The Wind Waker is Possibly the Best Zelda Ever

The Wind Waker is possibly the best Zelda ever, and that being the case the improved The Wind Waker HD is possibly the finest Zelda game ever crafted. Of course, this is all semantics that hold no true value without the point being well defended. You see, calling anything the best ever in any situation, let alone within a franchise of video games, is always a very subjective matter. Not everyone is going to agree with the opinions of another, and Nathanial Rumphol-Janc;s views on this title do not represent Zelda Informer on the whole.

Nathanial prefaces it like this because discussions oriented topics like this often get misconstrued. This isn’t meant to be a definitive “this is the best” claim, because to many people out there other titles are their preferred game of choice. Still, it’s almost undeniable how fantastic this title truly is

[Zodiac]

It's in my top 5, but i don't think it's the best.

[PopRocks359]

Agreed. I expect a bunch of disagrees for it, but Skyward Sword is honestly my favorite so far. 1:1 sword play was pretty sick, and I loved the story and art style. Majora's Mask is a close second to that.

[theBAWSE]

Ocarina of time the first and best 3d Zelda in my eyes

[DA_SHREDDER]

I hope they do an HD remake for Majora's next myserlf. Zelda was like the only good game that used the Wii mote, but i still prefer the story and gameplay in Majora's way better.

[Benjaminkno]

Honestly, my expectations were too high with ocarina, I didn't even really play Majora, but I need to.

I really liked Link's Awakening, I think that's my favorite.

[guitarded77]

I agree... the original TLZ is still my favorite. It still holds up, and established so many of the genre and franchises conventions.

[TheFirstClassic]

My favorite is link to the past but the original is probably my second favorite, the number one nes game imo. I really think it doesn't get enough attention.

[miyamoto]

The timing too.

I just can't stand this kind stuff people put up with just to justify their favorite console or cover its problems.

Do I smell desperation or panic or denial?

No need for damage control.
Nintendo is not going anywhere.
As long as there are kiddie gamers there will be a market for Nintendo.

And by their own words they already negated the title of the article cos the article claims that the Wii U version will be better than Wind Waker.

There is no accounting for taste.

[user3915800]

This is the first zelda to turn me off, I bought it and play for 2 hours or so. I hated the looks, feels, its cartoonish handling and inmature guide that left me wonder WTF happened?

[animegamingnerd]

then he missed out on a great game

[ahronith]

Well, your avatar says everything...

[N0S3LFESTEEM]

Hated the visual style they chose on Wind wanker... Had it been more in touch with the style from the N64 then I would consider it.

[yeahokchief]

legend of zelda: ocarina of time was the best

this one was pretty good. i dont need to play it again.

[Knushwood Butt]

WW is probably my fave out of the one I have played.

I always found the cell shaded visuals added to the charm.

Having said that, I'm not interested in an HD port.

[Snookies12]

Link to the Past.

[animegamingnerd]

in my top 3

[wishingW3L]

I don't think so, especially when you consider how tedious the navigation is.

[PhantomTommy]

Everybody goes on and on about that but you unlock the warp melody fairly early in the game so I don't see the problem.

[xflo360]

Its amazing how people harp go on and on about that one thing isnt it?!, for me sailing was what made the game so good.
It made the game an actual adventure, finding new islands was always exciting. my personal fave!

[Benjaminkno]

Yeah, the sailing gets extremely ridiculous.
I hated not being able to spend all my pointless rupees. Half the world is empty with little to get, except more rupees you can't use.

I liked the cartoonish medium they used. It's how we remember the originals.

[greatcrusader44]

Majora's Mask for me, but WW is second or third

[doogiebear]

WW is actually the easiest. The puzzles were easy and the battles too. I never saw a single game over screen until I reached the final dungeon. Compared to Majora's Mask and OoT, WW is just to easy.

[Il_Exile_lI]

Since the shift to 3D, Zelda games have never been about challenging combat. OoT had a death counter, and most of my save files had a 0 in that count by the end. The puzzles in Wind Waker are fine.
I definitely had more trouble with OoT's puzzle's, but I was 8 when I played that vs. 12 when I played Wind Waker.
As for the overall quality of Wind Waker, it has far too much obviously cut content to make it the best Zelda game. If the HD remake restores the 2 or 3 dungeons that got left on the cutting room floor, then it really could be something special.

[EddieNX]

I think it speaks about the quality of every Zelda entry that everyone has a different NO:1 Zelda game. Litteraly every entry in the series is a Masterpiece!

Mine is Ocarina and I know that's kinda predictable , But I honestly just think that's the best game ever made. When I replayed it on 3DS it was the most sensational goosebump , Nostalgia Trip I've ever had. Last time I played it was on the gamecube with masterquest.

I'm hoping for something similar off Windwaker Reborn.

[imXify]

The cartoon graphics just adds the game more "magic" than the others imo .o.

[Theyellowflash30]

Everybody has their favorite Zelda games but I'll give you three reasons why I think its the best one.

1. New Gameplay Mechanics: The Leaf floating, stealth, using enemies weapons, the moving spin slash, and "raiding" enemies on the high seas.

2. The art style: The graphics and look of Windwaker is amazing and still stands up today. The fact Nintendo is doing a HD remake on the game proves the game was artistically the best choice for it.

3. Cannon Combat: This might have not been that great for some people, but I loved it. I remember the first time I was out on the high seas and a giant octo attacked my ship. I was like "oh shit!" A couple cannon blasts and that thing goes down. Horseback combat is awesome but it had already been done twice before in Zelda games. The cannon was a whole new weapon at the time. I had fun blasting things to holy hell with it.

I know everybody won't agree with me, but I'm just stating my reasons why I think Windwaker is the best Zelda game. Anyway, I'm glad Nintendo is remaking Windwaker in HD. Its going to be a blast to play this fall.

[Knushwood Butt]

They are only HD porting this because they haven't got any other options.

The N64 games are fugly and would need to be HD remakes.

WW looked just fine first time around, so it's a no-brainer.

It's not like they could get away with doing an HD port of Twilight Princess...

[Ck1x]

Actually you are pretty wrong, seeing as how they are remaking the game and not just upconverting to HD. So they are creating new assests from the ground up to be used in new WW's visuals. To mention that they couldn't get away with a TP remake, I beg to differ. Even though that game came out with the Wii, it was one of the things that people were going nuts for when they saw it in the flesh. That's all the 2011 Zelda tech demo was, a mock up of TP!

[Knushwood Butt]

@ Ck1x

I also read that, 'The remake came about as the development team experimented with art styles for the next main Zelda title, also in development for Wii U.'.

Yeah, right. So it didn't come about because Nintendo needed a Zelda game cheap and fast, and looked at their existing games to see what they had that didn't need too much effort and wasn't so recent that it would annoy even the Nintendo fans...

[Apal]

I think wind waker is my 3d fave but Link to the past is still number one and I'm hoping for a remake or sequel to that as well

[XXXL]

Link to the Past

[A7XEric]

Possibly? No it is.

It's not the revolution that OoT was, but it's easily the most refined post-OoT game in the series. TP and SS were both great entries, but both had some severe issues. The only thing that could possibly hold WW back is the one triforce fetch quest at the end, but when you have to single out certain quests to find faults in a game that speaks volumes about its overall quality.

[CatXFlash]

... the internet talks farts .. N4G has it...

[L6RD7BLU3]

You sir just made my day LOL :)

[HalfNerdHalfAmazing]

Lmao

[L6RD7BLU3]

*COUGH Ocarina of Time COUGH *

[josephayal]

No way MEH! The best zelda is zelda nes

[Williamson]

Twilight princess is my favorite but could change since I just started skyward sword.

[Toon_Link]

With so many great Zelda games why choose? I'll go out on a limb and say they are all the best!

. . . But if you twist my arm and make me choose I'd have to go with wind waker with OoT and LoZ on the nes @ a close 2nd and 3rd.

[PopRocks359]

Oh Toon Link, you're so humble! :P

[Drainage]

Never played the wii games but I thought Windwaker was way better than OoT. Looked better, better sense of exploration, better story, better soundtrack, better towns/islands, more mechanics.

People say its the easiest but I thought OoT 3D was just as easy unless they dumbed it down (which ive heard was the water temple).

I want them to make Zelda games harder. No highlighting the weakness of bosses, retarded AI for random bad guys. Giving away the puzzle by moving the camera to light the torch for example.

[ToonLank]

Wind waker is my favorite ^o^
but majoras mask is soo close behind it could basically be a tie. I've beat wind waker through at least 4 times and it always leaves me wishing it wasnt over. like i lterally get sad when its done... then wait like a year or 2 just long enough to forget the puzzles and play it again lol. No matter how many times i replay it i always seem to forget what to do xD

[IQUITN4G]

WW is a gorgeous looking game and a beautifully convincing experience that is unfortunately far too easy, and as stated already by Nintendo, short on dungeons

Hopefully this remake will rectify this

If we're talking pure gold however then that title belongs to Zelda Past. Sure it may be divided what Zelda people prefer but Past didn't put one step wrong the whole adventure. Majoras's Mask is practically up there too despite just four dungeons. Both these games are the standard

Special mention to OOT because it is very good, and also GB Zelda. Skyward too is actually much better than I thought once you get past the third dungeon- at this point it starts feeling more like you're playing the role and adventurous.

[HalfNerdHalfAmazing]

My Top 5 Zelda Games
1.Ocarina of Time
2.Twilight Princess
3.Majora Mask
4.Skyward Sword
5.Wind Waker

[Ricdog]

Major's Mask for me. I'm kinda disappointed honestly, I was really hoping that Nintendo saw that HD trailer on Youtube for Majora's Mask and decided to go with that. Majora's Mask is the darkest of all Zelda games and would use realistic graphics, so that would be intense on the Wii U.

The thing i'm worried about now is the new Zelda game that will later be released. Rumors say it will have the "cartoon" style graphics that Skyward Sword had. If this is true then that means we won't have a Zelda game that has awesome realistic graphics like the tech demo they showed. We would have 2 HD Zelda games but with cartoon graphics.

Oh and i'm not saying I hate the cartoon style of Skyward Sword and Wind Waker, but I think most fans would agree that the realistic style (like OOT, MM, TP) is the more fan favorite.

[vork77]

i think OOT is still the best

[CouldHaveYelledUiiW]

1) Zelda 1
Ground breaking. First Open world exploration.

2) Skyward Sword
Felt like the first Zelda + added most of the good from other Zeldas/ and Learned to Loved Motion Controls.

3) OoT
Hated it at 1st. Took me a while to get used to the 3Dness. Then months later I picked it and saw how glorious it was.

4) Zelda 2
I loved RPGs at the time. This was a great filler for Final Fantasy. I loved the fight mechanics- Swing H&L, Block H&L, Down-stab, Up-Stab it was kind of Double Dragony- it took a little skill, like Skyward Sword. The magic system gave options and new ways to solve problems. Great RPG elements and great puzzles.

5) WW
After Space World sadness it took me a while to get the style. I did not like the repetitiveness of changing wind direction or the long sailing. But once I got on dry ground I had mad-fun. loved the combat system.

6) TP
Pretty and kind of gritty. It was stuck between greatness and limitations. There was something empty about Hyrule Field and it bothered me. And the art-style kind of bugged me too (even though I was one of the people who wanted a more realistic take..)

7) LttP
I wasn't Zelda 1 or Zelda 2. And the boulders looked stupid. I kept comparing the Mode 7 graphics with Final Fantasy's Mode 7 and I thought Square's was better.

(MM does not count).

[silkrevolver]

Why in the world does MM not count?

[linkenski]

Yeah, MM is one of the few Zelda games that actually did something different with the franchise while still doing the job.

[CouldHaveYelledUiiW]

I consider it a spin-off of Zelda.

It is so different that I don't like to put it on the Scale, it's harder too judge like apples and oranges.

[silkrevolver]

All of the basic mechanics are directly translated from OoT.

I suppose it's your opinion, and I suppose I understand where you're coming from... but it takes a lot more for me to call something a spinoff.

[herbs]

I would be stoked if they added motion+ control to the HD remake of WW as an optional play style
:]

[CouldHaveYelledUiiW]

They probably will for the Baton and/or add screen Swipes.

[Greyslash]

I liked DX Awakening.

[kingeo]

Now we want Majora's Mask 3D.

[Toon_Link]

I second that! It's been more than ten years since I played MM and would love to play it on my 3ds.

[dafegamer]

its pretty sad that many people missed out on one of the best zelda games,just because they hated the artstyle

[linkenski]

The dungeon design is one of the most determinating factors when it comes to deciding which Zelda is better imo, but i also think it comes down to how Nintendo has crafted each world of the different titles.

One of my main arguments as to why MM or WW are the best, if there ever should be one, is that they have the most fleshed out NPC town inhabitants. In both Majora's Mask and The Wind Waker, a lot of emphasis in side-content has been put on the characters, about learning their secrets or helping them out with their personal problems, deliveries etc. To me that just makes the game world so much more emmersive, and that's what i think makes some Zelda games better than the others.

For instance Twilight Princess has a great story and great main characters minus Zant's clown persona, but it really lacks memorable side-characters, or at least to me because i felt that most of them were too goofy/didn't have anything interesting to say or contribute with. Just like in OoT, and since TP has some of the most copied dungeon designs inbetween its unique and interesting dungeons, i find it to be one of the worse Zelda games.

[Jagsrock]

Until Windwaker the zelda universe had never been so alive,the game is like a living painting.The characters all have personality from tetra and link right down to the little snot bubble boy and it's story was good with an epic finale. Was it maybe a little easier, sure but I was like ten when I first played it so I didn't notice and even playing it today it doesn't take away any enjoyment from the game. I love how expressive link is in WW especially with the way his eyes look at objects of interest and sailing on the open ocean really did make the game feel huge(even if it did get a tad tiresome after awhile). Oh and let's no forget the music in this game which is incredibly relaxing and fun to listen too I mean seriously I almost didn't start the game cause the title theme was so perfect. If you haven't played Windwaker yet do yourself a favor and hunt it down now, or if you have a wiiu you could just wait till fall but what ever you do, if you call yourself a Zelda fan or a gamer Play This Game!

[lizard81288]

Sure, it was fun at first, but then it grew stale, same thing with the DS one as well. It just took forever to get from place to place.

[Thepcz]

i hope the next zelda looks cartoony, i mean, ni no kuni looks amazing. just like an anime. so why cant zelda. wind waker is an early example of what can be done, but with next gen graphics, the wiiu zelda could be sublime.

realism, photorealism, is far off. so making a 'realistic' zelda will only look horrible in a few years time. its better if its stylised

[Bumpmapping]

Good game but far from the best those would go to Ocarina Of Time,Link To The Past,Majoras Mask.