The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (GameCube) Compare Prices

Game Review & Description: The Legend of Zelda series practically defined adventure gaming for an entire generation, appearing on each Nintendo console from the NES and Super NES to the Nintendo 64. And the first thing you'll notice about The Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker is that it looks completely different from any previous Zelda title. Nintendo has opted to use cell-shading technology here; the result is that the game looks like a cartoon. Die-hard Zelda purists initially howled at this change, arguing that it made the game look like a kids' title, but the finished product looks fantastic. The cartoon animation style allows for better expression of the characters and several of the animations--such as Link trying to pick up an object that's too heavy--are so cute that you can't help but laugh a little. Link travels from island to island on a talking boat and you're not going to make it far without the wind blowing in the direction you want to go. Link gains the ability to change the direction of the wind early in the game and you'll do so frequently, not only to power your boat but also to solve puzzles. Clever use of wind makes Wind Waker stand out from more conventional adventure games. Puzzles are innovative and refreshing, and despite getting stuck a handful of times, we never felt too frustrated to keep playing. The locales you'll visit are invariably exotic and fun to explore, and the host of bizarre creatures you'll encounter (friendly and otherwise) are always surprising. Moreover, though its look is radically different, Wind Waker feels like a classic Zelda game--it's everything you've come to expect from the series, and it's one of the best adventure games to date. --Jon Grover