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The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD Review Thread.

B

BY2K

Membero Americo
Embargo ends tomorrow.

Eurogamer: 10/10

That's not a fitting fate for this Zelda and certainly not for this Link, with all his vivid urgency. It's why we need excellent re-releases like this. Just like its young hero, The Wind Waker is crisp and energetic, spirited and soulful, just a little bit wayward - and it hasn't aged a day.
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IGN: 9.8/10

As a returning fan, I couldn’t have asked for much of a better treatment. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD holds up as a marvelous game full of unique and wonderful surprises that remind me why it’s the best of the 3D Zeldas. If you’ve never braved this amazing seafaring adventure, the Wii U version offers the definitive way to experience a charming story that’s both charming and elegant.
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JeuxVideo: 19/20

Far from being a simple HD port, this remake of The Wind Waker has clearly been done with the same mindset as Ocarina of Time 3DS : bringing back the game for the new generations to enjoy in the best conditions possible. Nintendo took note of the criticism toward the Gamecube version to fix the slower parts of the game, so that even the naysayers might want to return to this adventure in HD.
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VGNetwork: 9.5/10

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD is in fact the same great game that we saw on Gamecube ten years ago, but with so many improvements. The intervention of the remastering was really massive and although it is the technical sector to have obtained the greatest benefits, small changes introduced in gameplay do nothing but to improve the experience. Wind Waker HD, thanks to a fascinating and well told story, its balanced gameplay mechanics and a very respectable longevity is a candidate to be one of the best action RPG present on the Wii U, hopefully until the next Zelda title arrives.
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Nintendolife: 9/10

Therefore, to some this might not seem like a great enough effort to warrant a full-priced release. However, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker was never in need of a drastic overhaul; the fact that it still offers more gameplay and entertainment value than most modern titles on the market speaks volumes about its undeniable quality. This refined experience will appeal to newcomers and veterans alike, and we can only hope that the small, yet significant steps that Nintendo has taken with this wonderful remake are a promising sign of things to come with its upcoming, all-new entry in The Legend of Zelda series.
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CVG: 9/10

The introduction of the Swift Sail relieves some of the pain involved in completing Nintendo's shopping list, while the number of items required to collect has been marginally reduced. However, this proves a small compromise for several hours of peculiarly lazy design, and the decline in quality is even present in the final dungeons in the game, which are less inventive than the earlier levels.

But let's say it's water under the bridge now. It has, after all, been ten years since The Wind Waker arrived on GameCube, and as those few bad memories sink away the most important point sails: This is an unforgettable Zelda instalment, well worth revisiting.
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God is a Geek: 9/10

VERDICT: Nintendo are placing a great deal of faith in The Wind Waker HD, even producing a lush limited edition console to mark its release. It is undoubtedly an excellent effort, which breathes new life into a decade-old title, and is a bright and arresting way for Link to debut in HD. What Nintendo need to do now is set about crafting something more than just a do-over, and move the wonderful old series forward on their richly promising hardware.
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Videogamer: 9/10

Apart from that, it’s the same largely brilliant game from 2003 with a new lick of paint and intelligent mechanical upgrades.
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GameSpot: 8/10

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD is a loving restoration of a bold and beautiful adventure, with Nintendo shifting some elements of the original game's aesthetic, and streamlining the pace where it had occasionally sagged. The Wind Waker is a game about a young hero saving the world from the past actions of old men, but its HD update reaffirms that Nintendo's most colorful Zelda game remains timeless.
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Metro: 8/10

In Short: A bad Zelda is still a good game by any other standard but this does frustrating little to improve its standing, beyond making the graphics look even more stunning.

Pros: Absolutely gorgeous visuals, updated with obvious love and care. Equally good soundtrack. Some great moments, including two classic set pieces that are amongst the best in the series.

Cons: The game was always a lesser entry in the franchise and this does almost nothing to improve it. Very expensive given the lack of changes. Strange omission of the Tingle Tuner.
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E

equippedwithtowel

Member
Nintendo Life - 9/10

This refined experience will appeal to newcomers and veterans alike, and we can only hope that the small, yet significant steps that Nintendo has taken with this wonderful remake are a promising sign of things to come with its upcoming, all-new entry in The Legend of Zelda series.
Click to expand...

CVG - 9/10

The results are startling. That timeless aesthetic, now razor sharp, is distractingly gorgeous. Link and his sun-kissed surroundings look shaper, smoother and gloriously colourful on Wii U, with some particularly stunning lighting and shadows combining to create a vibrant and tangible cartoon world.
Click to expand...

God is a Geek - 9/10

Nintendo are placing a great deal of faith in The Wind Waker HD, even producing a lush limited edition console to mark its release. It is undoubtedly an excellent effort, which breathes new life into a decade-old title, and is a bright and arresting way for Link to debut in HD.
Click to expand...

Sorry if late, will edit links
 
A

ASIS

Member
I don't get the point of reviewing remakes/ports. Much less scoring them. But whatever, good to see people still like the game I guess?
 
L

LiK

Member
critically acclaimed back then. i don't expect any bad reviews unless the remake is shit and it doesn't sound like it is.
 
G

Gigglepoo

Member
ASIS said:
I don't get the point of reviewing remakes/ports. Much less scoring them. But whatever, good to see people still like the game I guess?
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People still want to know if they should spend their time and money on a given game, and looking at it with fresh eyes is more valuable than reposting the original review.
 
G

GiantEnemyGoomba

Member
VGNetwork.it 9.5/10

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD is in fact the same great game that we saw on Gamecube ten years ago, but with so many improvements. The intervention of the remastering was really massive and although it is the technical sector to have obtained the greatest benefits, small changes introduced in gameplay do nothing but to improve the experience. Wind Waker HD, thanks to a fascinating and well told story, its balanced gameplay mechanics and a very respectable longevity is a candidate to be one of the best action RPG present on the Wii U, hopefully until the next Zelda title arrives.
Click to expand...
 
jufonuk

jufonuk

not tag worthy
ok, I am seeing more and more games on the Wii-U that I want, the temptation to hold off buying one, grows stronger.

this is one of the games that will push me over the edge in getting one
 
R

Revven

Member
Vire said:
Triforce quest still a drag? :(
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I find that hard to believe, if the Triforce Shards that do not require charts are in the same places as the original charts then you can snag like at least 3-4 of them before Tower of the Gods (which is the midway point of the game).

But what do I know? I just wouldn't get saddened yet based off of one reviewer. The reviewer could have done the quest as the very last thing in the game... just like in the original. Which would (honestly) be a horrible way of doing it since 5 of the shards no longer require a chart
 
G

Gigglepoo

Member
wrowa said:
What's up with Gamespot giving an 8.0 to pretty much every notable Wii U game? Wonderful 101, Rayman Legends, Pikmin 3, Lego City, this one... it's like 8.0 is their default Wii U score. :p
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Huh, what a weird coincidence. Wonder how long we can keep this streak alive!
 
E

equippedwithtowel

Member
Videogamer.com - 9/10

+ Looks gorgeous in HD
+Typically excellent puzzles, dungeon design
- Noticeable slow-down during cannon fights.
- Cut dungeons still give it a slightly unfinished feel
Click to expand...

Metro - 8/10

In Short: A bad Zelda is still a good game by any other standard but this does frustrating little to improve its standing, beyond making the graphics look even more stunning.

Pros: Absolutely gorgeous visuals, updated with obvious love and care. Equally good soundtrack. Some great moments, including two classic set pieces that are amongst the best in the series.

Cons: The game was always a lesser entry in the franchise and this does almost nothing to improve it. Very expensive given the lack of changes. Strange omission of the Tingle Tuner.
Click to expand...


Digital Spy - 4/5

Now Gamer - 9/10

Eurogamer Italy - 9/10
 
R

Richie

Member
ASIS said:
I don't get the point of reviewing remakes/ports. Much less scoring them. But whatever, good to see people still like the game I guess?
Click to expand...

I'll say this without irony ... It's not the same game; it's not the same content!
 
K

kazebyaka

Banned
Tried to play the original and saw a speedrun recently of it. I still don't understand how people can play such a repetitive and tedious game.
 
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