Let’s get this straight out of the way, Wind Waker is a masterpiece. There’s no denying it, it won’t be disputed within this review whether the game itself is anything less than magnificent. If you already loved the original you will also love this update. Possibly even more so, as Nintendo have not only updated the graphics but also taken steps to refine the gameplay experience in many small ways which make this the definitive version of a game that was already a classic.
When Wind Waker first came out on the GameCube just over a decade ago, I was in the middle of my A levels, this game almost single-handedly cost me my place at university, it was just that damn good. Sailing around the great sea with King of Red Lions was as relaxing as it was breath taking. The games cell shaded visuals and superb character design gave Wind Waker a timeless quality and youthful exuberance which still holds up even a decade after its release, whilst later incarnations such as 2006’s Twilight Princess, already begin to show their age.
Returning to the game now, the first thing that struck me was just how beautiful the enhanced visuals were, as someone who played the original and was wowed then, I wasn’t expecting to be blown away a second time, but god damn is it pretty. Now in widescreen in 1080p with modern lighting effects and improved draw distance and texture quality, Wind Waker HD looks as fresh and vibrant on the WiiU as it did on the GameCube all those years ago.
Despite the makeover though, underneath the fresh coat of paint, Wind Waker HD is fundamentally the same game, with the same fluid combat, charming character designs and wonderfully devious dungeons; an epic and deceptively dark tale that uses the tropes of the Zelda series in unique and interesting ways, set in a vast open world brimming with colourful characters and secrets that just begs to be explored.
Sadly, this also means that the two dungeons that were apparently cut from the game’s second act do not make an appearance, which is a shame but somewhat understandable considering the amount of work that would have to had to have been done to crowbar them back in.
This does mean that the game’s second act does still drag thanks to that godforsaken fetch quest to find the Triforce of Courage.
On the plus side though, the entire section has been reworked in order to make it much less tedious, The amount of charts that Tingle needs to decipher has been greatly reduced from eight down to three and the capacity of your standard wallet has been increased from two hundred to five hundred rupees, so that you can at least pay Tingle’s exorbitant rates. But at 398 rupees a go I would advise hunting down one of the larger wallets as soon as you can so you can collect all the charts in one sitting and then pay for them all at once.
The other major addition is the Swift Sail: available at the Windfall Auction House after you have completed Dragon Roost Island, it doubles the speed of your boat and keeps the wind constantly at your back so you don’t have to keep getting out the Wind Waker every time you want adjust your course. This makes traversing the great sea a hell of a lot less cumbersome, as well as making that damned fetch quest less of a slog. In short if the sailing put you off, it shouldn’t anymore.
The game also makes great use of the gamepad’s second screen with your inventory literally a tap away, equipping items on the fly is as easy as dragging and dropping the item you want to use into the necessary button without breaking away from the action, enabling you to deftly handle multiple enemy types without having to constantly pause the on screen action.
Likewise the map screen, especially whilst you’re at sea, is a real game changer allowing you to see your position, and heading by just looking off screen as well as overlay treasure maps on top of the standard chart, which yet again makes the Triforce quest, less irksome.
Its also possible to switch to off TV on the fly play by pressing -. This is always appreciated when the TV is being used by someone else, however in Wind Waker it actually works brilliantly in conjunction with the added motion controls for the pictograph and your tertiary weapons to give an extra level of immersion and precision.
Likewise, the optional touch controls for the Wind Waker are a nice addition, using the stylus you basically have your own little Wind Waker.
The game also sports Miiverse integration via The Tingle Bottle: a new item which replaces the GBA link cable enabled Tingle tuner from the Game Cube original. Using Tingle Bottles players can leave bottles containing messages for others to find Dark Souls style around the shores and bobbing along in the Great Ocean, it’s nothing spectacular but a fun little aside all the same.
Lastly for veterans of the original and those that want a real challenge, Wind Waker HD has introduced the hero mode first seen in Skyward Sword which doubles the damage of enemies and makes it so that health can only be regained via potions. It might not sound like a lot but you’ll be surprised at how this slight change in the game’s dynamics alters the experience, I didn’t realise how bountiful health supplies were and how slap dash I could be in combat until I’d had the metaphorical safety net taken away.
In isolation these changes and minor additions probably would not be enough to entice people back to the world of the Wind Waker, or to lay down 40 notes on a new version of a game that, to be honest, is still perfectly playable today. However together they create a much more convincing whole, that outshines the original in every conceivable way.
Whether you remember playing way back in 03 and especially if this is your maiden voyage on the Great Sea, The Wind Waker HD is a voyage well worth taking. A game of considerable charm, warmth and scope, an epic adventure that still stands as one of the finest games ever made and an essential addition to any WiiU library.
