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| The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
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ゼルダの伝説 風のタクト
Zeruda no Densetsu: Kaze no Takuto
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Cover artwork of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
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| N. America:
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March 24, 2003
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| Japan:
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December 13, 2002
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| Europe:
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May 2, 2003
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| Australia:
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May 7, 2003
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The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker is the tenth game in the The Legend of Zelda, released on the Nintendo GameCube in 2003. The Wind Waker represents a major departure from the style of the previous two games, Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask. The characters and world of The Wind Waker are rendered with a cel-shaded style. This drew much criticism from fans, and likely resulted in the darker tone that The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess took afterward.
The Wind Waker was included as part of various system bundles in various regions.
Blurb
An Evil Wind is Rising
Legend has it that whenever evil has appeared, a hero named Link has risen to defeat it. The legend continues on the surface of a great and mysterious sea as Link sets off on his most epic and awe-inspiring adventure yet. Aided by a magical conductor's baton called the Wind Waker, he will face unimaginable monsters, explore puzzling dungeons, and meet a cast of unforgettable characters as he searches for his kidnapped sister.
Immerse yourself in a world unlike anything you've ever seen as you sail across a vast, unexplored ocean.
Master a magical conductor's baton known as the Wind Waker to control the wind and much more!
Connect to a pal's Game Boy® Advance and play cooperatively–get hints, uncover secrets, and get help in battle!
Take on hoards of incredibly animated enemies as you search through riddle-filled dungeons.
Use new items like the Grappling Hook and Deku Leaf to take the fight to spectacular, massive bosses.
Story
The beginning of the game gives a recap of ending of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, stating that, according to legend, the Hero of Time defeated evil and sealed it away. However, the evil later freed itself and made another attempt at the Triforce, and while the people hoped the Hero of Time would come to stop the evil again, he never did. The people then prayed to the goddesses to help them, and were instructed by them to flee to the mountaintops while they flooded the kingdom, sealing it at the bottom of the newly-created sea.
Centuries later, on Outset Island, a young boy named Link is given the clothes of the Hero of Time on his birthday, as per tradition for boys coming of age. However, a giant bird appears, dropping a girl onto the island's forest. Link rescues her and she reveals herself to be a pirate named Tetra, but afterward his sister Aryll is taken by the bird. Link travels to the Forsaken Fortress with the pirates and sneaks to where his sister is being held, but he is subsequently thrown out afterward. He wakes up to find himself on a talking boat, the King of Red Lions, who tells Link that he must help in a quest to save not only Link's sister but also the Great Sea from the ancient evil which has returned.
Gameplay
The gameplay mechanics of The Wind Waker are standard to the are greatly similar to those of its predecessors, Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask. Many of the items are standard to the series, though the vast ocean overworld is a great departure from the land-based overworlds of all The Legend of Zelda games before it, and allows for different uses for some items between land and sea combat. The King of Red Lions sails faster when sailing in the direction the wind is blowing, which can be changed with the Wind Waker. The player can also upgrade their boat with a cannon for combat and a crane arm to discover hidden treasure.
The game's difference in style allowed the developers to make for easier hints in dungeons, as Link can be seen to look at objects around him that are intriguing, such as unlit torches and weapons dropped by enemies. This enhancement carried on into Twilight Princess, though it is far less noticeable with the more realistic graphics.
By freeing Tingle from his cell on Windfall Island, the player receives an item called the Tingle Tuner. By connecting a Game Boy Advance system while playing via a Nintendo GameCube – Game Boy Advance Game Link Cable, the player can receive assistance from Tingle using the Game Boy Advance screen.
Technical details
Other releases
External links
