Wind Waker, Because it needs some lovin'

I was going through the forum, and I realized we don't have a discussion going on about Wind Waker yet, which is a crying shame, because it's pretty much the most underrated Zelda game in the series. And undeservidly so, because the game just plain rocks!

Actually, I'm playing it right now, and I just noticed that the beams of light that get you out of dungeons, after you've beaten the boss and whatnot, make the same sound as the beginning of the music that plays on the Final Day in Majora's Mask

I've just recently picked this game up, but I'll admit that I was disgusted by the fact it was cell-shaded. I couldn't play a game that looked like that.

Personally I was coweling in shame when I noticed it was a horrible mistake to overlook the game. It's pretty fun so far, I've only managed to get to the forest temple so far and I'm liking the leaf...thing xD. So I'm not too far into it.

Is there any significance toward the Tingle Tuner, though?

Ah, so I wasn't the only one who noticed! =D That makes me happy inside.

Yes, Wind Waker is an AMAZING game! It makes me angry when I hear people say, "It's too kiddy!" Or, "It doesn't deserve to be a part of the Zelda series" Pfft... I think it has every right. It seems some people are playing it now, so I won't go into spoilers... but the plot is fantastic and unique!

And it has amazing graphics. It just doesn't have texture--but that's part of the style.

Well, what you can do with that is you can invite one of your friends over, hook up a GBA to the gamecube, and the Tingle Tuner will be activated. He helps you... and stuff... and drops a lot of bombs... and he moves <i>incredibly</i> fast over the map. >_> I think it is just something that Nintendo put in for a little amusement. You definitely don't need it to beat the game.

Yeah, the Tingle Turner also acts as a secondary map that you can have open all the time, instead of having to open up the map in-game. The device isn't important to the plot, and it's used mostly to get more rupees.

The only thing important about the Tuner, completion wise, is that using it is the only way to make Knuckle appear on Tingle Island (yeah, the freaky guy has his own island x_x), so you can get his picture to be made into a figurine in the Nintendo Gallery. But his figurine is optional, and you can complete the figurine collection without it

I'm playing it now. This is my first play through actually. And as far as I can tell, I am adoring it to bits and pieces. Medli is just too cute for words. And KoRL is love. I think the sailing is a little tedious, but with the Song of Gales I hardly notice.

Oh em gee, TWW is seriously one of the very best in the series, IMO. I just love it. It's probably my second favorite TLoZ game. What bothers me, though, is people judging the game content by the art style... thinking it's too "kiddy" when, in fact, the storyline is much darker than that of Twilight Princess; the art style just tones it down. I mean... dude, children being kidnapped and held hostage (a family member being one of them), battling enormous monsters at sea, the history itself is pretty dark.

And then it's balanced out with humor! I love that TWW has a good amount of humor. I laughed numerous times. The lightness of childhood innocence is another balancing element.... by this, I'm referring to seeing the world through a child's eyes (bright, big, and vivid). Link even jumps up and down with excitement like a little kid. Small things like that are actually great factors.

One thing I really loved was that they actually put effort into hinting at the Link x Zelda relationship... I thought it was so adorable when Link blushed after Beedle mentioned Tetra. TWW's characters were detailed like that- they had personality. Ganon's character made a huge leap with that. We learned that he had feelings and reasons as to what he did. He wasn't just a random, evil guy. He had motives.

TWW is just down-right amazing.

I just realized I hadn't posted in here: and since I'm playing WW through at the moment...what a good time! ( Though this will be a LONG post, Spoilers to come! )

I love this game to pieces, in fact it's tied for my fav Zelda, only matched with OoT. I fully admit to apprehension because of the graphics beforehand...but I've come to love WW's style and feel: so much so that I was totally geeking out over the WW stage and Toon Link in Brawl...it's finally getting the recognition it deserves.

I agree that WW is deceptively dark...I mean, Hyrule's fate along with that of the KoRL's...and the way Ganondorf treated Link...I mean, he backhanded a 12 year old. I don't think I've seen that in any other game, not even TP...it was disturbing, but it fit his character perfectly...his desperation and greed for power made him lose all humanity.

Speaking of that, all of the "big three" were amazing, IMO. ( In agreement with Zeruda ) I think Ganondorf almost stole the show in the end...the best Zelda villian I have ever seen. He was human, had motives..he even acted like the king he is: he talked about his people...that aspect made him a BRILLIANT opposite to play off the KoRL. Good vs evil, a corrupt ruler vs a righteous one.
Zelda was amazing too. I loved Tetra, and since we know from other incarnations that she is a tomboy..it was like getting to see her without the trappings of royalty tying her down. Yet, from her pirates, it was easy to see she still is a born leader and even in this destroyed world, she's still found her niche. I loved her soft spot towards Link, I mean, she risked her life to save him...it's so very sweet. Overall, Tetra seemed like Sheik, but taken up a notch. She's Zelda, just a different aspect of her.
Dealing with Link himself, I loved him. He was sweet and loving yet good at getting down to business when it came to it. And no reluctance either: I hated TP Link for that.

Exploration: I think WW is one of the finest in this aspect..you are given a nearly endless sea to investigate, to map out and discover. I know the Triforce hunt has been dissed, but I loved it because I had to explore and hunt for clues.

The people: I loved the people of WW. The light-hearted sense of humour was rampant everywhere ( the auction for instance ) and the figurine quest gave you the option to see more into these people...giving them depth.

The music: I think this game has the second best soundtrack in the series, only to OoT. While it re-used tunes from OoT, there was still enough to make it distinctly different. The music fit the feel of the game very well, just like OoT.

The plot: It was brilliant. Hyrule, drowned at the bottom of an ocean? Unheard of!
I thought it packaged a typical Zelda plot ( Ganon is back and wants the Triforce ) into a very new and unique feeling package. Having Tetra be Zelda was no shocker, but having her be a pirate? Awesome. I think the ending is where WW takes the cake though. The feeling of deja vu was strong throughout the game, but the ending sealed it...it was the definate conclusion of OoT's story arc...It was hard not to feel like you had come home again at the top of Ganon's tower. I loved how the game then left you on such a note of hope: Hyrule was gone, but freedom abounds...Link and Zelda have the endless future in front of them. I felt that in the last scene of OoT too...but more pronounced here.

I've finally finished the game after putting it down for a few months. I had some difficulty with Puppet Ganon. But now I'm done with it.

The Wind Waker is in my top five favorite Zelda games. I love the light hearted nature of this Link and the fact that he willingly took on this responsibility.

It was quiet easy for me to fall in love with all of the characters, Medli especially. Once the game ended and the plot settled, I quickly decided (that besides Link) Medli is definitely my favorite character in this game. I thought King of Red Lions was especially wonderful. It made me curious about the time he ruled and what his relationship with OoT Zelda was (her father? Her son?).

And Ganondorf. I love his development. I love how the devs gave him insight into what his motives were in OoT.

As a matter of fact, I love all references to previous games (Like how Aryll affinity with seagulls seemed to be a reference to Marin and the masks hanging in the Nintendo Gallery.)

Anyway, the story was superb and I'm glad I got to play it. Now if only I could get my hands on a DS so I can play the sequel.