Legend of Zelda, The - The Wind Waker HD (USA / Asia)
Wii U
🇬🇧🇪🇸🇫🇷
Reviewed in 2013
90
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✪ Reviewed on February 3, 2024
86
Superb HD remake of the GameCube classic. Cell-shaded art direction remains breathtaking, maritime navigation is enhanced. Welcome improvements to the original pacing. One of the best WiiU games and unmissable Zelda saga entries.
Your verdict
Category
Action Adventure1 player7+
Description
Link sails between scattered islands across a vast ocean to find the Triforce and free Hyrule from Ganondorf's curse in this adventure with iconic cel-shaded art direction. Published by Nintendo, released in 2013 in the United States, Europe, and Asia. HD remaster of The Wind Waker in 1080p with dynamic lighting, Swift Sail mode, the Tingle Bottle, and the GamePad as a map screen.
Legend of Zelda, The - The Wind Waker HD review
MAX
Art direction
★★★★★
"Iconic"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
MAX
Story
★★★★★
"Masterful"
Cel-shading regains a high-definition glow here: revived colours, dynamic light and a sea that shimmers like never before. Toon Link, expressive to the extreme, looks straight out of a cartoon. This respectful makeover proves a sound style does not age, it shines all the brighter.
Sea spray, accordion and Celtic accents lend the sailing an irresistible scent of maritime adventure. The music breathes with the islands and the winds, accompanying exploration with a luminous freshness. This lively, escapist score remains one of the most charming of the series.
Setting out to save his kidnapped sister, a young boy sails a vast ocean that covers a drowned kingdom. Beneath the seafaring adventure surfaces a bittersweet reflection on heritage, forgetting and the courage to chart one's own course. Carried by an endearing hero, this luminous tale hides a melancholy that makes it unforgettable.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first minutes"
Addictiveness
"Obsessive"
Hoisting the sail, cutting toward an unknown island then exploring a dungeon before heading back out to sea sets a maritime adventure rhythm that's surprisingly soothing and gripping. Treasure maps, island secrets and items to track down keep reviving the urge to push further. The sailing drags at times, but this cel-shaded journey keeps a timeless charm that holds you for long.
The Legend of Zelda The Wind Waker HD, a remaster of the series' cel-shaded classic, elevated by redone lighting and modernized comfort, exclusive to the console. Sought on a coveted library, its desirability rests on this status as the finest version of a beloved entry and a lasting demand rather than scarcity, the US and Asian run being harder to find. A prime piece for a Zelda set.
Memorable bosses
Beneath their cartoon lines, the colossi faced here hide real inventiveness: Molgera bursting from the sands, the gigantic Helmaroc King, then a final duel for the ages against a Ganondorf more human and tragic than ever. The expressiveness of the cel-shading, readable arenas and a carefully built dramatic rise make these fights as elegant as they are memorable.
A cult cover
Remastered in high definition, the cartoon illustration of toon Link gleams with new radiance: big expressive eyes, green tunic and revived light assert the triumphant return of cel-shading. The roundness of the line and the sun-washed colors convey the mischievous, seafaring spirit of the adventure. Joyful and luminous, it proves a classic can grow younger without losing a thing.
Is Legend of Zelda, The - The Wind Waker HD still worth playing in 2026?
A bold artistic choice on release, The Wind Waker offers a magnificent cel shading that has not aged a day thanks to its graphical timelessness. Link's seafaring adventure across the Great Sea delivers a sense of exploration unique to the series. The dungeons are refined and the writing is among the most expressive of the entire saga. A few maritime back and forth runs may grate, yet the emotion and charm of the title stay intact today. An indispensable work of the catalogue.
