming world.

Continuing in the tradition that began with the 8-Bit classic, this title provides tons of puzzles of a wide variety; some necessary to the defeating of the game, and some offered only as side games. The puzzles represent the entirety of the game's difficulty. As with the N64 release, an attentive eye and creative mind are needed to make it to the end of this game.

Still, I cannot help but take issue with the overall difficulty of this game. It is WAY TOO EASY. True, the puzzles become increasingly difficult, and you must have solid memory recollection, or the will to take notes to remember everything, but I did not die one time. NOT ONCE!!! I sincerely hope that the return to the graphic style of the N64 title means a return to that level of difficulty as well (though I in no way see the need to change the new graphics--ride em' out for a few more games!)

Equally annoying is the tedious length. Notice "tedious" length, and not just length. Long games are great, really. But I spent so much time traversing the deep blue with the wind blowing through my elvish-blonde hair, that I'm worried I may have unnecessarily wasted precious hours of my life.

To me, the combination of(I hate to say it)pathetically simple difficulty in the combat department, and overly-long meandering back and forth between islands, holds this title back from sharing the spotlight with previous winners.

Regardless, we are holding this game up to a standard created by itself, and that is quite a high bar. With top of the line visuals, and the forever-standard remarkable gameplay, Windwaker continues in the line of successful Zelda releases, even if it is not the leader of the pack.

best game ever!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: March 26, 2003
Author: Amazon User

The Legend of Zelda series has always brought good gaming to many players, but Windwaker is the best game in the Zelda series yet. The graphics of this game are just simply amazing. I was fortunate enough to get the beta version of this game. Originally, I thought this game would be horrible, but just after playing it for only 30 minutes, I fell in love with the game. The best thing about this game is that this is the only game that has shadows that are actually on Link. This game is so realistic that there may be birds flying around at you won't notice that they are even there, that's the great thing about this game. The only drawback is the traveling on Links boat, but other than that this game should be the number one game for a long time. Definitely a game to buy.

Can't get better.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: April 03, 2003
Author: Amazon User

First second you get this game your ecstatic to open the game up and take a play. The game is unbelievable starting off with a storybook of the start of Zelda's beginning. This is great intro for a first time Zelda player.

The graphics are great I don't understand why anyone would ever insult the graphics. It is the first time away from normal FPS (First Person Shooters). These graphics are like they are hand crafted for this game. My favorite part with the graphics is what the bomb looks like when it explodes.

The story line is sweet. It is easy to understand. The story line is like a book and you are main character. You are a leading role in an Adventure/Action book or movie.

Link Goes Caricature!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: April 05, 2003
Author: Amazon User

The Legend of Zelda series has proven to be a spellbinding series full of puzzles and mystery; the latest game, Windwaker, is no exception. With an intriguing storyline, vibrant characters, and detailed battle scenes, Windwaker is bound to steal your heart. This game may be the equivalent--if not better than--Zelda's biggest blockbuster, Ocarina of Time. I would recommend this game to children of all ages--it has unique puzzles and mysteries, and even doses of comedy. The graphics make you feel like a cartoon has just come to life. You won't regret purchasing this game.

A good game overall

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: October 11, 2004
Author: Amazon User

The Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker (2003.) The ninth game in the Zelda series.

Ever since the Gamecube was released, rumors fast spread of an upcoming Zelda game. But when gamers saw the previews, they were in shock at the cel-shaded graphics they saw. Many thought the new cartoon look was phenomenal, while others (the vast majority of people) hated it. Angry fans didn't want the childish look, but obviously, Nintendo didn't listen to their fans. Fortunately, gamers like myself looked beyond the graphics and gave the game a chance. And now, I'm going to review this game. Does it live up to the hype? Read on for my review of the Wind Waker.

PROS:
-I DON'T CARE WHAT ANYONE SAYS - THE GRAPHICS IN THIS GAME ARE EXCELLENT! Many gamers were turned off by the game's cartoon look. Admittingly, I was at first, but I gave them a chance, and after a while, I must admit, they grew on me. Don't be so quick to judge, people!
-PLAY CONTROL IS VERY GOOD. The scheme that this game uses is reminiscent of that of the Nintendo 64 Zelda titles, but the Gamecube controller fills so much better in your hands than that godawful thing for the N64.
-NINTENDO HAS SUCCEEDED IN CREATING A TRULY UNIQUE GAME. The game is nothing like anything that any other video game maker has ever created, or probably ever will create. Shigeru Miyamoto is a creative genius, which has been proven to us in the past hundreds of times.
-MUSIC AND SOUND ARE GOOD. These attributes make good usage of the Gamecube's potential, and accordingly, help to improve the game in their own right.

CONS:
-TRAVELING BETWEEN ISLANDS TAKES TOO DAMN MUCH TIME! This is, by far, the greatest flaw of this game. There's a good chance that over half the time you spend playing the game could be spent island hopping. Rather than doing this, Nintendo should have just used a menu where you select what island you want to go to, and you're instantly there after you select it.
-THE OPACITY OF THE WATER IS A HUGE PROBLEM. I like the cel-shaded graphics, but the water is opaque (for those of you younger folks reading this review, that means you can't see through it.) This is a problem, because you can't see under the water! And since you can't see under the water, you can't see enemies until they jump out of the water to attack you!
-IN MANY PARTS OF THE GAME, THE GAMEPLAY BECOMES PAINFULLY REPETITIVE. There are times in the game where you constantly have to play the Wind Waker, and this gets really annoying fast. The fact that you can only set three items/weapons to buttons doesn't help things ever - chances are you'll spend almost as much time on the subscreens as you will the main game screen!

OVERALL:
Put simply, this is a VERY good game, I just don't think it lives up to the hype that has been created around it. Nonetheless, I do like the game, and at the very least, I recommend renting it. It's not necessarily a must buy game, but it's certainly a must play game.

Another Legend for Zelda

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: September 15, 2005
Author: Amazon User

First off, I am 16, its just that I have been having internet problems and logging in on different sites doesn't work sometimes. Anyways, onto the game.
The Legend of Zelda is probably the best game for Gamecube, and it has been since it came out (obviously). Pretty much the only games you can put in the same sentence for there fun and length are Super Smash Bros. Melee, Animal Crossing, and for sports anything made by EA.
First off the graphics are excellent. The cel-shading allows great facial-expression, which really lets kind of see what the character is thinking. All the islands and enemies look great, and the whole land is simply beautiful. I wouldn't mind seeing them do one more game in these graphics. Grade: A
Play Control: The N64 controller was always a bit big and clunky. Now, the GC controller is better suited for Zelda, and that results in the best play control for a Zelda game. One new thing is that sword fighting is a little deeper, there are now parries a little mini-combos. Also included is the ability to pick up enemies weapons, and it always fum to beat the heck out of an enemy with there own weapon. Grade: A-
Sound: Everything and a bag of chips right here. The music is extraordinary. When sailing during the day it gives that sense of adventure, and in dungeons and towns the music always conveys the right mood. There not much more to say, other then Zelda has the best music out of ANY video game franchise (even Mario and Final Fantasy). Grade: A+
Replay Value: Thhis is one of the few adventure games you can play over and over and it hardly loses its magic. Not only are there literally hundreds of sidequests (which for the average player to beat the whole game with sidequests 100% could mean 60-70 hours of playing time) but the second time round, new things are added, like the Deluxe Pictograph, and the incredibly long Nintendo Figurine Gallery, where you try to collect pictures of practically every enemy in the game. Grade: A-
Game Design: Some people say the sailing takes to long. Look, nothing can convey that since of vastness when you step on that boat and see half a dozen islands out on the horizon, and then realizes that there are dozens and dozens and dozens and dozens more to be seen. Yes, the long sailing does where off a little bit, but thankfully you gain the ability to transport your boat to certain ares using the wind waker. The game is just so huge, the dungeons are magnificent, the bosses are too, and the number of sidequests is almost overwhelming. The only drawback here is I died only once (believe it or not, I was the loser who died on the 49th floor on the Savage Labyrinth), and that's a little too easy. Grade: A+
Fun Factor: This is my favorite Zelda game to date. The huge land is so vast, and collecting every thing is a task not for the light-hearted (of course it is very fun). If there is anyone out there who owns a Gamecube but not this game, do yourself a favor and buy it. You'll be thankful you did.
Overall: A+. I have only given out about six A+ in my entire life (stretching back to the SNES and Game Boy days). This is a great game. Grade: A+
Pros: +Excellent graphics and sound
+Vast land with tons of sidequests and a near perfect main game (dungeons and such)
+ You can play over and over and not get bored
Cons: - A little too easy
- Ummmmm.... nothing.
Thanks for reading.

The best of the Zelda franchise

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: January 17, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I am not the world's most hardcore Zelda fan. Nor am I exactly the most skilled at playing the Zelda games. But I have played Zelda games on every system--from the originals on NES, the updates and new entries for GBC and GBA, to the introduction of 3D on N64. Most Zelda fans will say that the best of the franchise is Ocarina of Time; an opinion with which I respectfully disagree.

My first introduction to this game came through a demo that was on the Zelda promotion disc released for GCN. Within a few minutes of playing, I knew that I was one day going to own it, no matter how long it took me to acquire the funds for purchasing; I had to own it. The graphics and the gameplay were Just. That. Good.

In general, I'm not one to get excited or negative about good or bad graphics in a game, but in one like WW, it's hard not to be excited. Do not let the cel-shading turn you off--this entire game is an incredible universe of well thought-out, 360 degree exploration that is greatly complemented by the very meticulous and oftentimes truly extraordinary graphics.

The gaming world itself is absolutely enormous. With the entire world covered in water, the game confines itself to a 7x7 map of squares--but that itself takes half a lifetime to explore. And it is more than worth it. While the game starts out fairly linear, it's of a need, as it guides you through the prologue of the game, the eventual introduction and control of your boat, the Wind Waker, and then centers around exploration of the half a dozen most central islands to the story. And from there, it branches out significantly--reaching a point in which, should you choose, you can spend hours upon hours traveling from island to island and mapping out the entire ocean within the given realm. Traveling does take time, and can become monotonous for some--but fortunately, not long into the game, you can learn how to warp and significantly cut down on travel time.

Gameplay is my favorite it's been for any Zelda game I've played. While I became somewhat board with the manner of combat in Ocarina of Time--hit the monster, wait a few seconds till it attacks, hit it again and repeat ad nauseum--combat in this game is wild, fast and furious, by comparison. At the start, on the island where Link starts out, you learn sword fighting from an older man, which includes some very, very cool techniques that can be used in different combinations of your A and B buttons with the control stick. And the puzzles--both in and out of the dungeons--are far from dumbed down, but never were frustrating enough to make me want to stop.

The game includes most of the familiar tools from previous Zelda games (boomerang, hookshot, etc) as well as the Deku Leaf--which allows you to fly using magic and ties nicely into the requisite of controlling the wind--and the grappling hook--which, among other things, allows you to steal items like feathers and hearts off your enemies when targeted.

The dungeons play out in a less obvious manner than other Zeldas, though it does follow some of the commons. However, there are only two that are officially referred to as "Temples" while they come up with more creative ways of dealing with all the others. And the story surprised me in how it ties in with the commonality of the Zelda franchise--so much so that when I realized how it did all tie together, my jaw dropped, I fell more in love, and was officially hooked upon this game.

The gamemakers opened themselves up to the potential of enormous possibilities with this game, and it never, ever lets you down. There is so much to do, so much to explore, so many things to find...once the games reaches it's most non-linear, the possibilities will seem endless. I have played so many games stuck on their linearity, the world felt more like filler--whereas in games like this, one is more than frequently rewarded for test and exploration. And many games that try to add side-items to be found through exploration and side-quest usually disappoint. In this game, for example, you can perform a side-question in which you will ultimately be given a mask that, when worn in battle, will show a life gage for that particular foe. Certainly not a requisite for winning the game, but undeniably a useful tool.

As I've already said, the gaming world is HUGE. Every single square on the map has an island or fortress of some kind--and the ones not particularly relevant to the game usually have a mini-game or subquest of some kind that almost always leads to valuable rewards. You find treasure maps scattered literally across the entire world, in which you can travel to the given island and use the grappling hook to dig up rupees, or a heart piece. There are platforms, and fortresses. And what's better (certainly an improvement from other Zeldas) there are maps that can be found that show (though don't detail) which of the squares have platforms, fairies, submarines, etc.

Music is probably not my favorite, but it's far from being my least favorite, either. Some themes are better than others--though are undeniably fitting for the given area or scenario--and I do absolutely love the music for Dragon Roost Island. It really doesn't get much better than that.

The game does have it's flaws, but what game doesn't. For example, swimming in water can be really hard, and really frustrating. I would climb (or be knocked) out of my boat and swim in circles while trying to get back to the proper position in which I could get Link back into the boat--made all the more frustrating by the fact that you can only be in deep water for a limited amount of time before you drown and lose a heart. Also, while the targeting system is ultimately a brilliant way for dealing with combat in a 3-dimensional plane, I became frustrated when I encountered more than one enemy and, in trying to un-target one enemy, would automatically be transferred to the target of the other enemy. Oftentimes, a particular task to or with that enemy would need to be performed while not targeting anything, and the only way in which I find to solve this problem was to back as far away from all the enemies as possible until they too far away for the targeting to stay on. If there is another simpler, smarter way of dealing with this, I have yet to discover it.

Hardcore Zelda fans have long since purchased this game and passed judgment, so anyone reading this is either not too familiar with the Zelda franchise, or, like me, somewhat of a newbie. To either and anyone I would recommend this game. It's one of my favorite console games I've played, and certainly the best I've come across for GCN. Honestly, I love it so much, I can't way to play it again.

play before you judge

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: March 09, 2003
Author: Amazon User

I doubted the graphics when I first saw screenshots of this game. I wondered whether the game would turn out too kiddy to bear.
I never should have doubted.
In the end, the graphics compliment the game. Link and the other characters (even enemies) actually have a range of expressions. The graphics really help to create the world Link lives in. If they still make you want to cry, just remember: after ten minutes, you're so caught up in the game, I doubt you'd notice what Link looks like. The gameplay is the usual Legend of Zelda goodness, but it's even more fleshed out. (like the addition of some stealth. since when have you hid in a barrel?)
You can actually have strategy during battles (you can remove armor from your enemies, or dodge their attack and swing at their back) or you can slash randomly (still fun).
The puzzles are still around, but again, there are more options without being frustrated. If your sword can't break through a barrier, then a nearby enemy has a huge sword that can bust the barrier, even if it's too slow to be a comfortable combat weapon.
And for everyone who hates that you have to rescue your sister, please note that the Legend of Zelda games were never supposed to be connected in the first place. (The Links were never intended to be the same one.)
Overall this is a perfect addition to the Legend of Zelda games. Even the ocean has things to do (though sometimes sailing does get boring). If you hate the graphics, just give it a little time. You'd be cheating yourself otherwise.

awesome game!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: March 13, 2003
Author: Amazon User

I played a demo of this game @ babbage's in the mall, and all i can say is, wow. The gameplay is great, the graphics are great, the music is great, etc etc etc. If you are either a zelda fan or if this is the first time you've experienced them (like me) then you will love this game

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