Legend of Zelda, The, Wind Waker
© 2003 Nintendo of America
One of the most gratifying experiences is being able to fly, anywhere you want, and however long you want. While Zelda does not allow you to do that, it offers something almost as good; being able to sail a giant ocean while controlling the direction of the winds. You do this to save your sister from the clutches of a giant bird, and later to defeat the bird's master, Ganon. While many people were upset with the latest incarnation of Nintendo's best-selling franchise when it was first announced, those upset have nothing to fear. The largest complaint I have heard is that this game "looks too kiddy". Although the game does use cel-shading technology (which makes it look like a cartoon) there is nothing "kiddy" about it. That is not to say that children will not appreciate the graphics, because they will, but that teenagers and adults will also enjoy them. This graphic style is perfect for Zelda, and really captures the feel of the story, allowing characters to express more emotion than ever before, which is most evident in their eyes. Link's eyes wander around allowing the player to discover items which can be used or locations that provide access to new areas, like a cracked floor that can be bombed. Speaking of bombable floors, this game features more interactive environments than any previous Zelda game. Not only are there the traditional cracked walls and floors, but you can also slice ropes on bridges plummeting enemies (and yourself if you're not careful) into bottomless pits or volcanoes. Which is something we testers didn't like; there are certain "save spots" in dungeons, typically whenever you pass through a door, and when you pass one it records it. If you fall into a hole you start over at the last spot you passed. The problem is that you might still have a long hike back to the area where you fell. The soundtrack of this game is unbelievable. Most of the music is based on Ocarina of Time, as this game takes place a hundred years after Ocarina. The music is hauntingly familiar to that game's soundtrack, but has evolved sufficiently to feel like it truly has been a hundred years. Luckily for us, it has not been quite that long. The only part of the game that I feel could be improved is the enemy weapon system. You can manage to knock an enemy's weapons out of his hands and use it to vanquish him and other nearby enemies. Unfortunately, most enemies are larger than Link and he is very clumsy with these weapons, capable of performing only a few moves. If he could perform combos with these weapons like his sword that would be a major improvement. Also, he must drop the weapons to continue on, and cannot pocket them for future use. Also, although the large ocean allows for hours of fun exploring all the islands, it also requires hours of sailing across the world, especially if you want to collect all the secret items and complete the secret quests. Although I hate to stop singing this game's praises, I must stop this review before it grows too long. But if you only buy one game this year, make sure it is The Wind Waker. Final Verdict: Buy it. Sarah, age 11 says: "I think the beginning is a little confusing (for example, I couldn't figure out where to put the pigs!) but after you get into it, it is addictive!"
$49.95, GameCube
Teaches: puzzle solving, spatial relationships, logic, strategy