Being honest... That sounds awesome.
But I guess we have the benefit of perspective
-
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Would Wind Waker have received a warmer reception if Majora's Mask never happened?
- Thread starter Dr. Black Jack
- Start date
Being honest... That sounds awesome.
But I guess we have the benefit of perspective
mrmickfran
Member
I think it has nothing to do with Majora's Mask (which had very little impact when it came out, though it since attracted more attention for being such an oddball for the series.)
I think the reason was mostly because the early images and videos they released made it look like they were going for a very realistic, serious look and feel, much moreso than the series had had to date. Then the game came out and it was, visually, the absolute antithesis of that, visually, going for a more cartoonish look than the series had ever had before. Couple this with the fact that the first generation of Nintendo fans were just starting to grow up and to want something that looked and felt "mature", and it's natural that it would get some backlash.
Nowadays we have the benefit of perspective and can see that it's an excellent Zelda game. But it wasn't what a lot of people expected or wanted at the time (the people above who are calling it a masterpiece are right, but there was a heavy backlash against its look and feel.)
I think the reason was mostly because the early images and videos they released made it look like they were going for a very realistic, serious look and feel, much moreso than the series had had to date. Then the game came out and it was, visually, the absolute antithesis of that, visually, going for a more cartoonish look than the series had ever had before. Couple this with the fact that the first generation of Nintendo fans were just starting to grow up and to want something that looked and felt "mature", and it's natural that it would get some backlash.
Nowadays we have the benefit of perspective and can see that it's an excellent Zelda game. But it wasn't what a lot of people expected or wanted at the time (the people above who are calling it a masterpiece are right, but there was a heavy backlash against its look and feel.)
Ryouji Gunblade
Member
There are concepts in Wind Waker that existed first in Majora's Mask though. Pictobox comes to mind.
Mass Effect
Member
While that may be true, the game certainly didn't have that kind of reception at the time.
Regardless, Majora or not, Wind Waker still would have been called "kiddy shit" at the time simply because of the era. Spaceworld demo didn't help things either.
blummer102
Member
Majora's Mask had nothing to do with it. Heck, a lotta people never finished that game because it was too weird.
It was the Spaceworld demo, with a badass "realistic" Link fighting Ganondorf that threw people off. Everyone went spaceballs for that little clip and I remember tons of sites back in the day, even IGN, speculating that it was SUPER SECRET FOOTAGE for an upcoming Zelda masterpiece. Lots of folks were like "no WAY is Nintendo just putting all that effort in for a demo." lol
Remember, this was an era where your typical Zelda fan was like age 10-16 and highly susceptible to the cool anime look of Adult Link in Ocarina of Time. There was also the huge idea that Nintendo had to beat Sony and fight back against their "kiddie" image. Zelda was seen as the franchise most likely to be able to accomplish this, especially after Squaresoft did a bait 'n switch and put FF7 on the PSX rather than the N64. Since the PSX ended up outselling the N64, there was even more pressure on Nintendo in the minds of hardcore fans to "get it right" with the Gamecube and come out with full guns blazing to appeal to a more mature audience.
To see that idealized dream of a mature, futuristic Zelda game be shattered with the first footage of cel-shaded Link was therefore the biggest mindfuck/tragedy ever.
Of course, nobody remembers this now, cuz Wind Waker turned out great! But the "LEGEND OF CELDA" hate threads back in the day were civil war.
It was the Spaceworld demo, with a badass "realistic" Link fighting Ganondorf that threw people off. Everyone went spaceballs for that little clip and I remember tons of sites back in the day, even IGN, speculating that it was SUPER SECRET FOOTAGE for an upcoming Zelda masterpiece. Lots of folks were like "no WAY is Nintendo just putting all that effort in for a demo." lol
Remember, this was an era where your typical Zelda fan was like age 10-16 and highly susceptible to the cool anime look of Adult Link in Ocarina of Time. There was also the huge idea that Nintendo had to beat Sony and fight back against their "kiddie" image. Zelda was seen as the franchise most likely to be able to accomplish this, especially after Squaresoft did a bait 'n switch and put FF7 on the PSX rather than the N64. Since the PSX ended up outselling the N64, there was even more pressure on Nintendo in the minds of hardcore fans to "get it right" with the Gamecube and come out with full guns blazing to appeal to a more mature audience.
To see that idealized dream of a mature, futuristic Zelda game be shattered with the first footage of cel-shaded Link was therefore the biggest mindfuck/tragedy ever.
Of course, nobody remembers this now, cuz Wind Waker turned out great! But the "LEGEND OF CELDA" hate threads back in the day were civil war.
Ninja Scooter
Member
It also launched the exact same day (in N. America) as the PS2, which sort of caused it to get lost in that tidal wave of hype. The N64 was pretty much on it's last legs by that point.
Dr. Black Jack
Member
that is like my entire point
To answer to your question OP: honestly I don't think so. People were just pissed off at the art style. I mean people who were pissed at the art style in the first place, that is. I had no problem here, one of my best after OoT, loved it, especially fire / lava FXs. It was great for the time and I gladly played it again on U.
Ninja Scooter
Member
Way less people played it, and it was always seen as a "side story", not a main line Zelda. It had no where near the impact on the public consciousness as OoT had, which was why so many people got hyped for that original SpaceWorld teaser. People wanted a next gen OoT and "kiddy/nostalgic" Nintendo was far less palatable to the gaming audience in 2002 than it is in 2017.
blummer102
Member
Yeah, pretty much this ^
To the OP - Sorry for not being clearer in my original post. True, not as many people played Majora, and perhaps you got burned on it and were wary of Wind Waker as a result, but I think the general perception and the hope for Majora just wasn't as high as it was for the "proper" Ocarina follow up. Heck, Nintendo Power ran preview articles on Majora simply calling it Zelda Gaiden for the longest time, which gave off the impression that it was always meant to be some kind of sidestory, and a mere stepping stone while Nintendo pumped out something killer with its new hardware. I think the Spaceworld tech demo only further strengthened this illusion in people's minds, until Wind Waker suddenly came out of left field.