Expensive Nintendo: It’s time. For the love of Hylia, please put the Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker on the Change in some capability. Whether or not it’s a port of the Wind Waker HD or just the unique GameCube recreation launched via Nintendo Change On-line, we wish one other probability to play this beloved Zelda title.
As you might know, the sport wasn’t at all times as beloved as it’s in the present day. Main as much as the launch of the Wind Waker, many Zelda followers criticized its artwork fashion for being overly cartoonish, particularly when in comparison with Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Masks, the 3D video games that got here earlier than it. The GameCube’s tech demo had arrange an expectation that this subsequent Zelda title can be extra mature and look extra practical than what we ended up seeing when the Wind Waker was formally unveiled.
However regardless of these outcries main as much as and shortly following its launch, the Wind Waker turned one of the vital cherished video games within the Legend of Zelda historical past. All these years later, it’s simple to see why.
The Wind Waker has probably the greatest tales of any Zelda recreation, arms down. It’s a continuation of Ocarina of Time set a whole bunch of years later after “the Nice Flood” buried Hyrule by the goddesses in an try and re-seal Ganondorf. It’s wealthy with lore from starting to finish, with moments that problem what gamers thought they knew in regards to the sequence.
Along with the story, the forged of characters within the Wind Waker is solely unforgettable. It’s one of many first occasions that we get to know Hyperlink’s household, particularly his frail grandmother and his peppy sister Aryll. Tetra is a powerful deuteragonist and fan favourite. The King of Purple Lions is our trusty companion who performs an essential position within the story’s plot twist. So many characters help Hyperlink on his quests, like Medli, Makar, Beedle, Tingle, and others.
One other side of Wind Waker that makes it so beloved in spite of everything these years is the fight. Sword swinging is fluid, and parrying is satisfying to tug off. It’s the primary occasion of with the ability to decide up enemy weapons to make use of in opposition to them. Lots of the objects are simply plain enjoyable to make use of, just like the Deku leaf and the grappling hook.
This was the very first cel-shaded Zelda recreation, and although the artwork fashion was initially criticized, there’s little doubt it has aged higher than anything within the sequence. After all, the HD remaster made the graphics pop in even higher element and shade, however even the unique nonetheless appears to be like lovely in the present day.
Followers who haven’t had an opportunity to play the Wind Waker but need to expertise all of this stuff that make the sport so nice. And truthfully, even those that have performed it prior to now would get pleasure from reliving this masterpiece.
Not solely has it been 20 years because the Wind Waker initially launched on GameCube, however it’s additionally been 9 years because the HD remaster got here to the Wii U. It’s no secret that neither the GameCube nor the Wii U had stellar gross sales numbers in comparison with different Nintendo consoles, so a number of Zelda followers may need missed out on the sport beforehand. The time between the remaster and in the present day is sort of so long as the time between the remaster and the unique launch. Certainly this implies it have to be time for it to reach on a brand new console.
Actually, most of the video games launched on the Wii U have already made it to the Change indirectly, whether or not they have been ported, remastered, or given a sequel. The Wind Waker HD is likely one of the few titles left to make the bounce to the present console. We’re ready so patiently, Nintendo.
True, Tears of the Kingdom, the follow-up to Breath of the Wild, is releasing subsequent yr. However the Wind Waker is so completely different of an expertise than what Tears of the Kingdom will supply that it doesn’t matter. We are able to get pleasure from each video games in 2023; I completely guarantee you, nothing might be stopping us from speeding to the eShop to purchase each the second they grow to be accessible.
The Nintendo Change is turning into a Zelda powerhouse. You possibly can already play a myriad of video games from the franchise on it: The Legend of Zelda, Zelda II: The Journey of Hyperlink, A Hyperlink to the Previous, Hyperlink’s Awakening, Ocarina of Time, Majora’s Masks, Skyward Sword HD, and Breath of the Wild; that doesn’t even embody spin-off titles like Hyrule Warriors, Age of Calamity, and Cadence of Hyrule.
The Wind Waker have to be subsequent in line. We actually don’t want something too fancy; we’ll take the HD remaster from the Wii U as a port and even the unique launch via the Nintendo Change On-line service. We aren’t choosy about how we’ll play it on the Change, we simply need it to be there within the first place.
Please, Nintendo. After going via 2022 and not using a new Zelda recreation (or actually any new Zelda content material in any respect), please put the Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker on the Change in order that we will sail the open seas whereas we look ahead to Tears of the Kingdom.