The Wind Waker Review

An in-depth review of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker for the Gamecube. This video contains spoilers for the entire game.

[Gurpwnder]

The main thing I like about Wind Waker were the characterizations of Link and Ganon.

This is the first (and only) LoZ game where I cared about Link. He wasn't a 'chosen one', he just set off because he wanted to rescue his sister. He doesn't wear the green tunic because he's destined to, he wears it because his grandma forced him to cosplay. His facial expressions and dances of joy really made this version of Link stand out for  me compared to the rest.

Even Ganondorf was well done here. He explains his side of the story fairly well and is not just arbitrarily evil. His homeland is in ruins and he wants it to change. He explicitly says he doesn't want to kill Link or Zelda, he just wanted to take their powers. He fights Link at the end because everything he ever wanted was seized right in front of his eyes, so him going crazy at the end also felt justified. These reasons make this version of Ganon by far my favourite version as well.

[apugalypse_now]

the best part of WW has always been the sick beat that Link lays down when he's placed in the barrel catapult.

[Priderage]

15:30 There was an enormous missed opportunity here. Make sure Link picks up the camera early, then let him take pictures of the things and objects he'll need to tackle, like rocks, rings of fire or stone heads. Then, *pin them to the map* so that at any time you could open up the map, look through the photos of places you took, realise "Hey! I could use the item I just got from that dungeon here!", and then travel over there for his reward.

[halolson]

The easter egg that you pointed out was actually "discovered" by Tetra as well. If you visit her cabin, you can see that she has that same triforce drawn out onto her sea chart.

[TheRepty]

I love how the Gannon fight was the reverse of the fight in OoT. In OoT you fought Gannondorf as a man atop the tower and climbed down. Then you fought Ganon in his monster form. In Wind Waker you fight the Monster form first, then climb up the tower and fight him as a man at the top of the tallest tower.

[bostonsportsfan]

For me, the dungeons were not what got me into the series.  It was the exploration.  The wind waker was the first zelda game I ever played and I never cared about how many dungeons there were.  Sailing the great sea was far more enjoyable and I spent countless hours marking every island on my sea chart and searching every island for something good.  The best moments were the mini dungeons you could find under the islands that usually led to a triforce shard or some upgrade.  Zelda fans often forget that exploration used to be one of the defining elements of the zelda series, I mean just take a look at the original legend of zelda or hell even a link to the past.  I understand dungeons are important, which is why so many of the fans complain if there's not enough of them.  However, Nintendo should really try to branch out more and focus on other aspects that can make zelda enjoyable.  Hopefully we'll see this happen in zelda wii u.

[bmombaerts]

Little fun'fact' : there is actually several things within Windwaker which seem to imply that Link from WW might actually be the age of TEEN Link in OoT, not child link. 
Thus making him closer to 17, instead of 10 

Several of the things that imply so :  
- Link becomes the age of the legendary hero, but in OoT, the general townpeople don't really think Young Link is a hero, and he is only named "hero of time" when he is an adult, which is also when he is vanquishes Ganon. 
As far as ignorant townspeople are concerened, the "hero of time" 'started' his journey at age 17, not 10 

-Nobody ever questions you being on a seavoyage on your own 

-You are genuinly treated as a young adult by all other people in the game, even up to the point of getting the deeds to a private island/cottage. 
In most other games involving a young Link, people mock Link for being just a kid, this doesn't happen nearly as much in WW, and when it does happen, it is done by the type of character that calls anyone younger then himself a 'kid' 

-Tetra(assumed to be the same age, or close to Link's age), is old enough to be considered a potential partner romantically/sexually by the other pirates. 
When Mako teases Gonzo about him and Tetra having a child, he starts blushing at the thought of 'it' 

-  Size isn't really a good argument for him being 10 either, as we already see SEVERAL people being varying ages and being 'small' 
Grandma is the same size as you, and the 3 small pirates (Niko, Mako and Zuko) are all adults, yet are the same size as Link, in the same way, some of the buff sailors in windfall are younger then Garrickson, yet bigger, etc... 
In outset we even see the 2 brothers, Orca and Sturgeon, one being big, while the other is your size (minus his enormous head) 

- He was also able to wield the Master Sword, something Young Link couldn't do, and we haven't seen done by a 'young' Link yet, and the master Sword's comparitive size (especially visible when in its sheath) matches pretty close with the size the other Link's have with their Master Swords.

[Bingo]

The zoras are gone because of Valoo, I thought this was pretty obvious. The entire reason the goddesses flooded Hyrule was to keep it away from evil, if they had let the zoras continue to be fish, they would still be able to go to Hyrule. The goddesses sent Valoo to watch over them; Valoo's scales turned them into birds. Over the century (or whatever ambiguous amount of time) each zora was given a scale when they came of age, and over time they've become more birdlike and less fish-like. Although this isn't stated literally in the game, I felt it was very very implied.

[Spartanjames]

The aesthetic of this game is beyond brilliant. So much visual personality, and color in the world.

[TheAmberBreeze]

I didn't guess Tetra was Zelda.  Something about her brown skin and piracy threw me off.

[Pilpup]

I wanted to tell you how awesome of a job you do Matthrew.
The developers focusing more on little touches and you noticing them makes me notice them more.
When I play a video game I am still able to enjoy it but I try to watch the game closer.
See what I like, what doesn't work what does.
Playing a video game has started being something very different for me since I've started watching the videos you put out.
Keep it up, you have my upmost respect for the insane amount of work you put into your episodes and comes through the seams man.

[ThumpingThromnambular]

I just remembered how disappointed I was that the overworld under the sea wasn't the latter half of the game like it seemed to be presented to be.
I thought as soon as I got the Master Sword, I would be able to traverse the Hyrule that was preserved there and everything else would occur there.
I get the feeling that they intended this to begin with, and couldn't make it happen.
It makes me say that they don't even decide to make a verison of WW with such a great idea in it. I wouldn't reject the older WW at all.

[RyanStorey]

Regarding Tetra's spontaneous personality change once she's revealed as Zelda, I initially thought the same thing until I got to the end of the game. By the final battle, she has the same spunk that Tetra originally had.

I think it could be argued that during the revelation, Tetra was simply surprised and humbled by her newfound identity. I don't think it was a personality change, really. It's still Tetra.

[HoboraMax]

I adore this game so much it actually hurts me physically. I'm in crippling debt from medical bills.

[CallinWire]

25:04 "Did anyone get the impression he's the only fish you talk to? I've always had the sneaking suspicion he just follows Link around to get more food."
That's hilarious and I want to believe it's true.

[xxnooneimportantxx]

Actually, the "throwbacks" to Ocarina of Time are well thought out and even well explained in story. The Koroks are trees... I honestly don't know why for them, maybe it was explained? The Ruto, on the other hand, were semi well explained. Hyrule was drowned under the sea because it was overrun with evil and to prevent the Zoras from getting there the sea was filled with monsters and threats, so basically all the squids you kill throughout the game are guardians of Hyrule... And the old kingdom under the sea *is* Hyrule, so the murals on the stained glass windows would make sense as the Link from that time saved Hyrule (It also explains why there's so much god damn treasure under the sea, it was a wealthy kingdom). At least that's what I remember getting from the story. So not exactly pointless or cheap call backs. Unless I'm completely wrong.

[brokenscart]

I never noticed the water clipping the boat. Well fuck.

[ChrisSmith-bbdq]

I was fooled by Tetra, simply because this wasnt "hyrule" anyone. There wasnt a kingdom with royalty so i wasnt expecting Zelda to make an appearance like this, if at all. 

[Xeopuppy]

Definitely my favourite Zelda game EVER, I love the Wind Waker and all the flaws that was pointed out never bothered me at all.

[glitchhhhhhhh]

"When I play the Wind Waker I'm often smiling. At the time of its release it was uncommon for a game to make me as happy as playing the Wind Waker made me. Now it's even more rare"

Yes! Thank you! Sometimes you can't narrow down a game to it's game design flaws. 
The art style and the overall feel makes this possibly my favorite Zelda game as I am more of an emotional person, rather than being critical and logical. 
I understand if people feel otherwise, though and I think it's completely reasonable. But no other Zelda game made me feel this happy.