Earlier this week the final US version of Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker arrived at IGN's beautiful Los Angeles office and GameCube editor-in-chief Matt Casamassina wasted no time before he jumped right into the anticipated action-adventure. Following, his impressions of the title after some 10 hours of play time.


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I think that Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker proves a couple of points. The first is that as much as you think you're not going to like its style, or as far convinced as you might be that Nintendo has taken the franchise in the wrong direction, you might as well just give it up now. Honestly. That defiance is going to be wiped away – obliterated, if you prefer – just as soon as you start to play it. It's a bit angering, really, for those of us who have struggled against the odds to remain miffed about the game. But it's a battle that ultimately can't be won. Fight as you may, the classic play mechanics and unparalleled level of polish the game serves up mixed with the undeniably beautiful graphics (whether you're a fan or not) and atmospheric audio, are going to overcome you.

The second point is that – doubters beware – Nintendo is still very much an accomplished master of the art of videogame making.

So I've explored the massive world in the Wind Waker. I've trekked through the land with Link's sword. I've sailed the deep seas in search of treasure. I've survived countless enemy battles, impressive boss fights, lived through bad storms, escaped from a nasty group of pirates, and huddled through caves and under boulders for magical items. I've fired cannonballs from my talking ship and soared across gigantic land chasms with nothing but a Deku leaf to keep me afloat. And I've only begun to unlock the many mysteries and surprisingly detailed storyline of the game. The title is simply awesome in scope and execution, this I absolutely assure you. So please, let any skepticism fade away and keep reading.

My biggest worry going into Wind Waker, for your information, was that it would unfold in a too-linear fashion – something that I still believe would go against the very nature of the franchise. Thankfully, that's not the case. Rather, the game seems wide open, figuratively and literally. It's because of the ocean, of course. Once Link gains his boat, which doesn't take too long, you're free to go just about anywhere you want in the sea, which is absolutely gargantuan in size. And I apologize for this atrocious pun in advance, but there really is so much to do and ‘sea’ there that you'd be surprised. Something always seems to linger in the distance, just far enough to recognize it with Link's telescope. There are a wide variety of islands, yes, but there are also the occasional outposts, boats, tornadoes, and fish. You're basically free to travel to them as you wish with a few exceptions and Nintendo has really nailed the sensation of raw freedom that comes with piloting your own boat on the open water.

If you're looking for story spoilers of any kind, you've really come to the wrong place. I won't do it. But you will meet old and new characters in the game and yes, you might even recognize a few sights along the way. Most of the characters and locales, though, will be entirely fresh and genuinely intriguing.

The control system is nearly identical to that in Ocarina of Time, which is, as you know, excellent. There are one or two refinements. Timed events in battle enable you to press the A button to trigger a powerful special move that'll knock most enemies down for the count. You can also gain items like the Deku Leaf for use in a variety of ways, from a fan to a sail – both unbelievably satisfying and a necessity in several key puzzles. You can arm Link's boomerang and target up to five enemies at once, let the sucker fly and watch happily as each foe takes a projectile beating. The boomerang is such a fantastic tool – I love it, and it's never worked and controlled better than it does in Wind Waker. Also brilliant is the grappling hook, which Link can use to latch onto some objects and swing across. He can even use it in battle to throw at enemies and stun or kill them. It's purely lovely. In fact, the only item that's caused me temporary grief is the Wind Waker itself. It just doesn't feel as good as it did to play the Ocarina in the N64 game – a disappointment I explain to the fact that all songs in the GCN game must be played with the camera stick and not four “C” buttons on the old controller. It's clumsier, no doubt. But if that's my big gripe in terms of control, we'll all live.

I won't detail any of the puzzles in the title, either, but let's just note that so far I'm very satisfied in that regard and I think everyone will be pleased.



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Opening cut-scene in English along with a sweet little scroll Nintendo gave us

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Wind Waker has got to be one of the prettiest games I've laid eyes on. Metroid Prime was no slouch as far as I'm concerned and Link's latest is right on par, except for totally different reasons. The cel-shaded style is just done so well. Prepare to be amazed. I run everything on a 36“ progressive scan television and wow does it look crisp and beautiful. From the size of the worlds, bigger than anything else out there, to the complex lighting and shadowing, wonderfully charismatic model animations and unmatched particle effects, the game is gorgeous. I can't stress it enough.

The first time you see the entry dungeon, shimmering lava and all, you're going to be floored – trust me. But it continues. You begin to think you've seen it all and then it starts to rain, thunder and lightning as you're sailing across the rough seas and you can't help but look around in awe with the camera stick at the beauty of it all. I never thought I'd be a total convert, but the style not only doesn't bother me anymore, I absolutely adore it.

I don't mean to make the wait harder. I know the game doesn't ship for weeks. But it can't be avoided. So for the love of all that is holy, pre-order this thing. Do it now. It is a superbly realized, fantastically beautiful Zelda game with a story and a wide-open world full of sea and land-based mysteries, puzzles and battle. What more can you possibly ask for? Go and pre-order, I say. Go now! You've not a minute to waste.

– Matt Casamassina


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