ne of the most controversial Zelda games of all time, starting from the fated Spaceworld showing off the new Cel-Shaded look. Though most disliked it to begin with, once players inserted the disc into their Gamecube systems they were transported to a beautiful world unlike even the 64 games. Unlike other games in the series, players are treated to many references to others in the series as they sail the Great Sea finding secrets from the past. When Link goes along with Tetra and her pirates to rescue his sister, he finds himself swept into an adventure beyond his wildest dreams.
 
 

Outset Island, the island Link lives on.

The Story:

Hundreds of years ago Hyrule was a beautiful land, living in a false peace after the imprisonment of Ganondorf. Then on fated day, that evil escaped from his prison and took over the land. The people hoped the Hero of Time would come forth, but he never arrived. So they cried to their gods for help. And so it rained. From the heavens the goddesses sent rain and the few chosen people fled to the mountaintops. The people who remained behind, frozen in time with the hope that one day they might walk freely in their beautiful land again.

Many years later, the land of Hyrule is no more than legend now. The evil of Ganondorf virtually unknown to all. However, on a small obscure island, there exists a tradition that when a boy comes to the same age as the legendary Hero of Time, he is given the same sort of clothes he wore. Link receives his tunic and reluctantly wears it for his birthday. But soon he finds himself in a quest to save his sister. His fate becomes intertwined with Tetra, a young pirate captain with her own agenda...

The Game:

For fans of Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, The Wind Waker's battle system is nothing new. You can still Target your enemies, but now you are able to 'counter' an enemy's attack. Beyond battle, players will find their self controlling the boat, King of Red Lions, across the endlessly vast Great Sea. With an area so large, even the hardiest of players will find their selves hard pressed to discover every single secret - ranging from ghost ships to submarines and sunken treasure to over forty different islands to discover and visit.

The graphics are nothing like the two previous 3D Zelda games. The Wind Waker uses Cel-Shading, giving the game a magical if not cartoonish appearance. The game seems to perfectly capture the magic of Legend of Zelda and Link to the Past and blend them perfectly into a 3D environment.

The game however, is shorter than Ocarina of Time. Though there is a great deal to explore, there is nearly half as many dungeons in The Wind Waker when compared to Ocarina of Time. However, like in the original Legend of Zelda, there is a lot more exploration to do than in most other Zelda games.

Overall, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker is a excellent addition to the series. Though many people have criticized the childish appearance, they do it only at their own loss. The game easily ranks among the best of the series, though veterans of the series may find the game far too easy.