[Dark Schala]

The reveal about Hyrule, the battle atop Ganon's Tower, the King of Red Lions' heart-breaking scenes, the Master Sword shrine.

I played this part at 3AM during my first playthrough, and I got chills. The music prior to reviving the castle set an amazing atmosphere and it was mixed very well. That entire scenario bit was really well-done.

The sound direction in this game is so good.

[Oblivion]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2ILsQ7POYE#t=1m39s

YES.

You know, although I really like that arrangement, I occasionally wonder if they should have used more woodwind instruments instead of brass.

[Piercedveil]

This is a great Zelda game. The art style and the music really make the game for me.

I wish they would make a Zelda game for the 3DS with this art style.

[Pseudo_Sam]

I always imagine WW and MM as sort of twins. They both have (comparatively) lackluster dungeons, but the atmosphere of the world is just so goddamn perfect, the characterization is well done and likable, the main story isn't mind-numbingly dull, and the items are amazing (MM has the masks, WW has the best bow + best boomerang + motherfuckin Deku Leaf).

The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. WW also has best music and best graphics. Seems like a no-brainer to me, Wind Waker is my favorite Zelda.

[Dark Schala]

This is a great Zelda game. The art style and the music really make the game for me. I wish they would make a Zelda game for the 3DS with this art style.

I sort of want them to retire Toon Link for a while. We've had PH and TP with similar styles, and while they're nice and pleasant, I think they should experiment a little more for the 3DS entry.

[Himself]

The last great Zelda game.

[Tookay]

I still feel it had the best dungeons out of any of the 3d zeldas. They were definitely the strong point of the game, as well as the final battle with Gannon, which was the best in the entire series. The thing that kills the replay value is the shitty overworld and the triforce quest. I'd love to see it get remade with the Triforce part removed and replaced with a 6th dungeon.

???

Maybe if you haven't played in a while...

The final battle with Ganon rocks though.

[CorvoSol]

I played this part at 3AM during my first playthrough, and I got chills. The music prior to reviving the castle set an amazing atmosphere and it was mixed very well. That entire scenario bit was really well-done. The sound direction in this game is so good.

I remember just like, dropping the controller in shock. I was all, "Whaaaaat?" I've always wanted to run around Hyrule outside the castle in that game.

[Zekes!]

Yeah, Skyward Sword, Twilight Princess and Ocarina of Time all easily have better dungeons than Wind Waker. For Twilight Princess in particular, it's dungeons being great is its saving grace for me.

[leroidys]

I found the whole thing too cartoony to be scary, though this isn't a bad thing at all, Link's exaggerated shivering, the redeads gawping mouths, I think it made me laugh the first time. Floor masters on the other hand.... Ah the curse of me having missed the Oracle games, plus i've just remembered it was in four swords GBA as well. Okay i'm truly defeated this time, Four Swords screwing me over again, hey even the gnat hat is like the precursor to the Minish Cap itself. I'm just going to say that the Sand Rod in Spirit Tracks was awesome and more crazy stuff like that leading to new puzzles would be great.

Yes! I loved the sand rod in Spirit Tracks. I thought that overall, both DS games utilized the items almost perfectly. They were all used often, had multiple uses, and were fun to control.

[EuropeOG]

Best Zelda game and in my top 3 games of all time.

[Nocturnowl]

Yes! I loved the sand rod in Spirit Tracks. I thought that overall, both DS games utilized the items almost perfectly. They were all used often, had multiple uses, and were fun to control.

I never thought I could get excited for the boomerang ever again but the Ice dungeon in Spirit Tracks proved me wrong, hell I actually like using bombs in Skyward Sword with the rolling, sometimes all the items need is a little twist.
Sadly the bow has been kind of underwhelming for some time now, it's been the disappointment of chest openings.

[soldat7]

The sailing mechanics killed it for me, sadly. Maybe I'll go back someday.

[Spieler Eins]

I always imagine WW and MM as sort of twins.

Like a good and an evil twin. MM is the good. WW is the complete opposite.

[Mackmannen]

Finished it last summer for the first time, hell of game!

I worked out a technique while sailing after the Tingle maps, and that was browsing the shitz out of the intrawebs. Cuz it's farming money and finding maps for hour after hour wasn't enjoyably.

The music, THE MUSIC is god, it has the ultimate safezoone music (Windfall Island//Outset Island). And more classic tracks, shit every tune is almost a classic. Dragon Roost Island is the best track in the game. :D

[bomma_man]

I never thought I could get excited for the boomerang ever again but the Ice dungeon in Spirit Tracks proved me wrong, hell I actually like using bombs in Skyward Sword with the rolling, sometimes all the items need is a little twist. Sadly the bow has been kind of underwhelming for some time now, it's been the disappointment of chest openings.

The full upgraded bow in SS was lethal death machine. I think I did the escort mission without being seen using that thing. But yeah for the bad wrap the DS games get the controls really invigorated a lot of the items.

As for WW, even though I acknowledge its faults it's close to my favourite Zelda, just through nostalgia. I can remember many lazy days spent drifting across its cartoon sea.

[Shion]

The last great Zelda game.

Agreed.

Though, I really wish WW had kept the key elements from MM and had more content in the overworld.

[Magicpaint]

Last great Zelda game? Please. I love WW but it's easily the most flawed 3D Zelda of the lot.

Yeah, Skyward Sword, Twilight Princess and Ocarina of Time all easily have better dungeons than Wind Waker. For Twilight Princess in particular, it's dungeons being great is its saving grace for me.

And Majora's Mask, since that's the game that takes the idea of 'multi-room puzzle solving' to the highest level IMO. Basically WW's dungeons are the weakest and most linear relying on self contained door to door puzzles for the most part.

It's worse in Prime, because you can't really do it until you get to the point where you need them (MP1 and MP2, but MP3 is much better about that).

You can get some artifacts in 1 well before the supposed time of getting them.

[Zekes!]

It kind of sucks that later games dropped a few of WW's minor gameplay elements, such as being able to pick up enemy weapons and being able to crouch/crawl and sidle against walls. They may have been kind of "useless" but they gave Link slightly more mobility. Also WW's rope swinging mechanic works better than SS's.

And Majora's Mask, since that's the game that takes the idea of 'multi-room puzzle solving' to the highest level IMO. Basically WW's dungeons are the weakest and most linear relying on self contained door to door puzzles for the most part.

I disagree only because I hate all of Majora's Mask's dungeons (and overworld design). In Wind Waker, the dungeons may not be the greatest, but I don't actively hate them like I do with Majora's Mask.

[Dark Octave]

I recently went back and finished the game after a 5 year break and was blown away by how well the graphics (and everything else) have held up. Glad I finally went back and finished it.

[Magicpaint]

I disagree only because I hate all of Majora's Mask's dungeons (and overworld design)

I'd take MM dungeons (Stone Tower is the best Zelda dungeon IMO) and overworld design over WW anyday of the week :)

MM's overworld is richly dense and full of life while most of WW's is desolate and sparse.

[evangd007]

Thanks for your analysis. While I still think that Wind Waker is the weakest 3D Zelda, you have helped me to understand why so many people think it's the best. Nothing wrong with your opinion or mine, we just value different things in Zelda.

And when I say "weakest Zelda" I'm certainly not saying it's a bad game. I'd take a weak Zelda over most anything else.

[Zekes!]

Thanks for your analysis. While I still think that Wind Waker is the weakest 3D Zelda, you have helped me to understand why so many people think it's the best. Nothing wrong with your opinion or mine, we just value different things in Zelda. And when I say "weakest Zelda" I'm certainly not saying it's a bad game. I'd take a weak Zelda over most anything else.

That's kind of the best thing about Zelda, isn't it? It means a lot of different things to a lot of different people, probably more than any other gaming franchise.

I think anyone who really loves Wind Waker realizes it's very flawed game, and no where near perfect, and it's understandable that some people might find fault with it. I mean it's common knowledge that the game is incomplete.

Something I've always noticed is that people who love WW always seem to mention Link to the Past as being their first or second favourite.

[Neiteio]

It's a bit misleading to say TWW is incomplete: yes it had two dungeons cut during planning, but all the dots still connect in terms of narrative, pacing, etc. It's still a complete product in terms of playability, content, etc.

Honestly, TWW is probably the most magical 3D Zelda from an audiovisual standpoint. What else can compare, really, to pulling your little boat up to a desolate island, exploring a cave, and then coming topside to watch a storm roll in over the ocean? And then clambering aboard your boat as it rocks in the tide, the King's eyes glowing in the dark, and riding against the rain to some distant lookout tower or submarine you never visited before?

Majora's Mask is definitely my favorite Zelda, though. Really hoping for an OoT3D-style treatment soon.

[Mxrz]

The best Zelda by a long shot. Link's awakening being a distant second. It is also the only one I'll likely replay. The graphics still hold up. The story is actually different and meaningful for once, and the game has that actual sense of exploration that the series had abandoned. Its a shame what happened to the series after, but it was a hell of a high-water mark.

[Magicpaint]

The best Zelda by a long shot. Link's awakening being a distant second. It is also the only one I'll likely replay. The graphics still hold up. The story is actually different and meaningful for once, and the game has that actual sense of exploration that the series had abandoned. Its a shame what happened to the series after, but it was a hell of a high-water mark.

What happened after? Outside of maybe artstyle which was fantastic, I think a lot of the problem with modern Zelda was actually first introduced in Wind Waker (more linear approach to dungeons, dumbed down difficulty and limited exploration/reward ratio, fetch quests, sparse overworld etc)

[Neiteio]

What happened after? Outside of maybe artstyle which was fantastic, I think a lot of the problem with modern Zelda was actually first introduced in Wind Waker (more linear approach to dungeons, dumbed down difficulty and limited exploration/reward ratio, fetch quests, sparse overworld etc)

I don't think you can knock points off TWW for exploration. You're literally given this massive ocean to head off exploring in any direction you please, and while the content therein is sparse, there's still at least one island to visit in each of the 49 map squares, not to mention myriad lookout towers, submarines, boating courses, etc. Coupled with how scenic the changing weather and times of day can be, not to mention the ocassional monster encounters, it's quite exciting to go exploring, never quite sure what you'll find (and often anticipating it from miles away when each island first appears as a speck on the horizon). By comparison, Twilight Princess had a distinctly partitioned overworld and Skyward Sword has virtually no overworld to speak of...

[Magicpaint]

I don't think you can knock points off TWW for exploration. You're literally given this massive ocean to head off exploring in any direction you please, and while the content therein is sparse, there's still at least one island to visit in each of the 49 map squares, not to mention myriad lookout towers, submarines, boating courses, etc. Coupled with how scenic the changing weather and times of day can be, not to mention the ocassional monster encounters, it's quite exciting to go exploring, never quite sure what you'll find (and often anticipating it from miles away when each island first appears as a speck on the horizon). By comparison, Twilight Princess had a distinctly partitioned overworld and Skyward Sword has virtually no overworld to speak of...

Thing is when I ended up filling all the squares, I thought the payoff was extremely small for all that effort I put into it; its inherent advantages seemed to hinge on the "exciting" feeling of the unexpected but when that mystery is uncovered...well there's basically little to no reward imo; I never again bothered exploring the islands in subsequent playthroughs while with LTTP, OOT and MM, the urge is always there. Twilight Princess actually has a much more interesting overworld than Wind Waker's to me since there are quite a few caves to find that remind me faintly of LTTP's overworld design sensibility and it is of course much easier to traverse. I agree about Skyward Sword though.

[Dragnet]

Couldn't invert the camera controls so I'm fighting myself all the time I play it. Fuck you Nintendo!

[ShinUltramanJ]

The sailing mechanics killed it for me, sadly. Maybe I'll go back someday.

For me wit wasn't so much the sailing part, but the fucking wind. Constantly having to drag that fucking wand out to get the damn wind behind my sails was a pain in the ass. Not to mention you had to watch the same mini cut scene everytime!

I'd still LOVE to see a remake or "HD" version on the U.

[Zekes!]

For me wit wasn't so much the sailing part, but the fucking wind. Constantly having to drag that fucking wand out to get the damn wind behind my sails was a pain in the ass. Not to mention you had to watch the same mini cut scene everytime! I'd still LOVE to see a remake or "HD" version on the U.

You can sail pretty easily even if the wind isn't blowing directly behind you. You can even sail in the opposite direction by weaving in the wind back and forth. I rarely change the wind unless I need to go in a certain direction for a while

[BD1]

Very, very good game. Not a great one. There were some absolutely terrible design choices. The art style is amazing; perfecting the whimsical look of A Link to the Past.

... but I still say the initial Space World reveal took the GameCube out at the knees.

[Aguila]

YES. I loved everything about Wind Waker. It has my favorite over world out of all the Zelda games. Skyward Sword's sky islands were nothing compared to Wind Waker's islands, sadly :( Not to mention the transition from island to island is far more superior in Wind Waker than the same old visual transitions in Skyward Sword. It also has the best music out of all the games imo (second is Twilight Princess). Basically, I agree with everything the OP said about it.

Sailing, I thought, was pretty calming. I very much liked how the scenery was constantly changing. It would go from a bright hazy morning to a blue, starry night ( and the way the music started in the morning :) ). The waves would also change from flat to rolling. Not to mention the random storms that would pop up (again, I was highly disappointed with Skyward Sword's sky because I kept comparing it Wind Waker's ocean).

I guess I just really like the huge and seamless over world that Nintendo created with this game.

I was really expecting Nintendo to make a New Play Control! version of Wind Waker. The Wind Waker baton would work great with Motion Plus.

[Agent Unknown]

Never got to finish it, here is a post I made in one of the Wii U speculation threads back in April, my sad personal history with Wind Waker:

Random thought: I need to buy a copy of Wind Waker, never finished the game (got stolen way back in summer 2003 by a punk who was staying with my brother, he and his girlfriend also stole our copy of Melee and Red Faction II grrrr) and I don't think I can hold out until the (possible) Wii U GC virtual console release which will take forever. Plus it'll be the perfect game to follow up with once I finish my LttP run. My copies of Sunshine and Prime have been sitting on my game library shelf for many years looking incomplete without their missing sibling. :(

So.. you never finished it? I am incredibly jealous. Such a superlative experience. Keep a hankie on hand for the ending.. that's all I'll say.

Nope, it's like a mysterious missing chapter from my Gamecube years, I never even got halfway through the game! It was also partly because I've always preferred Mario and Metroid series over Zelda and I was still finishing Prime at the time. Plus I play a lot of 2D shooters like Gradius, Do Don Pachi, ect. which also adds to my backlog. Otherwise I would not have allowed my brother to borrow it at the time (not that it was his fault of course, grrr). edit: And is just me or did the nice tropical themes featured in both Sunshine and WW seem kinda intentional?

Someday.

[CorvoSol]

Yes! I loved the sand rod in Spirit Tracks. I thought that overall, both DS games utilized the items almost perfectly. They were all used often, had multiple uses, and were fun to control.

Spirit Tracks would have been an amazing Zelda if:
1) That flute didn't suck ass.
2) It had an explorable overworld
3) That final boss fight hadn't been ruined by the control scheme.

[Zabuza]

Spirit Tracks would have been an amazing Zelda if: 1) That flute didn't suck ass. 2) It had an explorable overworld 3) That final boss fight hadn't been ruined by the control scheme.

I really really really liked Spirit Tracks.

[peakish]

Should've put a smiley at the end of the post for those taking my post too literally. And the bolded above is subjective anyway. :oP

Oh, sorry about that, hehe. I think I've seen similar arguments in other Zelda threads so I guess that made me jump the gun a bit.

Man this thread makes me want to replay Skyward Sword. Sadly my Wii is 500 miles away T_T

[not psycho]

My favorite 3d Zelda. Either this or A Link to the Past is my overall favorite.

Something I've always noticed is that people who love WW always seem to mention Link to the Past as being their first or second favourite.

Wow, you may be on to something.

[CorvoSol]

I really really really liked Spirit Tracks.

I did, too! It was just those few things that irked me. Otherwise I really liked that game.

[Cameron122]

The first Zelda I played all the way through. It'll always have a special place in my heart for that reason.

[Loofy]

The measly amount of dungeons and the shard quest(which aonuma admitted was thrown in last second) kills the game.
I hope Nintendo comes back to the concept and gives us a completed game.

The sailing did take long, even after you could teleport. No game should allow you to be able to make a sandwich in between locations.

[Supermanisdead]

Crappy dungeons and forgettable music except for Dragon Roost and the Great Sea. Only thing saving this mess was the godlike art and cute characters.

Actually I liked the items too except the grappling hook that does that long ass animation every time you throw it.

[JohnLacke]

I love TWW. It oozes charm, and is a ton of fun to play. I quite enjoyed sailing, but hated having to stop, use the Wind Waker and change the wind's direction everytime I wanted to change my heading. I then found an AR code that had the wind blow in the direction Link was facing, and it made uninterrupted sailing a huge joy.

[radioheadrule83]

My favorite 3d Zelda. Either this or A Link to the Past is my overall favorite. Wow, you may be on to something.

Four Swords Adventures showed how well the styles melded together.

A New-Play-Control version for the Wii should have been made. Changing wind direction could have been a 'breeze' (*snicker*) with the Wii Remote. I think it would have worked well for the possession style moments as well... the baton could have behaved more like a wand.

[legendnthamaking]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=CRMwOd_Sn5M

If Nintendo counted on using Wind Waker to bring a new younger audience to the series, then they are geniuses. People bashed Wind Waker to hell but the gamble paid off because the art style most likely expanded the series audience to children. Wind Waker is one of the games that was dying for either a Pixar film or at least, a Saturday morning cartoon.

[bluedeviltron]

I've been on a Zelda high ever since Wind Waker in 2003, despite attempt after attempt by Nintendo to chisel those good feelings away (Twilight Princess excluded, which is great but no WW). Skyward Sword was the real nail in the coffin for me. I don't see them topping Wind Waker aesthetically, musically or otherwise...ever, sadly.

[KittyKittyBangBang]

I love this game overall. I know its cliche to hate on the sailing bits....BUT FUCK YOU SAILING BITS!!!

There are too many great Zelda games for me to pick a favorite, but this is definitely in the upper eschelon of Zelda games IMO.

[JumpingTheGun]

Easily in my top 3 Ganon battles. That end shot with the sword in his head was priceless.

[Retro]

A New-Play-Control version for the Wii should have been made.

So let's say Nintendo decided to re-release WW on the Wii U. What are some WiiU-specific things people would like to see added based on what we know about the system?

- Second screen could be used to aim the cannon while allowing the player to keep sailing with the analog sticks. This would allow for bigger, better and more numerous ship-to-ship fights.

- Second screen could be used as a glass-bottomed observation box, so by looking down through it, you can see the ocean floor far below you. Instead of positioning yourself based on the sound of a treasure marker, you can instead look underwater and aim the grappling hook manually:



- Octos squirt ink at you, blacking out the main screen; 'wipe' the second screen to clear it off. Makes fighting the Huge Octos a challenge for sure. Same could be done with dust/sand (could add a new element to the Wind Temple boss) or mud. Or have water drops splatter on the screen during storms and such that you can wipe away.

- When frozen or restrained, shake the controller to break free.

- Motion-control Deku Leaf. Maybe you can blow into the microphone to get a little extra push?

- Controller as Pictobox seems obvious. Ditto for Tingle Tuner. Telescope could be cool to use this way too.

- Move the controller around to look around you 360 degrees. Useful for aiming the boomerang at precise targets, perhaps.

- Want to change the direction of the wind quickly? Blow into the microphone to automatically jump to the wind direction screen (bypassing the need to equip the Wind Waker, play the melody and watch the short clip)

- Add new islands everywhere that aren't on any chart. Instead, the player has to follow clues to find them, and then physically draw them on their sea chart via the touchscreen. If the location and shape are approximate, the game recognizes them and adds them to the chart. Maybe the Traveling merchants are looking for new territory and reward you for scouting for them. Maybe the Fishmen.

- Obvious stuff like maps and inventory. Could theoretically move the entire UI down to the second screen, making the big screen completely cinematic. The damn controller can even beep at you when your health is low.

- Make the Ghost Ship a proper dungeon with lots of illusions and ghosts. Add a Lens of Truth-type item, something like a Ghost Captain's Telescope. You hold the controller up and look 'through' it to see invisible ghosts, illusionary walls and floors, hidden traps, etc. Expand on the game world with this tool by having hidden islands or something. Maybe the spirits of people drowned in the Flood are wandering around in places and you can help them find peace.

[Marlowe89]

I, too, just finished playing this recently. Definitely my favorite Zelda game, with Majora's Mask following closely behind. One of my favorite games period.

Memorable characters that made sidequests so engaging, an epic and adventurous plot, simplistically fun combat, the best overworld/exploration in the series and all the joyous surprises found on the ocean (some of them terrifying, like that creepy ass ghost ship) is just... oh god. I'm going to get this out of the way right now - Skyward Sword felt so shallow and dull by comparison and I really doubt that's nostalgia talking. I actually liked SS a lot, but I can't ignore combat and motion controls being the biggest focus in the game while a lot of other things, namely the overworld and overall immersion, just seem to take a major backseat and even border on outright non-existence.

I can safely say that in addition to being my favorite, it's also the last console experience I was truly immersed in with this franchise. And that's kind of a shame, but I still hold out hope that Nintendo eventually makes a Zelda sort of like this one.