We start today's review with a confession...even though I love many Zelda games, The GameCube's
Wind Waker...is not among them.
Or anywhere close, even.
While there were some parts of the game I enjoyed, the entire experience, for me, was
ravaged by poor pacing and extended bouts of tedium.
I mean, the bulk of the game was spent out at sea, sailing from location to location
at a snail's pace, all the while having to babysit the wind direction and change it whenever
I turned more than a few degrees.
And the worst part about it all was that there was almost nothing to do during your travel
time besides sit there and wait.
Now I know many of you felt the sailing added to the sense of adventure and exploration
that the game offered, but for me, it acted like an anchor that weighed down the entire
experience to a point where I barely enjoyed any of it
But hey, the game sure did look pretty.
And that's even more true today thanks to The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD, which
is essentially a high-definition remastering of the original.
But it's also a little more than just a graphical facelift, as it makes several small gameplay
tweaks that end up having a big impact.
And chief among these is the addition of something called the Swift Sail.
This optional item nearly doubles your boat's cruising speed, while also changing the wind
direction automatically whenever you turn.
This will literally shave hours from the amount of time you'll spend travelling across the
Great Sea and completely removes the tedium of having to use the Wind Waker to change
the wind's direction constantly
Now of course, you'll still use the Wind Waker throughout the game, whether it's to change
the wind direction on land or to take control of a partner.
But even these instances have been tightened up--shortening the animation of each one by
several seconds.
And actually, several other animations that you see throughout the game have also been
reduced, such as using the grappling hook or scavenging treasure.
While a few seconds here and there may not sound like much, they really do add up in
the long-run run, especially when you find yourself performing the same action over and
over, such as in Temples.
Another big improvement is in how the game handles.
By moving the map and inventory to the GamePad's touchscreen, it allows you to plan your course
or swap out your inventory in real-time, without having to pause the game.
This is one of those things that never bothered me in the original game, and yet, now I couldn't
imagine going back to how it used to work.
And this actually works hand-in-hand with the Swift Sail in improving sailing, as it
now gives you something to do while en route to your next destination, allowing you to
manage your inventory or consult your map and adjust your route as needed on the fly.
It made sailing feel more dynamic and fun merely than just a means to an end.
The controls have also been enhanced, allowing you to now move around while in the first-person
perspective, in addition to using the GamePad's motion controls for aiming first-person weapons
Both of which are really good additions...for the most part.
Because the motion-controls did prove to occasionally be finicky and unresponsive, which is something
I haven't experienced in other Nintendo games that made use of them, such as Ocarina of
Time 3D.
Now for the most part, this isn't a huge problem as you can also use the right-stick to aim
manually...but because 2 out of the 3 inventory slots are activated using your thumb, this
means you can't aim and shoot at the same time.
The only way around this is to assign those items to the R-button instead, which isn't
exactly ideal.
It's not a big problem, but these control issues were definitely annoying at points.
Now while everyone's exact stance on sailing in the original game is all over the map,
there is one topic I'd wager most gamers agree on: The infamous Triforce Quest.
Now I'm not going to say anything specific so as to avoid spoilers, but let's just thus
that this too has been vastly improved, taking just a fraction of the time and effort it
did originally.
Oh, and how can I not talk about the game's most obvious enhancement: the visuals.
While the characters models look as they always have, the textures have been redone, the lighting
has been vastly improved, and the entire thing runs at 1080p.
In short, the game is gorgeous.
I seriously just stood in place at several points taking in the sights.
Let's put it this way, if I didn't know better, The Wind Waker HD could have fooled me into
thinking it's a brand new Zelda game
So clearly there are quite a few improvements made to the game--and I didn't even cover
them all.
But what really matters is how they impact the overall exepreince.
Now individually, these changes don't sound like much, but taken together, they're transformative.
What I once found to be a poorly paced and sluggish adventure is now a rip-roaring Adventure
across the high seas.
By eliminating the low-points, it allowed the high-points to really shine, such as the
puzzeling temples, random people you'll encounter out at sea, and of course, Windfall Island,
which has always been one of my favorite videogame towns.
The whole game is just so darn charming.
I mean, just look at those eyes.
With all that being said, Wind Waker HD isn't perfect.
Some of the issues I had with the original GameCube version still remain, such as the
game's slow opening, including the stealth-based Forsaken Fortress which continues to test
my patience And the minor control issues I did have were pretty annoying whenever they
did rear their ugly head.
The game could also do a better job of pointing you toward the optional Swift Sail, as it's
far too easy to overlook given how much it improves the experience.
Finally, if you've played--and enjoyed--the game before, there's really nothing new here
from a content perspective--it's simply the same game, improved
But overall, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD stands as one of the best remastering's
I've ever played.
It pulled off something I didn't think was possible: It make me enjoy The Wind Waker..
It revealed to me a fantastic adventure no longer hidden by the tedium of sailing, but
enhanced by it.
It exposed me to a world rich in detail and even denser in charm.
And it doesn't hurt that the entire experience is gorgeous end-to-end.
Which is why I'm giving the game 4.5 Stars out of 5.
Thanks for watching and keep an eye on GameXplain.com for more on Wind Waker HD and other things
gaming too.