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The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

Nothing to do with the local Tandoori.

While playing through the latest Zelda offering from Nintendo I couldn't shake the Carlsberg advert slogan from my mind. If Nintendo made an Indiana Jones game 'it would probably be' the best Indiana Jones game in the world. I reference Indiana Jones deliberately as it is not only a great adventure film, but it can be pretty much enjoyed by all ages. The trouble is Nintendo do not make games like Indiana Jones. They make games like Zelda. It is a game that combines technical brilliance with artistic flair but I'm afraid because of its childlike story telling I found it somewhat un-engaging.

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Before I start talking about the bad let me first tell you about the good, because there is an awful lot to admire in this game. Obviously the first element that leaps to mind is the graphics on offer, namely Nintendo's use of cell shading. Screen shots can't really do justice to the effect; it is in the lighting and animation that this technique truly shines. Subtle touches like the heat distortion from torches give the game a very rich and vibrant look. Even the theme of the title, wind, is rendered to good effect. Think about it, how do you render wind? Well Nintendo have managed it. I found many of the designs reminiscent of Disney's Hercules, whose style resulted from collaborating with a British artist called Gerald Scarfe. While I don't care for the look of Link, the rest of the cast is interesting and diverse. From strange little tree people to an impressively large dragon, you will love the characters on show.

You'll meet these different characters as you journey from island to island amidst a 'waterworld' that comprises this adventure. Initially you start off on your own small home island, meeting and greeting the inhabitants. Each person there will have a little piece of advice for you regarding different parts of the game. It's a well thought out introduction and superbly implemented, allowing you to spend as much or as little time as you like learning the controls. At the outset you'll have no items to contend with but very soon you are given a sword and also trained in its use. As in the last Zelda offering, sword fighting forms the backbone of most of the combat and it is also very enjoyable, with a number of thrusts and parries at your disposal. Once you've got the hang of things you are drawn into a story that deals with the legend of Hyrule, Tri Force pieces, and all the other trappings of a Zelda game. You're not alone on this journey. You are given a boat to get from A to B, a boat that also happens to talk. From this point onward you sail across the ocean journeying to different islands, each of which will normally yield another item/weapon and another chapter in the story.

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1. I really enjoyed playing this game. It plays like a dream and looks breathtaking at the same time. Also it doesn't rely on overlong video sequences to bulk out the story, you have to play to discover things. That's why its fun...to progress you have to put the effort in and work out the answers to the puzzles. But like a number of recent Nintendo offerings it was way too short. Perhaps thats why they bundled it with Ocarina of Time and the Master Quest.

   Vincentsangina Sunday, 7 September 2003, 09:09:9

2. The game is great, but not that great. It's far too short and it doesn't have that feeling of being able to explore unlike previous Zelda's. As for the bit about searching for TriForce shards, well all you had to do was visit Tingle on his island he gives you a map of all the locations. Simple. And if you didn't know to go to Tingles island then you're the worst Zelda player ever, he tells you to visit him when you need help.

   chris Sunday, 7 September 2003, 11:03:57

3. What's with you talking about Zelda saying it should be like Indiana Jones and that Nintendo should make that game instead? Hello, Zelda is a first-party game and Indiana Jones isn't. What is really sad is that you needed to go to gamefaqs to find all eight triforce pieces. No wonder you didn't enjoy the game, because you suck at it. If it felt to short for you or you thought it wasn't any good, I might recommend that you rent it first. Also, just because you beaten the game doesn't mean that you are done. You have to find all the items and heart pieces.

   Metroid Fan Sunday, 7 September 2003, 11:35:37

4. The problem is that you can reach the tri-force search without ever having met Tingle. This is what happened in my case. You've just been fighting through all manner of dungeons and then your boat tells you, "we have to find the eight shards." "No problem", I say "where are they?"...."We have to find the eight shards!" he replies. "errr what?"

   That's all there was. From that you have to deduce to go back to the island you'd visited ages ago, find a green guy in a cell. Talk to him, he'll ofcourse say nothing about maps or tri-force shards, then release him. After a while he'll send you a map in the post with the locations marked. I don't think Sherlock Holmes at his best would have figured that out.

   I realise that if you have the Zelda gene that makes you search every nock and cranny before moving on this problem wouldn't arise. But this quest appeared so late in the game with a search space for the answer so overwhelming it was just ridiculous. So my only saviour would be at gamefaqs.com where those with the Zelda gene would bail me out.

   Richard Clifford Wednesday, 9 July 2003, 16:25:35

5. Zelda is about exploration. You really should have freed Tingle from his cell way back in the beginning before you even got your sail, especially if you wanted the camera.

   chris Wednesday, 9 July 2003, 16:45:27

6. "Still fun though, but vastly overrated"

   Agreed. Some people seem to think that just because it's Zelda it's great and that Nintendo can do no wrong. Don't get me wrong here, I'm a huge Nintendo fan, but I can accept the truth. As for searching for everything, it just doesn't feel as rewarding this time round. The sailing takes way too long and to get all the character models from the photographs would just take too long and it would bore the life out of me and it would become more of a chore than entertainment.

   chris Wednesday, 9 July 2003, 16:50:10

7. First off, I am a huge fan of Zelda and Nintendo and I was really looking foard to this game coming out. Then it was here and I was blown away by the graphics. Well after that wore off and I got pulled into the game, I was dissapointed to see the lack of difficulty and dungouns. I mean come on it gets boring after awhile trapsing around in your boat. And the bosses were nothing spectacular. With all the time they had to make this game they could have made it alot harder. Overall I was satisfied but the ending for those who have played the game and the 2 above things I have mentioned have left me with the feeling of being jiped and wanting more, but hey maybe they do that for a reason. Well later.

   CanadianLink Wednesday, 9 July 2003, 17:31:11

8. yahoo.com

   noumanzain Tuesday, 15 July 2003, 07:26:18

9. What kind of comment is that?!??!

   Jason Thursday, 17 July 2003, 06:48:24

10. This game is cool ! I reccomend this to any especially people who enjoyed the other zelda titles.

    I give it 10 out of 10

    Aussie boy {'S'} Sunday, 10 August 2003, 06:21:40

11. how many hearts are there in the whole game

    windwaker lollypop Thursday, 28 August 2003, 11:02:42

12. this site may rock your world

    julie Sunday, 19 October 2003, 18:14:49

13. yeah right then try passing it if you can then lets see if it is a baby game uh!

    Link Friday, 12 December 2003, 23:02:58

14. I could help you if you exatly tell me where are you stuck on.

    Link Friday, 12 December 2003, 23:09:52

16. it is a better one than yours idiot!!!

    Link Friday, 12 December 2003, 23:15:29

17. I agree!

    Link Friday, 12 December 2003, 23:17:15

18. 15

    Link Friday, 12 December 2003, 23:18:45

19. more people go on the other gamecube games witch have not got any one in it

    creul.lollypop.bba Thursday, 18 December 2003, 14:06:28

20. i am stuck on the bit when you go back to forsaken fortress and after you defeat phantom ganon and then these wee things that chase after you and make a funny noise and they chase you to a bit you have to jump well i have tried and tried but i just cant get across it

    creul.lollypop.bba Thursday, 18 December 2003, 14:14:13

21. Hey there, could anyone help me with the last tri force shard?...im guessing its on the ghost ship but i dont know how to get on there.. cheers all..and yeah its no baby game..its just a fairy game.

    Just Thursday, 26 February 2004, 11:22:23

22. how do you get into the cabana on the private oasis

    Qasim Thursday, 18 March 2004, 15:15:16

23. how do you get into the cabana on the private oasis

    Qasim Thursday, 18 March 2004, 15:15:47

24. how do you get into the cabana on the private oasis

    Qasim Thursday, 18 March 2004, 15:16:33

25. how do you get into the cabana on the private oasis

    Qasim Thursday, 18 March 2004, 15:16:59

26. how do you get into the cabana on the private oasis

    Qasim Thursday, 18 March 2004, 15:17:35

27. how do you get into the cabana on the private oasis

    Qasim Thursday, 18 March 2004, 15:18:26

28. how do you get into the cabana on the private oasis

    Qasim Thursday, 18 March 2004, 15:18:46

29. Hey Qasim, To get into the Cabana you have to go the school teacher and do her a favour, you know those kids called the killer bees, well you talk to them after talking to the teacher, you play hide and seek with them. you have to chase and catch them. then go back to the school teacher and give her your joy pendants, you will need to give her about thirty or something. she then gives you the cabana deed so you can get in.

    she actually gives you the oasis, There are some mad puzzles in there.

    Just Saturday, 20 March 2004, 07:11:32

30. I need help getting the wallet that holds 5000 ruppies so Tingle can read the Triforce maps.

    Hassan Friday, 16 April 2004, 11:44:48

32. Hey hassan.To get that wallet you need to go to a fairy island, i think its the one north of tingles island. do you have your fairy chart?

    just Monday, 19 April 2004, 14:19:40

33. Could somebody please tell me exactly where the stupid shard is around uotset island. Every site says its around the beach but theres nothing indicating that its there. Is there a glitch or am i just completely lost

    Anon Saturday, 1 May 2004, 13:04:4

34. Hey Anon. there is a scroll to get onto the ghostship on that island your talking about but you have to use the hookshot to get up on there. there is a shard on the ghost ship.

    just Monday, 3 May 2004, 17:31:4

35. Wheres Tingles Island located?!

    *_* Friday, 21 May 2004, 20:22:8

36. where do i find the bow and arrow?

    im stuck Sunday, 20 June 2004, 19:44:42

37. Hello

    :D

    how do u get the bracelet?

    Pari:-D Saturday, 26 June 2004, 15:03:5

38. how do you find the triforce piece which is on the ghost ship

    Ryan Sunday, 11 July 2004, 13:43:4

39. were is the 8th trforce piece

    bbj Wednesday, 14 July 2004, 22:45:8

40. i need to know wich locations the triforce pieces are not the maps!

    tyler Tuesday, 3 August 2004, 19:25:3

41. All, if you need help, go to zelda.com/universe, it will help you alot looking at the walkthroughs =)

    Suttin Thursday, 26 August 2004, 15:10:26

42. how to get the triforce 6 shard?

    link the pink Saturday, 30 October 2004, 17:12:22

43. wher is the exactly is the ghostship map in the game

    jeremyruff_08 Friday, 3 December 2004, 21:50:1

44. where are the four killer bees

    link da man Monday, 13 December 2004, 19:12:26

45. hey iv been playing zelda the windwaker for a long long long long long while... an i am stuck!!! i cant get the last triforce piece... the one on the ghost ship.... an i was wondering if u knew how... i mean im dying to beat the game.... i love zelda an ive played an beat almost all but this one an the four swords one..... so i was wondering if u could help a gal out..... email me at kanndy_smiles@yahoo.com...... please please please please please help!!!!! btw ty

    kandi Wednesday, 2 February 2005, 15:17:51

46. where the hell is ivan this sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Stefan Monday, 21 February 2005, 12:29:33

48. where the hell is ivan this sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Stefan Monday, 21 February 2005, 12:29:37

49. Where is the bow and arrow located?

    123Fakestreet Monday, 21 March 2005, 10:18:34

50. This game rocks but I am on windfall island and the pirates are there but it is raining and the bombshop is closed can somebody help me and tell me what I am doing wrong?

    samantha Tuesday, 26 April 2005, 18:21:37

51. You have to go on the side of the shop and look for some weeds to climb on.When oyu climb the weeds you will see a crawl space and I think you'll know what to do next.

    LordAlucard Saturday, 14 May 2005, 09:22:43

52. where are the shards located

    joe yo7 Saturday, 21 May 2005, 11:14:31

53. the bow and arrow are in the tower of gods

    joe yo7 Saturday, 21 May 2005, 11:17:20

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